Orbea has just released the new Oiz, and in a world of XC bikes looking a lot like short-travel trail bikes, it stands out on paper, but not so much in terms of aesthetics… If you showed someone the silhouette of this bike alongside the new Specialized Epic WC, or the Trek Supercaliber, I highly doubt they’d be able to tell them apart.
I’ve been digging into the specs of the newly refined Oiz, and Orbea has made it crystal clear: this is a race bike. But aside from some aesthetic and construction updates, the geo hasn’t really changed much. We’re looking at a few mm here and there. The Oiz is still an XC race bike, and not trying to be anything else.
Orbea
Details
- 120mm travel, 120mm or 130mm fork
- Two carbon frame options: OMX & OMR
- 29″ wheels
- 66.8° head angle
- 76.6° seat angle
- 430 mm chainstays
- MSRP: $4,189 – $12,127 USD
- Frame Weight: ~1,700 grams (with shock and hardware)
By stripping away the superfluous, Orbea got the top-tier OMX carbon frame down to ~1700g. They achieved this partly through a pivotless rear triangle, relying on flex-stays to reduce weight and maintenance while boosting lateral rigidity. Combine that with their “Powerspine” frame structure and up-sized bearings, and you have a chassis that should be pretty damn stiff. For those who don’t want to empty their savings, Orbea is also offering the Oiz in a slightly heavier OMR carbon layup, but the alloy options are gone.
Geometry and Suspension
Orbea paired that 120mm of race-tuned suspension with staunchly XC-focused geometry, but Orbea says you can put a 130mm fork on it if you so desire. A slightly slacker head angle for stability, a marginally steeper seat tube, and 2mm shorter chainstays. See what I mean when I say a few mm here and there? They’ve also used a lower stack height with their in-house cockpit and a low-stack headset.
On the suspension side, Orbea baked in a high level of anti-squat. The result is a slightly regressive initial curve that resists pedal bob, meaning you can leave the shock open and still accelerate without feeling like you’re pedaling through sand.
Orbea
Orbea
The cockpit integration here is clean, but at what cost? Orbea’s patented I-line routes the shock lockout internally in the sleekest, most direct way, but that means going through the headset, which doesn’t seem to be as detested in XC as it is in other segments of the sport. It all hooks up to their Squidlock remote – a little lever system that manages both your three-position shock lockout and your dropper post without you ever having to unwrap your thumb from the bar.
Orbea
Orbea
Orbea
Throw in Oquo wheels with custom hub bodies designed to maximize power transfer, and the ability to fully customize your paint job and spec through Orbea’s MyO program, and the Oiz is a pretty tempting offering for those looking to dive deep into the custom vibe, or not spend five figures on an XC bike.
Bottom line? If your idea of a good time is tasting blood on the climbs and getting the most out of every pedal stroke, the Orbea Oiz might be worth a very close look.
Orbea
The OMR builds start at $4,189 USD and cap at $7,717 USD for GX AXS, which is impressive. The lighter OMX frame build options start at $8,048 USD and top out at $12,127 USD for full SRAM XX SL and Fox Factory.