Orbea

Avant M30 Shimano Ultegra Complete Road Bike - 2014

New road, gravel grinders, whatever you want to call them, there's no denying their immense popularity as of late. However, so much of what passes in those circles are heavy, flex'y beasts that are far too cumbersome to be inspiring when you really want to fly. Needless to say, we were thrilled when Orbea released the Avant series, and in particular, the Avant M30 Complete Road Bike. The disc and rim brake compatible frame and fork borrow heavily from the Orca line, with a revamped fit structure that augments the Basque brand's racing heritage with a slightly more relaxed position. The M30 version's Ultegra build kit is a workhorse, making it an ideal match for a bike like the Avant. Think of it as a race bike that's just as happy on a dirt road as it is on perfect ribbons of pavement.

Starting with the Avant's geometry, Orbea's engineers leaned on a more upright position in comparison to the race-bred Orca. This is based on one of its redesigned stack-and-reach models, which, at its basic form, means that the seven frame sizes grow proportionately in both stack and reach as frame sizes grow. For reference, frame stack is the vertical length from the bottom bracket to the top of the head tube. Frame reach is defined as the horizontal length from the bottom bracket to the center of the head tube. This geometry serves to correctly fit riders of any stature, either male or female. The Avant's geometry model emphasizes closer reach/higher stack compared to the Orca. This yields a longer head tube and higher hand position, with the handlebars sitting a bit closer to the saddle. This slightly upright positioning provides the optimal blend of speed and long distance comfort that's more suitable for a variety of cyclists' body types.

For the frame's construction, Orbea employed its OMP (Orbea Monocoque Performance) layup. This involves molding one-piece structures so that each tube is connected to the next, with continuous carbon fibers running through each critical juncture. Because of this layup schedule, load forces are distributed over the entire frame structure, which provides the ideal blend of stiffness and overall compliance. Compared to the Orca's OMR (Orbea Monocoque Race) layup, the Avant's OMP relies on different carbon properties that keep the stiffness exceptionally high, yet it provides a more comfortable ride that's ideal for a variety of road and gravel conditions. However, the tube shapes borrow many of the Orca's same clean lines, wearing slightly aerodynamic profiles throughout that add speed into the frame's comfort and durability equation.

Leading off the frame's versatile features, the Avant is both rim and disc brake compatible. The M30 version is spec'd with Orbea branded rim brake calipers, but both the frame and fork include the appropriate mounts for disc brakes, should you choose to upgrade in the future. Mounting for the center bolt front caliper is standard, but the rear caliper has been cleanly tucked away from the wind, positioned under the chainstays using a dual-bolt design. And since rim-brake wheels are 130mm-spaced at the rear hub, Orbea includes 2.5mm inserts that bolt into the rear dropouts in order to reduce the frame's 135mm spacing. The Avant's cable routing is internal, and by swapping the cable stops and port covers, the move between mechanical and electronic shifting systems is made seamless. Orbea didn't stop there, as it added sleek threaded fender and rack mounts that, when not installed, remain hidden and out of the way.

For the build of the Avant M30, Orbea complemented the carbon frame's PFBB86 with Shimano's new, 11-speed Ultegra 6800 groupset. Braking duties are handled by Orbea branded calipers, which provide the necessary clearance for the larger tires that the Avant accommodates. An Ultegra compact 50/34t crankset, mated to an Ultegra 11-28t cassette, provides a large range of gears. This makes the Avant fully-equipped for both hilly and flat terrain. Cockpit duties are handled by an Orbea stem and compact handlebar, with an FSA 1-1/8 to 1-1/2in integrated headset keeping things running smoothly up front. The saddle is Selle Italia's Nekkar Flow, bolted atop an Orbea carbon seatpost. It rolls on Orbea aero wheels that are wrapped in 25mm Vittoria Zaffiro tires.

The Orbea Avant M30 Complete Road Bike is available in six sizes from 49 to 60cm and in the colors Carbon/red and Carbon/pink.