ORBEA ORDU M20i-LTD £5599 › Basque country’s UCI-legal time trial-cum-triathlon rig
WE DON’T OFTEN FEATURE BIKES for our triathlon-competing brethren, but this striking blue and black blade-like design from the Basque country’s Orbea can also be used in UCIsanctioned time trials. The Cofidis team will be using it in this year’s Tour, albeit with slightly different kit, while Andrew Starykowicz rode an Ordu to world record Ironman bike splits in 2012.
The Ordu – Basque for ‘moment’ – has wind-cheating features throughout, Orbea even reducing the taper of the head-tube and fork steerer tube to lessen the frontal area by 10 per cent, and trim a few grams. The frame has been developed in conjunction with specialists at the Basque Country’s Mondragon University, with the aim of being ‘faster at lower speeds and faster at higher yaw angles [basically the angle of the wind]’. This results in profiles with a bullet-like leading edge, flattened sides and a shortened tail [1]. The frame is optimised for TriRig Omega X brakes, the front having a snap-on magnetic aerodynamic front plate. It’s also ready for electronic or mechanical systems, with the battery housed very neatly 8.72kg (L) Frame Ordu carbon Carbon, aluminium steerer Vision carbon clinchers Shimano Ultegra Di2, Vision Carbon 53/39 chainset, 11-28 Tri-Rig Omega X
Fork Gears Brakes
in the rear wheel cutout. Other subtle design features include triple bottle bosses on the down-tube to allow different bottle options
Shimano Di2 [2] is at the heart of the kit line-up, providing the derailleurs and cassette, with gear changes coming courtesy of Shimano R671 shifters on the Vision Trimax tribars. Wheels are Vision Metron carbon clinchers with a 55mm-deep front rim and 81mm rear, which have notched up over 100 podium places in recent years. Vision also supplies its Aero Alloy brake levers and the Trimax chainset with its hollow carbon crank arms and aluminium rings, a pairing designed to minimise weight while maximising performance.
The final time trial- and triathlonspecific piece of kit is the Prologo Tgale Tirox saddle [3]. Its truncated nose allows you to get down more comfortably into an aero tuck and sits on top of an oval-shaped aero seatpost that lets you shift the saddle position through a 90mm range. Its quickto-adjust clamping mechanism was developed in conjunction with FSA.
All this technology works too, the Ordu excelling in a test against a Look 795 Light road bike in our last issue.
Finishing kit
FSA stem, Vision Trimax bar, Ordu OMP seatpost, Prologo Tgale Tirox saddle, 25mm Vittoria Open CX tyres