ORRO GOLD STC DISC £2500

BRITISH DESIGNED BIG RIDE BIKE

While it may have been supplanted at the top of the Orro tree by the aerooptimised Venturi, the Gold still has plenty going for it.

The curvy frame may look a little oldschool – Orro has redesigned the classic, rim-brake roadman’s bike to accommodate disc brakes but its other revisions are in construction rather than style.

The STC refers to Spread-Tow-Carbon made up a series of very thin, flat unidirectional ‘tapes’ interwoven to build up the layers, which gives the raw (glosslacquered) carbon finish its unique checkerboard-like pattern.

The frame weighs 985g – decent for a disc frame – and the ride position is similar to the rim-brake model that impressed us back in 2017. The geometry is pretty sporty, with a 596mm stack and 391mm reach combined with a slightly longer 1019mm wheelbase. The handling is quick without making you nervous and the chassis does a good job of reducing road buzz.

It’s good to see full Ultegra at this price and the 50/34 and 11-30 cassette make the Gold a great bike for longer climbs, aided in no small part by Fulcrum’s Racing 5 disc wheels, which are perfectly suited to the 25mm Continental GranSport tyres.

Once you’ve spun your way to the crest of a climb the Gold is a fine companion on descents too. The Ultegra brakes have bags of feel but Orro has used Shimano’s cheaper rotors (non-finned Ice-Tech units) and made the cardinal sin of fitting a small 140mm rotor upfront on a big bike, and that means one thing: the rotor heats too quickly and starts to make a noise. This doesn’t affect ride quality but we’re not fans of antisocial screeching when braking, especially in built-up areas.

As expected, Orro has done a very good job with the finishing kit: Continental tyres and a great cockpit courtesy of Deda’s recently restyled and upgraded Zero 1 bar and stem. The Prologo Kappa saddle is comfortable, and custom-coloured in black and gold to match the bike. Orro has also added nice extras such as a carbon cage, a branded bottle and a very neat little seat collar with a rear light. That probably adds up to £30-£40: good to see when you’re laying out £2500 on a bike.

As a package, the Orro Gold is damn good. The (British) frame design does look a little old school but that makes it stand out from the crowd. And if aero isn’t one of your concerns then the Gold’s obvious value and great overall character should be worth consideration.

“THE HANDLING I S QUICK WITHOUT MAKING YOU NERVOUS AND THE CHASSIS DOES A GOOD JOB OF REDUCING ROAD BUZZ”