This is the Orbea Oiz prototype bike raced to a World Cup win under Catherine Pendrel. We caught some grainy video stills then, now we’ve got the real deal in front of us.
The conspicuously deceptive graphics scheme was done on purpose not so much to hide the bike’s lines as it was to draw attention to the bike. It won’t make it to production, but Orbea has received enough interest that they may consider a very limited run of quasi-replica stealth bikes.
The frame is built for racing, which it apparently does quite well. The promo bits in it say it climbs like a rocket without giving up anything on the (XC oriented) descents.
The battery mount for the Fox iRD electronic lockout is under the top tube directly in front of the shock. That system was installed for Pendrel’s race win, but wasn’t present on the bike at the show.
Note the heavily angular shaped downtube, something used on the Alma 29er, too, which adds stiffness and also creates a bit of a mud flap over the front tire.
They’re looking at production for 2013 model now and, if they follow the same path as the Occam, a 29er should follow for 2014.
Word on the street is the 29er version will keep the pivotless rear axle section and rely on flex in the stays for proper suspension movement…a concept used on Gary Fisher’s original Sugar mountain bike, among others. This design was used because it allowed them to use their Advanced Ride Dynamics theory (first introduced on the Rallon, then used on the Occam and Occam 29er) while keeping the weight at minimum.
