Orbea has released the Onna hardtail mountain bike described as a fun and efficient bike to uncover your passion for mountain bike or begin exploring XC. Available across a range of affordable price points, the aim is to tempt the trail-curious contingent of cyclists out there to finally press send on a singletrack-appropriate vehicle on which to broaden their off-road horizons. Here’s a quick overview.
Orbea Onna
The Orbea Onna is a 100mm travel aluminum hardtail mountain bike designed for those of all genders, despite the word “Onna” being one of many ways to refer to women in Japanese. For Orbea, the original “Onna” was in fact a revolver that the brand manufactured around 1840. Nomenclature aside, the Onna is now reincarnated as a different weapon, an MTB designed to deliver good times only.
It enters the Orbea line-up as an entry-level bike, aimed at riders who are new to mountain biking, perhaps thinking about heading off the asphalt onto trails for the very first time. It’s a modern iteration of the bike on which most of us who consider ourselves mountain bikers discovered our love for the sport. Bear that in mind when you take a glance at the geometry figures below.
The Onna is by far and away the most affordable mountain bike from Orbea with all models coming in well under the price of their more aggressive geometry-rocking Laufey. Complete bike pricing starts at £629 ($799 USD), pitting the Onna as a competitor to the Trek Marlin, a comparable entry-level hardtail mountain bike that is a common sight across UK trail centers.
Though the cheapest model is more expensive than that of the Marlin (which comes in at £475), it does trump it in terms of frame details with a tapered head tube, in contrast with the straight headtube seen on the Marlin. That restricts the Marlin’s use to forks with straight steerers only, which tend to be heavier with less adjustability than forks that feature a tapered steerer tube. That said, you will have to part with £999 to get the Onna 20 before you get an air spring fork; the cheaper Onna 30, Onna 40 and Onna 50 are all spec’d with an SR Suntour fork running a coil spring. The capacity to upgrade to something higher-end remains.
The Orbea Onna’s geometry and sizing recommendations were curated with a focus on delivering a controlled, comfortable and efficient ride feel to riders a little unfamiliar with the bumpy and often unpredictable nature of singletrack. In terms of reach it is significantly shorter compared to the vast majority of XC hardtails on the market, almost shifted one size down from what more experienced riders will be familiar with.
Available in sizes XS-XL, the Onna’s reach measurement starts at 365mm, topping out at 468mm in XL. It gets a 68.5° head angle and 74.5° seat tube angle. Wheel size is dependent on frame size; the XS bike comes with a 27.5″ wheelset only, while those riders suited to the Small frame get to choose between 27.5″ and 29″. The Medium through XL bikes all run 29″ wheels only.
There is also a Junior frame size available (but not in the US) across five price points, designed for riders between 145cm and 160cm tall.
Other notable features of the Orbea Onna include hydraulic disc brakes across the range and internal cable routing, including the capacity for stealth routing of a dropper seat post should riders wish to upgrade for more clearance while descending.
Pricing & Availability
The Orbea Onna is available in now at five price points for the XS-XL frames starting at £629 ($799 USD) for the basic Onna 50. The most you can spend is £1,099 ($1,399 USD) on the Onna 10 spec’d with a RockShox Judy Silver Air fork and Shimano MT2100 hydraulic disc brakes. The Junior bike is also available (excluding the US) at five price points, starting at £629 ($799 USD). Head to the Orbea website for more details on complete bike specifications.