Fifty Plus (50+) - New bike is so much better

I wrote about ordering a new Orbea Onix SL last week. I received the bike, was fitted and off I rode. With three good rides behind me I must say I had no idea a frame could make that much difference. My "old" bike had almost all Shimano Ultegra components, just as the new one does. No increase in speed. It is the handling. No speed wobble on descents. The corners are so much easier.

I guess I knew with a price difference you were getting something, but I had no idea that a person with as little riding experience as I could possibly detect such a change.

For those that may want to know, the old bike is a Tirreno Razza 2000, which is a Performance Bike house brand. It is not a "bad" bike, just no comparison to the Orbea.

Congratulations on the new bike:thumb:

Where are the pictures ?????

I guess when they say, you get what you pay for, means something. Have fun with the new bike and congratulations.

Frame geometry is extremely critical. Headset, tires, wheel stiffness, and rider position can affect handling, as well. It would be interesting to contrast the frame and fork geometries of your two bikes.

As I have observed before, my ca. 1960 and my ca. 1980 road bikes have radically different road manners. In my case, neither is decidedly better than the other, but each certainly has use cases under which it shines.

Great, now stop reading these posts and get out there and ride that thing! :)

PICTURES! Orbeas are always great looking bikes.

George has it right in that you get what you pay for. Only problem is that you have gone from a respecatble bike to an exceptional one.

I did this in the change from the OCR to Boreas and It was not long before the OCR was mothballed. Decided to use it as a winter/foul weather bike so I would not wear out Boreas. Then the fatefull day came and I used the OCR to ride to the LBS on- 25mph gusting winds- plenty of rain and Dark clouds everywhere.

So hopefully you will be keeping the Tirreno to save the Orbea from the winter elements when you should use your loaf and not go out for a ride. Just as I did. I got to the LBS and the OCR was so bad a ride after the Exceptional bike- We got on the net and sorted a TCR-C to replace the OCR with.

How long till the bad weather gets to you and another excuse needed for the Wife?

Said before, pro riders would have killed 10 years ago to get what you get in a $1500 bike today. Soon to be $2000 with all the price increases.

Actually, I have lost my desire to get back on the Tirerro Razza. I have not yet missed a day of riding since getting the new bike. The rides have been 16 miles, 60 miles, 52 miles and 27 miles. As I mentioned, the handling has been great and the climbing is better, but I have not done enough to really comment on that.

I will try to get photos soon.

...I had no idea a frame could make that much difference. My "old" bike had almost all Shimano Ultegra components, just as the new one does. No increase in speed. It is the handling. No speed wobble on descents. The corners are so much easier...

Yes. It's amazing isn't it...And really not that easy to understand. I found the same thing the first time I rode my Gunnar Sport. My other bikes are good but the Gunnar Sport (Waterford, WI designed and made) is great.

Congratulations.

Sounds like love at first ride! Is it the black with royal blue accents?

My first road bike is your poor cousin, the Aqua, and I am loving the road experience. Why do I see so few of them, Orbeas, on the road?

I'm happy for you, ride,ride, ride.

Why do I see so few of them, Orbeas, on the road?

Hi BikeArkansas: Congrats on the new bike and the results.

Hi Aqua4her: We see a lot of Orbeas on the road and my wife owns an Orca and Ordu. FYI...there should be several Orbeas competing in the Olympics this year. Webcor Builders is sending four women and Orbea is one of the team sponsors. Here is an outdated link from Orbea. http://www.orbea-usa.com/fly.aspx?mid=a600&layout=content&taxid=501. If you want more recent info and pics about the team and equipment, here is their website. http://www.webcorcycling.com/

Three of the women will be on the Canadian Olympic team and Christine Thorburn, who is also a member of my racing club, will be on the US Olympic road team. Christine participated in the 2004 Olympics as well.