I've been lusting after an Orbea Avant MD 30 since reading all of the great reviews when it came out last year. Versatile, comfortable, carbon with eyelets for a rack, disc brakes as an option , looks great, etc. Would really love to see one close up and test drive it. Unfortunately, no one seems to be selling them unless you're willing to commit on line. The closest ,yet still far away dealerships show every bike but Orbea on their websites and I doubt that they stock any. So, I've a few questions.

Why does Orbea have such a small presence in the US, at least in the Northeast? Do they just ask too much from the local stores? Are they as good as the reviews say? Has anyone bought an Avant that could share some comments?

I'm just spending a cold winter day daydreaming (a high of 18 degrees today) and I can't see how I'd ever get a bike without an LBS in my corner. Still, I'm just wondering what's up with them.

Thanks

It's funny because I always wondered the same thing about Colnago before I bought mine. For a while there was only one shop in Florida that used to stock them and they were in the Miami area. Now, we have three shops in Tampa that carry them but none of them stock the C59 or the M10. It seems as if the European bikes are sold in the more populated areas that will support the sales.

BTW, we have a few Orbea dealers here in the Bay Area. I see quite a few on my charity rides.

It's largely because they aren't made by Trek, Specialized or Dorel. That's not a snarky answer either, BTW.

The dealer agreements really restrict what secondary and tertiary lines a dealer can carry. It's not so much that they're told what lines they can and cannot carry, (although that's been known to happen), but that they have minimum purchase and stocking requirements with the primary brand.

Unless the dealer is located in a high population center, or already does mega business with the primary brand, they really can't afford to stock such a boutique brand.

Agreed with tsl, and in my limited experience with group rides or events of late I have only seen two Orbea bicycles. I would like to ride one, their design and handling reputation are interesting/good. Interesting to note that the frame sets can be purchased on Amazon, from one of their sellers. I read a recent test of the Orca with Dura Ace level components, Gold I think they call it, and it was well received by the testers.

Bill

I see them fairly frequently here in NYC. I know that at least one bike shop did stock them, and probably others too. They are not a common brand no matter how good they are.

https://www.orbea.com/us-en/dealers/?country=US

They are beautiful bikes. I've been lusting after their 'flat-bar road bike' entry, the Carpe 10.

Look at the Competitive Cyclist webpage.

I've got an Orbea dealer about a mile from my house so they aren't uncommon to see arond here. Just wish I had the coin to buy one. They look like great bikes.

I had a 2006 Marmolada, aluminum triangle and carbon stays. Last year, one of the welds near the bottom bracket cracked. My LBS emailed a picture to Orbea, and they replaced the frame under warranty with a free full carbon Orca frame. (Actually, the Orca Bronze bike is only a little more expensive than my Marmolada was.)

Thanks, Orbea!

2006


2013 frame

As is the company that makes them:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentis...lism-mondragon

You must live in Manilus. Last I knew there was also a dealre in Buffalo, but they're no longer on the list.

PDX hasd a dealer listed .. probably a dealer for most brands that ship to the US

Sold somewhere in that town ..

(they are in the same Biz as everyone else , so only the top of the range is made by them , in their plants.

to have lower priced models they go to the usual suspects .. on TW/ROC.)

But , as a MC , I expect there were shop floor meetings on the topic ..

Now there's another reason for me to like them. Thanks for the link.



TSL, I thought there was likely too much of an obligation for an LBS to take on in order to sell them. Thanks for the explanation.

As for Competitive Cyclist, I can't see committing to full price with an online outfit without even seeing or riding the bike. I'm just not confident enough in my setup abilities to know I'd be happy with it.

It seems the nearest dealers to me that even might have the bike I'm looking for are 1-200 miles away, probably further by a bunch. Strange, as there are likely 25 shops within a 50 mile radius. I'm in no rush and maybe it will happen someday.

Still hoping that one of you has ridden the new Avants and can give a review. If you said it was slow and heavy and ugly and that the disc brakes sucked, then maybe the lusting would end..........

Thanks for the replies

Around here, you can hardly blow a snot rocket without hitting one or some other exotic brand.

Never rode one, however.

You are correct, and originally from Rochester.

Several years back, I was bike-shopping. I had heard quite a bit about the Surly Long Haul Trucker, but discovered that nobody in the Dallas-Fort Worth area actually stocked one (that has changed, though). As far as that goes, I only found one bike shop in the entire area that actually stocked any kind of touring bike, period, and those were the Treks.

I notice at the biggest bike shop in the area, they have an impressive number of bikes in there, but you get to looking, and it's 20 of that model and 20 of this model, so the variety isn't as much as you might expect from looking.

I have one and I love it. I just think where I want to be on the road and it goes there. Quick handling. The dealer I bought the bike from no longer handles them. He could not longer obtain them in the amounts he needed.

I see a lot of Orbea bikes under riders around here so they must be available somewhere! We used to see them in Pro Tour races but since Euskaltel-Euskadi has gone away, maybe not so much in the future.

Unless Moviestar rides them? I know they lost Pinarello but not sure whose bikes their riding this season.

Rick / OCRR

No, just checked, Moviestar is on Canyon bikes in 2014. Sorry about that Orbea!

The local dealer in this area had difficulties with Orbea on warranties and stock levels so they dropped the line. The bikes road well and showed nothing unusual in build quality and character of ride. My personal point of view was they did not offer anything more than the typical Specialized, Trek or Giant, but cost more. Good bikes, but I will say none of the shop employees road one of their own.

you might try calling Orbea USA (there was a thread on here a while back about them) and asking if they can identify a dealer close to you that carries that bike

...as I see them often enough to take note during the riding season. Must be a dealer in this region. Anyway, they'd be in the top 15 or so brands I see around. Counting brands in my head ...

One of the LBS near me has Orbeas and I see a few on rides in the DC area. I looked at them when I was living in Spain, good looking machines, but I never test rode one.