Orbea Oiz XC MTB Gets New Geometry, Stiffer Back End
The 2021 Oiz was a featherweight, snappy XC race bike. Now, adjustments to its geometry add stability.
GearJunkie’s main bike reviewer hopped off the last iteration of the Orbea Oiz in October 2021. But he didn’t do it willingly.
The lightweight rig, he found, felt race-y on short XC outings and attacked corners — meanwhile, it could also handle extended trail rides.
Now, Orbea gives the bike plenty of updates in geometry, plus suspension tweaks, to give it a little more trail utility. A slacker head angle (67 degrees), lower bottom bracket (333 mm), and longer reach (450 mm for size M) are on board to support confident riding through knappy, rocky terrain or on fast downhills.
In a bid to balance out the downhill capability, Orbea steepened the seat tube angle (now 72.5 degrees) to center the riding position over the pedals. That, a short rear center (432 mm), and a low stack height (596 mm for size M) seek to ease the burden during climbs.
The Oiz still has its characteristic 120mm-travel, single-pivot suspension design. Reshaped seat stays (rounder, wider) should make the back end a little stiffer. Orbea claims a 12% stiffer bike over the previous generation, mostly thanks to the new rear triangle.
Also on the back end, Orbea’s proprietary U-Flexion (UFO) deletes the pivot point at the rear axle. The intended result is better response and quicker acceleration.
All the updates result in a slight weight adjustment to the Oiz. The old frame weighed a claimed 1,740 g, and the new one adds a hair at 1,750 g (claimed). It’s the same OMX carbon build, but Orbea said it optimized it for weight by redesigning the carbon linkage and reworking the lamination. A total weight of 22 pounds — claimed on a size M with pedals, water bottle, and computer mount — results.
The brand’s proprietary I-line cable integration keeps the lines tidy, and its new SIC system helps the cables run cleanly through the cockpit. Better yet but somewhat hard to believe, Orbea says the SIC system makes changing the stem and bars “just as easy” as swapping out a non-integrated cockpit.
A steering limiter helps protect the frame. Finally, the front triangle will accommodate two bottles of any size for extended missions.
The redesigned Oiz won’t launch until the end of the year, the brand said. But you can reserve one now with Orbea’s Rider Connect tool. Oiz buyers can take advantage of multiple customization opportunities from Orbea, from the frame to the wheels to the linkage.
Price information was not available as of this writing. Last year’s Oiz started at $3,299 MSRP.
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