Cycling Weekly — January 11, 2018

Bike test

Tested by: Simon Smythe | Miles ridden:

261 | Size tested: M | Weight: 7.4kg/16.3lb

Orro Gold STC

Ultegra £1,999

rro is based in
East Sussex at the
foot of Ditchling
Beacon. The British brand
is not yet as well known as
its neighbouring hill, which
has hosted both the Tour de
France and the National Hill-
Climb Championships as well
having a reputation as being
the most feared section of

the annual London-Brighton,

but if it continues to produce

bikes as good as the Gold

STC, it will soon be

breathing the same

refi ned air.

Frame

Orro calls the

Gold STC its

fi gurehead

— it’s a bike

specifi cally

designed

for gran

fondo riding

made from

a striking-

looking

specialist

carbon-fi bre

from fellow

British brand

Sigmatex.

Sigmatex supplies

what it calls ‘spread tow’

carbon-fi bre, which gives

it its chequerboard

appearance (and the ‘STC’ in

the name). Spread tow carbon

has fewer interlacing points

compared with standard

1K fi bres, making thinner

laminates possible resulting

in a claimed improved

mechanical performance.

Although the carbon-fi bre

is produced in the UK, the

frames themselves are made

in the Far East and then built

up back in Ditchling.

The Orro Gold STC frame

itself is all elegant curves,

with a gently arcing top tube

that fl ares at either end. The

fl attened wishbone emerges

from the seat tube in one

piece of carbon, presumably

adding stiffness to the

juncture as well as being able

to provide a small amount of

vertical compliance.

Orro calls the Gold series

its “fi gurehead... the ultimate

Gran Fondo machine”.

The geometry refl ects its

endurance rather than race

designation and is nicely

judged. The 71.4° head tube

of the medium is relatively

slack, meaning plenty of

steering stability without

the twitchiness of a pure

race bike. The stack is also

aimed at comfort rather than

head-down speed, and with

the wheelbase just over the

1,000mm it’s clear this is a

machine for all-day outings.

Specifi cation

Shimano Ultegra 8000 is a

great choice for the Orro

Gold STC. Keeping the cost

as well as the weight down

but still supplying superfast,

accurate shifting.

Deda Zero 1 bar and stem

and a Prologo Kappa Evo

saddle top off a good spec,

A

B

C

D

E

H

F

G

SIZE TESTED: M

ABCDEFGH

55.4cm 73.3° 71.4° 17.4cm38.2cm41.2cm 59.6cm100.5cm

Distributor http://www.orrobikes.com

Frame Orro Gold STC Carbon

Fork Orro Full Carbon STC Superlight 2.0

Size range XS, S, M, L, XL

Weight 7.4kg /16.3lb

Groupset Shimano Ultegra 8000

Alterations None

Gear ratios 11-30t cassette, 52/36 chainset

Wheels Fulcrum Racing Quattro LG

Tyres Continental Grand Prix 25c

Bar 3T Ergonova Pro

Stem 3T Arx II Pro

Seatpost Orro Alloy Setback

Saddle Prologo Kappa Evo

Orro Gold STC Ultegra

£1,999

Ride ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 8/10

Value ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 9/10

Specification■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 9/10

Frame ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 9/10

38 | January 11, 2018 | Cycling Weekly