Orbea Onna 10 review

Has Orbea managed to fill the gap between XC rocket and every-day workhorse?

This competition is now closed

By Will Poole

Published: November 23, 2022 at 1:00 pm

Introduced in March 2022, Orbea's new Onna platform is intended to bring trail riding to a sensible budget, while adding a dose of utilitarian versatility.

The highest spec of five models, all of the bikes in the Onna range have the silhouette of the best cross-country race bikes at a fraction of the price, while also carrying features for the everyday user.

The hydroformed 6061 aluminium frame has a list of straightforward features – a threaded bottom bracket, tapered 1 ⅛in to 1 ½in head tube with internal cups, 27.2mm seat tube and two bottle cages (although the smallest size only gets one).

The rear axle is 135x9mm quick-release, and the rear triangle boasts kickstand and pannier rack mounts, with the latter being rated to take rack-mounted child seats.

The down tube is kinked slightly just behind the head tube to accommodate a suspension fork with 100mm travel and the rear end will take tyres up to 2.4in wide.

Dropper posts and band-fitment front derailleurs can be fitted and have cable routing available.

All cables and hoses run inside the down tube, exiting under the bottom-bracket shell and running externally from there. A 160mm brake mount is standard and a suggested maximum size.

On the medium-size bike I tested, I was able to verify the claimed geometry figures. A 68.5-degree head angle and 418mm reach strike a balance between handling performance and easy familiarity for less aggressive users.

The 440mm chainstays allow for increased stability, which is useful if you’re carrying luggage.

A 74.5-degree seat tube angle offers an efficient seated pedalling position and standover is a comfortable 739mm. The wheelbase is 1,121mm.

There's a RockShox Judy Silver TK fork up-front, providing 100m of air-sprung travel with a lockout and external-rebound adjustment.

The brakes are Shimano MT201s with four-finger levers and 160mm rotors front and rear.

Shifting is handled by a Shimano Deore 11-speed lever and matching rear derailleur. OC1 forged cranks spin on Shimano external bottom bracket bearings and carry a 32t chainring.

That drives a KMC X11 chain and a SunRace 11-51t cassette. The wheels are Orbea's own Black Rock 23c Disc offerings wrapped in 2.35in Kenda K1153 tyres with tubes.

The Onna uses Orbea's own alloy 720mm-wide, 31.8mm bar, 75mm stem featuring an 8-degree rise, inline 27.2mm seatpost, lock-on grips and a Selle Royal 2058 DRN saddle. Overall weight is 13.72kg.

Most of the distance covered on the Onna was commuting around Bristol with a rack fitted, but I also fitted in 250km in dry, dusty conditions across various terrain in South Wales and South West England.

I ended up running the fork at 85psi, the upper end of the suggested band for the main test rider.

Once the initial setup of the rack (not included) was completed, it was a quick job to install or remove it.

Aimed uphill, the Onna feels more snappy and responsive than a mountain bike of this price should, especially considering its urban intentions.

Climbing while seated feels focused and almost aggressive thanks to the relatively steep seat angle. Orbea has capitalised on the inherent flex of a quick-release rear wheel and made the bike feel highly compliant on technical terrain.

Shifting performance is light and reliable, even under power. Having to run a little more pressure in the tyres thanks to having tubes as standard does compromise traction a little.

Although the Onna's chainstays are a similar length to other comparable bikes at 440mm and the seat angle is a relatively steep 74.5 degrees, the position feels sufficiently over the back wheel to keep weight where it needs to be.

The fork's lockout is useful on smoother climbs, but I kept it open while riding off-road. The Judy Silver fork is useful when aiming the bike through technical lines uphill. The 30mm upper tubes are stiff enough to steer accurately despite the quick-release axle, and they never feel harsh.

It's still an extremely willing climber and the marginal giveaways are compromises with a keen eye on versatility.

Neither the price point, the spec or the website suggest the Onna is for all-out descending, but it handles competently enough to put a smile on your face.

While not as razor-sharp as a more race-focused bike, it can't be called lazy for a second.

The handling is more of a smooth, considered affair, better suited to recreational riding with half an eye on performance rather than the other way round. In rougher terrain, push the Onna hard and you’ll soon surpass the forgiving nature of the Judy's 30mm stanchions and quick-release axle. This means things don't feel quite as pin-point or precise as they could.

Fast, flowy trails are where this bike excels. The willingness to pick up and maintain speed pays dividends and even moderately rough sections on waymarked routes or traditional big ‘backcountry’ loops are dealt with displaying a confident air of stability.

While the Onna begins to struggle towards the gnarlier end of the spectrum, it will get down most descents.

The tyres don't get on well with anything slippery, be that the exceptionally loose and dusty trails I encountered a lot, or the limited times I found wet rocks and roots.

They are pretty reasonable all-round rubber for most other conditions and never felt prone to pinch-flatting despite being run at fairly low pressure.

The fork performed better than you might expect for a unit with 30mm stanchions and a quick-release axle.

It felt smooth, with no sharp bottom-outs and only the expected flex under hard braking or panic wrenching in corners approached too keenly.

That said, I took the Onna down some trails that are neither what you’d find on a local XC course nor sensible for an inexperienced rider.

I can't just leave this as a straight mountain bike review. Orbea's claim that the onna offers commuter bike potential is well founded. With many city streets being potholed and riddled with cracks, the best urban commuter in many cases is a mountain bike.

The Kenda tyres, while relatively fast-rolling, offer a sensible level of puncture protection. The short-travel fork can be locked out on smoother sections of road, but offers welcome comfort when needed.

The kickstand mount gives the option of not needing to lean a bike anywhere while loading a rack. Orbea's technical document (available on its website) shows the rack mounts are rated to take that style of child seat and that a quick-release mounted trailer can be towed.

The wide range of gears and simplicity of the 1x drivetrain will appeal to many riders looking for dual duty from their bike.

A hugely versatile option for a budding mountain biker, the Onna 10 ticks a lot of boxes as both a utility weapon and an off-road fun machine. It's equally comfortable being locked up on the grocery run or on the start line of the first few local cross-country races.

The spec is impressive at this price, with options readily available for improved capability in either direction, be that tubeless tyres and a dropper post for off road use or a rack and kick stand for utility purposes.

Workshop manager

Will Poole is BikeRadar's workshop manager. As a Cytech Level 3-qualified mechanic charged with running one of the busiest workshops in the UK, Will knows almost everything there is to know about bike setup and component configuration. He has ridden and raced road and mountain bikes for more than 25 years, and can often be found ripping up the trails of south Wales. Will is also a regular contributor to BikeRadar and our sister titles, Cycling Plus and Mountain Biking UK magazines, putting his experience as a rider and mechanic to use by testing the latest bikes and product to their limits.