"We are Orbea" is the motto that unites cyclists worldwide, all sharing a passion for the Spanish bike brand that was founded in the early 19th century. Orbea's community is highly engaged, constantly providing valuable feedback that drives the company's innovation across all aspects. For Orbea, innovation is a process that starts with people—their challenges and needs. However, not everyone knows that before producing road, triathlon, gravel, mountain, and electric bikes, Orbea was a manufacturer of revolvers and pistols.
The Origins of Orbea
Orbea was founded in 1840 under the name Orbea Hermanos (as it was run by three brothers) in Eibar, a small town southeast of Bilbao in the Basque Country. For centuries, Eibar was a global hub for the arms industry. From the very beginning, Orbea's strength lay in customization—a defining factor throughout its long history, which, before cycling, also saw the company play a key role in the tubing sector.
Orbea's entry Into the World of Bicycles
The ability to reinvent itself has always been Orbea’s hallmark. The years between the end of World War I and 1930 served as a prelude to the company’s transition into the bicycle industry. In 1931, Orbea clearly recognized the new path it needed to take: becoming a bicycle manufacturer. Abandoning artillery production, the factory was converted to produce its first bicycle models. Then, thanks in part to Spanish cycling legends of the time, such as Mariano Cañardo (winner of the Pyrenean stage to Ax-les-Thermes in the 1937 Tour de France), Orbea formed a small team that competed using its newly built bikes.
By the end of the Spanish Civil War in 1939, Orbea already had around 1,000 employees and an annual production of 50,000 units—not just frames, but fully assembled bicycles with all the necessary components. This rapid success was remarkable given the era, but a few years later, economic uncertainty hit as market demand for bicycles declined. The company’s response was to diversify and innovate—two characteristics deeply embedded in Orbea’s DNA. A revolution was on the horizon.
Orbea' first Electric Bike
It was the early 1950s when Orbea reached out to the French company Solex—known for integrating a small 38cc two-stroke engine onto the front wheel of a bicycle a decade earlier—to produce the VeloSolex 1000 under license. This was Orbea's first electric bike. The project initially faced difficulties due to friction between the two companies and Orbea's limited experience with these unfamiliar production processes. However, things took off when a Solex engineer relocated to the Spanish factory to train Orbea’s engineers and technicians. The VeloSolex, known as "the bicycle that walks by itself" and "the world's most affordable moped," remained in production until 1968. This marked a turning point for the Basque company, which reached record revenue in 1963.
However, this success was not enough to prevent a second financial crisis in 1969, which led the company to suspend salaries. Once again, Orbea's strong sense of community came to the forefront: employees joined forces and courageously purchased the company, transforming it into a cooperative and ensuring its survival.
From Eibar to Mallabia and the Return to Racing
Orbea's restart as a cooperative was anything but smooth. The factory in Eibar was too small, and expanding nearby was impossible. A new "location"—as we would say today—was needed. The company decided to relocate to Mallabia, just under 9 km west of its original site, a more suitable place to meet new market demands. This move led to the production of Orbea's first leisure bicycles: Yovana, Gua, and Furia, making the brand a reference point in this segment. However, the profit margins were slim, which forced Orbea to take an additional step in the following decade—the 1980s—a time ripe for re-entering the world of competitive cycling, both on the road and in cyclocross. These experiences would prove to be decisive for the company's future.
Orbea's Debut in Mountain Biking
Despite the continued success of its leisure bicycles, Orbea quickly made a strategic move by entering a new market segment: mountain biking. This shift came in the late 1980s and early 1990s, a period when Europe was embracing a new cycling discipline that would soon redefine outdoor sports. Recognizing this, Orbea established its first road racing team, which saw Perico Delgado triumph at the 1985 Vuelta a España. Soon after, the company launched a historic MTB team that, thanks to its internationalization strategy in both products and racing, left an indelible mark on cross-country competition. Legendary riders like Julien Absalon, a two-time Olympic champion and one of the greatest MTB specialists of all time, and Jean-Christophe Péraud, an Olympic silver medalist, helped solidify Orbea’s place at the top of the sport.
Orbea's Expansion in the 2000s and the Birth of the "Orca"
Success in racing fueled Orbea's growth, leading the company to expand its portfolio and strengthen its headquarters in Mallabia. Deliveries also increased, particularly to neighboring Portugal. These were the first signs of Orbea's expansion in the new millennium, which began with the launch of the "Orca" project (short for Orbea Carbon). This marked another major leap forward for the Spanish brand, securing its place in the high-end market with a model that would go down in history—one that no cyclist could ignore. The rise of the Orbea Orca helped establish Basque cycling as some of the finest in the world.
First introduced in 2003, the Orbea Orca quickly became a benchmark for both professional and amateur cyclists thanks to its lightweight construction, stiffness, and high performance. Over the past twenty years, the Orca has undergone multiple refinements in both design and materials, all in pursuit of a single goal: excellence. In 2023, Orbea launched the seventh generation of the Orca, featuring a minimalist design that seamlessly integrates cutting-edge technology while staying true to the brand’s customization philosophy.
In 2024, Orbea also partnered with the professional Lotto Dstny team—now known as Lotto Cycling Team—providing its riders with the Orbea Orca OMX (an ultra-light road bike weighing just 6.7 kg, perfect for conquering any climb) and the Orbea Orca Aero (a tribute to aerodynamics that balances emotion and performance to meet the needs of every cyclist). Both models are available for purchase on bike-room.com. But that's not all, because Bikeroom celebrates Orbea with a top collection of road, gravel, mountain, and electric bikes, perfect for those who are taking their first pedal strokes as well as experienced cyclists looking to upgrade with one of the models from the historic Spanish brand.
From Dreaming Manufacturers to Cycling Artisans
If there’s one thing that has remained unchanged since the days of that Spanish family of manufacturers in the mid-1800s, it’s their ability to dream and push boundaries. This visionary spirit led Orbea to design its first triathlon bike specifically for long-distance racing, helping Craig Alexander win the IRONMAN World Championship in Hawaii in both 2008 and 2009.
Now, the meaning of "We Are Orbea" becomes clearer—it's more than just a motto. "Being Orbea" means proving that nearly two centuries of history have been built by looking ahead and making bold strides driven by shared values and ambitions. "Being Orbea" means never giving up and never settling, a mindset that in the Basque Country feels like an unspoken rule: breaking away from mass production and instead creating highly customized bikes tailored to the unique needs of each rider.
With this mission in mind, Orbea launched the MyO customization program about a decade ago—not just offering exclusive designs and colors but also an almost limitless choice of components, configurations, and setups. MyO is a journey, just like Orbea’s own path, shaped by a lifetime dedicated to personalization. Because details make the difference. And Orbea has been making a difference since 1840.
(Courtesy: orbea.com)
