FIRST RIDE - Orbea's New Occam Trail Models

Since its debut in 2008, Orbea's Occam has spanned the course of modern mountain biking, redefining the trail bike segment with each generation (there have been four so far). During this evolution, trail bikes have become more capable— the wheels are larger, components are more reliable, top tubes have extended while stems are much shorter, and cables have been forced into dark places we never, ever thought they would dare go.  

While the lines may now be blurry on what constitutes trail versus enduro, Orbea hopes to add some clarity to the conversation with the fifth-generation Occam. For 2024, Orbea introduces not just a new Occam but two of them: Occam SL and Occam LT, splitting the dynamics of trail and big mountain riding in a clear manner. 

Both bikes in the Occam range share the same frame and roll on 29-inch wheels. However, the shock extender on the LT changes the geometry and travel to offer distinct ride characteristics. Although the previous generation Occam featured a single LT model, a longer travel fork and a few component changes were the only means of separation from the standard Occam.

Occam SL Highlights 

• Carbon and aluminum frame options
• 29-inch wheels
• 140mm (5.5 inches) of travel // 140mm (5.5 inches) fork 
• 65.5º head angle
• 78 º effective seat tube angle
• Squidlock remote rear shock lockout
• 12x148mm rear hub spacing
• Internal cable routing
• SIC System Cockpit
• LOCKR internal storage
• Sizes: S-XL
• Claimed weight (size M, 24 lbs., no pedals): 
• MSRP (Aluminum Hydro frame): $3,199 // $3,999 // $4,399
• MSRP (OMR Carbon frame): $4,799 // $6,499 // $10,599

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Occam LT Highlights

• Carbon and aluminum frame options
• 29-inch wheels
• 150mm (5.9 inches) of rear wheel travel // 160mm (6.3 inches) fork 
• 64.5 º (low) / 64 º (lower) head angle
• 77.5 º (low) / 77 º (lower) effective seat tube angle
• 12x148mm rear hub spacing
• Adjustable geometry
• LOCKR internal storage
• Internal cable routing
• SIC System Cockpit
• Sizes: S-XL
• Claimed weight Unavailable  
• MSRP (Aluminum Hydro frame): $3,599 // $4,399
• MSRP (OMR Carbon frame): $4,999 // $6,499 // $8,599

Occam Frame Details 

Occam's OMR (Orbea Monocoque Race) carbon frame continues the asymmetric design of the prior generation with its offset brace that allows for less material use elsewhere in the frame to decrease weight. Orbea also offers both the Occam SL and Occam LT in a high-polish alloy frame for those who wish to trade some extra grams of weight for cash in their pocket. Each weld of the alloy frame is polished smooth to increase fatigue resistance while aesthetically matching the monocoque frame. 

For tidy cable routing, Occam is designed with Orbea's integrated cable guidance system, SIC (sealed internal cables) System. Yes, this involves the much-debated headset cable routing drama. Orbea's take employs split headset spacers to maintain ease of changing stem and bar with the non-integrated cockpit. The remainder of the system contains the cable entirely inside the frame, eliminating the exposed cable under the shock on the prior generation. Internal cable guides with improved silicon plugs have been placed at the frame entry and exit points, and conduits linking the front and rear triangle are all intended to eliminate cable rattle. 

Occam uses custom plastic frame protection to shield the frame from impacts and reduce chain noise. A new frame protection offering is Orbea's Second Skin, a replaceable vinyl protection custom-fit for the frame. Second Skin is available with each build kit, with additional options available via MyO, Orbea's online customization program. 

Occam SL Details

Occam SL is designed for what Orbea calls "the essence of adventure," a lightweight package with fast trail geometry and a new suspension lockout feature. The bike maintains 140mm of travel front and rear like the previous generation, but the comparisons end there. The SL is a new creature, a trail bike designed for precision control with reduced weight and increased efficiency. 

The bike's distinctive feature is Squidlock, an on-the-go remote suspension lockout. Squidlock adjusts the firmness of the fork and shock simultaneously. Squidlock is designed in unison with an all-new, patented Fox shock, I-line, that uses an upper eyelet that differs from a standard Fox Float. The lockout mechanism is moved to the top of the shock, allowing for the remote lockout cable to be routed inside the frame directly to the shock. The rebound knob is moved to the other side of the upper eyelet assembly for ease of adjustment. 

Occam LT Details

While the SL chases the efficient and lightweight end of the trail bike spectrum, Occam LT is all about wide-open attack mode with its slacker angles and adjustable geometry. 

The new Occam LT increases its rear travel from 140mm to 150mm, and fork travel is bumped up to 160mm. The revised platform features an adjustable geometry design that Orbea has deemed "Attitude Adjust." Using the 6mm hex located in the rear axle, adjusting the rear shock to engage the geometry change is quick and simple. Because of the concentric axis design, adjusting between the Low and Lower geometry positions requires only the loosening of a bolt and pulling upwards on the top tube to change the setting. No flip chips or tiny pieces to lose! 

Suspension Design

Orbea maintains Occam's concentric suspension design from the prior generation, choosing to fine-tune its characteristics rather than stray afar. 

Occam LT's leverage ratio has been updated to increase progressiveness over the prior generation. The revised kinematics are intended to offer more mid-stroke support, a quality we desired from the prior generation that was quite linear, especially when using a coil shock. The LT's anti-squat and anti-rise are similar to the prior version. 

The SL sees only a small modification in the leverage curve. More prominently. anti-squat has been increased for efficient pedaling performance and climbing traction, performance characteristics that Orbea has determined buyers of the SL prioritize. The SL's anti–rise has, in turn, been decreased to allow the suspension to be more active under braking. 

Geometry

In several past Orbea trail bike reviews, we stressed Orbea's somewhat conservative approach to certain geometry characteristics results in testers falling between sizes. 

Orbea addresses some of our frustrations with the new generation of Occams. Both models follow the standard upgrade protocol we are used to seeing with modern trail bikes — a longer reach and slacker head angle than that of the prior generation. 

Occam SL's numbers have been lengthened substantially. The former Occam's reach in size Large was 474mm, and is now 490mm. The wheelbase extends from 1224 to 1245mm. Angles also see an adjustment, with the head angle slackening a half-degree to 65.5 and the seat tube angle steeping a full degree to 78. 

Occam LT follows a similar path, with the reach on a size large increasing from 474mm to 480mm in the Lower geometry setting (reach grows to 485mm in Low). The wheelbase extends from 1224 to 1255mm, and the head angle slackens from 65.5 degrees on the prior model to 64.5/64 degrees, all changes that we are pleased to see after testing last year's bike. 

Build Kits

Occam SL

Occam SL is offered in three carbon builds, ranging from $4,799 to $10,599. Orbea deems their top-end SL build "M-LTD," in other words, Limited. Don't confuse the "LTD" with the LT model as we are speaking SL here. Still with us? The SL M-LTD build is the lone SRAM drivetrain/brake build in the lineup, adorned with XX Eagle AXS Transmission. Suspension is still covered by FOX. For our SL test, we rode the $6,499 SL-10, which is a Shimano XT build. 

Three alloy models round out the SL builds, ranging from $3,199 for a Shimano Deore kit up to $4,399 for the XT build. 

Occam LT

Occam LT is also offered in three carbon builds, starting at $4,999 for an XT/SLX kit. The LT does not have a Limited build like the SL, with the M-Team model being the fanciest option, featuring XO and GX Eagle AXS Transmission components for $8,599. We rode the M10 XT build, which is priced at $6,499 and comes with FOX Factory suspension and an XT groupset.

Two alloy LT builds are also available: the $3,599 Deore build and a $4,399 XT build. 

Should you desire something unique from the prepackaged offerings, Orbea's MyO customization program gives you the ability to choose specific components such as suspension, brakes, or tires, even going as far as the frame's paint and decal scheme.

On The Trail

This summer, Orbea invited Vital to the beautiful Pyrenees mountains on the Spanish-French border to introduce the new Occam range. A few hours of driving from Orbea's home in the Basque Country, the Pyrenees provided an ideal environment for trail bike testing, complemented by incredible food and drink. 

Occam SL Performance

We spent the first day getting familiar with the SL on a trail ride traversing numerous small villages of the Pyrenees foothills. FOX had its suspension pros on hand for the entire event, ready to help us dial in our settings and maximize our testing time. 

We rode the SL on singletrack that ranged from flowy to loose and rocky, with a few steep sections and small drops. Our first realization was how well the bike pedaled and how quickly it accelerated. Testing the Squidlock lockout relentlessly, it was initially awkward getting used to pushing another button in conjunction with the dropper and shifter when approaching a climb. Predicting when to use the lockout was a challenging task on unfamiliar terrain. But as the day progressed, the lockout remote felt more natural, and the terrain became slightly easier to predict. Squidlock added a noticeable amount of efficiency during quick bursts of acceleration or climbing. When in doubt of the terrain ahead, it was usually safer to leave it open. 

The Occam SL is an impressive ascender. A notable test example was our knowledgeable guides from Basque MTB challenging us with a climb named the Impossible Hill. On e-bikes, the guides cleaned the chunky, loose rock terrain without much effort. But on a mountain bike, the climb was a highly aerobic challenge that felt endless in the exposed, hot Spanish sun. With Squidlock engaged, the Occam SL handled it with vigor — composed and balanced as it crawled and clawed over the relentlessly steep and rocky landscape, giving up little traction. While we did not clean the entire climb, we made it further than expected. We might not cross-country often, but when we do, we give it hell. 

In the fast, flowy singletrack sections, the bike was quick to respond to input, easy to lean into turns, and playful when popping off small hits and rocks. Suspension setup was straightforward, requiring only one air pressure adjustment in the I-Line shock at the lunch break to feel within our comfort range. The FOX 34 fork was still active enough to grab traction with Squidlock engaged. It was only on the steepest descents that we felt undergunned; however, it was more likely due to the loose conditions that made traction unpredictable. 

With the extremely dry trail conditions caused by summer drought, Schwalbe's Wicked Will seemed questionable. The shallow tread pattern contributed to the quick acceleration of the bike but held us back when attempting to push through flat corners or keep momentum through loose rocky descents. Traction was challenging at times, and we experienced an over-the-bars incident that likely could have been avoided with a more aggressive, stickier front tire. Wicked is right. But much like the MyO customization program, Orbea had other tire choices at the ready, and we elected for an Assegai MaxxGrip up front. Sure, it adds weight and rolling resistance, but the increase in traction on loose descents and cornering was instantly noticeable. We felt at home with the front end, and the Assegai meshed with the Fox 34 fork for a confident in-contact feel. 

One day isn't enough for a thorough review, but we enjoyed the snappy personality of the Occam SL. Although the prior generation Occam was also a lively, active bike, the improved geometry, lighter weight, and Squidlock feature all added up to a faster, better climbing, and more exciting package that brought the loose, rolling Spanish trails to life.

Occam LT Performance

Our SL experience was more on the cross-country spectrum of trail rather than big mountain with sustained descents. Luckily, our last two days in the Pyrenees would prove to be a vastly different experience. We shifted the program to the mountain town of Bielsa, where we tested the Occam LT on various gravity-induced rowdy and flowy trails along with shuttle assistance from Basque MTB. 

After the first ride aboard the LT, the two bikes' ride characteristics were so distinct that it was hard to believe they shared the same frame. Where the SL was snappy off the start, the LT pedaled like a typical long-travel trail bike. Climbing was comfortable but not spritely. Once aimed downhill, Occam LT came to life — a playful yet hard-charging descender. 

On a series of steep, fast descents that we shuttled numerous laps, it's safe to say that had a full face helmet been in the van, we would have strapped it on. We found the Occam LT had no qualms about maintaining an aggressive pace on legitimate enduro terrain. The more we hesitated from braking, the faster it went while maintaining composure. The suspension was well-balanced, a fun combination of poppy and responsive while still grabbing traction. Mini Enduro bike, anyone? 

While repeating laps, we swapped between the LT's custom-tuned FOX Float X air shock and a DHX coil shock. The Float X's poppy and playful nature was easy to get along with, handling low-speed hits incredibly well with plenty of bottom-out resistance on bigger hits. The coil shock felt responsive initially but slightly less responsive. We look forward to digging more into the shock comparisons during our long-term test. 

Admittedly, we didn't thoroughly test the LT's climbing abilities as our crew opted for more descending time, because the incredible Pyrenees terrain simply called us to it. The reality is that Occam LT isn't far off from Orbea's Rallon enduro bike in terms of geometry numbers and capability, with just slightly less travel (150mm vs. 160mm). It will be interesting to see where the Rallon goes in the future now that Occam LT has stepped up to be a capable contender in the long(er)-travel category. 

Long Term Durability

With only a few days aboard the new Occam bikes, the question of long-term durability cannot be addressed. Finding a weakness on either bike is difficult, but the headset cable routing is worth mentioning due to its complexities. We unassembled Orbea's SIC headset system for our recent Rise review and found that while the concept works, it's a bit of a headache to drop the fork. There's a lot going on between the split headset spacers and additional pieces in the headset that route the cables. Keeping track of all those pieces and correctly reassembling the system requires more patience than some attention-deficit mountain bikers may have. For the frame, Orbea offers a lifetime warranty on the frame should a manufacturing issue occur. We will soon be throwing our leg over an Occam LT to conduct a long-term test at home and see what shakes out. 

What's The Bottom Line?

By splitting Occam into two distinct personalities, Orbea was able to tune each model's desired performance through updates to geometry and suspension and a well-thought-out component selection. The SL works best for the trail rider who wants an efficient, lightweight steed for long pedals that is still playful and can handle uncertain terrain. The LT is the choice for those interested in getting rowdy on the descents, whether technical or flowy, yet still need to climb to reap the goods.  

The value Orbea achieved in the build kits is worth mentioning as it is competitive with peers. While the $6,499 LT build with full Shimano XT that we tested is no steal, numerous bikes above the $6,000 mark can be found cutting corners with lesser-grade NX and GX-level parts. 

Although it's too early to say if clarity has been made in the vast trail bike segment or if, on the contrary, it has only become further muddied by the sheer capability of such bikes, having two Occam models gives riders the ability to decide what 'trail riding' means in their eyes. They're both super fun bikes in their own right, and that's all that really matters. 

For more information, please visit orbea.com

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View key specs, compare bikes, and rate the new Orbea Occam in the Vital MTB Product Guide.

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About The Reviewer

Rick Reed - Age: 39 // Years Riding MTB: Who’s counting? // Height: 5' 9” (1.75m) // Weight: 142 pounds (64.4kg)

A veteran of the bike industry, Rick now finds himself in his first phase of self-described “early retirement,” allowing him time to actually ride. Obsessive about bike setup, dissecting products and European croissants, Rick enjoys riding fast tech, backcountry singletrack, and bike parks, occasionally with the company of a select human being or two (you know who you are). He resides and takes siestas in Reno, NV with his terror dog, Zuul.