Orbea Introduces a New Alma Cross-Country Hardtail 1

Performance gains can be found everywhere and obsession is part of the game. How far is too far? For as long as we have had dreams, competition and a creative spirit, we have pushed ourselves to win. Once victory is tasted, it becomes an obsession to be the best. You feel it in your heart, lungs and legs – you can sense it in our bikes. Our medal-winning XC Hardtail sheds weight and gains a variety of materials and features.

Alma Highlights

• Usage: Cross-Country
• Wheel Size: 29" in all sizes
• Travel: 100mm front 
• Material: OMX carbon, OMR Carbon or Hydro Aluminum
• Sizes: S / M / L / XL
• Price: From $1,099 to $7,999 (€899 to €7.499)
• Personalization: New graphic patterns and combinations through MyO
• Warranty: Lifetime

The Pinnacle of Carbon Manufacturing

Perfect Balance: Light is good – structural integrity is critical. Creating the lightest frame with perfectly-tuned rigidity is the simple goal, but it's a process that requires years of design skill and manufacturing expertise. OMX frames blend high modulus fibers of up to 588GPa with tensile strength of 3800MPa that help us to perfectly tune the weight and stiffness on each frame. The best materials are a great start; applying them to smart designs in the hands of dedicated engineers makes the final result truly exceptional.

Masterful Construction: The highest quality prepreg carbon sheets available are laser-cut by individual frame size to minimize excess materials and overlap. Fiber direction and layup are tuned and adjusted with testing prototypes, and hours of premolding specific areas of each production frame before final heating ensure optimal fiber and resin compaction with the smallest amount of carbon. Smooth and even compression of the laminates is the goal; full EPS molds, Polyurethane and Latex inserts are used to eliminate wrinkles and imperfections when the frame is moulded.

Constant Improvement: A great design and well-executed construction yield frames that are a joy to ride – and ride them we do! But we also cut, x-ray, drill, twist, pull, crush and punish them to make them better. Analyzing our frames through a series of proprietary testing procedures that go beyond industry standards gives us priceless data that we apply to our design process. Some of this happens in a lab, a lot of it on the road or mountain – but it's all crucial for improvement and key to offering a Lifetime Warranty.

The new Alma tips the scales at 830g (size M), making it our lightest Alma ever, but makes no sacrifices in ride quality, maintaining the world- class stiffness that has won countless races. Compliance and traction are keys to speed and comfort - Alma offers the advantage of the natural flexion of a 27.2mm seatpost and the ability to fit tires up to 2.4" width. Three frame material options - OMX Carbon, OMR Carbon and Hydroformed Alloy make Alma the choice of elite racers or riders of any level who want the lightest bike with the best performance.

Dynamic Structure

Stiffness: The large majority of torsional and lateral loads are handled by the lower spine of the frame. The headtube, downtube and chainstays resist twisting and transmit power to the rear wheel. There is no doubt about it, resistance to flex in the bottom of the frame translates directly to more watts to the wheel and a sensation that power transfer is instantaneous.

Smoothness: Studying the way the frame behaves under a rider’s weight is critical to tuning the way vibrations are transmitted through the upper structure of the frame. The seat stays of the new Alma are thinner, the cross-sections and diameters reduced to provide graceful support for the seat tube and nothing more. 

The top tube is robust at the head tube where it contributes to torsional stiffness, but quickly tapers to eliminate unnecessary material. The natural flex patterns created by the carbon layup and minimal bulk of the top tube and seat stays deliver a dynamic, smooth ride that feels like floating over rough terrain. The sensation is subtle - but it is noticeable and can be tested. And at the end of a grueling ride it could make the difference between the podium and the consolation prize.

World Cup Geometry

Alma’s World Cup Geometry is born from years of designing world-class XC bikes. The position is aggressive, comfortable and fast. Unlike trail geometry that sacrifices some precision for endurance, XC geometry is precise and intuitive for maximum power transfer. Angles and dimensions are considered carefully across a range of sizes, maximizing power by increasing efficiency.

Alma now has a head angle of 68º, a seat angle of 74,5º and a reach of 426mm (size Medium). The riding position is similar to our Oiz Full Suspension XC bike, giving the confidence necessary for challenging XC tracks. 435mm chainstays give a combination of stability, traction and acceleration.

New Integration

ICR: A completely new Internal Cable Routing in Alma is carefully guided along the best path with no rub or rattle, and is optimized for both traditional and electronic shifting systems.

Blocklock Headset: The Acros Blocklock 164º steering limiter system prevents frame damage due to handlebar or fork impacts. We’ve worked closely with Acros to reduce stack height and improve cockpit integration with our Alma monocoque models.

OC Cockpit: The Alma brings an all-new integrated look with a completely unique OC headset/spacer/stem design. The system includes an optional computer mount that is compatible with all major brands using standard adapters. OC component collaboration is a detail that completes the high-end feel of our modern XC bikes.

Flat Mount: The OMX rear triangle uses the flat mount brake standard. The lowe profile of this system provides the cleanest, stiffest and lightest caliper integration available.

Chain Security: Even a perfectly-adjusted derailleur can drop a chain over rough terrain or during a wheel change. With Chain Security, riders have the added peace of mind knowing the chain isn’t going to end up around the bottom bracket shell.

Alma Specs

New Personalization Options

New graphic patterns will take the Alma OMX frame to the next level. Three unique design schemes are available, with a fourth finish option - Matte/Gloss. Of course there are tens of thousands of color combinations at your fingertips through MyO, ensuring each Alma OMX can be personalized to your taste.

Visit www.orbea.com for more info.

View key specs, compare products, and rate the Orbea Alma in the Vital MTB Product Guide.