Orbea Terra M30-D in the gravel bike test: Lively bike for training and gravel tours

Test / Gravel bike: The Orbea Terra M30-D is a sporty, nimble gravel bike whose character should particularly appeal to those who are otherwise mostly at home on a racing bike.

Orbea Terra M30-D: The facts

Frame material: Carbon
Wheel size(s): 700c
Maximum tire clearance: 40mm (700c)
Axle dimensions (v/h): 12 × 100/142 × 12
Mudguard Eyelets: Ja
Luggage carrier eyelets (v/h): No
bottle holder: Down tube above, F seat tube

Weight wheels v/h/total (with tires and brake discs): 1.640g / 1.781g / 3.421g
Weight complete bike without pedals (size M): 9,52kg
Price: 2.869 euros (2.699 euros base price)

Customizable frame with road bike DNA

In the portfolio of the Basques of Orbea, the Terra flies the Gravel flag. The bike, which was introduced two years ago, is the all-rounder in the drop-bar range, but remains true to the sporty roots of the traditional Spanish manufacturer. This becomes clear at first glance: the lines of the chic carbon frame promise speed, the clear raised saddle should ensure a sporty position on the bike.

We don't want to say too much about the color design of the Orbea Terra M30-D at this point. On the one hand, this is due to the extremely calm black-in-black design of our test model, but much more to the Orbea MyO program: This means that every buyer can individually decide on their own color combination - at no extra charge! The only thing you have to accept is the slightly longer delivery time of – usually – around four weeks. For an individual bike, however, it would definitely be worth it to us.

From the carbon layup of the Terra frame, Orbea promises a harmonious balance between stiffness for a nimble start and good power transmission and flexible areas to absorb shocks and vibrations from the ground. Wide or large-volume tires also help with the latter, which the Terra can definitely use: At 40mm, the throughput is not particularly generous for a gravel bike, but we still consider it more than sufficient for the intended area of ​​application.

Similar to the freedom of tires, the Terra also presents itself when it comes to mounting points: quite versatile, but focused on the essentials: mudguards can be mounted at the front and rear, but when it comes to bags or luggage racks, you look into the tube.

It gets exciting when you look at the geometry of the Orbea Terra. The Spaniards speak of the “Terra Position” – a somewhat toned down interpretation of classic road bike geometries suitable for touring. However, that is only half the truth. On the Basque gravel bike, a crisp saddle elevation with a very short head tube meets a fairly slack steering angle and rather long chainstays. So you should get a smooth-running, but still extremely sporty bike.

Attractive equipment with a little overweight

The Orbea Terra M30 is the cheaper of the two available versions of the Spanish gravel speedster. At 2.699 euros in the basic and 2.869 euros in the tested equipment, it is also one of the rather inexpensive carbon gravel bikes on the market and - so much in advance - comes with an extremely decent, solid equipment without weaknesses, but also without any major highlights . The fact that you had to make cuts here and there in view of the low price is evident from the weight: At around 9,5kg, it is one of the heaviest gravel bikes with a carbon frame in our test.

The shifting group is well chosen: Orbea relies on Shimano's new GRX group in its double version. Although the components of the cheaper 2 and 600 series are used for the levers and brakes, they are still an extremely good choice, especially in this price range. The circuit offers a wide range and small gear steps: So you can always find the right gear ratio even on longer trips in mountainous regions.

Our test bike was equipped with a DT Swiss E1850 wheelset, which does not correspond to the basic equipment, but can be configured for an additional charge of 170 euros. It's definitely worth it, because the tubeless rims have a decent width of 20mm, and the set isn't too heavy.

Mounted on it are 38mm wide Vittoria Terreno Dry CX tires. The latter offer an interesting mix of a subtly profiled tread in the middle and, for a gravel tire, fairly pronounced side lugs. So you get - at least in theory - the best of both worlds: little rolling resistance in moderate terrain, but plenty of cornering support when it counts. Visually, it takes some getting used to: the gray sidewalls of the tires.

The seating area is extremely unobtrusive with a 27,2mm aluminum post and Selle Italia X3 saddle, as is the cockpit: there are in-house attachments with a moderately long stem (80mm on our test bike in size M) and handlebars with discreetly flared ends.

More tests, products and background information about the Velomotion Gravel Month:

Let's Gravel: The Orbea Terra M30-D

The Orbea Terra M30-D shows itself to be a sporty runabout right from the first few meters, because with its full saddle elevation it not only ensures a brisk seating position, but also a racy driving experience. However, the racing bike-inspired geometry can be toned down a bit by using spacers, making it a bit more suitable for touring.

The combination of smooth running and direct handling works just as well. Because the long chainstays and the flat steering angle ensure a lot of safety and a smooth riding experience not only in theory but also in practice at higher speeds. Due to the short head tube and the sporty position, the Terra M30-D doesn't appear too sluggish and has fairly direct handling at the front, which ensures sufficient agility even on technical terrain.

Even if the liveliness of the Orbea Terra M30-D can't quite keep up with the top gravel racers, the Spaniard's acceleration is still solid and a result of the high-quality carbon frame with good power transmission, which ensures direct propulsion. The only thing that slows you down a little is the weight of a good 9,5 kilograms, which is a lot for a carbon gravler.

The good driving comfort of the Orbea Gravler comes into play as a suitable addition. For this purpose, the carbon layup was adjusted at "critical" points, such as the fork ends, rear triangle ends or the top tube and optimized for comfort. This means that rough knocks and bumps are not passed on directly to the driver, which makes for a much more comfortable driving experience.

Unfortunately, there are a few deductions for the poor accessory compatibility of the Orbea Terra M30-D, because the lack of mounting options for bags and more severely limits the area of ​​application of this gravel bike and will probably repel bikepacking fans entirely.

Other gravel bike highlights in the test: