We tested the new Orbea Occam SL: performance and versatility in an outstanding MTB

The Orbea Occam SL combines the latest technology and the greatest advances to recover the true essence of MTB, covering kilometers and enjoying the mountain without limitations. We have enjoyed it for a season and we tell you our impressions.

The Orbea Occam has been designed for whatever you propose

We are at a point in the evolution of MTB where everything has labels and each bike has to fit into a category. Among these, Trail is the one that remains more open to different trends.

In Cross Country bikes, there is a clear goal of achieving the fastest bike on race circuits. In Enduro, the goal is to find the fastest and most capable bike for aggressive downhill trails. But the range of possible uses that a MTB can have between these two modalities is very wide.

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Generally, although there may be exceptions, these are bikes that will not have a race number, but are designed with the sole purpose of enjoying this sport in its purest essence.

And since the range of uses is so wide, Orbea has divided its Occam model into two slightly different versions.

On the more aggressive side is the Occam LT, with capabilities very close to enduro, 160mm of travel in the front and 150mm in the rear, and a setup more focused on descents.

On the other hand, we have the bike that we have tested, the Occam SL, with 140mm of travel on both axes and a balanced setup to achieve efficiency that allows us to face the most epic outings.

Occam SL M-LTD: maximum technology for limitless enjoyment

The bike we have had with us to test thoroughly has been the top of the range, Occam SL in its M-LTD version. Full Carbon construction and high-end assembly to maximize the capabilities of a bike that aims to be a true all-terrain.

The frame of the Occam SL M-LTD is made with Orbea's OMR carbon. The brand has an even more refined carbon, but it is reserved for the top of the range road and XCO models, such as the Oiz.

It has a monopivot suspension system, but with the particularity of having a pivot point concentric to the rear axle, which improves its smoothness and sensitivity, and, above all, optimizes the interaction between suspension and braking. The system offers 140mm of travel.

The first thing that stands out at first sight when looking at the frame is that characteristic asymmetrical arm that gives it a very particular aesthetic.

But looking closely, we can see the meticulous work in the frame design.

In all the tubes, there is a combination of flattened and rounded areas, with more or less sharp edges depending on where stiffness is optimized.

The shape of the top tube stands out visually and how well executed the shock mount is. Also, here we have one of the points where Orbea stands out with a simple but useful and, above all, aesthetic idea. This is the I-Line, which is nothing more than the mechanism of the shock remote lock hidden at the top, inside the frame. This fact, apart from making it disappear from view, allows for a more direct routing of the hose, smoothing its operation.

Also noteworthy are the oversized chainstays to optimize the stiffness of the rear end.

One of the details that differentiate this model from the LT version is the shock extender, which is made of carbon, aiming to reduce a few grams from the scale.

In the design of the Occam, they have taken into account the possibility of choosing between two sizes according to the user's preferences, without implying limitations when using seatposts with long travel. Thus, the seat tube does not vary greatly between each size, being quite short in large sizes, differentiating these, above all, in terms of reach and total length.

The Occam frame adopts the SIC internal cable routing system completely sealed, making maintenance much simpler. The hoses enter just below the stem through the upper cup of the headset. In this way, if the hoses and cables are dimensioned correctly, the wiring remains discreet in its course along the handlebar.

An increasingly common detail in certain bikes is to reserve space in the frame for storage. In the Occam, we have the LOCKR, under the bottle cage. With a simple lever, we open a generously sized window that allows us to store whatever we want, either directly, or using the specific cover, designed to store a tube, tire levers, CO2 bottles, etc.

Also, at one of the pivot points of the rocker arm, we find a small multitool with several allen keys, which can be easily removed and secured with a magnet. The rear axle lever is also removable and has a 6mm allen key to complete the kit.

To finish with the frame, it is worth mentioning all the protections it comes with. To start, it has the Second Skin, which is that layer of vinyl that protects a large part of the frame and has a really discreet and high-quality appearance. We also find a protector on the lower part of the downtube, made of rubber and with sufficient thickness to protect against certain impacts. Another protector, or rather dust guard, is found at the junction between the chainstays and the frame, to prevent small stones from entering the gap. We didn't like this one too much as it is designed, being loose and somewhat separated, although it fulfills its function perfectly, as we were able to verify in our tests.

And finally, the right chainstay protector goes a step further than what we have been seeing lately and goes from the typical striated design to directly showing holes in the protrusions it has, so it will silence the chain impacts on the chainstay like no other.

As for the geometry, we find a bike that is up to date but carefully balanced.

As we mentioned earlier, the seat tube varies little between sizes, ranging from 405mm in size S to a maximum of 460mm in size XL. This allows us to choose between a smaller or larger size according to our driving preferences without limitations in the use of a long-travel seatpost.

The head angle is 65.5°, sufficiently slack but without making the bike clumsy in reactions when the speed is not so high.

A reach of 465mm in size M makes the Occam a bike leaning towards long, as is the trend, although its very short stem will compensate for a comfortable position.

The wheelbase is also generous at 1218mm in size M.

A vertical seat tube angle of 78° is perhaps the most extreme measurement that the Occam presents, which will prioritize the position for climbs.

Orbea's MyO Program

A large part of Orbea's bike range is open to customization by the user in what they call the MyO program. Therefore, in the Occam, we can configure a unique bike for ourselves.

The Occam SL M-LTD comes in three aesthetic finishes, let's say "standard", but if we want to customize ours, we can choose from a very wide variety since we have the option to choose the color from a wide range of options, and then choose the color of each frame logo, and even the finish of the Second Skin protectors and the decoration of the rims.

This is in terms of decoration. But in terms of assembly, we also have the ability to select from different component options to fully adapt the bike to our personal preferences.

The Occam SL M-LTD comes with a luxurious assembly

Being a bike oriented towards light Trail and not pure competition does not mean that we will not have a top-level assembly.

To start, we have the best that Fox offers in this segment. Fox 34 Float Factory Kashima fork, with Fit4 cartridge and two positions controlled by remote lockout, providing 140mm of travel.

The shock is a Fox Float Factory Kashima, which also has open and closed positions and is actuated from the same OC Squidlock remote lever, which also houses the lever for the dropper post.

In the transmission, we find the Sram XX Eagle Transmission group in its entirety. This group, in addition to guaranteeing impeccable operation, also helps to contain the weight of the bike.

The cranks have a 32-tooth chainring, so, combined with the 52-tooth rear cassette, we can climb any ramp with the Occam without getting stuck.

The brakes are the Sram Level Ultimate Stealth 4-piston, which, apart from their good performance, fit aesthetically on this bike perfectly, thanks to that polished finish and, above all, the orientation it gives to the hoses to run parallel to the handlebar.

However, users who prefer Shimano XTR brakes can opt for them in the MyO configuration.

On the wheels, we have the top of the line for XC and Trail from Oquo. Wheels that combine DT 240s hubs, Sapim CX-Ray spokes, and their specific carbon rims with an internal width of 30mm. The rims are also customizable in their decoration to the user's liking.

Mounted on the Oquo wheels are Schwalbe Wicked Will Evo tires, with a width of 2.40". The same on both wheels except for the compound, softer in the front. These tires have a great balance between rolling and grip.

In the rest of the components, we find handlebars and stem signed by the OC brand. Handlebars of very good workmanship in carbon and stem prepared to facilitate the guiding of the hoses by the direction.

The seatpost is a Fox Transfer SL Factory Kashima, the lightest there is at the cost, among other things, to offer only two positions.

The saddle is by Fizik with the Terra Ridon X1 model, a saddle with carbon rails and an excellent finish.

Riding with the Occam SL M-LTD

When we received the Orbea Occam SL M-LTD it gave us a feeling of robustness, with its generously sized tubes. Aesthetically we find it very nice and the decoration very successful. By the way, this is one of the "custom" decorations that can be configured in the MyO program.

The second skin, that is, the protective vinyls that protect the frame, are one of the best executed we have seen. Sometimes the protections may disfigure the bike, but in this case they are tremendously discreet and, wherever they are seen, their cuts have some form that even serves as decoration.

Before putting the pedals on the bike we weighed it and it weighed 12.40kg. A very competitive figure given the characteristics of the bike, although higher than we expected according to the data of its presentation.

We configured the suspension settings and position and began our tests at the controls of the Orbea Occam.

The first feeling we got from the Occam SL was one of efficiency. We expected a bit more interaction between pedaling and suspension, given the bike's travel, but the suspension feel felt quite firm, closer to an XC bike than an All Mountain or Enduro.

The position is very comfortable in terms of reach to the handlebars. Its short stem and slightly raised handlebars put us in a somewhat upright position, not as much as on a pure downhill bike, but more so than on an XC.

What does seem to us to be bordering on the limit is the 78° seat tube angle. For steep climbs it's perfect to be so far forward, but the Occam SL is a bike with which you can do long rides that include pedaling also on trails with less gradient, and on the flat we don't find it so comfortable to be so far forward. We solved it by placing the saddle further back in the seatpost and we were comfortable, but we think that in bikes that are not purely Enduro, this is a good limit.

The pedaling sections were mostly done with the suspension open, as we did not notice a great loss of energy and only on very flat trails or asphalt we resorted to the lockout.

The control seemed quite well designed, and it is difficult to combine the suspension lockout with the seatpost control without getting in the way and leaving all the levers at hand.

Being all in the same clamp ensures that they do not interfere with each other, although you have to be careful in the placement to ensure optimal reach to everything.

A curious detail is that if you are used to holding the bottle with the right, you will have to recycle yourself and do it with the left, since due to the asymmetrical reinforcement of the frame there is no other option.

In the first kilometers riding, in addition to noticing that efficiency in the power transmission of the frame, we could see that the Schwalbe Wicked Will tires also have a very good ride. We really noticed little difference in this regard compared to a pure XC bike, the most remarkable thing is that we are not in such an "attacking" position, and when accelerating more abruptly it is a little noticeable.

Few scenarios can resist to the Orbea Occam SL

Once we had checked the virtues of the Occam SL when it comes to doing kilometers, we set out to put it in more challenging terrain.

We did some first downhill trails where riding and entering curves was a priority. Here the Occam made us enjoy it very much, offering us a great safety in the line and, thanks to its lightness, the handling is really agile.

One detail that takes some getting used to is the fact that the Fox Transfer SL seatpost only has two positions. On trails where you have to pedal a bit, but at the same time require the freedom of lowering the seatpost a bit, you are limited by this aspect. Also in areas with a lot of variation, where the seatpost is frequently raised and lowered, we have to always make sure that we lower the seatpost all the way down so that it doesn't come back up.

We like this seatpost better for XC, but on this type of bike, and with 150mm of travel as on our Occam, it doesn't convince us. But, once again, Orbea's MyO program could solve this problem, as it gives us the option of choosing between different seatpost models and different travels so that everything is to the user's liking.

Of course, with the Orbea Occam SL we also made forays onto more aggressive trails, where we usually ride purely Enduro bikes. And it acquitted itself quite well.

Despite the firm feel during pedaling that we mentioned before, in very bumpy areas, the rear suspension absorbs very well, offering a fairly linear feel in the first two thirds of the travel, to become more progressive at the end and avoid bumps. It doesn't have the pure sensitivity of a typical Enduro suspension, but it strikes a pretty good balance.

The Occam SL also gave us confidence in high-speed zones, showing enough stability, although we had to be a bit more finely tuned when braking sharply or entering tricky areas because the Schwalbe Wicked Will tires, despite their goodness, are not as aggressively lugged as an Enduro-specific one.

But there is one area where a bike like the Occam SL seems to us to be unrivaled. These are the technical pedaling zones, where there is a constant up and down. Here we enjoy acceleration in each section change far superior to that of a more gravity bike, and when faced with obstacles and changes of direction we have the advantage of its lightness and capacity.

Conclusions

After a few weeks enjoying the Occam SL, it has become clear to us that the dizzying evolution that MTB has undergone in recent years in terms of materials, geometry and suspension, has helped a bike like the Orbea Occam SL to do many things well. Once upon a time, a bike of this type that claimed to be multi-purpose ran the risk of not really being good at anything. But in this case we have a bike that is really close to the performance that an XC or Marathon bike like its sister Oiz gives us, but that we can put it anywhere that not only will defend itself well, but we will have a lot of fun with agile and capable handling.

A bike like the Occam is the right choice for the vast majority, even if we ever put on a bib, because we can enjoy without limitations that adventurous version of MTB that made the sport great.

Orbea Occam SL M-LTD: specifications, weight and price

• Frame: Orbea Occam OMR
• Fork: Fox 34 Float Factory Kashima 140 Fit4
• Shock: Fox Float Factory Evol Kashima
• Crankset: Sram XX Eagle, 32T
• Rear derailleur: Sram XX Eagle AXS
• Shifter: Sram AXS Pod Ultimate
• Cassette: Sram XX-1297 Eagle, 10-52
• Chain: Sram XX Eagle
• Brakes: Sram Level Ultimate Stealth, 4 piston
• Handlebar: OC Mountain Control MC10 Carbon, rise 20, width 800
• Stem: OC Mountain Control MC10 Alu SL, 0º
• Wheels: Oquo Mountain Performance MP30LTD
• Tires: Schwalbe Wicked Will Evo TLE 2,4” Addix Speed Grip / Soft
• Seatpost: Fox Transfer SL Factory Kashima
• Saddle: Fizik Terra Ridon X1 145mm
• Weight: 12.40kg
• Price: 9,999€