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Orro Terra Ti GRX800 Tailormade

8
£4,199.99

VERDICT:

8
10
A stunningly finished titanium frame with a lovely ride quality and plenty of attention to detail
Frameset is finished to a very high quality
Lovely ride quality
Plenty of load carrying points
1x gearing limits your speed on the roads
Weight: 
9,360g
road.cc Recommends

This product has been selected to feature in road.cc recommends. That means it's not just scored well, but we think it stands out as special. Go to road.cc recommends

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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The Orro Terra Ti, Orro's first titanium bike, is a high-end offering that is not only stunning to look at, it is also beautiful to ride. With an adjustable fork rake, it transfers from gravel to road machine easily although the lack of 2x gear options restricts the performance on the latter. Other than that, though, the Terra Ti can't be faulted.

> Buy now: Orro Terra Ti GRX800 Tailormade for £4199.99 from Orro

Our best gravel bikes buyer's guide shows our top gravel choices, while check out our best road bikes buyers guide for more tarmac-based machines.

The Ride

Titanium frames are always touted as having this magical ride quality, and generally that is true – although it's not a given that the bike is going to ride as smooth as velvet just by welding some high-end metal sticks together.

I've ridden some not-so-supple titanium frames over the years, but thankfully Orro's designers look like they know what they are doing, as this Terra is very comfortable, and a very impressive machine overall.

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 Tailormade - riding 4.jpg

The Terra Ti retains the geometry of the carbon fibre model, a setup that has impressed us over the years since the first model was released. It strikes a balance of bringing a relaxed front end on a gravel surface that tends to move around beneath you, while not feeling sluggish or uninspiring when you're riding on the road.

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 Tailormade - riding 3.jpg

The head angle is slackened off compared to a road bike's, which brings neutrality for the tarmac sections and keeps things calm on by-ways and other kinds of off-road routes even when the bike is loaded up with bags and kit.

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 Tailormade - riding 2.jpg

If you are using the Orro for touring and travelling on routes for the first time, the Terra remains easy to handle even if you need to correct your line mid-bend, so there are no surprises to be had.

If you want to up the ante and give yourself a faster-handling bike on either the road or gravel, you can adjust the fork rake measurement. You have two settings – 52mm for a more relaxed setup and the setting it was delivered with, or if you want to speed things up you can flip the inserts to change the measurement to 47mm.

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - fork detail.jpg

I used the Terra Ti for commuting as well as gravel riding and with some deep-section rims, slick tyres and the trail reduced to 47mm it was a lot of fun to ride on the road. My route to work is just under 20 miles with plenty of climbing, and therefore descending, plus some urban riding into the city to finish up and the Terra felt just like an endurance road bike the way it handled.

2023 Orro Terra Ti - 1.jpeg

At speed it carved a smooth line through corners and had no qualms about twisting its way through built up traffic. The only downside is that this 1x build is geared quite low, which meant my cadence was high by the time I hit 25mph and over about 30mph there's pretty much no point pedalling at all. If your riding is going to be more focused on the road though there is a 2x build coming soon using Shimano's 105 Di2 groupset.

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - crank.jpg

The 42T largest cog and the 42T chainring paired together does give a low gear for climbing though and I was happy for that on many occasions. By only offering 11 speeds on GRX (at least for the moment) Shimano is limiting the ratios it can provide on 1x systems compared to SRAM's 12 speed and Campagnolo's 13 speed Ekar groupsets.

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - drivetrain.jpg

So, it handles well and it's very comfortable. It's also impressive on the stiffness front too.

Orro has gone for a T47 bottom bracket, which is basically an oversized BSA threaded design using some of the dimensions of a press-fit offering.

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - bottom bracket.jpg

The bottom bracket diameter is the same size as the press-fit so you get the increased stiffness from the larger shell, but rather than the bearing cups getting pressed into the frame they sit outboard and are threaded instead. This is designed to bring the benefits of press-fit designs without the associated creaking and advanced wear created by poor tolerances between frame and bearing cup.

At 9.4kg the Orro Ti is no lightweight, so it isn't the quickest from a standing start and climbing isn't the kind of dance-on-the-pedals feedback you get from a pure road bike, but on the whole it does feel efficient.

Out on the gravel trails I found it to be fine. It feels responsive, and at no point did it feel sluggish.

Overall, from a ride point of view it's a lovely machine to be aboard and great fun too. If I wanted a single bike as a commuter, road tourer or gravel racer-cum-adventure machine, I'd definitely have the Terra Ti on my shopping list.

Frame & Fork

Orro offers the Terra in steel, aluminium, carbon fibre and now this titanium model – so you should be able to find a build to suit your budget somewhere in the range.

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - seat tube junction.jpg

For this version, as with most brands Orro has used the 3Al/2.5V grade titanium alloy which blends 3% aluminium and 2.5% vanadium with the titanium.

2023 Orro Terra Ti rear  - 1.jpeg

Orro has then hydroformed the tubes, which is why you see many different profiles throughout the frame, the D-profile top tube having a flattened top, for example.

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - top tube detail.jpg

By contrast, the down tube morphs from fully round nearer the head tube into a tube with a flatter bottom where it meets the bottom bracket.

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - downtube.jpg

For increased strength the bottom bracket shell is cast from 6Al/4V grade titanium. The head tube is also cast before having the rather neat looking Orro logo CNC-machined into it.

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - head tube badge.jpg
2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - head tube.jpg

With no paint to hide any mistakes or sanding the welding needs to be top notch on a titanium frame and the Orro doesn't disappoint. All the joins are incredibly neat throughout, even around the small details such as the bottle cage bosses and dropouts.

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - frame detail.jpg

By running the cables and hoses in through the head tube via the inside of the stem Orro have kept any drilling to the frame to a minimum, plus you also get a very clean look to the bike overall.

Orro has also included ports on the fork, which lets you run the bike with a dynamo setup, further adding to the bike's touring and commuting credentials.

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - fork.jpg

There are sufficient fittings for carrying luggage too, with the carbon fork getting three eyelets on each leg for cages.

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - fork bosses.jpg

The frame has the usual two bottle positions within the main triangle with an extra one under the down tube. 

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - downtube underside bosses.jpg

You'll also find 'bento box' fittings on the top tube for an extra bag.

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - top tube bosses.jpg

There are of course mudguard and rack mounts, though the front fork's mudguard fittings are inside the legs so you'll need to fettle the stays to make them fit.

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - seat stays.jpg

From a tyre clearance point of view, the Orro will take 44mm tyres in a 700c size and 47mm in 650b.

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - fork clearance.jpg

Five sizes are available ranging from XS to XL with top tubes form 508mm to 604mm in length – our medium frame sits smack in the middle.

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - front.jpg

Our bike has a 553mm top tube and 165mm tall head tube, the wheelbase is 1,031mm and the chainstays are 420mm.

The stack and reach figures are 587mm and 387mm respectively.

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - rear.jpg

As for the angles, you are looking at 74.2° for the seat tube and 71° for the head tube.

Finishing Kit

You can buy the Terra Ti as a frameset for £2,599.99, or in three build options. The cheapest is the GRX 800 model, which has exactly the same groupset as our bike but comes with lower-spec Fulcrum Rapid Red 500 wheels, a Deda Zero 1 stem and Deda's flared Gravel 100 handlebar.

That costs £3,899.99 while this Tailormade version gets the Fulcrum Rapid Red 3 wheels and an FSA stem and handlebar that integrates those hoses and cables directly into the frame without them ever being out in the open.

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - bars 2.jpg

These little upgrades cost an extra £200 pushing the price up to £4,199.99.

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - bars 3.jpg

You might notice from the pics that we have a different cockpit on our review model, with it using a carbon BLKTEC bar and stem.

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - bars 1.jpg

This sometimes happens due to availability of components when the demo bikes are being built, and Orro had to do the same when it sent the Terra X in recently for review.

Topping the range is a Rival eTap build. It comes with the same finishing kit as the £3,899.99 GRX model.

In terms of performance and quality, GRX 800 is the gravel equivalent to Shimano's Ultegra with some subtle changes. The hood shape on the levers is very similar, but you do get an embossed pattern where your hand sits, which gives you a bit of extra grip when you're riding on the rough stuff, and the brake levers have a flat section on the front.

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - lever.jpg

This helps a lot for when trying to brake hard on rutted descents when the terrain is doing its best to shake your hands off the levers. The flat area gives you better purchase compared to road levers, which gravel bikes running Shimano used to come with.

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - drop bar and lever.jpg

The 1x specific mech comes with a clutch to keep chain tension tight so that a front mech isn't required and even on rough singletrack the whole set up runs pretty much silently.

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - rear mech.jpg

With 160mm diameter rotors front and rear there is also plenty of braking power on tap, even when loaded up.

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - front disc brake.jpg
2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - rear disc brake.jpg

Orro's own carbon fibre seatpost is topped by the Orro Bostal saddle. The only thing I find with 1x systems is that they mean that I spend much more time in the saddle than I would with a 2x set up, spinning along using the larger sprockets.

If you don't get on with the saddle then that is definitely going to show up with this in mind, and I found the Bostal to be too softly padded for me, which caused me a bit of numbness. I also prefer a short-nosed saddle to the length of the Bostal. I wouldn't say it is uncomfortable per se, just that it didn't suit me with this build. That said, saddles are the most subjective component on any bike and the Bostal may work for you.

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - saddle.jpg

As mentioned, the Terra comes with Fulcrum's Rapid Red 300 wheels, the OE equivalent to the Rapid Red 3s.

They are gravel specific with a 29mm external rim width and 24mm inner measurement. The rim height is 24mm too, and to follow the theme both the front and rear wheels have 24 spokes.

All-in weight is a claimed 1,780g and thanks to Fulcrum's 2-Way Fit Ready design you can run them with tubes or as tubeless.

I've ridden most of Fulcrum's wheel over the years and have always found them to be durable wheels that offer good levels of performance. Something lighter makes the Orro feel more responsive as you'd expect, but you aren't going to drop a lot of weight without spending a big amount of money, so I'd stick with the Fulcrums especially if your riding is varied.

The tyres are the Vredestein Aventuras that Matt rated very highly. 

2023 Orro Terra Ti GRX800 - tyre and rim.jpg

He described them as light, fast and smooth, with grip that surpasses expectations – and I'd agree with him. Admittedly the conditions have been very dry and fast rolling for the review period, something that has suited the Aventuras well. They are ideal in these conditions, but I also found them robust on rocky trails.

Their subtle tread pattern means that they' roll well enough on the road without feeling overly stodgy, so you won't need to keep swapping them over for road rides unless all-out speed is your number one goal.

However, you will need to factor in something a bit wider and with more pronounced tread for riding through the wetter winter months though.

Competition

Orro's bikes have always done well on value for money, and I still think that is the case here whether you are looking at the cost of the full builds or a frameset.

On paper, though, there is undoubtedly some tough competition.

With a similar build to the standard GRX Orro, the Dolan GXT that I tested last year comes in at £3,219.93.

The Dolan's geometry is more road biased than the Orro, and I'd say that the attention to detail and overall quality of the Orro's frame is finished to a higher standard. And you also have the addition of the cast parts of the frame, which ups things a level.

Ribble's Gravel Ti (the steel 725 version we reviewed has the same geometry) costs £3,099 with the GRX 800 groupset.

Genesis' Croix de Fer Ti has a much higher price, coming in at a more wallet-worrying £4,999.99 in a similar build.

Conclusion

Okay, so it's not the cheapest on the block but I stand by what I say in the paragraph above. The Orro's frame is manufactured to a very good standard indeed – similar to that you'll see on some very high-end titanium bikes.

It's well specced for the money too, and if you are looking for a versatile titanium bike that covers a whole ranging of riding styles, you really should have this in your short list.

Verdict

A stunningly finished titanium frame with a lovely ride quality and plenty of attention to detail

road.cc test report

Make and model: Orro Terra Ti GRX800 Tailormade

Size tested: Medium, 55cm

About the bike

List the components used to build up the bike.

Stem: FSA ACR Integrated

Seatpost: Orro Carbon Seatpost

Shifters: Shimano ST-RX810

Handlebar: FSA ACR Integrated

Rear Derailleur: Shimano RD-RX812

Chainset: Shimano FC-RX810-1

Cassette: Shimano CS-M8000 11-42T

Bottom Bracket: T47 Threaded

Brake Callipers: Shimano BR-RX810

Tyres: Vredestein Aventura 38c

Wheelset: Fulcrum Rapid Red 300

Tell us what the bike is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about the bike?

Orro says: "Our all-new Terra Ti is based on the Terra C and uses the same geometry as our well-reviewed carbon models with the elegance and timeless looks that titanium affords. This full titanium frame is made with hydroformed 3.25 titanium with a 6.4 cast bottom bracket shell. Built with bike packing and multi day riding in mind, this bike comes with mounting points for a pannier rack, mudguards and a multitude of others."

The Terra Ti is based around a great frameset which is very versatile when it comes to the geometry and neat tricks like the adjustable rake measurement.

Where does this model sit in the range? Tell us briefly about the cheaper options and the more expensive options

This range starts with a frameset for £2,599.99, a GRX 800 build at £3,899.99, and then this Tailormade model. The range tops out with a SRAM Rival eTap build that's yours for £4,399.99.

Frame and fork

Overall rating for frame and fork
 
9/10

Tell us about the build quality and finish of the frame and fork?

A high-quality titanium frame that is finished to a very high level indeed. The carbon fork is also top quality and like the frame capable of being loaded up with kit.

Tell us about the materials used in the frame and fork?

The tubing of the frame is made from 3Al/2.5V titanium while the bottom bracket shell is cast from 6Al/4V. The fork is full carbon fibre.

Tell us about the geometry of the frame and fork?

The geometry is typically gravel inspired, with a slack front end and a steep seat angle for getting the power down. The adjustable fork rake allows it to transition to a road bike easily for longer rides on the tarmac.

How was the bike in terms of height and reach? How did it compare to other bikes of the same stated size?

Stack and reach figures are typical for a gravel bike of this size.

Riding the bike

Was the bike comfortable to ride? Tell us how you felt about the ride quality.

Yes, comfort from the titanium is very good with a smooth feel to it even on rough terrain.

Did the bike feel stiff in the right places? Did any part of the bike feel too stiff or too flexible?

Stiffness is very good for this style of bike, helped by the oversized T47 bottom bracket shell.

How did the bike transfer power? Did it feel efficient?

Power transfer is impressive for a bike with such slender tubing.

Was there any toe-clip overlap with the front wheel? If so was it a problem?

No.

How would you describe the steering? Was it lively neutral or unresponsive? Neutral, although you can quicken it by adjusting the fork rake.

Tell us some more about the handling. How did the bike feel overall? Did it do particular things well or badly?

The Terra feels confident and easy to control without coming across as boring. Its steering still feels quick enough to be fun on and off the road.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's comfort? would you recommend any changes?

I found the saddle to be a little too soft for my personal preference so I'd probably change it to something firmer and shorter, but saddle choice is obviously highly subjective

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's stiffness? would you recommend any changes?

The Fulcrum wheels are plenty stiff enough for hard efforts.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's efficiency? would you recommend any changes?

There is a good spread of gears from the 1x groupset for riding on the flat and up hills, although a twin-chainring setup would give you more high-speed options.

Rate the bike for efficiency of power transfer:
 
8/10
Rate the bike for acceleration:
 
8/10
Rate the bike for sprinting:
 
7/10
Rate the bike for high speed stability:
 
8/10
Rate the bike for cruising speed stability:
 
8/10
Rate the bike for low speed stability:
 
8/10
Rate the bike for flat cornering:
 
8/10
Rate the bike for cornering on descents:
 
8/10
Rate the bike for climbing:
 
7/10

The drivetrain

Rate the drivetrain for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the drivetrain for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the drivetrain for weight:
 
7/10

Tell us some more about the drivetrain. Anything you particularly did or didn't like? Any components which didn't work well together?

The GRX 810 groupset is very good throughout, with excellent shifting and powerful braking. Its 11-speed range does limit your choice of gear ratios compared to 1x systems from SRAM and Campagnolo though.

Wheels and tyres

Rate the wheels for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the wheels for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the wheels for weight:
 
7/10
Rate the wheels for comfort:
 
8/10

Tell us some more about the wheels. Did they work well in the conditions you encountered? Would you change the wheels? If so what for?

A solid set of wheels that work well with wide gravel tyres. Not the lightest out there, but reliable.

Rate the tyres for performance:
 
7/10
Rate the tyres for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the tyres for weight:
 
7/10
Rate the tyres for comfort:
 
7/10

Tell us some more about the tyres. Did they work well in the conditions you encountered? Would you change the tyres? If so what for?

Ideal tyres for dry and compacted conditions, but you'll need something grippier for winter.

Controls

Rate the controls for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the controls for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the controls for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the controls for comfort:
 
7/10

Tell us some more about the controls. Any particularly good or bad components? How would the controls work for larger or smaller riders?

The only component I didn't get on with was the saddle, which was a little too soft for me.

Your summary

Did you enjoy riding the bike? Yes

Would you consider buying the bike? Yes

Would you recommend the bike to a friend? Yes

How does the price compare to that of similar bikes in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

A Dolan GXT would set you back £3,219.93 with a similar build kit to the standard GRX800 Orro compared to £3,899.99. With the same groupset and similar wheels the Ribble Gravel Ti is also cheaper at £3,099. Genesis' Croix de Fer Ti though is a saltier £4,999.99 with a GRX 810 groupset.

Rate the bike overall for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the bike overall for value:
 
5/10

Use this box to explain your overall score

The Terra Ti has a very well built frame, up there with some of the nicest titanium frames I've seen and ridden. There are many small attentions to detail to be found throughout the bike and when you add the excellent ride quality into the mix of what is still a reasonably priced bike, the Orro really is a very good performer.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 44  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

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7 comments

Avatar
Secret_squirrel | 1 year ago
0 likes

Interesting.  Looks like a good competitor to the Reilly Gradient T47 too.  Perhaps just edging it on the price, finishing, flip chip and the fully hidden cable routing.

If I was in the market to replace my non-T47 Gradient I'd take a serious look at Orro.

Avatar
flojax | 1 year ago
0 likes

Any idea if the fork support lowriders Tubus-like ? Cheers

Avatar
Gus T replied to flojax | 1 year ago
1 like

Nearest thing is the Topeak M front rack as far as I could see when I was looking for one

Avatar
flojax replied to Gus T | 1 year ago
0 likes

you mean no then? I have this Tara - front carriers - Tubus https://www.tubus.com/en/products/front-carriers/tubus-product/tara/ on my current commuter (Rose DX with carbon fork) and would like to keep this config, possible with this fork? cheers

Avatar
quiff replied to flojax | 1 year ago
0 likes

I think the Tara normally uses a mount lower on the frok leg, near the dropout, no? It doesn't look like this fork has those mounts, so my guess would be that they're designed for an anything cage but may not support a lowrider. Suggest contacting Orro: https://www.orrobikes.com/contact   

Avatar
ericf | 1 year ago
0 likes

What's the BB Drop on this bike? Are the frame tubes butted?

Avatar
Simon E replied to ericf | 1 year ago
1 like

Click the link at the top marked 'CONTACT'.

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