The final stage of the third edition of the Orbea Instagram Challenge is approaching fast and the members of our selection panel are taking up their positions.
You’ve got until 20 February to access our personalization tool and send us your ideal model. Then, we’ll select the 16 bikes to compete in the final stage of the competition, on 24 February on Instagram Stories, stay tuned.
We wanted keep it in the family. So, we decided to choose a very special selection panel: Purito Rodríguez, Marina Arri, Ion Kaxka and Malene Degn. Two top-class riders and two members of the Orbea Mallabia team.
People with expertise in crucially important areas to offer you the most personalized bike possible: going from its conceptual design, to competition, through to its mechanics, geometry, its design and technological innovation… This makes winning the Orbea Instagram Challenge even far more valuable.
JOAQUIM “PURITO” RODRÍGUEZ / Orbea Factory Team Rider
“No other brand out there offers you Orbea’s awesome personalization capacity. We all have our own way of understanding cycling and Orbea offers you the best alternative for all of them”, points out Purito.
“Personally -he assures-, what makes my day is something eye-catching and lightweight like an Orca OMX in electric orange or lemon yellow. I like to be seen from afar and I’m into loud colours”.
In this vein, Purito is looking to particularly reward those bikes that step out of the mainstream in the Orbea Instagram Challenge. “I like following the latest trends -he points out-, things that break the norm technologically. I want to escape off the beaten track. Setting up a bike is fun and I want to have fun with those people sharing their designs with us”.
MARINA ARRI / Graphic Design Specialist in Product and Innovation for Orbea
“My bike has to make me fall in love with it as well as represent me”. Along with the Orbea Design team, Marina studies artistic and colour trends, and also textile fashion, interior and automotive design, sports fashion, finishes… “Everything has to inspire you when creating new graphics and frame colours and of all the components”, she says.
“A configurator has to provide the utmost personalization options: aesthetically and include a large range of colours and finishes, as well as quality components. The more personalizable it is, the closer we’ll be of achieving the bike of our dreams”.
“In Orbea we’ve taken a lot of care on each model -she stresses- and I know the commitment that goes into every bike. Just for this reason, I feel that I should value the aesthetics as well as the balanced selection of components”.
ION LARRAÑAGA (“KAXKA”) / Orbea Assembly Area
Many of the personalized Orbea have, in some way, passed through his hands. Ion Larrañaga (who we know as Kaxka) has been assembling bikes for a long time. He currently performs more organisational and coordination duties.
“Generally speaking -points out Ion-, the essential thing in a bike is its geometry and designing a frame to provide comfort and performance. After that, the equipment is a matter of taste. The truth is that people have designed some really surprising designs through MYO”.
Ion refers to the Orbea Instagram Challenge as “an attractive challenge, since we’re giving people a chance to showcase their ideas which in turn provides visibility to our products. Plus, it’s a unique opportunity to win a hot looking bike made to your taste”.
MALENE DEGN / KMC Orbea Team Rider
Malene is the current XCO Danish champion. A rider that combines youth and contrasted experience in MTB. “I feel honoured to be part of the selection panel. I want to wish all the participants the best of luck and congratulate Orbea for this initiative”.
The KMC Orbea rider tries to imagine each design in full swing. “For me, dream bikes are for riding on dream tracks. I’ll be looking out for beautiful designs, but that are also full of personality and with a touch of class. I could like minimalist patterns as well as awesome combinations of colours and bright hues”.
“Now, about the components -she adds-, the crucial thing is to choose them according to what you’re going to use the bike for: So, are you going to compete or go riding on adventure tracks? Are you going to break downhill Strava KOMs? … it all depends”.
Alea jacta est, the die is cast with the choice of the selection panel. They’ve taken up their positions at the command post for the final selection.
Best of luck!