The sensations we experience on our bicycle are unique. Speed is perhaps one of the perceptions that gives us the most satisfaction, with lightness and rigidity also being essential ingredients. Do you think you’ve already felt everything there is to feel on a bike? Not if you haven’t tried the Spirit.

Rigidity, lightness, speed, simplicity, appearance and exclusivity in a rigid carbon fork that incorporates our latest OMR (Orbea Monocoque Racing) technology, and fully customizable through our MYO program. We present to you a fork that is compatible with any bicycle with 27.5” or 29” wheels, and capable of accommodating tires of up to 2.8” in width (fat tires).

Ibon Zugasti (Orbea Factory Team rider. Second place finish at the Cape Epic in the Master’s category):

“Surprisingly, it absorbs much more than what you’d imagine, even when the terrain has large rocks or loose gravel. This makes for a very quick, comfortable bike.”.

Weighing in at only 575 grams, the Spirit enables us to subtract around 1 kilogram of weight from our front suspension bikes, without altering the geometry. It is designed with a length of 480 mm, which imitates the exact size of an adjusted fork with 100 mm of travel and 25% SAG.

At the blink of an eye, our senses capture each of the possible sensations that Orbea’s Spirit fork would be capable of transmitting to us when riding full speed

Jon Erguin (Orbea ambassador and member of the Spanish team at the 2016 Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships):

“This fork makes the bike much lighter. The sensation it provides is one of pure speed. Since it’s rigid, its reactivity is brutal. When accelerating, in sprints or when standing up to pedal, it makes you want to go faster. It pushes you to keep accelerating and go faster”.

To make the smooth lines of carbon flow together, the disk brake has internal wiring. This also provides added safety, as it is always protected and never interferes with turning the front wheel. It is attached to the fork by a 15-mm through axle, with the option to use any of the different widths found on the market today, such as 100 mm for conventional hubs and the new 110-mm BOOST standard.

What sensations does the Orbea Spirit fork transmit on the mountain?

Rigidity would be the first thing we notice when climbing on a bike with a Spirit fork. The more we demand from the bike and the faster and harder we pedal, the more we will notice this rigidity that many long for in suspension forks, especially in uphill climbs, long flat stretches at full speed and when standing up to pedal

Ibon Zugasti: “Where a bike with a Spirit fork stands out the most is on compact ground, but especially when sprinting. When you pedal hard standing up and in sprints, it’s a missile. What’s more, it has Zero maintenance, and that’s also something I like”

Being able to read and react to each crevice and rough patch on the ground is also a new, attractive sensation for the fastest cyclists. Using each irregularity along the way as an ally to propel us and increase our speed, instead of letting ourselves be carried along. This requires all of our attention and skill, improving our technique and making each movement with millimetric precision to position the bicycle exactly where we want it

Jon Ergüin: “The bike is the fastest. You have to be more careful to steer very smoothly on complicated descents strewn with obstacles (roots, rocks, etc.). The Spirit gives you the noticeable sensation of sturdiness and security, and you notice the difference with the Boost axle. Even though it is rigid, it gives you stability and that translates into safety.”.

Its light weight is undoubtedly one of the Spirit’s strengths. Gaining a kilogram of weight back from the scale with one single change is something only the most daring among us can do. It is especially noticeable when this weight is centered on the bike’s front axle. This leads to greater agility in any riding condition, which together with improved rigidity, enables us to ride with less effort and lightens the entire bicycle assembly, with the advantages that this means over the short and long term

We might think that a rigid fork is a step back to the past, to the dawn of the mountain bike, but we should really consider is whether we are ready for the sensation of speed that a rigid fork like the Orbea Spirit can provide

Ibon Zugasti: “In particular, I would tell people not to be scared, thinking, ‘What a monster, you’re riding a rigid fork’, because with a 2.20’’ or even a 2.40’’ tire and pressures a little bit lower, you’ll be surprised by what the fork can absorb