The 2026 Orbea Terra Race gravel bike on test – Road to Rainbow Jersey

There’s just one earth, but two Terras. With the 2026 Terra Race, Orbea present the adrenaline-hungry sibling of the recently introduced Orbea Terra. Lower, lighter and built with a new carbon layup, the Terra Race has its sights set firmly on the top step of the podium. But is the race version always the faster bike? We took it for a spin to see if it could awaken our inner Van der Poel.

Ask an open question, I tell myself. Avoid talking. Every gram of oxygen needs to go to the legs. But the creeping onset of anemia is slowing my brain. “How’s your season going?” I just about manage to squeeze out – then glance to my right. Riding next to me is Gustave Orien, a young French gravel racer supported by Orbea. Gustave starts chatting about the Traka360, about watts and fueling strategies. Then he attacks – VO2 max interval. The Van der Poel in me is fast asleep.

I’m left behind – between scarlet poppies and muddy puddles – alone with the 2026 Terra Race and one lingering question: what actually is gravel racing? A UCI World Cup event? The Traka360? Or maybe even the Traka560? More of a self-supported soul-searching mission or a gravel crit with compression socks? The spectrum is vast. There are endless ways to push yourself to the limit once the tarmac ends. But what kind of racing is the Terra Race built for? The frame makes no secret of it: this one’s made for podium finishes, not for rain-sodden escapades through the Scottish Highlands. No mounts, no mercy.”

Speed Dating: First Impressions of the 2026 Orbea Terra Race

Unlike its adventure-ready namesake, the 2026 Orbea Terra, the new Terra Race skips the fork mounts and downtube storage compartment – a gentle reminder that you should not spoil that sleek silhouette with bikepacking clutter or sneak an espresso maker into your kit. The lack of integrated storage isn’t just about looks, though. It’s mainly for the claimed benefit of increased frame stiffness. And let’s be honest: most of us are happy to sacrifice a bag of gummy bears for a few extra Newton metres of torsional rigidity, right?

Visually, it’s the smooth transitions around the head tube and the slender top tube that set the tone. And while you might expect an aero-style D-shaped seatpost, Orbea have gone with a classic round one instead. That means you can fit a dropper post. However, the seat tube itself does hint at the bike’s aero ambitions, tapering down into a Kammtail profile where it meets the low-slung seat stays. The junction between the seat stays and the seat tube is aerodynamically optimised, too. Further down, the tube profile hugs the rear wheel with a slight cut-out.

The Terra Race doesn’t pretend to be a jack of all trades. Rather it’s out to make a statement. It’s distinctive, quite obsessed with engineering details, and even a touch aggressive in its matt metallic coat. Looks are always subjective, of course, but the 2026 Terra Race exudes serious champagne-shower vibes just standing there.

Go Low, Go Fast – the Geometry of the 2026 Orbea Terra Race

Up front, Orbea debut a brand-new, fully integrated carbon cockpit with a built-in GPS mount. It’s designed to shave off a few more watts in the wind, and promises optimum ergonomics in every racing scenario – whether you’re cruising on the hoods or hammering out a final sprint in the drops. The cockpit is available in eleven different stem length and bar width combinations, ranging from 360 to 440 mm.

As always, Orbea offer an impressive depth of customisation. Since the frames are painted and assembled at their factory in the Basque Country rather than being shipped in bulk from Asia, Orbea can respond flexibly to individual customer requests. The option to personalise your bike at no extra cost is one of the brand’s USPs.

Alongside bar widths, stem lengths and, if you like, the handlebar rise, the MyO configurator also lets you choose the number of spacers, crank length, and seatpost setback. If you’re feeling creative, you can go wild with the design, too: the colours, finishes and decals are all fully customisable. Just remember, it still has to match your rainbow jersey in the end.

	XS	S	M	L	XL	XXL
Top tube	523 mm	538 mm	555 mm	567 mm	585 mm	600 mm
Seat tube	405 mm	440 mm	470 mm	505 mm	540 mm	575 mm
Head tube	95 mm	120 mm	139 mm	162 mm	181 mm	205 mm
Head angle	70°	70.5°	71°	71°	71.5°	72°
Seat angle	74°	74°	73.5°	73.5°	73°	73°
Chainstay	420 mm	420 mm	420 mm	420 mm	420 mm	420 mm
Wheelbase	1,005 mm	1,018 mm	1,026 mm	1,40 mm	1,48 mm	1,058 mm
Reach	375 mm	383 mm	389 mm	395 mm	402 mm	409 mm
Stack	514,9 mm	540 mm	560,3 mm	580 mm	600 mm	625 mm

No matter which finish you choose, you’ll always find Orbea’s premium OMX carbon underneath the paint, which is said to offer an ideal balance of low weight and high stiffness. The frame of the 2026 Orbea Terra Race tips the scales at just 910 grams (size M, unpainted), making it around 15% lighter than the standard 2026 Orbea Terra, which comes in at 1,040 grams (size M, unpainted). The fork adds another 425 grams.

More important than the weight, however, is the geometry – and that’s where the Terra Race really differs from its adventure seeking sibling. It’s noticeably more aggressive, with around 20 mm less stack and a slightly shorter reach, making the bike lower and more compact overall. The chainstays and wheelbase are also shorter compared to the regular Terra. According to Orbea, the 2026 Terra Race hits the sweet spot between agility and high-speed stability – two key ingredients if you don’t want Van der Poel lapping you at the next UCI Gravel World Champs. We can’t wait to find out for ourselves.

Tool-Free Bliss – the OQUO RP50 Ltd Wheels

We were equally curious about another exciting debut: the brand-new OQUO RP50 Ltd wheelset. With these, Orbea are kitting out the 2026 Terra Race with the top-tier wheels from their tongue-twisting sister brand. OQUO are part of the Orbea group, but they operate independently, building wheels near Bilbao – and now they’ve unveiled their first in-house hub, the Q10.

Until now, OQUO have relied on Zipp hubs for their flagship models. But with the Q10, the Basque brand introduce a beautifully CNC-machined and laser-engraved piece of kit, designed and manufactured entirely in-house.

OQUO use a high-strength 7075-T6 aluminium alloy for the one-piece machined hub shell. At its core is a newly developed ratchet system with 45 teeth and a tight 8° engagement angle. According to OQUO, this setup delivers highly efficient and direct power transfer. A special ceramic coating is also said to reduce friction and boost durability. While these claims are tricky to verify, a visit to their production facility confirmed the impressive manufacturing precision and tight tolerances of their components.

That said, the real highlight lies in the fact that the hub can be fully disassembled and serviced without any tools. The laser-etched finish turns the lightweight aluminium part (175 g rear, 105 g front) into a feast for the eyes too.

All About Aero – or Is It?

Regarding aerodynamics, the Terra Race sends mixed signals. If you’re expecting wind tunnel data or detailed watt-saving figures, you’re out of luck – the 2026 Orbea Terra Race has never seen the inside of a wind tunnel. However, that doesn’t mean it’s lacking in aero features. Quite the opposite: fully integrated cockpit, internal cable routing, a sculpted head tube, 50 mm deep profile wheels, dropped seatstays and a Kammtail seat tube with a hidden seat clamp all speak of aero optimisation.

On the other hand, as Joseba Arizaga, Road Product Manager at Orbea, points out: aero isn’t everything. His formula is simple: 80% rider, 20% wheels and front end. That’s why the focus is squarely on rider positioning, which is precisely where the 2026 Terra Race 2026 shines thanks to its customisable geometry.

What you can’t customise, however, is the tire clearance, and the 2026 Terra Race is officially cleared for up to 45 mm wide tires (700 × 45c), which is on par with the benchmark for modern gravel race bikes. Still, given the ongoing trend towards ever wider rubber, that might seem a bit limiting in a few years’ time. However, Orbea are quick to point out the generously shaped stays and their conservative approval rating – in other words, 50 mm tires are likely to fit just fine depending on your tire and rim combo. What definitely fits is SRAM’s latest generation of direct-mount derailleurs as the frame uses a UDH mount.

Spec Options for the 2026 Orbea Terra Race

The entry point for the Orbea Terra Race starts at € 4,999. That gets you the mechanical GRX 820 groupset along with a classic stem-and-bar setup. From € 5,499, you move into electronic shifting territory with the new SRAM Rival XPLR, benefitting from 13-speed direct-mount drivetrain technology. Above that are builds featuring electronic GRX as well as the latest SRAM Force XPLR groupsets. Sitting at the top of the range is the model on test, boasting the SRAM Red XPLR groupset. This setup weighs just 7.7 kg and comes in at € 9,999. Compared to the regular Terra, Orbea are offering the Terra Race at a noticeably more premium price point.

First Ride: 2026 Orbea Terra Race

At 186 cm tall, I felt compact but not cramped on the size L frame. The geometry is aggressive without going over the top. Even in the drops, the riding position feels nicely balanced. When the flag drops, the Terra Race doesn’t hang about, offering responsive, race-ready acceleration. Despite its featherweight build, the bike feels calm and composed, delivering precise handling and holding its line with assurance. On endless gravel straights, the Terra Race is more than happy to take the lead.

The wheels certainly play their part. They hold speed effortlessly and provide a relaxed, unobtrusive freehub sound – the perfect soundtrack for your solo escape into the rainbow jersey. They also handled light crosswinds with confidence and delivered a surprisingly high level of comfort. The fast-rolling, 40 mm wide Vittoria Terreno T30 tyres match the Terra Race’s speed-focused character, but their grip reached its limits in the wet. While traction on damp grass was still decent, they lacked lateral grip in wet, muddy corners – not ideal when you’re aiming for the front of the pack.

In fairness to the tyres, it wasn’t exactly world championship weather – more like end-of-the-world conditions.

Tuning tip: Run two wheelsets – one with grippy 45 mm gravel tyres, the other with 32 mm all-road rubber.

Don’t Blame the Terra Race – if You Get Dropped, It’s Not the Bike’s Fault

On dry ground, the Terra Race generates ample traction and delivers impressive efficiency when you put the power down. Whether you’re out of the saddle or tucked in aero mode, it doesn’t waste your hard-earned watts on lateral flex, turning them straight into forward momentum instead. And that’s a lot of fun. In fact, it’s a bit addictive. The torsional stiffness is noticeable every time you launch an attack.

What you don’t notice are unpleasant vibrations. The carbon layup soaks them up quietly in the background. For a race bike, the 2026 Terra Race rides surprisingly comfortably. The integrated cockpit, however, felt a touch too forgiving and flexy for my taste.

The 2026 Terra Race offers precise and predictable steering, though it doesn’t stand out for its razor-sharp agility. With a 71° head angle, the bike is clearly tuned more for straight-line stability than lightning-fast cornering. Tight, twisty routes aren’t its natural habitat. Unfortunately, we haven’t yet had the chance (or the legs) to truly put the Terra Race through its paces in race conditions. But we’re confident that if you miss the podium at a high-speed, hardpack race, it’s not the fault of the 2026 Terra Race. It’s more than efficient enough to carry you right to the front.

And the SRAM Red XPLR groupset? It’s so smooth and intuitive, you hardly notice it’s there, which is exactly what you want. The shifting is quick and crisp, even under load, and the 10–46 t range means it won’t let you down, even when your legs are screaming and you’ve got lactic acid coming out of your ears.

If you ask us, the brakes are still the icing on the cake. The powerful, easy-to-modulate one-finger braking from the hoods opens up a whole new way of riding. One finger on the lever means you’ve got four on the bars, and that extra grip translates into noticeably more control, especially on rough descents.

Who Is the 2026 Orbea Terra Race For?

Hardpack, compact gravel or even a bit of relaxed tarmac – the faster the surface, the more at home the Terra Race feels. If you’re after proper race-bike vibes when you’re headed off-road, or aiming for the podium at high-speed gravel events, the 2026 Orbea Terra Race could be your perfect match. And the idea of turning it into a fast, confidence-inspiring all-road bike with a second wheelset is appealing to say the least.

What it’s not built for is adventure or bikepacking races. If your idea of gravel riding involves technical trails and playful line choices, you’ll likely find its limits rather quickly, too. For that, you’ll find more capable and versatile options on the market – like the newly updated 2026 Orbea Terra, for example.

Verdict

The geometry and pricing say it loud and clear: racers only. We can’t recommend the 2026 Orbea Terra Race for everyone – it’s simply not versatile enough. That said, its explosive acceleration, unwavering stability at speed and aggressive looks, complete with endless customisation options, will definitely tempt even us mere mortals to hit the order button. And the best part? The Terra Race is at least as fast as we feel we are.

---

Did you enjoy this article? If so, we would be stoked if you decide to support us with a monthly contribution. By becoming a supporter of GRAN FONDO, you will help secure a sustainable future for high-quality cycling journalism. Click here to learn more.

Words: Nils Hofmeister Photos: Iván Arribas, Antton Miettinen, Nils Hofmeister