Orro's New Terra Carbon frame is a real thing of beauty in terms of both aesthetics and engineering. Available in stealthy matte black, army green and zesty orange, the distinctive silhouette of the Terra C frameset cuts a striking figure and has already drawn the admiration of Flat Harry's customers and staff alike. As for engineering, a high quality carbon lay-up keeps the frame light and responsive, for uncanny road bike performance on tarmac, making it a great Winter riding machine. A long wheelbase and relaxed head angle make the Terra C stable on rough ground and ready to take on many different kinds of terrain. Orro have developed the Terra C frame with “Innegra” protective layering, developed by frequent Orro collaborators Sigmatex, an internationally renowned carbon fibre development firm. This protective layer is used on key parts of the frame, such as the downtube, bottom bracket and chainstays, to reduce the carbon's vulnerability to chipping from debris thrown up by your wheels. Utilising an oversized BB86 the Orro Terra C frame provides great stiffness and power transfer whilst also having wider chainstays to accommodate tyres up to 700x42c. With mounts for full mudguards and even a rear rack, Orro have really thought of everything with the Terra C frame, capable of turning its talents to so many different types of riding.
As much work as the frame does in enabling you to mix the pleasures of on and off-road cycling the tyres are a really important factor in a bikes ability to handle rougher surfaces. However this does not mean that you need to be running 2.5 inch knobblys. When off-roading it really is surface area that makes all the difference and seeing as the Terra C Adventure is the most off-road oriented of all the pre-built specifications it's equipped with Hutchinson Overide 38c tyres. Fat tyres with close file tread edges, they're perfect for getting the hammer down on trails and bridleways. Flat Harry's owner, Cris, had a lot of fun this Summer shredding local trails on the very similar Maxxis Refuse, in a 40mm width, he was consistently amazed and pleased by quite what he could get away with off-road. Similarly he was very happy with how they rolled on inter-linking roads. If you're looking at getting a gravel bike for some proper off-road fun that will still perform on road sections, the Orro Terra C Adventure is a great choice, thanks to the combination of frame and tyres.
This Adventure Spec Terra C has a few more tweaks to its build to aid off-roading endeavours. It sticks with Shimano's trusty 105 drivetrain, except for the crankset which is as sub-compact 48-32 set-up supplied by FSA. It also opts for the 11-32 tooth 105 cassette. These two choices mean it has a very low gear ratio, including a 1:1 bottom gear, you can depend on this bike to have the gears you need to get you out of trouble. At the top end you're only sacrificing 2 teeth in your top gear, which many riders will still only spin out when descending. Keeping the rest of the components 105 guarantees the smooth shifting people have come to expect from Shimano. If you're planning on really getting stuck into some off-roading then hydraulic disc brakes are the best you can get. The extra feel and modulation of hydraulics, combined with immense stopping power makes for precise braking control, something particularly handy when you're skittering down a muddy slope with rocks either side of it. Fulcrum R700 DB wheels find a nice balance between toughness and performance, supporting all your efforts whether you're on the road or off of it. Finally FSA's adventure bar, with extra-wide flare on the drops, rounds out the build nicely and improves handling response when off-roading. The Terra C Adventure is primed for assured off-road exploration, whilst still retaining a strong presence on road rides, making it an ideal purchase for intrepid riders taking on an array of riding challenges.