Orbea vs Wilier (old dog, new tricks)

ackrilla

Last used a road bike in anger some 25 years ago (when bikes were bikes, alu frames just around and serious testers were drilling holes in every component). Been a MTB owner and marathon runner for 15 years but have irresistable urge to get back on skinny tyres with a view to a TdF mountain stage in a few years time.
Looking to spend around £1500-£1800 and am currently deliberating between an Orbea Onix Ultegra and a Wilier Motirolo veloce, both 2010 models which are available for about the same price. Both seem to have very positive reviews and I think the groupsets are both good (I prefer the look of the campag as close to what I used to ride) but would welcome comments from owners of either. Don't plan to race, just longish rides.
Cheers

Mad Roadie

ackrilla
I own a Wilier Mortirollo Veloce - it is simply a beautiful bike - the handling is the best of all the bikes I have owner - including a Felt and Cervelo - all I would say, is do what i did and buy some Fulcrum 1 wheels for it and keep the racing 7's for winter

I am choosing a new bike - keeping what I have but looking at a new higher spec Wilier - surely there is your answer?

andydad

Recently bought Orbea Onix 105 and love it, unconditionally! I've no great experience with 'racing' bikes, having spent most of the last 20 years on a Dawes Galaxy, but the Orbea does the business for me.

Essex Man

Mad Roadie wrote:

ackrilla
I own a Wilier Mortirollo Veloce - it is simply a beautiful bike - the handling is the best of all the bikes I have owner - including a Felt and Cervelo - all I would say, is do what i did and buy some Fulcrum 1 wheels for it and keep the racing 7's for winter

Yeah, spend £1800 on a bike and don't forget to spend an extra £700 to immediately replace the wheels :roll:

Mad Roadie

Essex Man wrote:

Mad Roadie wrote:

ackrilla
I own a Wilier Mortirollo Veloce - it is simply a beautiful bike - the handling is the best of all the bikes I have owner - including a Felt and Cervelo - all I would say, is do what i did and buy some Fulcrum 1 wheels for it and keep the racing 7's for winter

Yeah, spend £1800 on a bike and don't forget to spend an extra £700 to immediately replace the wheels :roll:

Hmmm - so you dont have two sets of wheels then - one for fast one for winter? ........I dont know of an off the shelf bike that comes with wheels to match the capability of the frame, but thats the price you pay for the value a pre-packed bike is.. be really lucky and find a dealer who will upgrade from new and swap out some value of the lesser wheels (it applies to all off the shelf bike I suspect)

tlw1

another man with a Wilier & very happy, haven't even replaced the wheels yet

TMR

Just out of curiosity, why isn't it cheaper to buy a frame and the parts and build it yourself? It makes no sense to me that it's cheaper to buy it pre-made. If I want to build a PC, then it's cheaper to buy the case, the motherboard and the parts myself than it is to buy it off the shelf.

I could be wrong, but I suspect that the frame and groupset are massively overpriced and this is why it's uneconomical.

Thoughts?

Essex Man

Mad Roadie wrote:

Essex Man wrote:

Mad Roadie wrote:

ackrilla
I own a Wilier Mortirollo Veloce - it is simply a beautiful bike - the handling is the best of all the bikes I have owner - including a Felt and Cervelo - all I would say, is do what i did and buy some Fulcrum 1 wheels for it and keep the racing 7's for winter

Yeah, spend £1800 on a bike and don't forget to spend an extra £700 to immediately replace the wheels :roll:

Hmmm - so you dont have two sets of wheels then - one for fast one for winter? ........I dont know of an off the shelf bike that comes with wheels to match the capability of the frame, but thats the price you pay for the value a pre-packed bike is.. be really lucky and find a dealer who will upgrade from new and swap out some value of the lesser wheels (it applies to all off the shelf bike I suspect)

I have 3 sets of wheels between my 2 bikes, I was just thinking that if the OP is budgeting a certain amount, then a £700 wheelset is stretching his budget quite a lot. Sorry, probably a bit overly sarcastic in my post!

I think that most (decent) places will swap in some better wheels to replace the standard ones and give you a discount.

markos1963

Look how many times do I have to say this, don't buy the Orbea ok? I'm fed up with turning up to rides on my Onix(07 model) to see at least one other there amongst the thousands of Treks and Giants. Can't I ride an exclusive, good handling, great climbing bike anymore without others muscleing in on the deal!

Chrissz

markos1963 wrote:

Look how many times do I have to say this, don't buy the Orbea ok? I'm fed up with turning up to rides on my Onix(07 model) to see at least one other there amongst the thousands of Treks and Giants. Can't I ride an exclusive, good handling, great climbing bike anymore without others muscleing in on the deal!

+1

on-yer-bike

Fulcrum 3s or Campag Neutrons would be fine, 1s are too expensive, and you could probably do a deal. Funny how in my LBS Wilier haven't sold all summer so they are all in the sale. I had an Izoard until I rode a Cervelo.

furrag

I have an Izoard with Centaur. £2000 they are now, so if you could stretch your budget above the Mortirolo, then go for it!

ackrilla

Thanks all for your comments...my take home message is that both are good bikes (though wheels first to upgrade). The final decision was made a short while ago as I managed to 'win' an ex-demo ('less than 100 miles') Onix Ultegra from Epic Cycles on ebay for £1200; very happy!!!

markos1963

ackrilla wrote:

Thanks all for your comments...my take home message is that both are good bikes (though wheels first to upgrade). The final decision was made a short while ago as I managed to 'win' an ex-demo ('less than 100 miles') Onix Ultegra from Epic Cycles on ebay for £1200; very happy!!!

Blast!! another one out on the road


Seriously though well done, good result Epic have a great reputation so you won't have any worries there.
I got my Onix as an ex demo a couple of years ago from Fat Birds for the princely sum of £750 down from £1400 list. I can't see me replacing it as I can't see anything that can match it in the price range. It will just be a continuing development of upgrades.

silverpigeon

Just out of curiosity, why isn't it cheaper to buy a frame and the parts and build it yourself? It makes no sense to me that it's cheaper to buy it pre-made. If I want to build a PC, then it's cheaper to buy the case, the motherboard and the parts myself than it is to buy it off the shelf.

I could be wrong, but I suspect that the frame and groupset are massively overpriced and this is why it's uneconomical.

Thoughts?

Is only cheaper if you're happy to buy discontinued and discounted parts, but infinitely more satisfying. I built up a Principia with full Dura Ace (7800) and Ritchey WCS for about £1600.

Best bike I have ever owned.