ORBEA OCCAM M30 (2022) – INFINITY GREEN CARBON

The new Occam M30 is the 1st bike in the carbon line up.

The :Occam M30 is perfect build spec for someone who wants the ride quality of carbon and is absolutely fine with mid to high-end components.

To put the Occam M30 into perspective; the next model up is called the Occam M10 and the top-spec is called the Occam M-LTD.

In this preview, we’ll go over the Occam M30 and why it should be on your shortlist of new trail bikes.

WHO IS THE OCCAM M30 FOR?

The Occam M30 is a perfect upgrade if you’re riding an aluminium mountain bike and you want to take the leap into carbon.

You’re also riding places like Lysterfield Park, Blores Hill and Plenty Gorge. Trails where the terrain undulates and isn’t too extreme down.

And lastly, you want a trail bike that is super efficient at pedalling, all the while being perfectly balanced and confident on technical descents. In other words – an all rounder.

Side Note:

If you’re looking to ride slightly more janky trails that demand more stability out of the bike (such as Silvan, the You Yangs and Red Hill) then you’re better off considering the Occam M30 LT (Long Travel).

All the Occam M30 LT gets a travel increase to 150mm, aggressive tyres, bigger suspension and more powerful brakes.

THE OMR CARBON FRAME

OMR (Orbea Monocoque Race) carbon frames are all hand painted in Spain.

Simply put, they make some of the best carbon frames in the business.

No wrinkles. No excessive resin to hide flaws. No voids and bubbles (these reduce the overall durability and strength of the frame).

This is done via bladder moulding and EPS forms.

Meaning:

Just the right amount of carbon and resin is required. Improving stiffness-to-weight ratio.

Next, there’s ASYMMETRY:

Most suspension designs have their shock perfectly centred within the frame.

But:

This has the possibility of placing uneven stress on the front of the frame and its mounting points. For example, you may find bearings on one side of the frame wear out faster than the other.

So, Orbea moved their shock over to the left (called “Shock Offset” in the image above). This is so that the “Right-side Support” can be more centred.

Which means:

A stronger front frame – without piling on extra weight.

Every Orbea frame comes with a Lifetime Warranty (when registered online).

Every Orbea Occam is hand painted and assembled in Spain.

THE GEOMETRY AND SUSPENSION

The Occam was designed to be versatile. A mountain bike that’s efficient on pedaly trails (like Lysterfield Park) but also confident when the trails get technical and raw (like Red Hill).

It’s similar in feel to the Giant Trance X Advanced Pro 29.

Except the reach is shorter (while maintaining the same Stack height), which means you’re in a slightly more upright position.

The Occam M30 has 140mm of front and rear wheel travel.

I can nerd out on the anti-rise, leverage ratio and anti-squat graphs. But it is enough to say that the new Occam M30’s suspension behaviour has been tuned.

Tuned to deliver a very, very supple and reactive initial movement to force grip and traction. After the 100mm travel mark the suspension starts to become more progressive and supportive to handle larger impacts.

This gives you a perfect balance. The Occam uses its suspension exactly as the circumstances demand on the trails.

OCCAM M30 COMPONENTS

The Occam M30 build is based around a carbon chassis.

And the components themselves are a combination of mid to high end from Shimano, Orbea and Race Face.

The M30’s drivetrain is 12-speed Shimano consisting of Deore XT (2nd tier) and SLX (3rd tier) components. Even though it’s not complete XT or XTR, the speed and smoothness of the changes are superb. The drivetrain is paired to Shimano’s smooth and reliable Deore brakes.

Race Face AR30 wheels are double walled and with a 30mm internal rim width. A wider rim allows the tyre to accommodate more air volume AND therefore, lower tyre pressures. This helps grip enormously. It also reduces the chances of pinch flats.