Orbea Alma Review: The Better Gravel Bike

Well, this one is interesting. We’ve done a million mountain bike videos and one or two gravel bike videos. The Orbea Alma falls somewhere in the middle. I’m not totally sure where to put it. Is it a flat bar gravel bike? Is it an ultralight XC bike? Yes—to both. I think.

0:00 Intro
2:33 Ride Highlights
7:00 Alma Review - Uphill
10:35 Alma Review - Downhill
12:42 Comparisons
13:12 Who is the Alma for?

As always, you can read the written article here -

[ethanstrauch]

Connor is the most realistic bike reviewer for the common rider and so entertaining and informative. I really appreciate the breadth of bikes and specs covered (not just $14k Yeti’s). Love your channel and the personalities behind it.

[GravelHerault]

“I'd rather be slow than a jackass” we need more people like you on trails 🙏

[Jacob]

Everyone needs to spread the word about this YT channel. He needs way more subs!

[craigzorman]

Best comment ever, "being fit would be cool". Welcome to the club.

[richardgill]

Having ridden one for the past two and a half years I can agree with pretty much everything you say. The only thing I think is a bit odd is the need to put it into a category when one already exists, that being a race oriented cross country MTB. After all, that’s what it’s designed to be.
That said, this is a very thorough and accurate review of what it’s like to ride an Alma, and mine is an XL frame too, so be in no doubt that this is a spot-on review regarding the bike’s abilities.👍🏻

[rolffuchs]

After one Year of gravel bike i bought myself a Trek Procaliber, because i came more and more to the limits of the gravel bike (especially downhill).

[KwadSkwad]

FYI, I did unbound 200 last weekend on my Alma M30 with surly corner bars and some gravel tires.. I was dropping everyone on descents with my suspension and confident, slack handling. and when folks were walking climbs I was just rolling past them in my granny gear.

it wasn't the fastest bike there on the day by far, but holy hell did it get the job done!!!

[eliasdanieli]

It's just a modern xc bike to me, no need for strange gravel/mtb comparisons. To me they are two different worlds that need to be kept different

[Chan]

This channel has great content.
This was one of the videos that convinced my wife to try putting gravel tires on her Scott Scale, which wasn’t being used much after she got full suspension bikes.

The Scale is very similar to the Alma but the standover on the Scott was lower and much better for her, as she’s short.

She put fast rolling gravel tires on her Scale and now this thing is a perfect gravel & road bike for her. She’s keeping the original Fox fork it came with as it really softens the ride when needed but increases efficiency++ when it’s locked out.

I think the advantage of bikes like the Alma, Scott Scale/Scale RC and Giant XTC someone else mentioned for these types of dual purpose (gravel & XC) is how lightweight they can be…

[TheJaxsonjack]

My Giant XTC hardtail for Gravel duties for me. Run the fork (mostly) in the locked-out setting. The only thing I lose out on is a bit of flat-land gearing.

[TheBaldTruth]

This video and the article convinced me to buy an Alma to replace my gravel bike because descents feel harrowing in the drops. Like you, I ride a few miles on pavement to the trail head. I like flat bars and using one finger to brake, and of course having a front suspension. I don't mind that it may be slightly less efficient on pavement. I love my Alma M30 -- especially after adding a dropper. Here in California, Alma isn't the first model that comes to mind when shopping for a hardtail, so catching this video (found when I searched "gravel bike vs. hardtail) educated me on this bike. Thanks!

[robmcritchie]

Just looking at buying one of these - so thanks for the review.
I am an ex uphill mountain biker, (down hill chicken) who has returned to the fold after 20 years of triathlon / ironman then ultra road biking /bikepacking.
My gravel bike is fine, but scary on descents
My 20 year old steel hardtail feels so mush more accomplished / capable.
This sounds just the ticket!

[hardmtnbiker]

I definitely agree that a light XC race hardtail Mtb is in such a similar “space” with an aggressive trail oriented gravel bike. The tires are almost identical, same with the rims and brakes too sometimes. Since the XC hardtail race bikes are truly more expensive and race oriented, a gravel bike with flat bars and a dropper post, might be a less expensive alternative and just as much fun to ride it you’re not trying to race it.

[tonyjuliano]

Great review! Just snagged a leftover 2023 Alma H20 for a great price. Everything listed as a potential negative about this bike is a positive for me!

[arcticfox]

I just got the Alma M Pro!! gold and black matte. I cannot wait for it to arrive!!!!

[sanatandharma]

Can you put a rack and panniers on it. If not, can you recommend a bike that climbs well please as I live in the mountains of N Spain and my old touring bike just stops!

[retromountainbikeactionsal]

Gotta love the term " Better Gravel Bike" 🙏

[mylifeinthailand]

It’s not a Gravel bike, it is a Cross Country race bike, that’s what Orbea sells it as

[marksandoval]

My Gravelbike is full-sus 100/100mm travel XC bike with fast-rolling 700x43 Gravel tires. Very fast on pavement and gravel while still being capable on easy singletrack and so comfortable.

[juancarloslopezrodrtiguez]

La Orbea Alma es una bici espectacular, te lo digo porque yo tengo una Orbea Alma M 50, y le he puesto neumáticos de Gravel, y te puedo asegurar que vuelo raso, sobre los carriles bici, sobre pistas de cemento, y sobre las pistas forestales, te puedo asegurar que es de lo bueno lo mejor, eh y es española.