Beautiful Bicycle: Orbea Alma Drop Bar Custom
Gravel cycling has emerged as the fastest-growing discipline, particularly in the United States. Meanwhile, the XCO World Cup scene has experienced a resurgence, driven by increasingly technical and challenging cross-country tracks. These evolving demands have spurred significant bike advancements: gravel race bikes now feature dramatically increased tire clearance, while cross-country full-suspension bikes have become notably more capable. All these changes have left hardtails in an unusual middle ground, opening the door to some innovative and unconventional bike builds.
This unique gravel race machine combines Orbea's Alma cross-country frame with Coefficient All-Road drop handlebars and a lightweight Fox 32 Step-Cast fork, creating an efficient and capable ride.
While this build and similar conversions have been turning heads in the gravel and cross-country world, running drop bars on mountain bikes isn't a new concept. In fact, cycling legends like John Tomac were racing mountain bikes with drop bars back in the 1990s, with photos of these setups still circulating across the internet today.
Coefficient All-Road handlebars feature an ergonomic design that creates an efficient and comfortable riding position. The bars' signature SWOPE curvature positions the rider's wrists and upper body naturally, significantly reducing fatigue and soreness. These handlebars proved ideal for this hardtail build due to the fundamental reach differences between mountain and gravel bikes. While gravel bikes typically feature shorter reaches to accommodate brake hoods that extend hand position outward, the Coefficient bars' swept-back design makes this longer-reach mountain bike frame feel natural and intuitive.
The Fox 32's 100mm of travel in a lightweight package makes this bike ready for both rugged gravel roads and singletrack. What sets this build apart is its innovative solution to the fork lockout challenge. Most hardtail drop bar conversions sacrifice lockout functionality since traditional levers can't be mounted to drop bars. This limitation is so common that many athletes competing in races where these conversions are popular, like Dylan Johnson with his Allied BC40, simply forego lockout levers entirely. Even Keegan Swenson's drop bar Highball requires a Flight Attendant SID SL with wireless lockout controlled from AXS hoods due to mounting constraints.
This build introduces a clever and cost-effective solution: the left shifter, rather than controlling a front derailleur, actuates the fork's remote lockout. This allows riders to easily switch between open and locked-out modes. While the pull ratio isn't perfect, it provides sufficient action to fully lock out the fork.
Components Spec
| Frameset | Orbea Alma - Size M |
| Fork | Fox 32 Factory Step-Cast 100mm |
| Shifter | Shimano GRX 12s |
| Derailleur | Shimano GRX 12s |
| Brakes | Shimano GRX levers with XT calipers |
| Cassette | Shimano CS-M9100 10-51t 12-Speed |
| Crankset | Shimano XT 34T |
| Wheelset | Oquo Mountain Performance MP30TEAM, carbon |
| Tires | Maxxis Rekon Race 2.40" |
|
Handlebar
|
Coefficient AR Carbon |
| Stem | OC Mountain Performance MP20 |
| Handlebar Tape | Arundel Wraptor |
| Saddle | PRO Stealth Offroad Saddle |
Have any questions about Orbea bikes, or want to find a Orbea gravel bike or road bike for yourself? Contact us or visit in store if you have any questions.
