Orbea as an expanding cooperative

After factory expansion in Eibar became impossible, Orbea relocated to nearby Mallabia, where it remains today

MALLABIA

The formation of the cooperative breathed new life into Orbea, and growth limitations on the factory in Eibar necessitated a move. A larger and more accessible facility is built in nearby Mallabia, 10km away.

After a serious financial crisis in 1969, Orbea became a worker-owned and controlled cooperative.
Orbea's culture was always at the forefront in the good times of the company
The aesthetic of the 80s was no stranger to the covers of Orbea catalogs featuring a renewed commitment to quality
Attention to detail was always a theme in the factory, with complete bikes shipping directly to dealers
The cooperative spirit ensured the highest care for everything that went into building bikes in the Mallabia factory
As design inertia shifted to competition, Orbea racing machines began to rack up results

Fantastic recreational bikes

A new business in recreational bikes like the Yovana and Furia with high volume and low margin reoriented the Orbea brand for the coming years.

Multi-purpose bikes became the new rage, occupying much of the Orbea catalog alongside their racing counterparts
Furia was a bike a whole generation grew up with, and had their first adventurous experiences aboard
The Orbea Team presentation at the Anoeta velodrome

The future of the decade

Eventually, many years later, Orbea returned to competitive cycling, both on the road and in cyclocross. These experiences shaped the immediate future of the brand.

After many years absent from competition, Orbea reentered the world of racing to bring awareness to the brand and develp new products