Produced by a Basque collective in the heart of Spain’s Pyrenees and raced by Iban Mayo’s Euskaltel-Euskadi team, Orbea bikes are like cask-aged single-malt: They’re all about small-batch quality. With the Mitis you get classic European geometry — a stretched-out cockpit and a glute-engaging position — freshened up with a snappy aluminum frame mated to a carbon fork and rear triangle. The result is a smooth-riding rig that powers across the flats and tracks cleanly through corners. Better still, you can turn your stock ride into a boutique bike via Orbea’s Web site, where you can mix and match parts and paint job.
Bonus: Orbea offers an unrivaled lifetime warranty.
Bummer: The stock colors are relatively uninspiring, so factor in extra cash for a custom palette. 18.9 lbs, 57 cm; www.orbea-usa.com