Orange Five?

Author
Discussion

ben_h100

Original Poster:

1,546 posts

178 months

Sunday 22nd November 2015
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Seriously debating whether or not to buy one of these, a 2016 model. As an all round UK trail bike it is meant to be up there with the best. With that said, what else in this price range (around £2800) should I be considering? Main appeals for me are single pivot design (relatively hassle free), 5 year warranty, UK designed and built.

matt-ITR

892 posts

188 months

Sunday 22nd November 2015
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Bike design has come a long way since 4-bar with bushings.
Look beyond single pivot. Full suspension bikes these days are on the whole very reliable.

wobert

5,010 posts

221 months

Sunday 22nd November 2015
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Try the Segment too, 29er vs 650b. Climbs like a mountain goat.

Reduced travel seems to suit my type of riding too.

As for alternatives, try YT Industries and Canyon, although I always come back to Orange, having owned both an original Clockwork and a P7.

paulrockliffe

15,639 posts

226 months

Sunday 22nd November 2015
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There's so many better options out there than the Orange. They ride OK, nothing special but no obvious faults, but they're very expensive for what is a fairly basic design that hasn't really changed much in what, must be pushing 15 years now?

If you buy one, I doubt you'll regret it, but only because you won't know what you're missing.

Don't get a 29er, go 27.5, that's where all the brands are heading at the moment. In the all round trail bike market, most seem to be shifting their excess stock of 29ers and going 27.5. There's not a whole load of difference, but if you have any decent spec 26" bikes that you want to sell you'll know what the trend has done to residuals. Actually, scratch that, it's not the residuals, it's that there's no buyers out there now. 29ers in that segment will go the same way in the next few years. For a multitude of reasons I have 3 26" trail/xc bikes that I want to sell to fund one all singing all dancing bike. Not a chance! The £5k carbon xc bike that would sell for £2k all day long if it had bigger wheels won't even sell at £800 FFS.

Anyway, enough of my ranting. Recommendations. Banshee Spitfire is where my money would go. I have one of the original ones, it's the best thing I've ever ridden. Short travel, but awesome geometry. Climbs well for a trail bike, but will keep up with bigger bikes on the descents with ease. Takes big forks, but happy with shorter travel too. Adjustable geometry.

The original one had a manufacturing issue that means they chew bushes, which is one of the reasons I've ended up with more bikes than a chap can sensibly ride, however the new one is fully bearinged out at the back and has a little more travel. Same great geometry.

Everytime I answer questions like this I think I should strip all my bikes for parts, ebay the lot and buy the new Spitfire, that's how good it is.

phil-sti

2,668 posts

178 months

Sunday 22nd November 2015
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Buy what you fancy because you will run out of skill long before any bike runs out of capability.

If I was buying an orange I'd get an Alpine.

Good recommendation for the Spitfire. I currently own a Banshee Rune and it's by far the best bike I've owned.

joema

2,644 posts

178 months

Sunday 22nd November 2015
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I doubt you will go wrong with the 5. Really depends what you mostly ride when choosing a bike.

W00DY

15,467 posts

225 months

Sunday 22nd November 2015
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the latest Five is brilliant, such a riot to ride and will handle anything. Simple really is great if you like riding and realise that a mountain bike ought not to be put away for winter too. I, like many other (much better) riders have switched back to single pivo from some of the fancier systems since with current shock performance you really don't get the disadvantages you used to in climbing.



It may bean old concept, but it's evolved into do anything perfection. I definitely don't see he case for an Alpine 160 at all any more.

The Spitfire definitely seems worth a look too and I'd be interested in the new Whyte T-130C which seems well designed for UK riding and conditions.

anonymous-user

53 months

Sunday 22nd November 2015
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http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/okay-so-iv...

Commencal Meta AM all the way if it were my cash though...

vonhoolio

39 posts

126 months

Sunday 22nd November 2015
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Just been through the same thought process last week.
I looked at the 5 too, I love them, I had an early one years back. They ride fine, but they are a bit prehistoric in some ways. The spec of the kit on them isn't great for what you pay either...but I still love them.
I settled on a Norco Sight in the end for £3k. If you look at the cube/YT/canyon stuff you can get some high spec bikes for that amount. As said above though...if you end up getting one you'll still love it.

I'd stick to the 27.5 too if you ride the rougher stuff and you throw the bike about. My Trek 29er flexes quite a bit if I cane it...but it rolls way faster than the 27.5 norco and my mates 27.5 Cube. Depends on what type of riding / racing you do.

anonymous-user

53 months

Sunday 22nd November 2015
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I just bought a 2015 Rose Uncle Jimbo, which was/is incredible value with 10% off as it's last years model. Definitely worth a look, they are still on sale and you can configure the bike to your own spec.

http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/products/bikes/mtb/endu...

My friend who I ride with has a 2011 Five and it's been just about the same since then. IMO there are better options. If I was spending as much as it costs to get a Five, I'd get a Giant Reign. Giant's Maestro is excellent.


TheBaj

168 posts

176 months

Monday 23rd November 2015
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The Five is a good bike, no doubt about it. But it's certainly not a good value bike.

At £2,800 it's a fairly average spec - there's no dropper post included and it's a 1x10 drive train.

Compared to the Meta AM as mentioned above. For £600 less than the Five, the spec blows it away - 1x11, Stealth Reverb, Pikes, top-end Monarch shock. And that's not a bunch of high end bits on a rubbish frame.

Edit: Oh and the Meta is also a single-pivot design, just linkage driven.

wobert

5,010 posts

221 months

Monday 23rd November 2015
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The differentiator in cost will be the frame, how it's made and where it's made.

I don't know where Commencal make their frames, I would presume in Taiwan, like Giant, Trek etc. All the "large manufacturers have greater economies of scale, which Orange can't compete with.

Orange's cost base will be significantly higher due to the lack of automation in the manufacturing process, and the fact that it's made in the UK.

I view them as a cycling equivalent of Morgan.... :-)

As for comments regarding product that hasn't changed, I think they are similar to BMW, evolution, not revolution.

d8mok

1,815 posts

204 months

Monday 23rd November 2015
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I had a "5" last year and i really enjoyed it. Spec was decent (x01 11 speed, pike , reverb, crossmax st wheels etc).

However once i tried some other bikes with a more modern design i realised how much better they are compared. I always had to lock out my 5 to climb as it just bounced about too much.

Ive currently got a carbon bronson cc (pike, xtr 11 speed, reverb, crossmax etc) and its such a better bike in every way. It goes up, and comes down so much better and is more fun too.

maybe have a look at a alloy bronson as these are sub £3k as a full bike i believe or even a carbon c bronson (the lower grade carbon full bike ) I also considered a 5010 but glad i went with a 150mm bike as its so good at everything

P-Jay

10,551 posts

190 months

Monday 23rd November 2015
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I've ridden a few of Orange's FS bikes over the years, I'm not a fan - but riders who do like them REALLY like them so there must be something in it.

I personally think they're ugly, I know looks aren't going to make it any more fun to ride, but I do like a good looking bike, but that's subjective and some people like them.

Whilst they do look the same as they did back when Moses was plodding around on his, they're not - same design yes, but they've at least kept the angles and lengths ball-park with everyone else, but there's more to do with great bike design than angles - "if it ain't broke" is the usual cry of the Orange fan it makes me cringe - it's the excuse of the luddite - but you can't argue they're robust.

What really puts me off though is the competition, if you set aside brand loyalty you can spend less and get a lot more in terms of components and even a carbon frame from one of the online retailers, spend the same amount and you can get something like a Bronson C / 5010, Intense Carbine or Tracer and I've yet the read a review (MBR aside perhaps) when a 5 could hold a candle to any of those.

Digga

40,206 posts

282 months

Monday 23rd November 2015
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d8mok said:
However once i tried some other bikes with a more modern design i realised how much better they are compared. I always had to lock out my 5 to climb as it just bounced about too much.
This is my beef with them; you might think "well locking the shock for a climb is not hardship" but that fails to encompass the myriad of situations where short, sharp climbs crop up in rides.

In their favour, if you use your bike a lot, don't like washing it too much and aren't that prepared to swap bearings on a regular basis, it does start to make a case for itself. Durability is very good, which is often more than can be said for the 'boutique' and/or Taiwanese mainstream, especially in the longer run and with UK trail conditions.

Bacon Is Proof

5,740 posts

230 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
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http://shop.birdmtb.com/aeris/aeris-xt11.html

That's where I'd spend my money.

Herman Toothrot

6,702 posts

197 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
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pablo said:
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/okay-so-iv...

Commencal Meta AM all the way if it were my cash though...
This, took me ages to decide and so glad I went with the meta, have a google you won't find a bad word said.

paulmnz

470 posts

173 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
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Orange are (unfortunately) massively over-priced for what they offer now.. bike tech has really moved on, used to see lots of alpine 160's, 5's and 224's in the alps, last couple of seasons pretty much seen none... as mentioned above, they have updated their geo, but broadly seem to appeal to hardcore orange fans IMHO.

Commencial meta or YT capra is where I'd spend my money, you can get the absolute top spec YT Capra race bike for less than £2800 - carbon frame, mavic crossmax wheelset, sram X0, renthal carbon bars, dropper, rockshocks suspension. There is a reason they 'internet bikes' walk away with all the reviews, their business model means no one can touch them for value-for-money.

The other option I'd consider (if you have cash and are a bit more brand conscious) is to buy a year or two old 2nd hand carbon santa cruz bronson / nomad or intense tracer... there are a few about and someone else has taken the (hefty) depreciation hit. Most have been owned by mature / careful owners (as most huckers dont have £6-8k to spend on a bike) so they tend to be in almost brand new condition.

Digga

40,206 posts

282 months

Thursday 26th November 2015
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paulmnz said:
Commencial meta or YT capra is where I'd spend my money, you can get the absolute top spec YT Capra race bike for less than £2800 - carbon frame, mavic crossmax wheelset, sram X0, renthal carbon bars, dropper, rockshocks suspension. There is a reason they 'internet bikes' walk away with all the reviews, their business model means no one can touch them for value-for-money.
Also, don't forget the Orbea Rallon - another very, very good, online alternative.

ilovequo

775 posts

180 months

Thursday 26th November 2015
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If I had the money and needed a full sus I'd buy a Five in a heartbeat...
Good reviews and excellent build quality.
20% of all their demos/clearance bikes tomorrow!

vvv I'd buy this one vvv
https://www.orangebikes.co.uk/shop/factory/ex_demo...