I know the frame will be fine, but will it still ride OK? I’ve been happy with the 130mm Revs I have been using until recently, but to move my weight back from over the front wouldn’t be a bad thing for my confidence on the steep. I plugged the figures into an online geometry calculator and the head angle and seat angle seem reasonable 68.5 and 73 degrees respectively. My main concern is the change in steering characteristics and my weight position on more level, flowing single track. Currently have 680mm low-rise bars and a 50mm zero rise stem, frame size 16″. Guess I just need reassurance before I blow some inheritance. Thanks all.

running 160 lyrics on a 2004/5. it rocks.

Untitled by jambo-uk, on Flickr

160 lyriks on a 2010 here. It’s ace. Fancy a coil shock next too.

Check the axle to crown length it might not be that different. I have a 140mm float on my 2005 5 it handles fine but the length between the 130 and 140 float is around 5mm. The 2005 head angle is 69.8 so it will increase the BB height a little which is a good thing on a 5 anyways.

That’s made me question the online geometry calc:
see here

It has the 32 Floats as:
Travel : A2C
130mm : 501mm (OE fork for 2005 Orange 5)
140mm : 511mm
150mm : 521mm

Are these wrong?

Also considering Revs:
130mm : 509mm (current fork I have, v. similar A2C as Float 130mm)
150mm : 529mm
(source: SRAM website, see here)

I ran both 150mm Pace and Fox forks on my 2005 until it cracked.

It makes it a bit slacker and raises the front end a bit, but given my long legs and need for a fairly high saddle I saw that as a good thing.

Can you drop the stem lower on the steerer?

Had a 150 fork on a 2006 5 for a year.It pushed the riders weight too far back which made the front feel nervous on all but the steepest stuff and didn’t inspire any confidence.Also the pedalling ability was really poor.
The front end felt like it wanted to constantly wash out.
Tried a 130 fork which gave a bit more feel and the climbing was better,but i believe overall the seat angle is too slack and a longer fork just makes it worse.

@ joeegg: That’s what I was concerned about. I guess there is more too it than angles. The angles I’m expecting with the longer fork (as above: HA 68.5, SA 73) sound pretty contemporary and similar to recent Fives from memory, which mags/riders rave about.

@ unklebuck: I do have some spacers under the stem, what are you thinking?

I really don’t want to make the bike too use specific, I really want an all rounder, master of none. All day marathons, steep up and down, flowing singletrack, drop-offs and small jumps etc but still give my buddies on hardtails and 100mm FS XC racers a run for there money. Currently 28lbs and don’t want to increase that by fitting a 36 series fork.

Not sure if orange still have the archive old model pages now that they have re done the website but for the 05/06 (last straight top tube models) orange stated 150mm as optimum travel. Just about to go from pikes to 36 vans as my riding has more of a dh bias, happy to winch up for the payback on the downs.

I’ll have a look over on the archive pages. Don’t get me wrong I can totally see why people fit 36 series forks, would love a blast with one fitted. Bit overkill for me though, a 150mm fork probably is too!

Edit:
Orange say for the 2005
120mm min.
150mm max.

i.e. stem against the top cap of the headset and see how it feels. Might look wrong but it will drop the bars.