I just swapped from a 2009/10 26″, 3×9 Orange 5 to a ‘modern’ 27.5″, 1×10, Orange 4 a few weeks ago.
I honestly haven’t been able to say I can tell any difference from the wheel size, but the total lack of any stem to speak of and a huuuge handlebar certainly changes the handling characteristics! The steering is much lighter and faster than my old bike, really forcing me to push my weight into the corners. I’m liking it!
I thought the 1×10 might be a problem for me as I’m quite a biffa, but I got it fitted with a Hope T-Rex, 40t ring on the cassette, which although looking decidedly odd, seems to me to be the equivalent of my much needed and abused, granny and bailout gear for climbing Dumyat, my local haunt. I’m also quite liking the simplicity of the 1×10 setup with the Hope chain retention thingy.
Haven’t a clue about suspension setup, just pumped them up to the recommended 30% sag setting and left it, as you don’t get supplied with manuals anymore, so I’ve no idea what the knobs and twiddly bits do!
All in though, I’m really pleased with the bike as it feels a bit faster rolling and more funner than my ‘old school’ Five. Definitely a bit more confidence inspiring than my older bike as even in my rather fragile, slowly recovering from injury state, the bike convinced me to whoop into a drop off that I’ve always baulked at on my older bikes. My only slight disappointment is in not being able to tell the difference between 26″ and the new 27.5″ wheels, but that’s well buried under the sheer pleasure of finally swapping my ‘Battleship Grey’ Orange 5 for an ‘Atomic Orange’ Orange 4. It’s just so….orangey! 🙂
Go for it, buy a new bike. They’re more shiny than old ones, make you go faster and I’m quite certain that it’ll make you more attractive. Or in my case …even more attractive. 🙂