Seriously thinking about one of these. Idea at the moment is going for the Basic S model then adding upgrades including wheels, SLX brakes, fox shock, reverb and pikes, which comes in at £100 cheaper than the Next model up with pikes and reverb upgrades at the expense of cheaper cranks and an xt mech (money which could be spent on a custom colour). Insurance replacement hence the buying from new.

Would be interested in the feedback of owners of the 27.5 version.

Make sure you try one, I’ve been cash in hand to try them three times now and the sizing just feels pants for me.

Going with Wheelies then?

@stilltorttoise quite possibly, though will be based on ensuring that if I want a 5 I can order with the upgrades I want including adding the freeride pack from the alpine 160 upgrades to get the renthal bar and stem as the Thomson alternatives in the 5 performance pack are to long /narrow.

I’m going to speak to Orange independently to check this could be done and lead times before making my mind up. If this all looks to difficult I’ll take the cash. Problem with the cash route is all the bikes I am looking at are really to DH oriented (yt wicked) or go mega long lead times (yt Capra and Canyon Spectral) and I’m without a bike at the moment, plus I won’t get the chance to test ride. If I thought I could get a decent second hand 650b frame at a reasonable price I’d build one up, but there does nt seem to be anything around.

Might be too short notice and/or too far away, but Leisure Lakes are having a demo day at Cannock Chase today. It’s a good opportunity to try some bikes including Orange

http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/news/112/our-biggest-demo-weekend-yet

Don’t pay orange for your upgrades and you’ll get a far better deal – sell all the standard bits and it can just about work out as free upgrades for a lot of things, not to mention you’ll have a fixed seatpost to use while you send off your broken reverb…

@stilltortoise – thanks for the heads up but no way that will be happening without divorce

@lerk – will go via am insurance claim so some stuff will be upgraded with orange (was going to get the basic spec and then add pike, reverb, fox shock, hope wheels) as within my spend limit and leaves me with £100 saving on the next model up at the expense of an xt mech and evolve cranks (which I’d spend on custom paint). May do as you suggested with the bar and stem though as this would take me over the spend limit if speccing custom paint.

Assuming the above I’d immediately replace saddle due to personal preference, stem and bars and front mech and rings for a narrow wide.

I’ve had mine for about 5 weeks now and absolutely love it. I went for the Pro model and upgraded to Pikes and custom colour.
Already had a Reverb that fitted and most of the spec was the same to my last bike which is perfectly fine until it wears out.
If there is anything in particular you want to know give me a shout.

Best Five by far(owned five), longer, as slack and lower than 26 version, but dont get hung up on wheel size as its the geometry that makes the new Five.The front centre is where the extra length is, which helps both downhill and uphill.
I bought frameset, and built it up , 10 speed, hope hubs, Stans rims tubeless, dropper post,27.5lbs without pedals. I run mine with 140 mm fork and it is probably one of the slackest true 140 trail bikes out there.