I've been riding an Orange Sub 3 since 2003 and someone mentioned to me at the weekend that when 5s break they tend to go at the join of the top and seat tube.

This info was imparted to me just prior to the start of Mayhem and I spent every lap of the race convinced that my bike's time was about to come.

So, 5 owners past and present (and Sub 3 owners although I have only ever seen two of these bikes and one of them is mine), have you managed to break a frame and if so whereabouts on the frame did it break?

Cheers

i been trying hard as did the previous owner of mine.

battered but still intact.

seen one let go at the headtube weld, the whole thing had come off from the rest of the frame, top tube was still bizzarely attached to the down tube.

Didn't Orange shock mounts usualy go before anything else.

Not had a broken 5 returned to us at all as far as I remember, had a few earlier sub5's but nothing since.

7 years hard labour of Lakes, Peaks, Scotland, Wales, commuting, guiding and messing and my Sub5 was showing some ovalising of shock mounts and bad wear from cable rub. It had worn through three shocks, two forks, numerous wheels/bars/seat-posts, but the frame was OK.

I broke my 2004 5 last year trying to change the pivot bearings. The bearings were 'welded' in after 5 years. I stripped the pivot calmps trying to budge them. Apart from that the old frame is in perfect nick.
Free to a good home if anyone will pay the postage. 😉

One of my riding buddies managed to break his , it snapped below the swingarm pivot. Mind you he was using forks that were a bit long for it so that may have contributed.

What size stabilizers? I will have…

Mines fine and I'm crap, 15 stone and thrash it about.

Marcus has got one, and if he ain't breakin' it, it ain't breakin'.

Medium or 16". Colour olive green with white decal.

2004 Five here. Had 18 months hard labour in the Lakes and then mainly down South. Been ridden a lot and ridden hard and altho it has a few dings from rocks and such it's solid as a rock.

Stabilizers
If matt_outandabout doesnt want it, I'll take it. Just right for me.

Yep – they can crack. Mine has just gone at the weld between the seat tube and top tube. Not particularly impressed seeing as it's only about 15 months old. Haven't had a chance to speak to the dealer yet …. that's a job for next weekend.

Too small for me – crogthomas has.

Stabilizers, my email address is in my profile, or let me know how to contact you. Thanks!

My 2005 cracked at the weld near the pivot, orange did me a deal on a new swingarm, this was back in 2008. I have recently discovered a small crack at the bottom bracket but im still riding it because the crack is only tiny. This 5 has been everywhere and done everything from enduro's to alps downhill weeks.

I had a second hand sub 5 go under the swingarm pivot, replacement front triangle lasted serious abuse and new five has been abused further with no trouble.