Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 73 total)
  • Orange Alpine 5 is no more.
  • chestrockwell
    Full Member

    Vanished off the site, as reported on here a while back.

    http://www.orangebikes.co.uk/bikes/

    Real shame as it’s a superb bike and I can’t see the Segment filling the void. It was the most tested bike on a demo day I went on as well. Saying that, it must not have sold well enough. Looks like the 29er experiment for the masses may have failed.

    wiggles
    Free Member

    Isn’t the alpine five just the same thing with a longer fork and heavier/burlier build kit?

    So it hasn’t really gone just got a different name

    spectabilis
    Free Member

    Have you tried the Segment? It is superb!

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    chestrockwell
    Full Member

    No, different bike. If you see the frames back to back they serve different purposes. Seems like 650b will rule supreme, more’s the shame.

    rickon
    Free Member

    Looks like I’ve got a niche bike now then 🙂

    The new Five Factory looks like a good build out of the box, well done Orange

    igm
    Full Member

    The prices just jumped though and they gone SRAM not Shimano.

    rickon
    Free Member

    I’m happy with that, personally. The Guide brakes are very good, and I’ve always disliked Shimano brakes.

    takisawa2
    Full Member

    Wonder if Niner know they’ve pinched “Kermit Green” 🙂

    qwertyuiop7
    Free Member

    Looks like the Five S has gone as well.
    That means the ‘entry level” Five is the Pro at £2800 !!

    davidtaylforth
    Free Member

    Has anyone ever bought an Orange road bike?

    raisinhat
    Free Member

    I remember the 322 disappeared off the site for a short while and they’re still selling that, so it might not be the end for the alpine 5.

    rickon
    Free Member

    I remember the 322 disappeared off the site for a short while and they’re still selling that, so it might not be the end for the alpine 5.

    No, it really is. They were selling steadily, but no where near as quickly as the Five 650b was selling.

    There’s a lot of cross-over in their range, and people are generally morons about 29ers and think they’re rubbish.

    Northwind
    Full Member

    Also, Orange’s manufacturing capacity is pretty small, so it makes sense for them to focus on the most succesful/profitable lines. I thought the Alpine rebrand was a mistake tbf but maybe the Five 29 branding wasn’t working…

    Shame though- bloody brilliant bikes, best Orange I’ve ridden by quite a bit. Maybe I can find a cheap one now 💡

    cupid-stunt
    Free Member

    Wonder if the muppets know Niner stole Kermit green

    wiggles
    Free Member

    Just realised my coment last night made no sense, I thought it was about the five 29 not the alpine 5…

    DaveyBoyWonder
    Free Member

    Guy Martin has one.

    I suspect he’s the only one.

    no_eyed_deer
    Free Member

    What’s with the curved top tube on the Segment: lovely

    Versus that horrible gopping seat tube brace on the new five?

    They both serve the same porpoise, yet only one gives nice clean lines. The other looks a bit of a bodge.

    AlexSimon
    Full Member

    no_eyed_deer – Member

    What’s with the curved top tube on the Segment: lovely

    Versus that horrible gopping seat tube brace on the new five?

    They both serve the same porpoise, yet only one gives nice clean lines. The other looks a bit of a bodge.
    Funnily enough I have exactly the opposite view.

    Paceman
    Free Member

    Is this the official end of 26″ for Orange?

    roverpig
    Full Member

    If you include the rebranding exercise, Orange have made four attempts at selling a 29er. Three of those have now been dropped and I’m not convinced that the Segment is selling that well. You can already get decent discounts on the base model, for example, which is unusual for an Orange.

    This has little to do with how good the bikes may or may not be, but it does seem that the market isn’t that interested in Orange 29ers. I wonder whether this holds true for 29ers in general too, as a few brands seem to be dropping them.

    From a manufacturer’s view, I’ve always maintained that 650B only makes sense if it replaces both the smaller and larger sizes, but I expected more of a resistance from consumers to 29ers being dropped. I’m beginning to wonder now though.

    The Evil Following, for example, was (and still is) a 29er that was well received and in high demand. But even there it looks as though there is even more excitement about the posibility of a 650B version. Why?

    renton
    Free Member

    I love mine ……

    AlexSimon
    Full Member

    This thread is confusing.
    The Alpine Five was a 140mm 29er.

    It was a redesign of the Five 29 (not sure if there were any actual geometry or tubing changes or not)

    renton
    Free Member

    Yep it was five 29 to start with then rebranded the Alpine 5.

    scuttler
    Full Member

    Five is 1x all the way now, KS Lev available at marginally less than a Reverb, SRAM brakes as standard.

    And a new colour that they’ve not called Bianchi

    Frankly I’m glad I got what I did when I did as there’s nothing new here that I’d prefer to what I’ve got – http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/latest-orange-five-looks-mint-whos-got-one#post-7025062

    qwertyuiop7
    Free Member

    Looking to buy a “pre owned” 2014/15 Five with Pikes for sensible money. Been looking for ages now without success. As an alternative there seems to a few Alpine Fives about and most for what I class to be a fair price. Would one be “too much” bike for me. I don’t ride a real lot nowadays, but when I do it could be a a red/black run at a trail centre with my son, one or two days up-lift in the Alps or even a mellow green with my wife,daughter and a picnic 🙂 . So I kind of need a jack of all trades, and accept its not going to be perfect for everything. But what I don’t want is a bike that gets me down the trail at break neck speed with absolutely no drama, ironing out every lump and bump and is no fun. I’m not racing just out to have a laugh

    chestrockwell
    Full Member

    Frankly I’m glad I got what I did when I did as there’s nothing new here that I’d prefer to what I’ve got –

    Agree, there’s nothing in the line up to tempt me off my 5 29.

    This thread is confusing.
    The Alpine Five was a 140mm 29er.

    It was a redesign of the Five 29 (not sure if there were any actual geometry or tubing changes or not)

    Exactly the same frame, just changed the name.

    Is this the official end of 26″ for Orange?

    Looks like it, even the DH is 650b.

    wrecker
    Free Member

    The Evil Following, for example, was (and still is) a 29er that was well received and in high demand. But even there it looks as though there is even more excitement about the posibility of a 650B version. Why?

    Because there are lots of us who don’t like 29ers?
    Orange has to be smart and being small allows them to be light on their feet. If a model isn’t carrying it’s weight in sales terms then the right thing to do is drop it.
    It seems to me that (in the main), the predictions of 29 being used more one the XC side of things were accurate. There is a market for rowdier 29ers such as the following and enduro but it may be that particular market is quite small.

    roverpig
    Full Member

    Because there are lots of us who don’t like 29ers?

    I don’t understand how you can not like a wheelsize? Fair enough, you may not have liked any that you’ve tried, but that doesn’t mean that you won’t like a different one.

    I’m not having a go as I’m sure you are not alone and anyway, you can use whatever criteria you like to choose a bike as far as I’m concerned, but it’s an interesting stance and one that seems to be quite prevalent. I’m sure a lot of the people excited about a 650B Following, for example, have never tried the 29er version, but just know that they wouldn’t like it (although seem pretty sure that the 650B version will be awesome). We’re a funny bunch sometimes.

    wrecker
    Free Member

    The new Evil will be an updated uprising rather than a 650B following as far as I know.
    WRT 29ers, I can only base my opinion on those that I’ve tried! I don’t dislike many bikes, I’m really not fussy. I just don’t like the feel of the bigger wheels. I certainly don’t think they’re crap, it’s a personal preference just like suspension platforms, geometry etc.
    As for not trying them, well there is sufficient choice available in a wheelsize that I know that i like for me not to have to waste my or shop/distributors time demoing them “just in case”.

    ads678
    Full Member

    Still says this in the website underneath the three Alpine 160’s:

    From the 29inch Alpine Five to the 27.5inch and 26inch Alpine 160 we’ve got you covered

    AlexSimon
    Full Member

    I’m sure a lot of the people excited about a 650B Following, for example, have never tried the 29er version, but just know that they wouldn’t like it (although seem pretty sure that the 650B version will be awesome). We’re a funny bunch sometimes.

    It’s more that they are excited about getting larger 650B wheels on the Evil Uprising (along with improved clearance and reliability).

    I tried lots of 29ers.
    Tallboy LT
    Banshee Prime
    Banshee Phantom
    Specialized FSR Evo
    Orange Segment

    Some of them were great, but still not what I personally wanted from a bike. I would live with 3 of them, but given the choice, I preferred all the 650B versions of similar bikes Bronson/Solo/Spitfire/Rune.

    Once you do that, you do indeed start to make generalisations about not really fancying a 29er – why wouldn’t you given the experience?

    roverpig
    Full Member

    Once you do that, you do indeed start to make generalisations about not really fancying a 29er – why wouldn’t you given the experience?

    As I say, I’m not trying to criticise anybody’s decision making process. Just to understand it. I suspect that the diffuculty that Orange clearly have in selling a 29er comes from a perception in the minds of buyers that 29ers aren’t for them. In some cases that may be based on extensive (although obviously not exhaustive) testing, but I’m not sure that’s true for everybody.

    The 650B Evil does seem to have taken a lot of features from the Following, but I’m sure you are right; it will be marketed as an Uprising with bigger wheels, not a Following with smaller ones, which kind of highlights the point.

    STATO
    Free Member

    As for not trying them, well there is sufficient choice available in a wheelsize that I know that i like for me not to have to waste my or shop/distributors time demoing them “just in case”.

    Isnt that a folly? demoing any bike inherently risks finding out you might not like it, why demo at all in that case and just buy on opinion.

    wrecker
    Free Member

    Because based on experience, it’s unlikely that I’ll like it. My time would be better spent investigating bikes that are far more likely to flick my switch. You can’t demo them all!

    AlexSimon
    Full Member

    The 650B Evil does seem to have taken a lot of features from the Following, but I’m sure you are right; it will be marketed as an Uprising with bigger wheels, not a Following with smaller ones, which kind of highlights the point.

    Not really – you’re focussing on the wheel size, when it’s only one aspect out of many. One of the main ones being intent. Evil have already stated that the new bike will be burlier.

    z1ppy
    Full Member

    Have to say my Following is the most un-29er 29er I’ve ridden, the Segment/T-129 I tested definitely felt like 29ers one way or another… especially the segment, it was like a monster truck (in a fun way)

    wrecker – Member
    The new Evil will be an updated uprising rather than a 650B following as far as I know.

    Don’t think your very upto date, as the proto-type being used for racing look very like the following, and nothing like the uprising.
    .. Evil seemingly are confident enough with 29ers that there’s now talk (& racing prototype) of a long travel 160mm Following

    ..but yes ppl have preconceptions about 29ers (que the “29ers are gay” picture), and that will always colour buyer decisions. Unfortunately the “try one you might like it” demo option, is just not taken up enough but if you have, then fair enuff.. it’s your choice

    deviant
    Free Member

    The Evil Following, for example, was (and still is) a 29er that was well received and in high demand. But even there it looks as though there is even more excitement about the posibility of a 650B version. Why?

    I don’t understand how you can not like a wheelsize? Fair enough, you may not have liked any that you’ve tried, but that doesn’t mean that you won’t like a different one.

    I’m going to use an extreme example but there is a world of difference between how my 20inch wheeled BMX rides and my larger wheeled MTBs.
    Some just don’t like the way the larger wheels smooth out the trail, there is also the (generally) taller front end on a 29er, a (generally) longer wheelbase….and for some this takes away the enjoyment of MTBing.

    Going as fast as possible and having a 29 inch wheel smooth out the trail obviously appeals to some, just not everybody. I still ride my 26 inch HT more than any other bike because it’s more fun.

    I don’t get fat-bikes, I think they’re proper crap but plenty on here rave about them, each to their own.

    Saying that somebody shouldn’t make up their mind about 29ers unless they’ve ridden them all is childish and unrealistic, very few of us here have the time or money to go buying or demo-ing every 29er out there to make the kind of informed decision the 29er fans seem to demand.

    I’ve ridden a few, I’d actually like an Orange Segment as I think that’s the natural evolution of big wheeled bikes….slack angles and short travel….I rode an Enduro-29 and felt it was a barge, hateful thing, too tall, too long and terminally dull to ride.
    29ers are far from perfect, ive read loads of reviews where riders complain of wheels flexing to the point they rub on the stays in fast corners, it’s a problem acknowledged by Trek who are trying wider spoke flanges with their Boost hubs in an effort to make 29 inch wheels as strong as 26 and 27.5 hoops.

    For XC they have proven their worth, although isn’t Nino Shurter on a 27.5 at the moment?!….the experiment by Intense to get a 29er DH bike competitive failed and for loads of us that’s the kind of riding we do so I won’t shed any tears as long travel 29ers shuffle away quietly.

    wrecker
    Free Member

    Don’t think your very upto date, as the proto-type being used for racing look very like the following, and nothing like the uprising.

    If you’re talking about the MTBR thread, it has meandered onto another (29er) bike.

    New uprising/insurgent?;

    Old uprising;

    following & new 29er

    z1ppy
    Full Member

    yep, maybe “nothing like” is going a bit far, but it look more like the following, to the point that I’d assumed it was a following till I’d been told about differences & I look closer.

    Yep.. Evil seem to think a long travel 29er, that blue one (apparently), is gunna sell too..

    EDIT: Apologies for derailing the thread slightly..

    I’m not convinced that Orange has managed to sell any 29er FS in numbers(just judging by sale items) … The Gyro was too XC, the alpine too far a jump for many, and then the segment too late.
    Didn’t make any of them bad bikes though

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 73 total)

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