Orange Blood « Singletrack Forum

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Orange Blood

31 posts & 13 voices | Started 7 months ago by Rickos | Latest reply from munkyboy

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Rickos - Member

Did the original Blood have a 150mm rear axle and 83mm BB or am I wrong? As far as I know I think they made it more traily in 2011(?) with a 135mm rear and 72mm BB. Is that right? Did they make the frame lighter in 2011 too?

Just wondering for a potential trail bike build, so obviously would want the 135mm rear and lighter weight would be good. If it was always 135mm rear axle and 72mm BB then that would be good - opens up more frames as a 2nd hand option.

Any info from owners? Mainly looking at 2 to 3 hours hooning local woodsy trails. Up and then down, very little along.

Posted 7 months ago #
Brycey - Member

Defo a 135mm on the older frames, for the life of me can't remember my BB shell size though (mine's an '09).

I love mine, great do it all bike. I do long days, kid-trailer pulling and everything in between on it. Bit of a grind up the steepest hills, but makes up for it the rest of the time.

Posted 7 months ago #
Rickos - Member

Thanks Brycey. I wonder what else they changed then as they made it one degree steeper for 2011 (or maybe 2010?) - did they lighten the frame at the same time?

Posted 7 months ago #
Brycey - Member

I didn't think they'd changed anything other than the components, but I've got very little to base that on.

Posted 7 months ago #
huws - Member

My 2010 frame is 135mm rear and has a 72mm bottom bracket. Frame will be for sale soon if you're looking for one.

Posted 7 months ago #
jedi - Member

i tested one for a few days at herts. rides well but the linkage plates were so sharp they cut my shins on inverts etc.

Posted 7 months ago #
Rickos - Member

Inverts? Oh yeah, I do those all the time.

If you remember, Tony, it's dead sailors for me!

Posted 7 months ago #
Rickos - Member

So what sort of weight is the Blood frame? Same as a 5 or thereabouts?

Posted 7 months ago #
Rorschach - Member

Pedants corner......unless your frame has been made by Ragley,mtb bottom bracket shells are 68mm or 73mm (or 83mm for 150mm rear spacing).
You're welcome.

Posted 7 months ago #
ChunkyMTB - Member

You wanna HL 5 Spot Rickyboy!

Posted 7 months ago #
Rickos - Member

Sorry, Rorschach - I bow to your superior pedantry.

Chunky - just weighing up options for next year.

Posted 7 months ago #
Digby - Member

2009 Blood frame was 135mm rear (m)axle and 83mm BB, however the BB changed to 73mm at some point during 2010.

Great bike and proper fun for playing in the woods for a few hours. Low BB & large(ish) Q factor (esp with big flat pedals) can result in a few more pedal strikes than normal when negotiating rocky ascents or climbing in narrow ruts, but this bike is such a giggle on the descents.

Will be interesting to see if Orange come up with a replacement for the Blood. They're still doing the ST4 so I don't think they've ditched the single pivot linkage actuated design just yet.

If buying a 2nd hand Blood watch out for cable rub around the swing arm

Posted 7 months ago #
keswiki - Member

As Brycey says, they didnt change the frame they just stuck smaller forks on one of the range which gives you the steeper head angle.

Posted 7 months ago #
huws - Member

So what sort of weight is the Blood frame? Same as a 5 or thereabouts?

I'll pop mine on the scales later and report back.

Posted 7 months ago #
fuzzhead - Member

Love mine - '11 frame here, 135mm rear hub and 73mm bb shell.

use mine for everything - best bike i've ever owned. You can run it with 140mm forks as per the "trail" build last year, but works best with some 160mm forks up front IMHO.

Posted 7 months ago #
Rickos - Member

*waits on edge of seat*

Has he weighed it yet?

Digby - thanks for the info. Means I'd need a part way through 2010 version onwards.

Posted 7 months ago #
huws - Member

*waits on edge of seat*

Your wait is over!
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Queue tension building Take That song.....
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4060g with a DHX 3 shock and headset cups installed. So probably something like 3.7kg with an air shock and no headset.

Posted 7 months ago #
Rickos - Member

Oh
Just over 8 pounds with air shock - heavier than I was hoping for. I can't justify all that burliness with my mincing style. Looks like it'll be at the back of the queue on my speculative frame list.

They do look ace though!

Posted 7 months ago #
huws - Member

That's for the 15" frame too

Mine, when built up for 'cocking around DH tm' weighed in at a hefty 36lbs

Posted 7 months ago #
mildred - Member

I had one on test for a couple of weeks - unfortunately mine had 140mm Floats and a knackered RP23 fitted that made it just awful. I think a coil with 160mm up front would suit it best. My immediate thoughts were that you'd have to be a strong rider to use as an all rounder, and it felt noticeably heavier than the 2011 5 I had at the time with a very similar build. Hyave a look art my profile for a tediously long review i wrote.

Bizarrely, though my comments seem quite negative, I still think it is a fantastic format for a fun bike, and still hanker after a frame (17" if anyones got one), to try my CCDB and Devilles on.

Posted 7 months ago #
jedi - Member

my bottlerocket weighs 34lb. the blood i demo'd was lighter

Posted 7 months ago #
munkyboy - Member

only changes i am aware of is a change to a large can air shock and different shock tune

according to the internet the frame weight is 3.3kg with shock. my inaccurate bathroom scales puts my frame and rp23 at 3.5kg ish. not terribly heavy, its the 160 forks that will make it 32lbs ish i reckon.

i bought a frame with the intention of building it up because after a demo 2 years ago and despite some obvious flaws (uphills) it has a certain crazy quality i havent quite found in any other bike....

Posted 7 months ago #
jam bo - Member

Rick. Stop stealing my bike ideas...

Posted 7 months ago #
samcamsdad - Member

this is mine, use it mainly for 2 hour blasts in the lakes, did 25 miles the day this photo was taken, not a problem. reckon its about 34-35 lbs. going of the trusty bathroom scales.

Posted 7 months ago #
Rickos - Member

mildred - thanks. Looked up your thread and that must have been where I got the idea that it was 150mm rear axle as a couple of people say it on there. Good thread.

Hmmmm...

Posted 7 months ago #
Brycey - Member

From this:

To this:

And everything in between. I know I keep banging on about it, but a true do it all bike (as is any decent 5" or 6" bike these days I suppose).

Posted 7 months ago #
huws - Member

Oh well if we're posting pictures I may as well leave this shoddy photo here.

Posted 7 months ago #
Brycey - Member

Love the colour combo huws.

Posted 7 months ago #
mildred - Member

Just love the look of delirious joy & happiness on Brycey's face

Posted 7 months ago #
Brycey - Member

Ha ha, yeah fair point.

Posted 7 months ago #
munkyboy - Member

what about a NP mega? anyone compared the two

it has the advantage that you can still buy one (if they have stock)

Posted 7 months ago #