Hello there i was wondering if you could give me some advise, i and looking at getting a orange five but am undecided weather to go for a Pro and pimp it up a bit or get a Am. I have demoed the pro and really got on with it well and am looking to demo the Am at some point.

the majority of my riding takes place in the Lakes and Scotland.

your thoughts and opinions would be much appreciated

Cheers.

Pro all the way. 160mm on the front would be overkill for anything other than downhill in the Alps. I think the new ones have a slack head angle even with 140mm forks.

AM. More fun, more versatile. Plenty of Lakes riding that a 160 front end would suit. Depends what you enjoy though, and depends how far you want to push the bike’s dh capabilities or use/develop your own dh skills.

AM and maybe drop the 36s down to 150mm. Depends on how you use it though, downhill bike style or cross country. If the former and you have an unsympathetic riding style then you may find the 32s like noodles.

Orange Five feels crap with 160mm forks IMO. Much more fun/ engaging with a 140mm fork. Feels good wound down to 110ish for more tame terrain and climbs.

Alpine 160 is, as the name suggests a much better bike for the bigger fork.

Sure, for Grizedale 140, but for Blacksail Pass, Rossett Ghyll, Dollywagon etc etc, I’d have 160.

Pro for sure, the AM really feels lethargic in comparison

Sure, for Grizedale 140, but for Blacksail Pass, Rossett Ghyll, Dollywagon etc etc, I’d have 160.

I guess it might make sense if you had some Talas 36s and just wound them out for big steep rad stuff,
but if I were wanting more bike than a Five Pro I’d still go for the Alpine – big forks just turn the Five into a bike that it doesn’t want to be.
IMO, of course.

I have a 5 and an Alpine. I tried 160 forks on the 5 and it ruined the snappy feel of the bike. When i need to go for a blast i use the 5 because of its snappy acceleration but it still has the ability to handle almost everything. I use the Alpine for alpine and big mountain riding that is usually done at a slower pace.

Just buy the Alpine 160 I hated the imbalance of the 160 upfront on my
5 AM
The 5 AM on the berms and tight corners felt as though the bars was pulling into my chest.

Best fork for the 5 will be 150 travel in my eyes

Cheers for all the advise and suggestions.

I have a five with 160 coil lyriks. Its not brilliant on average flat single track as some of the snap and alertness have gone. However at my local woods it’s all very steep, rooty and the lyrik added extra stifness over a fox 32. Lakes big descents are so much better as was inners dh using a 35mm stanchion 160mm.

If its big descents and generally bigger stuff your riding you want the fox 36 but if it’s only a trail centre xc mincing machine get 32’s.

If its 160 you choose try a coil too. They’re ace and also let’s not forget how rad to the max you will look.

If you buy the pro I bet you upgrade to a 160/36 fork maybe you will adjust travel but it’s the lateral stiffness you will crave.

Fortunateson09 – Member

I guess it might make sense if you had some Talas 36s and just wound them out for big steep rad stuff,

Nah, you’d end up with compromised performance all the rest of the time… U-turn Lyriks maybe.

Personally, 5 inches for a Five, 6 inches for an Alpine. Five already has the geometry that most people are looking for when they plug massive forks into a trailbike.

If its big descents and generally bigger stuff your riding you want the fox 36 but if it’s only a trail centre xc mincing machine get 32’s.

+1

If you ride the rockier stuff in the Lakes then it’s a lot more fun with a 36.

get the AM and put reducers in the 36 down to 140mm uber stiff and when you go to the Alps whip out the spacer, I run mine with a 36 set to 140 😀 to slack set too 160 for most trails.
There is a big difference in the feel of 32’s over 36 I have both and the 32’s are flexi after riding the 36’s, if you never rode the 36’s you would still be happywith 32’s though.

Aye, shame Revelations aren’t an option, much better middle road option than the 32s, even with the 15mm axle they still feel like a stretched XC fork to me.

My 5 feels much more balanced with 140mm forks than 160mm. Mine’s an 08 if that makes any difference. Swapped from Lyriks to Manitou Minutes as an experiment and really like the 140mm forks. I also run Burgtec offset bushings.

I built a 2011 5 around Rockshox Revelation 150mm U turns with a 20mm maxle. I run them at 140mm most of the time and wind them out to 150mm on the steeper descents. At 11 stone I don’t feel need for a fatter fork.
I raced motor bikes (RD250LC) with 32 mm forks and yes I could feel those flexing but on a 13.5 kg mtb I don’t find it an issue.