I keep looking at the Orange 5 along the lines that they are the ideal year round UK full suspension bike. UK made & 5yr frame warranty attract me also. Older rider here, after something a bit kinder on my old bones. 😕

I don’t want to seem like a killjoy, but with the riding style you describe I’d say you’re better off getting a new bike/frame.

Plenty of my friends’ Orange frames have cracked, there’s more that have than haven’t TBH. But the new 5-year warranty addresses that nicely.

Let’s say you wanted a Five.

Buy the frame and maybe get a 10% discount from a nice shop – £1,350
Then get a 150mm Pike from Alltricks when they’re doing a deal under £400
SLX groupset £300ish
Hope Hoops or maybe Superstar.
Funn Funnduro stem for £32 from CRC.
Tyre, handlebar & saddle of your choice.
Reverb from Merlin now £150.

Will easily come in under £2,800.

OK, now we know what sort of stuff you’re riding and your style, I’d say you are looking at two very suitable bikes there.
If you’re not a habitual brake dragger on the rough stuff, then there is nowt better than a single pivot.
Try both and see what you think.

Another thing to think about if you go down that route…The best upgrade I put on my Five was a CCDB coil shock. Turns a very good bike into a stupidly capabale descender.

The only times I’ve found the single pivot bikes lacking is where you’re on the brakes.
Couple of examples:
#1. I took both my Patriot and my Liteville 301 out to the Mega this year. The intention was to use the Patriot on the Quali where 180mm coils at both ends should have been ideal… but, with all the rain and attrocious conditions this year there was noticably less control under breaking on the Patriot than on the 301. On back-to-back runs I was much quicker on the 301.
#2. Fort William DH track, riding the Patriot and chasing a mate on a full-on DH bike. If I was good enough to ride Fort Bill off-the-brakes all the way, then I’d be happy… meanwhile, back on planet Earth, it was noticable that my rear was locking and skipping much more than the 4-bar DH bike. Similar riders/similar tyres/similar style, but he was getting much more grip and control on the rear than I was.

Ecky- that’s kinda what I was meaning back on page 1, but was assured I was wrong (which having owned/ridden several single-pivot Orange bikes was confusing slightly).

The ‘locking/skipping’ bit does happen, or at least is much more noticeable on a single-pivot IME.

I think the problem comes with using the term brake-jack as there are those who will will argue that can’t happen and I suspect that they are technically correct. However, it may still be the case that Orange bikes handle more poorly with the back brake on than other designs. I don’t know.

My Oranges do skip a bit when braking over bumps, but I can’t see how the number of pivots make a difference UNLESS the single pivot design requires you to run more rebound damping or platform damping…

You could be onto something. My Five tends to live in trail mode. Looking at all those anti-squat numbers though I think I might start playing with leaving the rear shock fully open for a bit.

I almost always have it open (RP23) unless it’s a long fireroad climb, or road. When I hit the trails I put the propedal on setting 1 and then use the switch – rarely.

My Patriot has the Manitou Swinger x4 with the air chamber for SPV. I used to run it with the minimum pressure, but since I moved the pivot I thought I’d up the pressure to give more support, but this also comes with more platform. It’s definitely made it skippier on rough stuff so I think I will put it back next time.

The Patriot wants a CCDB to be fair, but then again I want £400 🙂

The bike was much, much better on the trails Sunday, didnt do San Marino, but it popped much easier, felt planted in the corners and no punctures (sometimes 3 a ride, with slime tubes too). Ended putting in 250psi in the rear (up from 200) and 20-30psi in the front, cant remember the pressure… both sets are travelling 75% of the stanchion on a regular ride. Thanks for the advice!!

As for the Orange Five, if I can get this 2014 for £2800 I think I’m in, but chakaping if I can build one up for the same cash youve got me thinking!! Will need to do some shopping this eve…. 😉

thanks again guys!

I think the skipping comes from breaking when the shock is compressed, Chain locks out.. When you come off the break the rear end is still compressed under Chain lock. Hit a bump with the shock somewhat compressed and it doesn’t absorb the bump well as the shock wants to decompress and results in skipping..

That’s atleast how I’ve come to analyse it on my 5..

Ive got my eye on a 2014 Five Pro which is 3 months old, the guy wants £2800 for it which feels like a deal?

You can get brand new 2014 Pro’s for less then that so not a good deal.

Pro here for £2399.
http://www.drakescycles.co.uk/m1b114s377p4304/ORANGE_Five_Pro_2014

Or a 5 29 (Alpine 5) for even less.
http://www.drakescycles.co.uk/m1b114s361p4463/ORANGE_Five_29_Pro_Custom_Colours_2014

I’ve got a ’14 Five with a Pike and a CCDB air. It’s a fantastic bike. The shock makes all the difference. I think it feels like a much bigger bike, a bit like my ’11 Enduro that had 160mm f&r, but pedals really well. I’d be tempted to go down a class in spec and then upgrade fork and shock to something better.
Frame, fork, shock and wheels are the most important component (IMHO).

You can get brand new 2014 Pro’s for less then that so not a good deal.

£2.8k is well over the odds for 2ndhand yeah.

As I said before, you’ll really want that frame warranty too.

Best bet is to build one yourself..IMHO
My 5 build cost me £3340.
Pike
CCDB CS
XT Groupset
Stan’s flows hope pro 2’s
Reverb

I have a 2011 5 and I bloody love it. I bought the bike ex-demo and over years pretty much everything has been replaced except cranks, shock and front 1/2 of frame. 🙂 ….even the paint is new.

I had some good use & re-use out of the original parts though.

I think most people have covered the other topics here already. Enjoy.

…p.s. I’ve always thought chakaping had 5-envy. Now I can see the amount of research he’s put into this. I know it 😉

Just bought a 2014 Five Pro, CTD kashi shock and CTD Fox 34 kashi forks. Its a 1 x10. Ex-demo, clean as and comes with 5yr frame warranty, 2yr paint and 1yr parts – £2250 inc delivery – so happy as Larry could be!
Thanks for the advice guys.

Rob