There seems to be this rather quaint notion [in lots of things] that just because something is British we should be prepared to accept poor manufacturing standards*, poor pricing, poor service etc. Hardly a recipe for producing world class companies, but hey we learnt that in the 1970s

Like the Dyson Airblade – Worst. Urinal. Ever.

I agree wholeheartdly with your first line. Gobsmacking how they can charge similar pricing to a US brand thats got an importer/distributor to feed as well in the mix.

Well Santa Cruz and Trek are about as American as On-One are British, and still charge the same/more. In all three cases I bet the frames come straight from Tiawan and have never been to America.

joolsburger – Member
There seems to be this rather quaint notion [in lots of things] that just because something is British we should be prepared to accept poor manufacturing standards*, poor pricing, poor service etc. Hardly a recipe for producing world class companies, but hey we learnt that in the 1970s
Like the Dyson Airblade – Worst. Urinal. Ever.

😆

One thing I like about orange is the solid colours (no two-tones,or flashes etc). However, their stickers having been getting more and more garish..resulting in the horrendous set on latest five 😯
Who is their sticker man…needs to be taken out and flogged!

Perhaps I’m the archetypal Five owner who seems to be so despised on here. 57 years old but very fit and trim, worked in IT until I took early retirement 5 years ago and only got into mountain biking about 10 years ago after many years as a roadie. Started off on a cheap rigid bike and then moved on to an Inbred SS and and a geared hardtail. About four years ago I finally decided to see what full-suss was all about and tested a few bikes. Really fancied a Santa Cruz Blur but couldn’t justify the cost new and couldn’t find my size (XL) second-hand.

Eventually went on an Orange test day at the Surrey Hills and the Five just felt right. I wanted the Pro spec. but again couldn’t justify the price of a new one but one came up on eBay for £1500 in good nick which I eventually got for £1400. Great bike and a real skills compensator for someone who never had the benefit of learning to ride off road when younger. I did also fancy the simplicity of the single pivot as well having read many horror stories about owners having to replace multiple bearings quite regularly on other makes. I have a mate who has a Trek Top Fuel for instance and his bearings are always creaking.

I didn’t buy it because I thought it would enhance my image or as part of an ego trip. I think there are plenty of bikes out there that would do that far better than a Five so don’t quite get where people are coming from with that theory. I was also a bit disappointed to read on here lately that Orange can’t even supply replacement 26” swing arms any more so if/when the Five cracks I’ll be looking elsewhere next time. I love the bike but don’t have any particular brand loyalty to Orange as it seems like they don’t have loyalty to their customers.

I can’t believe this has gone to 3 pages and not one person has mentioned the new Five being 650b…surely the perfect clash of STW forum’s most ‘loved’ subjects 😆

Doesn’t it look just like a Five apart from the top tube?

Sort of, it just looks nicer for some reason. The 5 looks all sharp edged, cheap and horrible. Plus the aforementioned bent top tube looks awful.

ton – Member
If they are good enough for the Sweary Northerners, they are good enough for me
obviously you have no idea why the sweary northerners ride them.

POSTED 3 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

Cos they are the best do it all trail bike out there, regardless of price, a loyal company that looks after British workers…but most importantly they are very good bikes, solid and reliable. Ain’t that right ton! 😉

spectabilis – Member

Hey Isambard Kingdom Brunel want his bridge back…..

it’s even more ‘challenging’ with the saddle up.

Like the Dyson Airblade – Worst. Urinal. Ever.

Am I the only person to wonder what it would be like to, you know, lower the old fella into one?

Is that true? If your rear swing arm breaks on a 26’er and its out of warranty?

Looks after its workers. How do you know this, do you or a good friend work there?

Cos they are the best do it all trail bike out there, regardless of price, a loyal company that looks after British workers…but most importantly they are very good bikes, solid and reliable. Ain’t that right ton!

yeah right….. 😆

Because Hora has decided he is going to be an Orange 5 Owner shortly? Worst piece of marketing ever 😀

Adey!!!!!! You’ll be missed Sat. Its not a five BTW 😉

So, if I buy one second hand and relatively cheap, don’t care about the weight as I already ride a bit of a tank, don’t give a monkeys about the looks, and am thick skinned enough not to care about the ribbing I’ll get, then it’s a good bike?

Yes, I would add that having had mine for a month or two now it climbs much better than most of the fat knackers you see riding them would have you believe.

orange have missed several tricks in terms of ideas they have worked on and could move it up in terms of manufacturing….they sell shedloads though as the company that heat treats their frames will attest to has a good number of frames going through it a month….why change a formula that makes money

Tidy looking 2008 16″ on the classified for £900 at the moment.

Tidy looking raw 2012 frame too —>

Is that true? If your rear swing arm breaks on a 26’er and its out of warranty?

It was on another of the other Five threads on here of late. Someone contacted Orange recently for a replacement 26″ swingarm to be told none available out of warranty.

Except it’s been owned by LukeB, which means it’ll explode into a million pieces shortly.

Tomorrows prices for yesterday’s technology unfortunately’. I’d have one given happily but paying that much for a prophet which you can get for buttons is bonkers. I loved my prophet from 04 and the funny thing was that it took orange years a d years to improve on it, and even then it was only by putting a bolt through rear axle on, no advantage having a tapered head tube over a inch and a half one!

Oh the stigma, and in 95% of occasions its so true!

Can someone verify? Basically means secondhand fives arent worth much then. Like a lapierre I wouldnt spend 700+ on a gamble/possibly junked. Still you could fit a 29’er arm or weld it?

So many ugly comments, do find it bizarre. Never seen a comment about a 5 Spot or Nicolai being ugly, is it just me?

Do you genuinely find something like:

More ugly and agricultural looking?

not ugly at all…….just shyte company to deal with, and to55pots who ride em telling us how good they are being made in Yorkshire (my ar5e) and all that…….;o)

hora – Member

Can someone verify? Basically means secondhand fives arent worth much then.

There’s nothing stopping Orange stamping up some more Five 26er parts, though they might choose not to. Mainframes will be trickier, with the imported toptube, though. (and to be fair mostly it’s front triangles that crack on the Five- BB shell and shock mounts)

The folded-sheet-alu look is an acquired taste, but more agricultural than that Nicolai? No.

Sure, but aesthetically… That nicolai will most likely have lovely welds and excellent finish. My evo looks like it was welded by the YTS boy then painted in the dark. it’s all functional enough but if I’d paid £2300 for it I’d have shit a brick.

@hora,

Can someone verify? Basically means secondhand fives arent worth much then. Like a lapierre I wouldnt spend 700+ on a gamble/possibly junked. Still you could fit a 29’er arm or weld it?

Read all about it here:

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/next-trail-bike26-or-275#post-5113281

not ugly at all…….just shyte company to deal with, and to55pots who ride em telling us how good they are being made in Yorkshire (my ar5e) and all that…….;o)

Aye but not everything made in yorksire is shyte

not everything supposed to be made in Yorkshire, is made in Yorkshire either.

not everything supposed to be made in Yorkshire, is made in Yorkshire either.

They’re quite open that their non-FS frames aren’t made in Yorkshire (or the UK, for that matter). Are you suggesting the FS frames aren’t either?

no, why?

ton – Member
not everything supposed to be made in Yorkshire, is made in Yorkshire either.

POSTED 8 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST

Yep, definitely made in Yorkshire! Infact a lot of parts made in hudds..
You seem very bitter tony pal.. I really hope you are ok. 😉

Huddersfield. Really which bits??

no, why?

The implications of the statement “not everything supposed to be made in Yorkshire, is made in Yorkshire either” in the context of a thread about Orange bikes?

ratherbeintobago, it does read like that, but it was not meant to.
sorry if it came over wrong.

How many other frames if you break them out of warranty can you buy spare swingarms for?

Name them please?

sorry if it came over wrong.

Nothing to apologise for. Were you referring to Yorkshire Tea? 😛

How many other frames if you break them out of warranty can you buy spare swingarms for?
Name them please?

Cotic Hemlock? Admittedly quite a few broke!

Regards Nicolai & Turner/Orange comparisons: you are confusing industrial and agricultural….

HTH.

😉