Orange Alpine 6 2020
Look once and you could be forgiven for thinking that it’s just another Alpine 6, Orange’s flagship 27.5in wheeled enduro and hard-hitting trail bike, but you’d be mistaken. Every tube on the 2020 bike has been changed from the 2019 with the exception of the seat tube. Look closer too and you’ll see that the graphics for a start are completely different. There’s no longer a big ‘Orange’ logo on the downtube. This has been replaced by a teeny Orange decal underneath the top of the (more keyhole shaped) top tube. The decals too are now waterslide and live under a clear powder coat.
Spot the difference
What everyone wants to know, though, is how the meat and potatoes of the bike have changed.
Of course it’s longer and slacker. Isn’t everything these days? Orange hasn’t gone overboard though. The top tube has increased by 5mm and the head tube has relaxed by 0.5° to 64°. Chainstays have lengthened by 11mm, helping the bike get 20mm longer wheelbase over the 2019 version.
To bring the front end down a little, the head tube has had 5mm shaved off the bigger sizes and in keeping with this lower movement, both the BB height and the pivot position are 5mm lower too. And finally, the travel increases from 160mm to 165mm at the rear. Weight should be similar – that Wasabi bike up there weighs in a hair under 31lbs without its bottle or pedals.
There are some major changes though that go beyond just 5mm here and there. The bikes now take Metric rear shocks, and the shock mounts on the downtube and the swingarm have been nibbled away to make sure these new, longer shocks fit in. This latest generation of shocks have more tuning options and just give Orange a little more scope to tweak the ride.
Like a boss
And, finally, there are bottle bosses! Just a pair and they’re under the downtube, but for riders who really don’t want to ride with a pack, you can now run a bottle under the downtube – and Orange has even teamed up with Camelbak to make a podium bottle with an integral rubber cap.
Sizing has been shaken up a little. There’s no longer an Extra Small size, though the Small has been made a little smaller. Up at the other end, a 505mm reach XXL has been added for taller riders.
Of course there’s a launch video. It should be right here…
Can’t see the video? Click here
And, as we’ve had one in the office for a few days (still with Punta Ala dust on it) we took the opportunity to make our own video…
Can’t see the video? Click here
The new Orange Alpine6 should be arriving with dealers this very week, so get in there if you want one. And watch this space for a follow up review once we’ve had a chance to try one on our local trails.
And, about now, the bike should be available to see on the Orange Website
Comments (10)
Leave Reply
Post Comment
That’s a cracking looking bike.
Please Stop Capitalising Every Word In Your Headlines. It Makes Them Harder To Read.
Really liked the Stage 6 I rode and this looks like another step forward.
Great launch vid too!
Droool.
I adore my 6. The change from my Alpine160 was really noticeable. Looks like they’ve continued their iterative approach: make everything a tiny bit better and you end up with a whole lot of betterness.
Price is crippling though and I’m not sure it needed a 5mm lower BB – my poor pedals get clipped quite enough already.
looks mint. hope the Stages get a revamp too..
Is it me or does the wasbi bike at the top of the page look so much better than the silver one above!? silver one looks like its got the wrong swingarm on… in fact there is noticeable difference in dimension between the top of the swingarm and the top tube tube…?
Hopefully they sorted their cracking drop out issues…. good to see a bottle mount on an Orange. But bizarrely for a brand built on ‘bikes built in Britain for Britain’ having the bottle on the down tube underside is mental!
That’s even with the podium condom bottle by the way!
I’m glad my SO ordered her 2019 XS version last week as it’s spot on for her size and will probably fit her better than the new 2020 small size. Looks like I’ll be getting the 2020 model when I get round to ordering mine.
That really is the most retarded place to put a bottle, not all of us like riding with parachutes on our backs…shame as that still puts me off an orange.
I’ve had one of those bottles with the dirt cap for a while – recommend it but I wouldn’t put it under the downtube – your hands will get covered in crap just trying to get it out of the cage