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@kayak23 - I think they sell lots of bikes because they’re really nice to ride, pedal well and have good geometry. Still expensive and not that pretty but no uglier than many other company’s bikes. Just different.
My 2012 Alpine 160 was pretty silent, pedalled uphill well for a 170/160mm bike and descended as well as anything else at the time. Not ridden any of their newer bikes, but if I had the money for a new bike it would be up there.
@kayak23 - I think they sell lots of bikes because they’re really nice to ride, pedal well and have good geometry. Still expensive and not that pretty but no uglier than many other company’s bikes. Just different.
My 2012 Alpine 160 was pretty silent, pedalled uphill well for a 170/160mm bike and descended as well as anything else at the time. Not ridden any of their newer bikes, but if I had the money for a new bike it would be up there.
I’ll give you the angular and curves clashing. But then I’m more of a straight tube guy anyway
Maybe if I was going out bumbling through the countryside, like a rambler on a bike it would be different? 🤷♂️
We have some rides around here through glens with no phone signal, no houses and halfway up a Corbett, on rocky singletrack rides. Having had a teenage DofE participant injured at the furthest from the road point of that glen, I know how challenging it was to extract her out.
I do admire how people can manage to turn literally anything into an insult.
You wear a camelback - that's way too heavy - therefore I am considerably more gnarr than you.
You don't wear a camelback - you clearly must only ride groomed trails near home - therefore I am considerably more gnarr than you.
That P7
I'd a clockwork for years, but when I first got the frame, I was amazed at how lightweight it was.
After X amount of years riding, rebuilding and eventually selling I got a P7 Pure frame. Out the box it must have weighed twice that of the clockwork. The Clockwork and PZ's originally weighed about the same, but these later models i reckon were made from industrial gas tubing. Very heavy, and so much so I sold it on in under a year.
TINAS - you took that from Matt's response? Okay...
My immediate area is sub-Corbett hills but you know what? They're remote, have shit signal coverage and if I have an OTB on a fast descent I need decent clothing with me at any time of year. How that translates to being gnar I don't know, it's just the circumstances I find myself in.
As for water, I'll take what I need because can't guarantee I'll be able to top up or if I'll need to neck a load of it. Again, totally depends on circumstances.
It's not a pissing contest, it's just basic hill safety.
Still expensive and not that pretty but no uglier than many other company’s bikes. Just different.
I beg to differ on that, as would many others on this thread. The only thing I can think of that is uglier is a Pole.
Someone said it looks like a skip and now I can't unsee it. It's just missing a Biffa logo.
Same old Orange comments......
Love my Alpine! 😀
Yeah they should of moved onto Carbon years ago imo, it would allow them the freedom to create much better frame designs without those massive ugly joints.
Same old Orange comments
I know, it's almost like Orange keep doing exactly the same thing over and over again with predictably hideous results.
I do admire how people can manage to turn literally anything into an insult.
I had absolutely no intention to offend or insult.
That P7 had me googling and they are heavily discounted (massively overpriced) from £2600 to less than £1600 but somehow have Clarks brakes. I've never used them, they might be great but I expect more for that price.
The prices are definitely getting a bit bonkers.
I have a 2020 stage 5, which I don’t really have any desire to change. But I saw the switch and thought that deserves a look on the website.
Here in Aus the cheapest build is “from” $15.5k. The most expensive starts at $22.5k! That’s near enough £12k!!
Not Brexit /inflation try change of ownership and lighter alloy used to save weight/costs ...
I know, it’s almost like Orange keep doing exactly the same thing over and over again with predictably hideous results.
And predictably decent profits I'd imagine, hence why they don't change a winning formula too much. Saying that, having had various Orange full suss since 2006 they consistently improve the bikes they produce. However, the prices are insane now so if I was in the market to replace my 2020 Stage 5 (I'm not) I'd probably go Hope instead and I bought a Pace HT frame rather than a P7.
I’d a clockwork for years, but when I first got the frame, I was amazed at how lightweight it was.
After X amount of years riding, rebuilding and eventually selling I got a P7 Pure frame. Out the box it must have weighed twice that of the clockwork. The Clockwork and PZ’s originally weighed about the same, but these later models i reckon were made from industrial gas tubing. Very heavy, and so much so I sold it on in under a year.
The Pure 7 was a cheaper version of the P7 using plainer steel and had less features, the actual P7 of the time was still using decent Reynolds tubes from memory. I had a 2016 P7 that was a bit of a lump but was on point geometry wise and ahead of most manufactures and was a hoot to ride. 2007 Clockwork I had before was much lighter but no where near as good to ride. If we go all the way back my 1992 Clockwork comes in around 25.5lbs.
Funny how their bikes are so emotive.
The current production full-sussers all look great to me, but then I've owned a couple and can appreciate how light they are, how ingenious the construction is and - most importantly - how much fun they are to ride.
I think a lot of people don't realise that they are lighter than some carbon rivals. And I'm not a flag-shagger or anything, but they are so much more satisfying to own. They feel like a piece of engineering rather than a product, if that makes sense.
I can respect what they've done with this new proto, but I'm not sure about adding more weight and messing with the aesthetics just to add the cubbyhole. I definitely don't think they should be making the short-travel frames heavier, they already have the perfect formula on them.
But having defended the looks, the things Orange should be criticised for are:
- Aspirational pricing, no longer an "everyman" brand
- Heavy, unattractive steel HT frames
- Sticking with internal cable routing
Aspirational pricing, no longer an “everyman” brand
Few years back now but they said they could easily sell everything they were capable of producing. Why would they reduce prices?
A few years back their prices were getting higher but still just about defensible.
Not so much now and I see they were punting some out on discount recently, so they may not be selling so easily anymore.
Bit of a bionicon vibe to it
Not keen.
Storage on a bike is a great idea but this is badly done
When I first saw the frame pop up on social, I thought it might be an Intense.
Not a very pretty bike, however just got a Switch discounted to under half price. 2 rides in worth every penny.
Like I can be bothered working out how to post pics. Just imagine a happy 50 something in a full face at the top of first run for the day then lots of pics of me shredding the gnarr to the max!