[Closed] Orange bikes, love or hate?

evo2 - which i didn't like

five - which i like

patriot - which i loved

It doesn't really add anything to the pro's/cons, love/hate, like/no-likee debate whatsoever, but myself and my Orange are off up here...

[img] [/img]

shortly. Just thought I'd mention it 😀

Inteesting discussion. They certainly polarise opinion. Given that this is really about the eponymous five, my thoughts are that the five is an excellent do-all bike. is it the best climber? No. is it the best descender over rocky terrain? No. Will it twist and turn round the tightest singletrack at the fastest possible rate of knots? Probably not. But if you want a bike that will do everything to a good standard and iron out the imperfections (some would say steamroller everything) then it's the one. personally I like something that means I have to pick my lines and live on my nerves a bit more, but its horses for courses. At the end of the day it does what it does (a bit of everything), well.

[img] [/img]

Oh yeah, that was the other thing I don't like about them, the ridiculously short and limited warranties. A 3 year warranty on the Five is bad enough, but 2 years on an Alpine 160 or 1 year on a Patriot or a 224!!! I'm sorry, but only giving a product a 1 year warranty says they don't believe in it, and it should cost a fraction of what it does.

Unlike some people I actually still think single pivots make sense sometimes. Orange have clearly refined the design over the years so the bikes ride well, that much nobody is likely to dispute. Though obviously different things for different people and all. I'd actually like to try out a modern 5 to have a go on (if I could find one to fit, which stupid idiot decided to make a 17" model when people have been crying out for one for ages, but use the TT length off the 18" model so there's essentially no difference between the 17 and 18! The 16 would be too short for me, the 17/18 too long). But I don't think it would ride any better than a lot of bike costing a lot less than it do, usually with better warranties.

It comes back to the same old thing with me. The bikes aren't bad, overpriced yes, not the best looking (though some are worse granted), but it's that seemingly every 4th Orange 5 owner (it's never a Hardtail, or an ST4, or a 224 etc.) has to go on and on and on and on until you want to smack him in the mouth, just about how good his bike his, how everyone else is jealous they don't have one, and why his bike is so much better than yours!

Picture the scene, you turn up to go ride with a group of people you've known a while. 2 of them have just bought new bikes. Bob has just bought a new Cannondale/Trek/Giant/Marin etc. Trevor has just bought a new Orange 5, complete with matching frame coloured rims (you know the ones!) and everything on it anodised and made by Hope... Conversation goes like this...

"Hi Bob, nice new bike you've got there, how does it ride?"

"Yeah, it's alright, bit better than the old one, got a good deal on it, pretty happy thanks. How's you?"

All good... Until you say hi to Trevor...

"Hi Trevor, new bike too, how's it ride?"

"Well... Let me tell you... It's the best thing since.................................... blah blah blah folded from sheet metal in Halifax blah blah blah...................... Guy Martin, you know him off the telly, rides one blah blah blah.................... Single Pivot cos it just works none of that crappy stuff you don't need blah blah blah..................... Slack head angle for going downhill like a DH bike, but steep seat angle so it still goes uphill as fast as an XC race bike blah blah blah................."

"See ya later Trev, we're off for a ride, you can join us if you like in a bit when you've finished your 5 minute sales pitch on Orange 5's!"

😉

What's an Orange Five?

cows in cars, youre wrong and dont understand comedic concepts. Jokes get funnier with repetition.

My Orange Alpine 160, yesterday.

[img] [/img]

Jokes get funnier with repetition

That concept works, but the joke has to be funny in the first place.

That concept works, but the joke has to be funny in the first place.

I know it must be tough to laugh if you've spent 3 grand on a filing cabinet. But come on, you said it before: its a bike, not a fashion accessory (or a piece of office furniture)

What happened mboy, we're you bullied by an Orange 5 at school or something?

I bought a 2012 five frame with Ccdb, still preferred my old blur 4x. but hated having to put bearings and bushes in the bastard every couple of months. Think I'm still adapting to it perhaps? im going to try a 2010 Rp23xv I got off a mate as I found it a bit dead on trails, but it did piss past a bloke on a trek session up cwmcarn dh.

Don't get the hatred myself, ride what you want.

Yes I do ride an Orange though, a 2011 G4, and why, because I like them.

1990 has an Emmelle Cheetah, wanted an Orange, couldn't afford one
1994 same story, bought a rockhopper
2000 same story, bought a marin alpine trail
last year after several years off MTB and on motorbikes I wanted another one. This time could afford one, so I bought one.

No regrets, great little bike even if it is "just a hardtail, frame made in taiwan"

what I didn't realise is that during my 7 year break from mountain bikes that such a hatred/fanboi attitude had appeared about a brand, baffles me.

the other bike shock on returning to MTBs is trail centers, where did they spring up from(along with Am/freeride/4x/trail)WTF its a bike, just ride it.

the other bike shock on returning to MTBs is trail centers, where did they spring up from(along with Am/freeride/4x/trail)WTF its a bike, just ride it.

Commercialisation and clever marketing

skywalker - Member

That concept works, but the joke has to be funny in the first place.

Tell that to the writers of the Fast Show.

Oh yeah, that was the other thing I don't like about them, the ridiculously short and limited warranties. A 3 year warranty on the Five is bad enough, but 2 years on an Alpine 160 or 1 year on a Patriot or a 224!!! I'm sorry, but only giving a product a 1 year warranty says they don't believe in it, and it should cost a fraction of what it does.

under EU law it must have a two year warranty. Oranges are way over priced and made badly by muppets in England. Nude calenders on the wall at work, how professional.

Nude calenders on the wall at work, how professional

Office worker then...

I have nothing for or against Orange bikes accept that I know a lot of people who ride Orange fives and rave about them, I wanted something a bit different and have always wanted a Turner 5 Spot, doubt if I ever broke it or my son took up mtbing I wouldn't buy an Orange. I reckon my next bike would be a 650b Turner if they produce one.

Nude calenders on the wall at work, how professional.

Its called clever marketing. Same thing as having some Northern chap who pretends to drink Stella as your number one rider, it appeals to a certain type of person.

Office worker then...

I cant figure out why people want to buy a bike with an out dated rear suspension design?

Its called clever marketing. Same thing as having some Northern chap who pretends to drink Stella as your number one rider, it appeals to a certain type of person.

that sort of person being a fat middle aged man with a audi???

This place just gets worse 😐

have u seen the guts on some of them, clearly they haven't ridden a bike for quite some time.

And the problem being?

If I want something welding ask a welder, something making ask a machinist/engineer

Danny MacAskill / Mark Cavendish may be fantastic riding a bike but could they make,manufacture/weld one.

What a charming little fella you are ihaveabike? The second coming of jumpupanddown?

ihaveabike - Member

have u seen the guts on some of them, clearly they haven't ridden a bike for quite some time.

On the other hand, I ride bikes all the time and weigh under 10 stone but I'm an [i]incredibly[/i] bad welder. Who would you choose to work in your bike factory?

What happened mboy, we're you bullied by an Orange 5 at school or something?

No, and I know several people that also own Orange 5's that aren't pompous dicks.

But seemingly the bike attracts more than its fair share, just as BMW's used to, and Audi's do currently...

If filing cabinets were made of aluminium they'd be much easier to move...

I've ridden with only two Orange 5sters - one built his up dirt cheap secondhand and drives a Ford Ka, the other went off like a rat out of a trap when I showed him our steeper local trails, including launching off an unseen jump, landing it in a tailslide, winding himself on a tree, finally ending up in some bushes with blood on his face - he may or may not have had a matching Audi but he was quick and apparently fearless.

mboy you talk of Five owners going on and on and on and winding everyone up...

The irony just kills me 😉

Good grief, 5 pages of this Nonsense?!?!?! Not so long ago it was Santa cruz riders that were hated, neither of these "rider types" make any sense. I have and many people I have know who have owned one or both of these makes of bikes and never seemed to have fitted to these stereotypes, that seem born out of STW forum world. I and the people I have know, who have owned a bike from either of these manufacturers have been the same person before and after owning a bike from either SC bikes or Orange. I certainly don't fit the stereotype, I don't even own a car or could afford one really.

To me there seems only one reason to hate Orange MTB's, if you have had bad customer service from them and maybe the guy that doesn't like them because they remind him of bad times in the north, that makes a lot more sense that the rest of the arguments!

Value wise again, I don't really get it yes, they are no way Canyon value but there are other companies that don't offer amazing value either, like Kona always seem to be lower specked compared to other brands. £1395 for a 5 frame, although pretty pricey, doesn't seem that bad against £1989 Carbon specialized. Yes the specialized is carbon and has a better warranty and a more complicated suspension set up but I am pretty sure it's made in china were the worker's have almost 0 rights and horrible conditions where as the 5 is made in the UK by workers that will be paid well-ish (I suspect)have paid holidays and yes don't really approve of walls covered in naked women but still better than worker exploitation and oppression. I am not having ago a specialzed bike owners or any bike made in china but that to me seems like something to hate more than it doesn't appeal to me look wise or I know someone who has one and there a bit of a smeg head.

Plus value is not just about what bits are on the bike, it's the whole package.

But all in all what a stupid long topic on a completely nonsensical and pointless subject...that I have just added to, D'oh.

P.s I liked crashtestmonkey's post but worried that some didn't pick up on the irony...but then worried that maybe it wasn't ironic and I am now the idiot. God life's complicated...liking or not liking bike company is not though.

I cannot believe this thread has drawn so much attention! I knew it would be popular for discussion when I started it but this is mad 😆

I have an Alpine 160. It jumps well, handles the hits and drops fine, goes uphill ok, and at 33.2lbs as standard it's not to heavy. Also it's not to noisy, by no means silent, but not like the older bikes with the huge downtubes and swingarms.
And being single pivot it has 2 whacking great bearings. And I could get it in a custom colour so everyone else with one won't look the same.

What's not to like?
Tom KP

This thread is another STW classic! .. .pointless but entertaining 😀

I still ride a 2003 Evo2 and love it although all thats left of the orignal bike is the frame, stem and bars. Everything else broke or was upgraded. However the bit that Orange had built, the frame is brilliant and I will ride till the frame breaks, no sign of that yet though.

Manitou, by outdated you mean well sorted, effective and low maintenance? I've owned URT, Faux bar,
4 bar horst, Idrive and VPP and simple single pivot. My alpine climbs far better than the vpp (which compressed the lower link ever stroke, shortening the effective chainstay length) and descends as well as any. It's not perfect bit none of them are. Not purchase justification either, it cost me less than the Nomad and I've consistently slated that.

oranges are built by experienced metal fabricators. I don't care what their BMI is. As long as the designers and company owners care about bikes and the fabricators know how to fabricate, I'd be happy.

And my Alpine does look like a filing cabinet.

Maybe it could become a regular feature? Next week Yeti Bikes, Love or Hate?

I like my R8 -- that would be the Halifax-designed one, not the Audi one. . .

Cows in cars... YES!

I bought a new five pro, I liked it, it rode very well compared to other bikes I tried.

I then spent a shit load more money turning it into a five AM as i ride the peaks mostly and have some alps trips planned. It does everything I want it to, I crash it pretty hard most weeks and it doesn't look to bad.

In reality there is quicker, lighter, better spec and cheaper bikes available... And next time I will probably do it differently and buy something else.

But for now I'm happy that it takes everything I throw at it.

[img] [/img]

Another thing worth mentioning is the confidence/skill/risk/danger factor associated with riding a Five

Orange portray the five in the media as an All Moutain machine, they get skilled riders in like Macaskill and Sorrell and film them doing drops/jumps/downhills/allmountaintech.

Inspired by their heroes and the slack angles of a Five, the everyday mountain bikers (some who are over 40 years of age) don their pads and helmets and take to the Trail Centre black runs or a Big Day In The Lakes, in a bid to perform similar AM tech.

You've gotta have the skills to pay the bills though, and these lads havent so it usually ends in everyday mountain bikers (some who are over 40 years of age) tumbling about on the floor and breaking bones.

Hence time off work and a drain on the UK economy (not a great advert for manufacturing bikes in the UK)

I've just eaten 5 oranges.

I'm not sure I totally fall in either of the polarized 'Love' or 'Hate' catagories quite I have no real problem with their bikes for the most part they seem well thought out and executed (if a little pricey) but on the other hand it is good fun to poke the fervent fanbois now and again with mention of filing cabinets.

They are just a business at the end of the day and nothing more if their northern-ness, britishness, audi roofrack fitting or even their product functionality flick your switches and you can afford one then great but its only fair that a bit of ribbing comes with ownership of a five... don't worry though it goes both ways, I own two konas...

When I bought my P7 and brought it home my wife asked with a puzzeled expression "but its black" 😆

I love my bike but I love riding it more. I don't mind what brand floats your boat or not. What I do find frustrating is the folk who change their bikes every other year. Why? Just enjoy what you have, spend time on the bike and be happy.

Glitter Garry, I recon you will have an interesting toilet experience in the morning if not sooner 😯

What I do find frustrating is the folk who change their bikes every other year. Why?

You're new round these parts aren't you! Just wait, every other year is about 8 times less often than some people on here seemingly...

mboy you talk of Five owners going on and on and on and winding everyone up...

The irony just kills me

I think you've missed my point. I don't think I have, in any way, wound anybody up in this thread. I can if you want me to, but certainly compared to some of the posts that have been written on here so far, seeking a vocal response, I've been very neutral and will remain that way. I just think that like Audis do currently (and I've had an Audi), and BMW's used to (and I've had 3 BMW's!), for whatever reason they seem to attract much more than their fair share of "My car/bike/house/job/lifestyle is considerably better than yours" types. The kind of person that measures everyone financially, and assumes that everyone aspires to the same material wealth as they do. We're all different, we all enjoy different things and have different importances.

spando - Member

What I do find frustrating is the folk who change their bikes every other year. Why?

So many bearings- once they wear out it's too expensive to replace them all so we have to get new bikes.

Actually, what [i]is[/i] that all about? "Oh, Fives only have 2 bearings, they're easy to maintain". Well my Hemlock's got about 50 bearings, but they don't need replaced often, and when they do it takes an hour and about £20. Is that such a big deal that it'd influence your choice of bike? Or, is it one of those things that people do to try and justify their purchase even though they know it's nonsense?

No, don't answer that one, it was rhetorical.