[Closed] Orange Five 2015 MK2

Me.

Some thoughts here

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/orange-five-vs-bird-aeris-vs-nukeproof-mega-tr

Pics here

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/latest-orange-five-looks-mint-whos-got-one

Long slack and low, in fact one of the slackest 140 trail bikes on market.
Mine is as only bike, so does everything, antur stiniog, Revolution bike park, Cannock, Dales, Mac Forrest Eastridge,
Unless you can gap 30 foot ( Harry Heath) or loop it (phill atwill), the bike is better than most riders out there!!
5'10" and ride medium, poss had large.

Built mine up from a frame a few weeks ago, was on a Canyon Spectral AL before. Absolutely love it, longer/slacker really works. Maybe best to view it as a different bike to earlier generations of Fives.

Fitted a DB air shock and find the suspension performance is great, both pedalling and on Gnar. I was expecting the single pivot rear end to be mediocre after all I had read on Fives, but my experience is the opposite.

5ft 11" and have Large frame, fits great.

[URL= http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/pockman/IMG_0102.jp g" target="_blank">http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v144/pockman/IMG_0102.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]

(Colour is Atomic Orange and cables have since been routed properly 🙂 )

Looks good.

I see they've dropped (the classic) neon orange now. So which is closer to the old neon orange colour, Fizzy or Atomic ?

I've got an older 2011 model Five and if I was in the market for a new bike (current one refuses to die) I'd get one in a heartbeat. Great bikes for the type of riding I do, and very versatile (similar to many modern bikes I guess).

Just done three days riding a demo bike - medium size. Rode everything from 30-mile Pennine xc through to silly steep cheeky stuff in the woods of Calderdale. The bike is mint: a proper all-rounder. I have a 2013 Five already so I'm looking to upgrade. New Five keeps all the stuff I like about the 26" version (nimble, fun, carries speed well, just works) but adds bigger wheels, stiffness and extra length, so it's more solid and stable. Nice and slack, too. 140mm is plenty when it's delivered like this. Great bike for the Lakes or Alps, too.

hmm interesting. have you compared it to a modern linkage bike?

Part of the allure for me is that I don't want to mess around with replacing a million bearings, part of the reason I've solely ridden hardtails for the past 3 years.
Anyone else got one with pics?

@ andybrad
Yep lots and people get very hung up on modern linkages, back wheel goes up and down on most, none are perfect as otherwise every bike manufacturer would use it!!
Geometry probably more important, and Orange are well ahead of the curve at present.
Depends what you want, eg Santa Cruz bearings lifetime free, but need mechanic to sort £100 and it will be 4 days before can sort it!! I see it all time with multi link bikes watching guys at Goldtec/ BETD fix countless seized multi pivots!!
Need sorting Every 2 months if bikes are ridden hard, most people don't even realise the bearings are shagged keep on riding and damage frame/swingarm, doesn't take long with UK weather.
20 mins and £15 bearing ( which are a decent size not skateboard bearings) on my Five.
http://www.mtb-mag.com/en/tested-orange-five-pro-27-5/
But each to their own

hmm interesting. have you compared it to a modern linkage bike?

I have...test rode one back to back with Giant's DW/Meastro link....settled on the Giant (Trance) for no other reason than the deal was too good to pass on financially....i have no problem with single pivot designs having had a Saracen Ariel in recent years.

The Orange design is good in that when you brake and/or the suspension gets working the bike lowers itself (squats) and the rear wheel path is up and out...in other words the wheelbase lenghtens which gives great stability, it becomes longer and lower when used in anger....whats not to like?!

I'm not good enough that the design will ever hold me back when compared to more 'refined' designs on the market....i ride for fun and the bike was fun, massively so....so much that my DH build will be based on their new 324 frame.

So to follow on
Basically in 2 months in UK conditions the modern multi pivot ilinkage is longer working correctly as the designer intended as the bearings are shagged/ seized!!
Not clever

Basically in 2 months in UK conditions the modern multi pivot ilinkage is longer working correctly as the designer intended as the bearings are shagged/ seized!!

agreed. ive had linkage bikes last 18 months before they died.

Cos you ain't looked at the bearings, that's why !!

My anthem bearings lasted 4 years, before I replaced them.
Only replaced them due to creaking, which didn't go.
Used in all sorts of mud and gloop.

On the other hand I also have a 5..no issues yet but its only a year old.

hmm interesting. have you compared it to a modern linkage bike?

Part of the allure for me is that I don't want to mess around with replacing a million bearings

I'm not good enough that the design will ever hold me back when compared to more 'refined' designs on the market....i ride for fun and the bike was fun, massively so.

i did, every 6 months. in comparison the five ones lasted about 14 months.

interesting skydragon. im considering swapping my 2013 five for a spectral.

what didn't you like about it? what does the five do better?

hmm interesting. have you compared it to a modern linkage bike?

I did (Santa Cruz) and much preferred the 5.

nteresting skydragon. im considering swapping my 2013 five for a spectral.

what didn't you like about it? what does the five do better?

Bearing in mind I'm an intermediate level rider and not a Gnar-god 🙂

The Geometry on the 2015 Mk2 Five makes it both confidence inspiring and a far more capable machine than my 2014 Spectral IMHO.

- Longer reach, better for me
- Slacker, more confidence inspiring and better for descents
- For me the rear end works better than the spectral (maybe down to the DB Air shock, but either way it's way better) by better I mean the ability to soak up travelling over rock gardens etc with ease, as well as good small bump sensitivity. Pedals well on climbs as well.
- Simplicity (as posts above ref bearings)
- It seems to ride and respond better when pumping down a trail, or round berms (if that makes sense)

I'd try a latest Five model before you buy, especially if you liked your 2013 Five

I have my lbs check them regularly. No probs 2yrs plus. Mostly riding in Wales too. Some people don't look after their kit.

Ok but do you or LBS remove seals and look at bearing quality visually or just spin them and see what they feel like?
I have pulled the bearing seals off after 2 months and was amazed at the surface changes, not just on a Five but also on a multi pivot.
Mate runs SC 5010, just replaced all bearings on lower link as shagged after 7 months, again used as only trail bike irrespective of condions, he is ex WCup DH er, so it gets well used and abused, and it was reckoned that was quite sometime too late!!

hmm interesting. have you compared it to a modern linkage bike?

In the 32 ring the older models pedal as well as anything and better than many 'modern linkage' bikes, have a look at the anti squat figures on linkagedesign, no reason to think much has changed on that front.

Ok but do you or LBS remove seals and look at bearing quality visually or just spin them and see what they feel like?

So to follow on
Basically in 2 months in UK conditions the modern multi pivot ilinkage is longer working correctly as the designer intended as the bearings are shagged/ seized!!
Not clever

Deary me, some of the comments on here get better every week.

I have pulled the bearing seals off after 2 months and was amazed at the surface changes, not just on a Five but also on a multi pivot.

You need to ride bikes more.

Ended up building one of these. Only been out for a 10 mile ride this morning before work, but feels decent. Doesn't weigh a great deal more than the steel HT I stole the parts from.[URL= http://i65.fastpic.ru/big/2015/0909/d2/504c207fce2903d068ebf2668ef831d2.jp g" target="_blank">http://i65.fastpic.ru/big/2015/0909/d2/504c207fce2903d068ebf2668ef831d2.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]

God I loved my five. These look beautiful.

@ Rickon
Yep I ride a lot Dude, in fact so much I test proto framesets and bikes !!

Robowns bike looks great

One day aliens will come and scan this thread. And realise that it encapsulates everything that is STW.

I'm looking at a new five to upgrade my 2011 Five will build as frame, fork(already got) and wheels and keep all the components.

Can't decide on a SC Heckler Frame (£1299) or a Five (£1600)

Heckler is 150mm travel vs 140 and cheaper.

Just get the new Five. You will not regret it.

I rode an Orbea Rallon back to back with an Orange Alpine 160 at the weekend, and I'm trying a five mk2 this weekend based on my impressions.

So the Orbea is a modern multi linkage bike with great reviews. It has a concentric rear pivot so is essentially a linkage driven single pivot with less brake feedback. I'm not worried about bearings, good bearings like enduro max will last (I have experience of them on my nukeproof mega), and worst case you might wear your shock/linkage hardware but thats all easily replacable and not expensive.

But I tell you what, in this particular case you don't gain much from all the complication. The leverage ratio is still linear so depends as much on the shock as an orange, the main pivot is at a similar height relative to the chain so pedalling is no different, and there's still noticeable stiffening on the brakes.

When I jumped on the orange I was amazed at how easily the rear wheel gets out of the way on rocky trails (I was riding in the peaks). I can only put this down to the fore/aft position of the main pivot. Having a long swingarm might not make for such a stiff frame, but I'd take that any day for the way it keeps speed and floats over rocks.

Another strange thing was that as soon as you pick up a little bit of speed the orbea's short chainstay (at 420mm long) didn't feel noticeably more playful than the alpine 160 (at nearly 440mm long). I didn't ride many switchbacks and I'm sure you'd notice the length then but in terms of having fun on the rough stuff there was nothing to lose.

So this weekend I'll be trying a five, hoping that it will ride like the alpine 160 on the way down, and that the slightly steeper head angle and shorter back end will be more controlled on the steep and techy bits (up and down).

Always wanted to try a Five, so bought one of the last of the Mk1's back in February. It has way more ability than I do. On trips to BPW I'm normally duelling with a mate on his Bronson, & there's very little between us. Comfortably in the top 100 according to his Strava record.
Its not my main bike, but when I do ride it its bloody great. I love the simplicity of it. The new one has grown on me but I'm not a fan of the straight top tube. They are very nice close up though.
Part of me wishes I'd gone for the Alpine though. 😀

What are people's thoughts on this compared to the new Alpine 160?

I need to replace a too big bike (finally admitted it to myself) and have the option of a full 26" Alpine, a Alpine (2016) frame or a Mk2 Five frame.

I ride the peaks and try to do a few trail centres each month.

Oh and Robowns, is that mountain mint?

I had 3 Oranges,last one a 5,before swapping over to a Giant Reign.
Without a doubt for me,the Reign pedalled better.The Reign just felt far more enjoyable to ride.I changed the linkage bearings after about 4 years just as a matter of routine rather than a problem.
Its impossible to compare bikes unless the specs,especially the fork and shock,are pretty much identical.My 5 had a bolt thru',while the Reigns was q/r.Big difference on extreme stuff.The only time the Orange felt better was in a straight line downhill and that was solely the fork.
I'd say test ride as many bikes as you can before plumping just for one bike due to its " reputation".It was a costly mistake for me.

"andybrat - Member 

agreed. ive had linkage bikes last 18 months before they died.

POSTED 5 MONTHS "

You cannot be riding it hard or enough then.. Maybe just round your local trail centre 😆

I've had multi linkage bikes before, lappieres, specialized, kittyproof all been shite in this shit weather country, constantly changing them and yeah I reckon most riders don't even realise their bearings are seized to #@%& while they're more than happy pootling around there favourite trail centre, bless em 😆
Seriously though, get an orange if you want a solid no hassle bike that'll take on and feel better than most if not all multi complicated linkages and bullshit endurotastic so called mountain bikes... The five is alive aye men. 8)

I've had my Alpine 160 got almost 4 years now. I replaced the bearings last year and it's such a simple (and cheap) process. I probably should have changed them 12 months earlier as they were properly shagged (took me ages to figure out they were the cause of the creak).
For me it's not about bearing longevity with Orange bikes (although the fact they only have 2 large bearings compared to many small ones helps) it's that they are do easy to service/replace.

I also don't think that many bikes with modern linkage designs perform any better than a well designed single pivot bike and Orange have spent a long time refining their pivot pls event and geometry. Yes some other bikes might work better under braking (I know the rear end of the Orange squats down and becomes less active), but as with all designs it's something that you adapt to, other designs have their own foibles to get used to.

I''ll probably get a Five next time as nowadays I don't need as much travel.

Tom KP

I ride the peaks and try to do a few trail centres each month.

Five rather than Alpine then, surely?

Lovely looking bike and the geometry appears to be spot-on.

I have a five and think it's superb. What really suprised me was hos well it climbed. The bearing thing is a bonus too. Slightly odd question (but honestly interested to hear), has anyone ever ridden a decent quality full sus that they didn't actually like? I know I haven't. Which is why I tend to think a lot of what we read/hear is just marketing BS. Nowadays I tend to go more on reputation of the manufacturer, warranty etc.

So far Orange have been great from this perspective. No doubt some magazine will claim another bike will let me shave half a second off my strava time on a 20 mile route, or the wheels are rounder....but at least with the five I know it will work. Really is a great bike, I'd happily have another.

Some good mag reviews on Orange's website. Interesting how at least one of them comments on the sheer fun-factor of the Five. Not just a fast, versatile and reliable bike, but a bloody good laugh too. It's certainly been my own experience of the 2013 and 2015 versions.

I remember the Gadget show reviewing mountain bikes, they got Guy Martin to do the test and the person who gave him the challenge / instructions turned up on an Orange Five... Guess which brand won? yes, the one that the tester is sponsored by and the one that provided the show staff with bikes.

I'd not read a whole lot into the "reviews" on the Orange site.

Interestingly though, these aren't your normal UK mags. Anyway, whether you believe them or not, they hit the nail on the head for me.

I think Orange bikes are absolutely brilliant and I'm really glad I tried them out as I'd read all the "they're flexy, they have pedal bob, they have brake squat and jack and they're as noisy as a filing cabinet coming down a hill" remarks. It wasn't until I got on a couple for a whole day demo that I found out for myself it was nonsense and they were so much fun to ride. I bought a 2014 Alpine RS very soon afterwards then sold my old XC angled FS and was lucky enough to pick up a second hand 2013 Five S instead.

I have since demo'd the new 2015 Five and to me it's very similar to the 2014 Alpine but not quite as planted / stable. The new bigger 2015 Alpine is even longer and even more planted than the 2014 one. The trade off is that it's heavier.

I'm happy. If I'm not as quick as someone else it's because I have 26 inch wheels and if I'm faster than them it's because I have 26 inch wheels. 😉

The other thing I have realised and I keep having to remind myself of (especially when I can't ride because of work) is that it doesn't matter how much bike envy I get or how x,y,z expensive upgrade will make me x seconds faster here or there... as soon as I get on either bike all that is forgotten and I enjoy every second of my ride.