Holy thread resurrection Batman!
How we all getting on with our Stage Evo's then...? Complications meant I couldn't get one at the time, though am now looking again and see the Orange Factory has some half price framesets once again and now with 2 bottle cage mounts and a UDH hanger too...
Sold mine quite recently. Seemed a good bike overall. If I only had one bike I'd be quite happy with it. Geometry was pleasantly sorted. By my calculations the head tube was a degree slacker than claimed, which is not a complaint. Suspension was fairly dialled as well, surprisingly so given the basic single pivot. Quiet and rattle free. Many bikes rattle like tin cans, so this is a big plus point. Orange were good to deal with. Ordered the bike and the next day someone promptly emailed to arrange a delivery date. The weight was a disappointment. No idea what the frame weighs? But given the lack of bearings and linkages I would have hoped to see a lower whole bike weight. Even with a few lighter parts like carbon bars, 1450g wheels and xc tyres it was still near 31lbs. That put it in a predicament where any kind of xc ride I would take a 6-7lbs lighter Epic without even thinking, and for trail rides a more capable Stumpjumper Evo, which is the same weight.
Mine only had a bottle mount under the downtube, whereas some sold at the same time had one under the top tube as well. I was thinking of drilling a couple of holes and putting rivets in, but never got around to it. The rivet guns at work would have been too big to do it straight anyway.
Orange's new cable routing around the seat tube is somewhat questionable. One of the cables moved slightly and was starting to rub the seat tube quite heavily. Fortunately I noticed early on and put some mastic tape behind it. Worth checking if you own one as there's not much to stop them moving out of position and it would happily eat through the seat tube given enough riding. Tightening them together only makes the rubbing worse.
My Stage Evo frame arrived yesterday - a really good deal on the Orange site was too good to miss! Am swapping out the bits from my 2019 stage 5 - just need to drop the Pikes down to 130mm
Out of interest - anyone running 140mm forks on their Evos? I know Orange recommend 130mm but since I'm changing the travel on my Pikes anyway I could go 130 or 140
see the Orange Factory has some half price framesets
Blooming heck, not been checking the last week or so, probably going soft on the idea of swapping my hardtail and having had an expensive month. And now you show me these! Only dilemma is I'd prefer the orange colour but with the Rockshox suspension.
Drop Orange an email - I had a 2024 Evo with the RS Super Delux shock - they may have another one?
sorry - in Fizzy Orange
Reckon they'd probably swap shocks if you asked them?
I run my 2020 Stage 5 with 10mm more than stock and it's absolutely fine. Got a Stage 6 Evo frame landing today to replace the 5.
Oh I'm sure they'd be happy to sell me a full price one with any paint and shock combination I wanted, but I don't want to drop that much cash on it. I'd not be cheeky enough ask them to reconfigure a sale item.
I would!
Oh I'm sure they'd be happy to sell me a full price one with any paint and shock combination I wanted, but I don't want to drop that much cash on it. I'd not be cheeky enough ask them to reconfigure a sale item.
A great thing about Orange is you can just ring up and talk to them, and they are usually friendly and enthusiastic.
I'd perhaps ask if they wanted a few quid more, and hope they'd say "oh no that's fine".
This frame has the RS shock though: 2025 Stage Evo RS Frame | Orange Bikes
I’ve left my Pikes on my Stage Evo at 130, as supplied, and it amazes me just how capable the bike is and I still enjoy getting on it in all sorts of terrain.
Friend of mine put some 150 forks on his and he batters it over silly stuff. He loves it.
On the bike itself - it's still a great option if you want a capable and fun short travel trail bike.
I sold mine a few months ago, but only because I got a Stage 6 Evo frame and that suits me better as an all-rounder.
@tthew I had a marketing email from Orange today about the Stage Evo frameset sale and it said to get in touch if there were any colour and shock combos you wanted. So give them a call and I'm sure they'll accommodate!
I got a frameset in one of the previous sales, it's a great bike, feels spritely yet somehow also feels like it has more than 120mn travel. I'm taking mine to BPW in July to see how it gets on.
Didn't get round to calling/ordering yesterday and this morning every option is out of stock. Balls, I reckon a reseller snapped them all up. 🙁
Remember kids, you snooze, you loose.
Give them a bell mate - they've constantly had stock coming and going and can let you know whether to expect more, or even if they have one in your size kicking about still.
Were they not around £1,250 for the frame? Would be a brave reseller buying at that price in the current market.
Oddly, all back in stock by lunch time. 🤷
Rung them as a couple of you suggested, Fizzy orange with the RS shock delivery in 7 to 10 days. 😎
Ok so maiden voyage today, 25 miles round Mid Wales. And when I say maiden voyage, I really mean it. The shakedown ride was 20 meters up and down the pavement outside my house. Luckily I'd got it all right. Really nice to ride, but a bit bastard hot!
That's a beauty, great build too.
Having had a Segment, Stage 5 and Stage Evo my favourite would be the Evo , rode like a bike with more travel and great pedalling efficiency.
Pains me to say after breaking 6 Oranges in total I have moved away from the brand totally, I do miss the simplicity of the single pivot and alloy frame , just time to say goodbye
Oh, mememe, I get to join the owners clique.
I'm loving it - it's a 'pert' ride, responsive enough, absorbing enough, rewards speed and good lines not just battering through. Love it in fact.
Despite Orange specifying cheese for a rear hub which literally put the pawls through the hub shell...
I've had at least one Orange mountain bike in my garage since I got an Orange Evo O2 hardtail in 1999. Although this new bike bought in May isn't an Evo, (It's a new, old stock Stage 6 that I got from the Start Fitness outlet shop after a PSA on here), it's still the best riding and most capable mountain bike I've ever owned. On a recent trip down t'Lakes this bike had me riding descents that I haven't looked at in years for fear of coming a cropper. It took on everything that was put in front of it and positively demanded to be popped over every lip that could be found.
I think I've only ridden my Spesh Levo e-bike about twice this summer because the Stage 6 is so much more fun. Less than four weeks now till I take it over to the Alps for a week with The White Room MTB. I'm quite excited.
p.s. Sorry for barging in on your Evo lovefest. 😘
Hi all, could anyone help with the dropper insertion depth on a large Stage Evo? I'm hoping to get a 210mm Oneup pretty much slammed. Thanks.
On that vein what is the seat tube height for a large or XL. Orange list it a funny way in inches. I have short legs and long upper body. So want a long reach but need to be able get the saddle low enough
I will go measure my Large tonight for you.
The XL is 19"(482.6mm) from the centre of the bb to the top of the seat tube. They dropped 2" off it a few years back. Pretty standard these days I think?
Just multiply it up by 25.4...
Medium is 17", large 18", xl 19".
I'm pretty sure you can get *almost* full insertion down the seat tube.
There are no bottle bosses and the dropper cable is coming up from the BB not through a grommet.
Sorry my question wasn't about converting inches to mm. My understanding was that most brands measured the seatube height vertically from the bb not the actual length. Maybe I have it wrong they just seem a little high relative to other bikes I've owned
I went ahead and ordered the frame. Haven't built it up yet but the seat tube insertion is indeed long. I roughly measured it and it's at least 300mm, maybe more like 320mm, size large.
Yes the seat tube length is long compared to other brands. My Bird, and the Fuji this is replacing, are both 420mm for a similar reach length, this is 458mm.
I went ahead and ordered the frame. Haven't built it up yet
Nice one, it's an awesome bike.
Enjoy the cabling 😉
Thanks, any particular tips or pitfalls on the hose routing? I'm guessing it's not tube in tube?
Only cable I have had problems routing on the Stage 4 I bought from chakaping was the dropper post cable and its a proper bugger to do, a cable routing kit is going to be my next tool purchase
Thanks, any particular tips or pitfalls on the hose routing? I'm guessing it's not tube in tube?
Thanks, any particular tips or pitfalls on the hose routing? I'm guessing it's not tube in tube?
New from Orange my frame came with plastic tubes in situ to help. It’s all a bit fiddly but doable without any special tools if you have the patience and dexterity. I slid some foam tube over all my cables in the main frame to avoid rattles too. The grommets are a bugger to fit but warmth and some silicone lube helped
Thanks. I did wonder if I'd have to foam the cables or if there was something inside the frame to hold them. Mine did come with plastic tubes too.
Cable and hose routing is an absolute bloody nightmare. It's just so hard to push/pull even without the grommets in place. I actually thought the dropper was the easiest because I could get access into the bottom bracket shell to guide it round the corner then push it up.
Wow, I'm almost ready to sell this frame before I've even ridden it. The cable routing is the stuff of nightmares.
Did you all leave the rubber grommets in place and route cables through them?
I've made what's possibly a mistake and dislodged the rubber grommets. Got all cables through the frame. Now trying to put the grommets back is borderline impossible.
Wow, I'm almost ready to sell this frame before I've even ridden it. The cable routing is the stuff of nightmares.
Did you all leave the rubber grommets in place and route cables through them?
I've made what's possibly a mistake and dislodged the rubber grommets. Got all cables through the frame. Now trying to put the grommets back is borderline impossible.
The rubber grommets they put on frames are the devil. Someone above is right a bit o silicone grease and alot of patience is the key
I've made what's possibly a mistake and dislodged the rubber grommets. Got all cables through the frame. Now trying to put the grommets back is borderline impossible.
I removed the rubber grommets to instal the cables and hoses. Painful as it is to get the grommets over the cables and into the frame I think trying to leave them in place would be far worse.
I made sure the grommets were warm then used a little silicone lube and massaged them into place giving the cables a bit of a waggle to help seat the grommets in place. It did make me appreciate my Kona’s ‘poke it in the tube and it magically pops out the other end’ routing.
Also pulled the grommets out. Not all are fully pushed home, and some I resorted to trimming the underside that pokes into the frame.
Thankfully with decent houses and cables, it's a very infrequent task.
Thanks for the encouragement, it was good to know I was on the right track. Managed it eventually, one of the grommets is pretty haggard but seems to stay in position so I'll see how it goes.
I actually found it easier without heating them. Some silicone grease helped, and borrowed some crochet hooks from my partner which worked well as poking devices.
Now to hope the back brake I bought on eBay works properly!
Well I got the bike together, and dislocated my shoulder on its first ride!
Whilst I'm resting up, I was thinking of exploring the possibility of putting a water bottle inside the frame on the bosses on the underside of the top tube. I've seen a few people do this, it appears to be a small fidlock. Has anyone done this and can verify? Thanks.
It should be fine as long as it's not a small frame.
Try before you buy IMO
I couldn't have imagined a bottle fitting in my medium frame, but I have been wrong about things before
