Orange Switch HT

Doesn't look like anyone's ridden it yet, eh?

I don't know about the pricing over there, but it came up very expensive here and I'm not really sure what the folded metal frame construction will add beyond looking cool? Might even ride a bit harsh and pingy?

IMO it looks a bit Argos compared to a BFE.

Doesn’t look like anyone’s ridden it yet, eh?

At 5 grand starting price for a hardtail then I can't imagine there are going to be buyers falling over themselves to get one. I imagine things have come on a long way but my old MsIsle of a similar'ish construction was the most rigid hardtail frame I've ever ridden - even less compliance than early Chameleons...

Not compared specs and I imagine they're wildly different but a Cotic BFe Max starts at just over 2 grand... I know where my money would be heading and I'm a (or was until their pricing became even more mental than it already had become) massive fan of Orange bikes.

Not sure what it gives over a Crush, other than a possibly bone-jarring ride (is that a B&Q ladder they've used for the seat stays?) My crush is unbelievably capable - I put it just below my Alpine6 in terms of hoonability. I've thrown it down massive alpine descents in Austria and it just seems to shrug things off like Jaws emerging from the smouldering wreckage of some evil lair. I suspect a Switch will be just as adept, but you may end up more bruised.

Also: HOW MUCH???

@mtbrent I wish you’d not asked that question because I’ve had a look at it - and like it very much!

I am quite an orange fan and like my orange but that is one awful looking bike.

The price is a bit ridiculous, but I'd be in the frame-only camp, so slightly more palatable.  I get the whole handmade in the UK thing.

Looks are subjective and I think it looks awesome!

I'm mainly interested in how it rides (for a HT) since the engineer in me thinks stiff and "pingy" might be an accurate description given the construction method.  The Orange fan in me just simply likes it and wants one in my garage.

That price when your on a ragley frame for £190    ... Welcome to the real work Stainland massive !

Minor geometry tweaks and double the price of the crush. I don’t get it

But then I don’t get most of the orange range. Too many models, loads of overlap, no focus and they still do a full range of 27.5 f and r?

I like how they’ve made it like their full-sus bikes but I suspect a load of skinnier steel tubes would ride better!

I’m also not convinced that I’d want a smaller rear wheel on a hardtail - I like how 29” front and back carries speed and handles the rough, even with the apparent mismatch of a 160mm fork on my Pipedream Moxie. For more flow trails or exclusively steep tech I can see a mullet hardtail being good but not as good on all the other stuff.

But then I don’t get most of the orange range. Too many models, loads of overlap, no focus

It does seem to be a lot of models for a small company.

That said, if they can make them to order and they share various tubes...

When I first saw it I thought it looked very spendy but as a frame only it compares with the new Cotic Solaris that the majority seem to think is fine at £1200, which would be a better comparison than the Bfe IMO. Frame prices look set to go bonkers so this seems not too terrible considering it's UK hand built.

Doubt I'll get one but would love to have a go.

Made in the UK... and look at all the colour options. Not the frame for me, at all, but price seems okay.

£1200 seems a lot to me frame only, considering plenty of smaller brands in the UK will do you a (sometimes) semi custom (steel admittedly) frame for much nearer or under a grand.