Anyone else eyeing up a 2015 Orange Clockwork 120 S (650b / 27.5")

Hmmmm… i’m liking it…

68′ head angle 73′ seat angle on a XC chassis. Looks like a skinnyish ally frame which is a plus as i’m currrently riding a steel Cove Handjob.

Anyone own, ridden or seen one?

W A N T

Just me then 😕

Is it a generic HT frame from the far east with budget components bolted to it for a steep price?

Finding it hard to muster a huge amount of excitement…

You’re not Guy Martin are you?

I’ve got a 650 crush,with 140’s &
Love it !.

I like it! Looks bulletproof.

Been looking around for a while, the geometry of a 15″ seems spot on for me.

Is it a generic HT frame from the far east

The majority are.

with budget components bolted to it

Perfectly functional.

for a steep price?

Yes, it is a tad steep when compared to say a Bird build. But on paper it fits and looks fit for what i want to use it for.

I’d like to put some Hope/FlowEX on it from new with Black Chilli rubber and sell on the stock wheelset & tyres to claw some outlay back.

Maybe dabble with a Reverb dropper, but Orange want £290 as an upgrade when you buy it and CRC have them for under £200!

aren’t most £1000 hardtails generic far east frames with budget equipment on . I think it looks nice

I’d probably go with a 2.2″ Rubber Queen / Trail King in the front, but does anyone know if you can squeeze a 2.4″ into a Reba?

Another pic:

aren’t most £1000 hardtails generic far east frames with budget equipment on . I think it looks nice

Many are I suspect but FWIW but the Bird Zero is designed entirely by us right down to the butting on the tubeset. We do all the 3d modelling, FEA etc. here in the UK and then send out the specifications to Taiwan for manufacture. We then import bare painted frames and do all the assembly here in the UK. As we hold huge parts stock you get the benefit of direct pricing while still being able to spec loads of options (alot at no charge) and your bike still gets to you in under 7 days. Every part on that bike is picked to give the best blend of value, weight and long life, hence why even a £995 Zero has an XTR BB, XT Cassette, Spoon saddle, Hope seat clamp… the list goes on. <Blatant Ad Over />

Always good to see companies posting direct to the forum and adding their input.

FWIW but the Bird Zero is designed entirely by us right down to the butting on the tubeset. We do all the 3d modelling, FEA etc. here in the UK and then send out the specifications to Taiwan for manufacture.

Surely this is what all “UK designed” companies do, no? No one would just request a “LTHT” frame from a Taiwanese factory without having first specced every last detail.

I looked at your Birds, VERY well specced for the price, but on the burly side of what I’m after, I think.

Many are I suspect but FWIW but the Bird Zero is designed entirely by us right down to the butting on the tubeset. We do all the 3d modelling, FEA etc. here in the UK and then send out the specifications to Taiwan for manufacture. We then import bare painted frames and do all the assembly here in the UK. As we hold huge parts stock you get the benefit of direct pricing while still being able to spec loads of options (alot at no charge) and your bike still gets to you in under 7 days. Every part on that bike is picked to give the best blend of value, weight and long life, hence why even a £995 Zero has an XTR BB, XT Cassette, Spoon saddle, Hope seat clamp… the list goes on. <Blatant Ad Over />

I wasn’t aware an STWer is behind them…

Bloody lovely work fella… you should be proud.

May I suggest learning to utilise paragraphs and the enter key in future blatant ad posts? 🙂

Many are I suspect but FWIW but the Bird Zero is designed entirely by us right down to the butting on the tubeset. We do all the 3d modelling, FEA etc. here in the UK and then send out the specifications to Taiwan for manufacture.

We then import bare painted frames and do all the assembly here in the UK.

As we hold huge parts stock you get the benefit of direct pricing while still being able to spec loads of options (alot at no charge) and your bike still gets to you in under 7 days.

Every part on that bike is picked to give the best blend of value, weight and long life, hence why even a £995 Zero has an XTR BB, XT Cassette, Spoon saddle, Hope seat clamp… the list goes on. <Blatant Ad Over />

Phew.

Pretty sure Orange do the same design work over here as suggested above, at least they used to.

All Orange frames bar the team issue ones are built in taiwan now. Inc all the full sus ones. Not thats this is a bad thing quality wise but considering they market their frames as built in Halifax…..

That bike is very nice looking though. Im waiting on an Orange coloured 650b frame just now. If it looks as good as that, i’ll be well chuffed.

haggis1978 – Member

All Orange frames bar the team issue ones are built in taiwan now. Inc all the full sus ones. Not thats this is a bad thing quality wise but considering they market their frames as built in Halifax…..
Are you sure about that?
I thought all their ‘folded’ bits (i.e. all their Full Sus frames) were still made in Halifax.

For example, from the Press Release for the Segment:

Frame highlights:

Handbuilt in Halifax

Boingy bikes are definitely built in Halifax. Rigids, with the exception of the folded stuff (old missiles) were always Taiwanese.

Not that my opinion matters but the clockwork does seem very middle of the road. I can see the appeal of the crush, if that is too ‘hardcore’ then I think there are better options out there. Boardman for a start, they have a more xc hardtail with a Reba for £1,000

All the Orange FS bikes are Halifax made. They even have the stickers.

Friend of a friend runs a bike shop. Was invited on a tour of factory. Asked several times to see where the bikes were welded and the question was ignored/dodged. Eventually was told that all production aside from team bikes is now done in taiwan.

Built in halifax can easily mean assembled in halifax.

The Orange website still clearly says ‘Handbuilt in Halifax’ for the FS frames. Why would Orange lie about this? Particularly as to do so would surely breach the trade descriptions act?

Utter rubbish 😆 ! Does your friend of a friend of a friend also breed unicorns? Apparently they make the trails come alive.

Anyway, I’ve heard that even Taiwanese welders have beards.

Im just going on what i was told. The guy is an Orange dealer so i wont mention who he is but he owns a well respected bike shop here in Glasgow and i do know him myself as well and no he doesnt breed unicorns.

Why do you guys find it so hard to believe that someone has shifted production of their bikes to Taiwan where it is clearly more cost effective? It is a business after all. Does it say that all frames are welded in Halifax on their website? I “build” bikes in my garage all the time. I have a frame and all the componentry and from that i build a full bicycle.

Is it also hard to believe that Orange get a load of swingarms, front triangles, mech hangers, bearings and a shock “build” them up and describe that as handbuilt in halifax?

Orange full sus are made in Halifax not far east.
Its easy to tell by looking at the welding on the frames
Far east produced frames have neat and tidy welds with good penetration.
Halifax welded frames look like oranges 😀

I have to ask- what exactly would a tour of Orange include if you don’t see the frame production? Some offices, a paint booth and a room were components are bolted on? They wouldn’t offer a ‘factory tour’ if that was the case.

By that thinking- why haven’t they added the’Made in Halifax’ tag line to the whole range? hmm.

benpinnick – Member
Many are I suspect but FWIW but the Bird Zero is designed entirely by us right down to the butting on the tubeset. We do all the 3d modelling, FEA etc. here in the UK and then send out the specifications to Taiwan for manufacture. We then import bare painted frames and do all the assembly here in the UK. As we hold huge parts stock you get the benefit of direct pricing while still being able to spec loads of options (alot at no charge) and your bike still gets to you in under 7 days. Every part on that bike is picked to give the best blend of value, weight and long life, hence why even a £995 Zero has an XTR BB, XT Cassette, Spoon saddle, Hope seat clamp… the list goes on. <Blatant Ad Over />

I’ve never heard of Bird bikes until reading your blatant ad 😳 , but I’m glad you did! your bikes looks great btw, great job!

The FS frames are built/welded/made/whatever down the road from the HQ in Halifax (Well, more like Elland really, maybe even closer to Huddersfield). Paint + builds are done at HQ along with office stuff.

I have a few questions then.

1. Why would my mate that I’ve known for years lie to me? Answer: He wouldn’t.
2. Why would Orange mislead it’s supposed loyal customer base who buy their bikes as they believe them to have been hand welded in the UK? I don’t know, maybe to help feed dealers in the other 13 countries they have and to continue making money by trading on the UK built bollocks. Nothing in that video that I saw showed me a sufficiently large enough production line to feed that demand. A few guys in some welding booths.

3. How many teams and riders do they sponsor now.

Nobody suggested anyone is lieing did they?

Maybe you & your mate are just wrong? 😆

It’s has been said, “why would Orange lie?” If orange are not lying then my mate must be.

Anyway I’m not getting involved anymore. Regardless of where it’s built, the bike above is a nice looking bike.

Are we seeing the birth of the Halifax Defence?

I’ve got an Orange HT that says it’s made in Halifax; I don’t know what to think now.

the Halifax Defence?

Surely that’s only applicable after forward triangulation under the standard Olympic Rules, if the Waterloo line is reversed, and thus has no relevance in this discussion?

Haggis what would the “how many teams and riders do they sponsor” question prove?

I only really follow DH racing but to answer your question I know they sponsor the dirt team and the riders include Ben Reid, Harry Heath and Jacob Dickson

I guess they sponsor others but I don’t see what it proves? (other than your mate being a filthy dirty liar)

Mr Haggis I know you want to be right, but you aren’t.

Ok then. I kind of guessed i would get this kind of response. Another question then. What does my mate or i gain from me telling you guys this. Nothing. What do Orange gain by having their bikes fabricated in taiwan and then assembled over here?

My point regarding how many sponsored riders and teams they have is that as i said earlier, their team bikes are fully fabricated and welded over here. Joe Publics’ bike comes from taiwan. On their website they say they have a very small team of guys working for them. Would the turnaround of that very small fabricating team keep all their riders and the teams who use their bikes well stocked with bikes and provide sufficient numbers for all their dealers in 13 different countries?

And if individuals are going to turn into keyboard warriors and start being abusive even if its not directed to me but my mate then im going to go in a huff and tell you to jog on you ****t.

Not one person has answered my question though as to why this is so unbelievable. How many other companies have done this? Cannondale anyone? Santa Cruz?

Company tries to make more money by shifting its production overseas SHOCK HORROR!!

Again Im not saying it is a bad thing. It is misleading though.

Not one person has answered my question though as to why this is so unbelievable. How many other companies have done this? Cannondale anyone? Santa Cruz?

Moving production isn’t unbelievable, keeping it all ultra quiet and secret is.

My santa cruz proudly displays a made in china badge, it’s not something that is hidden.

this thread reminds me of the one where the kid is moaning about his Evil frame being broken and 2nd hand and not realising that he’s talking to FTW, the guy that actually made it.

haggis, i don’t know you so i don’t know your amount of bike trade knowledge, i also don’t know your mate at Alpinebikes, that said i don’t see anyone insulting your mate here in this thread, on the contrary most people have been saying they just think you’re wrong, not lying, just miss informed.

so i say this with respect, most people on this forum have or do work in the bike trade or have a serious interest in bikes (and i’m not saying you don’t) as such most of the posters here have a huge amount of knowledge. in this case you are very wrong, all the full suspension bikes are UK made, Steve owns the factory, it was originally his fathers, he now designs most of the bikes from his home in spain and then they are prototyped and then tested and then put into production and made in the UK factory. once made at the factory they then go to the main site where they are powdercoated, stickered and then assembled in the UK before being sent out to dealers.

yes some of the hardtails are made in the far east, but they are actually designed here (well Steve designs them) but either way that is to help get the costs down on that type of bike. Orange have never been secretive about these bikes being built there.

regarding the Guy Martin video, they show you frames being welded, no there isn’t a huge production line, it is only a small team of welders etc but then Orange don’t turn out 100,000 frames a year, it’s somewhere in the region of 5000 bikes a year including the far east stuff. as far as a factory tour goes for your mate he probably was only at the painting/assembly building which is not close to the factory itself.

what i would suggest to you is that you are wrong but have found yourself in a position where you are defending your opinion because as has been said you don’t want to be wrong, but you are, i’m sorry if that offends but never the less it’s true, you are wrong.

also ask yourself this, are you really that arrogant that when a whole bunch of educated (in the bike trade) people tell you that you are wrong you still refuse to accept it and continue to argue that black is white?

if you are that arrogant to ignore everyone here then i suppose i should crawl back under the rock that i came from with my 20 years of bike trade knowledge and my 8 Orange mountain bikes among the 22 or so bikes i currently own.

Haggis,
I cant really say why your mate is telling porkies as I don’t know him but let me give you some options.

1.He is not telling lies, he is simply telling you what he thinks is the case. Perhaps he visited orange and misheard something they said.

2.He is a cold,heartless sales man. He told you anything he thought would make you purchase a bike he wanted to sell.

3. He did not say it all and somehow you miss heard him.

4. You are a troll?

As I said who knows how or why you got this misinformation but as everyone has pointed out the hardtails are made/welded outside of the uk.
The full sus bikes are made in the UK.

The “my mate says so” argument doesn’t really have much weight to it – why not phone orange and ask them?

http://www.orangebikes.co.uk/bikes/alpine-160-rs

“Why the Alpine 160 RS?
•Frame Handbuilt in Halifax
”