As above! I think it’s what I need but I’d like to ask questions of someone who’s lived with this bike.

Yes.

there’s one in my basement. Not mine though.

Sorry, mines only a 16″. Does that count?

mines a 17″

17 here

Yep what’s the question?

Live with one? I married it!

17 here too. Only 6mm shorter than an 18 but doesn’t look quite so gateish. 5’10”, long arms.

I can now touch the ground as on my various 18s I couldn’t…

Crikey, that was quick….! Here’s the thing then. I’ve got a Superlight which I’m happy with around Wiltshire but want a longer travel bike I can ride up Afan etc with relative ease and have the comfort and security of longer travel on the descents. I’d probably build the bike up with a 2013 Rev RCT3(not 2 step) SLX/XT kit and a Reverb. I’m 5’10/11 and I’ve been told that I don’t want a medium Heckler or Butcher as they’ll feel too short. Do any of you have any comments based on this info? Do you need more info to make a judgement? Are any of you riding Afan or FoD on a regular basis for me to hook up and pick your brains further? Excuse me if I don’t reply to all of you, and it might not be tonight as I’ve got an early start tomorrow, but I do appreciate the fact you’ve read the post and look forward to any comments.

You won’t really know unless you try one, but you are probably looking at the right size.

Where do you live? I took a demo from my LBS away to Brechfa for the weekend 😆

5’10 here, had a med heckler ’06 and the tt was pretty short cracking fun bike though.
the 5 seems just right (for me) reach is very comfy and climbing steep climbs the front doesn’t wander, descends like a mini dh.

Goto orange dealer and book a demo….orange have a fleet of bikes just for this dilemma……good luck,it’s an awesome bike,I love mine

I’ve got a 17″ Five. I wouldnt say it goes up hills “with ease”, but it always makes up for it on the descents.

I’m 5’10” and the 18″ version I ride is spot on for me. I built mine with the 2012 Rev RCT3, SLX/XT Kit but a Gravity Dropper. 🙂

The fork is great and seems to fit the feel of the rest of the bike spot on. I guess a lot of that is to do with that I setup all the suspension how I like it though. 😕

I really like how it climbs, if anything I feel more comfortable climbing on that than I do on my rigid…. 😳

I’m 5ft 10 and am in the process f swapping from 18″ to 17″. Just felt the 18″ was a little too big

Should be finished for the weekend

The only difference between a 17″ and an 18″ is the standover height.

And slight top tube difference

Effective top tube is the same though. Saying that, my head cannot understand how they can reduce the top tube length by 6mm and maintain the same ETT. 😆

mbarnes – selling the 18″?

has anyone moved from the old shape (straight top tube) to the newer shape?
does it actually feel that much better?
i’m the opposite of the op,thinking of selling my 5 and going back to a superlight but was wondering if the new shape is a significant improvement

Effective top tube is the same though. Saying that, my head cannot understand how they can reduce the top tube length by 6mm and maintain the same ETT.

Less bend in the top tube?

5’10” myself and last bike was also a superlight. The five is no way near as quick climbing but is so much more bike on the downs, the difference in head angle just makes much more sense for places like Afan etc.
only way to know for sure is to try one, although admittedly I didn’t and just ordered. The top tube will seem much shorter than the superlight, but its a very different beast. The travel is endless compared to the superlight as well and it’s nowhere near as flexy 🙂
Unless you prefer a longer reach or have monkey arms I’d say a 17 sounds spot on, as it was for me. We are all different though :/

Have you compared TT lengths to give you an idea? I’m 5’10” and I went from a medium Nomad to a small Alpine 160 which have the same TT length (22.5″) which I know I like.

Orange (eventually) came out with the 17″ Five to cater for us mister averages (5’10″ish) as so many people thought they fell between the 16″ and the 18″. Best to try but you should get an idea from comparing dimensions and geo; I bought my alpine unseen and untested but it is spot on.

interesting you should say that ctm, I had a go on a mates alpine (small 16″ iirc) & the toptube felt really small, it was that ride that made me see that i needed the 17″ five, as previously all my bikes were on the small side for funability…
horses for courses.

good bikes though

Daveyboy you have mail but yeah 18″ will be up for sale. It’s the blue one in the background.

Hi Im 5’8 and i ride a 17″ AM ahhh my baby…cant wait to get out on it tonight goes up hills no probs u just need bigger legs 🙂

Orange five AM by Stufive, on Flickr

Thanks everyone. I reckon 17 should be fine but I’m going to find out about demo bikes. Cheers!

As an aside, has anyone compared the maxle rear end to the qr version, currently have no problems with the qr version just curious to know if you (honestly) notice any difference..?

5’8″ – 16″ frame you reckon?

5’8″ – 16″ frame you reckon?

You need to try one. I demo’ed a 16″ at Llandegla a couple of weeks back and it felt too small (and according to my mate – it looked too small). I’m 5′ 6″ but short legged long backed. The front felt low as well. Talking to the guys in the shop they reckoned a 17″ for me.

Will do. I’ll be looking for a second hand one but I’ve had a go on a couple of mates who are both a similar height to me and both ride 18″s and they feel good. But reading the above maybe makes me think they shuldn’t feel good!

Orange were at the Rutland Cycling demo at the weekend and I wet to try a 5. I’m 5.9 but ‘long body short legs’ and always find the smaller bikes I get given make me sit very high up.

Andy, the Orange technician, explained to me that the 17 would be best given this situation and I was able to try out a 16, 17 and 18 to verify. I recall him saying that the 17 and 18 have the same top tube length so won’t affect your reach.

The demo days are really useful, keep your eyes peeled for when they’re on