Going to look at an older 5 with a mate later. Whats the best way of checking bearing / bushing play, and are there any other obvious things to look for?

TA

Your eyesight?

What year is it? Apart from the usual waggling the cranks, checking the headset etc I would be looking for cracks or any significant damage to the frame itself. To be honest if the chainset etc is a bit worn it can all be replaced easily.

I have seen a lot of second hand 5’s and they seem to fall into either distinct category; hardly ridden at all, or thrashed and ridden hard. You’ll see soon enough which one it is! (No problem with the latter but best to know)

Triple clamp forks? I wouldn’t touch a 5 at the best of times, but especially not that one.

So that makes it 2006 or older then I think… (because of the straight top tube)?

Again, I would just be checking for cracks and waggling the main pivot etc to see if there is much movement.

Looks like an odd set-up though… Are they really old forks, or is it just a more DH set-up? Pretty sure the old 5’s were a max 150mm travel too.

With those components fitted it’s probably not had the easiest of lives.
Check head tube for cracks/ovalisation and that there aren’t dents from the fork legs hitting the downtube.

Cheers guys – it does look a little suspect, but if the price is right and the frame is OK, it will be fine what it’s needed for.

I thought old fives were less than 150 fork limit (130 ?? ?? not sure) mine is 2004/5, unchanged, standard on 100 as supplied

That looks like the 2004 frame. Check the swing arm bearings. Take off the caps. If they don’t look like new ask to get them changed. I had personal experience of bearings seizing and I could not get them out. Stripped the clamps so that was the end of the frame for me. Not cost effective to repair for such an old frame.
Lastly I don’t think the geometry will like such large forks i am sure its 120 forks for that frame, maybe 130 tops.

With a build like that … stolen?

With a build like that … stolen?

Wouldn’t guess so, just looks like its built with what they had, or could get cheap – and doesn’t look from the pic like its had a hard life.

Hope are selling their factory Orange 5’s for around 2k each. 1 year old and Fully Hoped up, some are hardly used !

make sure you get the key to the drawer that locks 😉

The swing arm is expensive to replace and also check the welds
around the head tube and down tube.
Check the back wheel is central in the swing arm.

Other than that pretty well bomb proof

Ask them to replace the bearings?! LOL. What’s the price? I’d agree about the dodgy forks not being right for the frame and for that reason I’d steer clear but if its a 2006 frame then it will handle 160mm. I just sold my 2006 frame, shock and headset for 290 to give you a benchmark for price.

forks look to be ~2004-2005ish from the decals (lowers look identical to single crown bombers I had on a 2004 Coiler) which suggests it been rocking the dodgy triple clamp for a while. So choose from either
“if was going to snap it would have done by now”, or
“I wouldnt touch it with a barge pole”.

I’ve got 2005 five and it’s 120-150mm travel. Comes with 130mm forks though. That one looks like a 2006to me with that shock though.

2004 frame I think due to the flat front on the swing arm. 2004 was iirc 100-125 rated, though I bought mine with 90-130 Talas. 140mm pike was nice on it, 150mm revs just a bit too long IMO. As above, I’d look for cracks around the head tube. If you can, best way to check bearings is to remove lower shock bolt and see if the swing arm moves smoothly. I had a bearing rusted in place but dremeled it out….

Ensure any paperwork has been removed from inside.

seen down tube where shock is mounted cracked before, so worth a check there too.

Agree with Thebikechain, those hook ended dividers are a fooking bastard to get through the swing arm cable routing holes.

The flat front to the swing arm makes it 2005 or earlier – which at least ties up with the 2006 or earlier front triangle. (I had a 2005, my best man has a 2006). The 2005 swing arm was longer as I recall than the 2004 one so if you have access to either of those then that might help.

If you buy then change the pinch bolts on the swing arm. I had two break off when being torqued up (way below he recommended setting) and others have had similar issues. I think a combination of ageing and a light stretching does for them – my two went on exactly he same thread / turn if that makes sense so I’m not accepting coincidence. It’ll be obvious if the frame has suffered this; either the bolts will be missing / loose or there will be gins of drilling / prying probably on the bearing clamp spacer.

That’s a 2004 or older, last of the Sub 5’s – before they renamed it the ‘5’ and lowered the pivot.

I’d avoid.

What was it like then?!! 🙂

Bought it for a bargain price – stuck a pair of u-turn pikes on it and it’s a good un!