Is this a worthwhile upgrade (over a RP23) for XC riding (basically anything up to but not including full-on DH)?
Thinking about getting a Five so looking into the options. With a single-pivot design surely you would want the best shock you could afford to get the most out of it? It seems odd to me that the new Five Pro (and a lot of other bikes) come with £700+ forks as standard but a cheapo rear shock! Is the shock really that unimportant? Or is it just less visually obvious than forks so it’s a marketing thing? Discuss! Pics of Orange Fives with CCDB welcome of course!

i read in Dirt that this mod was making their Orange 5 a bigger bike beater. What else would you expect though… Best bike, best shock etc. They reckon theirs could keep up and in some cases destroy 180mm bikes!

Have fun 😉

ive got a VAN Rc on mine and use it for all sorts inc DH at inners.

Its class but it does steal some of the “zip” or “speed” away on flatter xc singletrack.

On XC routes i feel ive killed some of the spirit of the bike with the coil and coil lyrik. Other times it feels amazing on bigger terrain.

don’t think for a minute the rp23 is a cheapo shock its argueably the best air shock on the market at the monent. its superb for xc riding or pretty much anything you would be likely to throw at it.
Spending the extra money on a ccdb for general xc riding would really be a waste of money – perhaps look at spending money elsewhere if its burning a hole in your pocket wheels maybe
G

don’t think for a minute the rp23 is a cheapo shock its argueably the best air shock on the market at the monent.

By “cheapo” I meant the stock shock on the 2012 Five Pro – the Evolution RL – which is Fox’s budget shock AFAIK. I realise the RP23 is far better and would be going for that upgrade as a bare minimum.

i had an rp23 on my alpine but now have an fox dhx5 air which i finder much better then the rp23 , i would love a ccdb for my alpine !
i think you should go for it if upgrading why would you want any other shock than the best one ?

I have a ccbd on my five. I really like it. It will never be as good at climbing as an air can mainly due to the weight. It more than makes up for it on everything else especially the fun factor on singletrack decents. Previously I rode a patriot with a dh air shock but feel the five with a ccdb is much better

I cannot see the point in upgrading to a coil shock for xc. If you want to ride xc stick with air.

Recently I watched a downhill race where a guy on an orange 5 with an RP23 came 5th. Most of the field had freeride and downhill bikes……

is the weight that different? surely its about 200g?

Had CCDB on my old Patriot that I used for everything. I loved it, a great shock.

When I was fit it was a superb bike shock combination for everything.

They reckon theirs could keep up and in some cases destroy 180mm bikes!

If you have the skillz, even a rigid bike could ‘destroy’ a 180mm bouncer….

is the weight that different? surely its about 200g?

RP23 is about 250g

CCDB and spring is knockcing on for a kilo.

Agreed, ive got an alpine with the ccdb shock and its perfect for xc riding, sh*ts all over ups and downs, go for the ccdb 😀

is the weight that different? surely its about 200g?

RP23 is about 250g

CCDB and spring is knockcing on for a kilo.

Not as bad as you think with a Ti Spring on the Five

rp23 190×50 ~ 245 grams

CCDB with Ti spring 190×50 – 620 grams with mounting hardware.

If anybody is interested I have a Orange Five frame with Ti CCDB for sale:

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/18%e2%80%99%e2%80%99-orange-five-frame-with-ccdb-ti-spring

Also take a look at the Elka Stage 5 and the Bos Stoy
These will be more easier to set up than the Cane Creek.

Elka Stage 5

Bos Stoy

The thing is, even with a Ti spring, it makes an already heavy frame, a really heavy frame, for it’s given travel & use. It’s just over 7lbs with the RP23, over 8 with the CCDB & a Ti spring & nearly 8.5lbs with a steel one.

The thing is, even with a Ti spring, it makes an already heavy frame, a really heavy frame, for it’s given travel & use. It’s just over 7lbs with the RP23, over 8 with the CCDB & a Ti spring & nearly 8.5lbs with a steel one.

Theres some shite spouted on here.

A 2011 18″ Five frame, with Maxle and RP23 is 6.44 lbs, hardly heavy.

I got my 2012 Five today, with Fox 32 RLC’s and RP23, its damn sexy.

There is some shite spouted on here

Is there? Maybe you have a special lightweight edition then!

As mine came in at 7.08lbs for exactly the same frame (mine even had no paint on it!) – along with various others on here at ~7lbs if you care to do a search…

Yes absolutely do it, the best upgrade you can do on a 5, believe all the hype. Sure it’s a lot heavier than an air shock but I take it you aren’t a pro XC racer, right? The bike climbs a little better than with the old rp23 despite the extra weight, but really comes alive as soon as you point downhill, so much so that I got rid of my DH bike and my XC bike and now just ride a 5.