new orange 5 or orange alpine 160 ?

i was interested in getting a new orange 5 which im going to demo in a few week but also ive been looking at the alpine thats got 160trvl forks, is this a heavy bike? is it good for xc/am also, whats best?

Where you riding? This country…… if yes forget the Alpine go for the Five, our hills ain't big enough to warrant that bike

yeh uk , Todmorden area where singletrack are based, tell me more why the 5 over the alpine ? is this bike heavier ?

I had an Alpine and it was about 8lb heavier than my 5. Rode exceptionally well in the right envoironment.

The 5 is faster everywhere except down; then by only a smidge. The 5 is a capable descender and a good climber. The Alpine is a great descender and a fair slog upwards.

Which is best for you? Only you know.

Not a huge amount of difference in bare frame weights, but once the Alpine's kitted out with heavier wheels,tyres,forks and all the other heavier duty componentry then you will notice a difference. I'd guess that we sell about eight 5s to every one Alpine for use in the UK, but saying that, one of my riding buddies uses his as a general trail/xc bike with no problems. Both are excellent bikes, but as mentioned above, one may suit you better so try for a test ride on both.

I went to buy an alpine and came away with an 5am. Alpines are fantastic bikes but for everyday uk riding then the 5 would prob suit better.

The 5 handled load's of stuff I'm sure other 'normal FS' wouldn't – I really liked the maxle rear too.

Mine weighed about 30lbs which ain't bad considering:

I have an Alpine and love it. It's by far the best bike I've owned and is just huge fun. I use it for natural riding, trail centres and in the Alps. It's a little slow on the climbs, but the downs make up for it. I've built in with a good mix of componets including some light wheels (Fulcrum Red Zones) which makes it pretty versatile. I guess it comes down to your priorities as I'm happy to spin to the top and blast down the otherside. If you want to be first to the top then the 5 makes more sense. I have a Trek EX8 as well which I hardly ride anymore as the Alpine fits 95% of what I need.

Sounds exactly the same when i demod a Marin attack trail gosh that was a heavy bugger to get uphills! i went out with my mates and they absolutely caned me to the top and i was struggling to get up but on the downhills it was a different story, it sounds similar to what you guys are talking about, i live in an area full of climbs and descents, its probably got more climbs saying that, id have to demo the 2 bikes in a few weeks time and see how i get on as im a xc/am rider , well i guess i have to be round here lol

i,ll second that ! singletrack land is full of hills (lots of climbs … we are so lucky to live here !
so wud this Alpine bike be more suitable for the Alps…thats what i always thought… and is it harder than the 'five ' for climbing ?

nah just cause its called alpine doesn't mean its for the alps , its just one of those bikes that are better for the downhills rather than the ups where at the orange 5 is all rounder good for ups and downs, people were just saying you would only buy the apline if you lived in an area with alot of downhills and don't mind struggling to get up em lol which is why i mentioned the attack trail similar situation i had

no it does mean its only for the alps but it is for alpine style riding. which i'd see as lift assisted riding. it can go up hill but not the best and it's main strength is for blasting back down.

get the 5 AM (with cane creek)

ah so alpine does mean its for the alps, it just sounded daft lol i dont know much about orange as this is as far as ive looked into em, but i am considering the new 5 though just waiting for a demo version first

bloody hell are you having a joke ? with cane creek ? +400 people think i crap money these days lol

ha ha ha wondered what your response to that would be! I'm still tempted by it!

/late edit – oh, in that post up there i meant "no it doesN'T mean its only for the alps but it is for alpine style riding.)
long challenging descents are its thing. I think if you did a fair amount of non-racing DH along with trail rides the alpine would be best. but for all sorts of trail riding the 5 is right.
don't over bike yourself.

lolz well i wouldent know as ive always ran an rp23 shock and there amazing 🙂

I have the 5 AM 08 model and I put a Manituo IXS 6 rear shock
on and have recently sent my FOX talas 160 forks back to MOJO
and turned them into a Float and also converted to 150 mm travel.
Dont need the Alpine 160 over here in my eyes

My FOX RP23 is in the drawer as a spare best place for it !!
Stick the Manituo IXS 6 on the rear of the 5 and you have an
even harder hitting downhill / trail bike.

And stick a gravity seat dropper on it.

….and guess what …the 'majority' of bikes at the classic weekender trials at 'Lee Quarry' today were……..ORANGE FIVE BIKES ! yehaaaaa..amazing 😉

The five ticks all boxes on paper, gotta get a go on one soon.
Very nice bikes but the Knolly is still seriously doing it for me, so I have no excuse to buy one!
I'd be tempted to buy a '10 model though if you can get one cheap(er), I don't think the '11 model is much to shout about with minimal improvements on an already great bike.

hmmm i was just about to ask why the 'five Am 'is abit dearer than the 'pro model'… then again the 'five am' is a go between the five and the Alpine apparently i just read … just copied this extract :

The Five AM is for the big boys, a harder riding version of our iconic trail model. Meant for epic climbs and terrifying descents, the AM is the bridge between the Five and Alpine 160
so chris : the five AM it possibly is then… 😉

Where you riding? This country…… if yes forget the Alpine go for the Five, our hills ain't big enough to warrant that bike

errrm, doesn't that rather depend on what and how you ride?!

An Alpine is going to be a lot more fun if the rider dabbles in DH, or doesn't mind slogging uphill for an epic descent in say the Lakes or even the Dark Peaks.

Not only that but people's riding style varies so much that it's impossible to generalise and say the Alpine is too much bike – regular 5' drop offs anyone? Then I'd rather have the Alpine!

25/30 mile all-days – I'd take the 5!

LOL Ropey some fair points but the Orange 5 can
take upto a 8 ft drop off But if your a harder
ridder then go for the Alpine 160 if you want to
do 8 ft drop offs

OP for around Tod etc I'd say you'd happily get away with a hardtail as a compromise between climb and descent. Therefore I'd say Orange Five.

I've ridden with blokes far more technically-adapt than me who ride hardtails and they aren't underbiked on rocky sections.

Apart from the Marin what else have you tried out?

What's all this slogging, compromise and no to 30mile days talk? I've done 70mile off-road days on mine, I climb fast, descend fast and am rarely caught going-up. For the sake of comparison and to give a trail centre-oriented example, if you like shooting up the Twirch, playing in the park and then heading up to the top for the downhill run back down this bike is for you. This is the most versatile bike I've owned and I'm in no hurry to replace it.

My angle is around Calderdale a hardtail is more than bike enough.

how much heavier is the new 5am to the new 5? http://www.orangebikes.co.uk/bikes/2011/five_am/

This might sound really really stupid but i actually didn't know they remade the other orange bikes such as the (5am)(5s)(5pro) i thought it was just the pro they remade, as i was saying a few posts back i was looking into the orange alpine but people were saying its only good for the downs ans not so good on the ups and just basic alpine riding etc etc and looking into it just now the Orange 5am sounds exactly what im looking for, something with bigger trvl (160mm) and is still great on the ups ( a harder hitting bike) as ive had a FS 140trvl for nerly 3 year now and jsut want something more, this this area (calderdale) would this be a suitable bike? i just need to know the weight between the am and the 5 pro

If you are not doing a fair bit of downhill type riding then i think the 5 will be fine for you.I have an alpine with coil front and rear built up fairly stout as i do everything from long rides to uplifts with it.I find it climbs better than my turner tnt 5 spot i had before even though it is about 6lbs heavier.On the downs though it is amazing and really comes into its own where it feels most at home.It can be a little bit hard work in slow tight singletrack due to the slack head angle but i can live with that.

I think there is around 2 lb weight dif between the 5 and alpine frames when fitted with the rp23 shock,the extra overall weight of an alpine compared to a 5 will be how it has been built up with tougher parts.

yeah, well i do alot of uphills and downhills but i prefer my downhills but dosent everyone? i just need something a bit more tougher to really thrash it on the trails 😀

how about the 5am with cane creek double barrel ;p

if you put 160mm forks an a modern five frame it takes it slacker head angle wise than an alpine 160. I've got pikes on mine and regularly ride dh as well as regular trails and never thought i've needed more travel. If you've got the cash i'd say go for the ccdb though.

400 quid is alot for that rear shock though, ill probably just go for the rp23 in the end with the 160trl am id have to test ride it also

Alpine and the Five are both great for Calderdale, but the Alpine will really come into its own on the bigger, rougher descents in the Lakes and places. Also, it's not true that 'Alpine' means it's just a lift bike. Plenty of the best Alps trails can't be accessed by lifts alone, so the Alpine's been developed to do the climbs and traverses that get you beyond the lifts to the lesser-known (and IMO best) descents. If you hit the Alps once a year, or ride in the Lakes and places, I'd go for the Alpine. If you're sticking to Calderdale and trail centres, I'd pick a Five, probably an AM version.

WL- that's exactly what i mean m8, i don't ride the lakes Ive only been once infact, ive never been to the alps and i am just intending riding Calderdale and other trail centers etc, therefor im not looking into the alpine. the AM is in-between the pro and the alpine which is what im after, i need to demo the 2 bikes and pick which is best for me 🙂

If you'd like a coil but not up for spending £400 why don't you think about getting a fox van r from tf tuned and getting it push tuned? Will cost about £250 but you'd have the rp23 that comes with the five to sell and make it a cheap upgrade.
I'm getting a pushed van r for mine soon, keeping the rp23 for all day in the hills rides and fitting the coil for dh and local shorter rocky riding,jumps,drops etc.
If you have any doubts about the fives capabilities, mtbcut rider joe barnes even occassionally races dh on his. Watch mojo trail diaries on mtbcut and you'll see what sort of terrain the five excels in.

i used to ride my patriot as a general trail bike – a good work out uphill and magic downhill. Do you really care what other people think about your bike choice? You'll always be pissed if your under-biked but you'll never be pissed off at having too much suspension when you're doing steep up's and downs. Get the Alpine and enjoy 🙂

nah steve im happy with that it comes with on the (am) the rp23 is great as i have one on my prophet, like i said after demoing the 5 and the am ill make a decision 🙂

Personally, I'd get the Alpine and make a point of hitting the Lakes and the Alps. Anyway, there are some super-steep and technical descents in Calderdale – you'll be glad of slack angles if you fancy riding them. Five's still a great bike though.

Ive got the Alpine 160 and its dogs nuts to ride. Ive got a Cotic Soul for general xc duties tight twisty single track stuff but the Alpine is used in the peaks and around the bigger stuff in the lakes and North wales I would shy away from on my Soul. Its been to the Alps too.
It weighs 32lbs only a couple of pounds heavy than a Five with a similar spec. The five am in my mind is flawed unless it has a talas because the geometry is to slack to climb. The Alpine is a very good climber too, the geometry works up and down. I have out climbed mates on fives and hecklers on steep climbs and it leaves them for dead on the downs.
In saying all that the new 5 looks fantastic and the upgrades make it look like a trail weapon. If I only had one bike it would be a new Five but if you can afford more than one bike for different days a Alpine is alot of fun.

repatriot you werent in a group riding down Chapel Gate one really early weekend morning a few weeks ago? (circa 8am)- On Alpines and other big bikes, some wearing Oakleys, armour and fancy Fox forks.

I had a giggle as I felt scruffy/under-dressed!!

Should probably add, although the Alpine is good to go for all sorts of riding up and down, I do have a Stiffee for titzing around trail centres, jumpy duties and riding that an Alpine (and I guess most FS's?) can flatten.