Orange Five vs Alpine 160

I currently ride a 2013 Five Pro 2013 having owned it from New (almost) for around 6 – 7 months, im thinking with the style of riding im doing and the fact that i am beeffier than the average bear i was thinking of getting an Alpine 160.

The Five certainly has been a great bike but seeing as im doing a lot less cross country and more playing about should i consider a change?

I know a few guys with the new 650b Alpine and all their reports are v positive. I had a quick pedal on one myself and it instantly felt mint (and I currently ride a 2013 Five myself). My Five is great, but when it comes upgrading, the Alpine will be my next bike. With a careful spec you can get it to 30-32lbs and it’s a good climber. Overall, a great bike for general trail riding, big rides, messing about and super-steep techy stuff, Lakes, Alps etc etc. Bomb-proof single-pivot too, perfect for year-round UK conditions (but then you know that already, coming from a Five).

define

playing about

? A Five will take an beating (see Harry Heath videos) so it really depends on what you expect to gain

Don’t believe the hype, your 5 isn’t ‘cross country’ at all but an all-round trail bike.

I demo’ed a new 5 (650B) on Saturday (normally ride a 150mm HT) and I’d quite happily throw it down anything we’ve around here (Tweed Valley) – so unless you live in the Alps, don’t bother.

It felt very solid with the Pike up front and 1×10 gearing. All I’d change would be the rear shock for something better (basic CTD) as I didn’t like the constant messing around with the lever and probably go for a 42T rather than 40T on the cassette.

If you’ve only a Rev or Fox 32 fork then a new Pike would be a far cheaper approach, and this can easily be transferred in future.

With a careful spec you can get it to 30-32lbs

The large 5 I rode weighed 14.5kg with pedals (Pike, 1×10 XT, 319 rims, big Maxxis tyres cw tubes, Reverb and alloy finishing kit).

Looks pretty good though compared to some Oranges:

Someone was asking a similar question a while ago, might be helpful…
Your previous thread

If you’ve only a Rev or Fox 32 fork then a new Pike would be a far cheaper approach, and this can easily be transferred in future.

I could be wrong, but I thought the OP had the 26″ Five, so transferring could be an issue.

Can you even fit a Pike to a 26″ Five without messing up the handling? Even reduced to 140mm doesn’t the Pike have a longer A-C than the 140mm Fox forks around which the Five was designed?

Fives handle just fine with a long fork, hence selling the AM with 160mm 36s for years. Don’t think the Pike is longer than a 36?

The other option is a 160mm X-Fusion which can be converted from 26″ to 27.2″ if required

roverpig – I’m running a 150mm 26″ pike RC on my 2013 Five and it’s absolutely spot on in terms of angles etc (using a decent amount of sag on the fork). Came from a 150mm Rev which was good, but the Pike feels better and was very cheap. A-c is a bit shorter than a 36 or 55, either of which probably would have messed up the angels too much for general riding. Pike hits the sweet spot, for me.

br – agree about a new Five being a great all-rounder and very capable downhill. Personally, I’d probably still feel a bit more confident on an Alpine on certain trails in places like the Lakes, Alps etc. Just that bit slacker. Depends on priorities.

legend – playing about…trying super-steep or techy lines or drops, possibly pushing/carrying up to reach them, and having a few goes. Probably falling off a bit, too. Not necessarily covering much ground.

Here’s a novel idea, get a demo ride on the Alpine 160 and compare them back to back.

Thanks folks (and sorry for the thread hijak). I’ve toyed with the idea of upgrading my 140mm 2012 Fox 32 RLC (factory FIT) forks a few times, but I know Orange claimed 140mm was optimal and the geometry feels so good that I’m reluctant to change anything. That’s not to say that it wouldn’t be even better with a Pike though.

andycs – Member

Here’s a novel idea

Not from around these parts huh?

I’d probably still feel a bit more confident on an Alpine on certain trails in places like the Lakes, Alps etc. Just that bit slacker

I will admit that I’m toying with the idea of an angleset on mine – just for funsies.

I’ve got a 160 pike on my five (26) just two years ago it was concidered too slack, now it’s the norm. Like you I’d love to try an alpine though.

I could be wrong, but I thought the OP had the 26″ Five, so transferring could be an issue.

Based on how little clearance there was to get the Mucky Nutz in, I’d happily buy a 650B version and run it with a 26″ wheel.

I will admit that I’m toying with the idea of an angleset on mine – just for funsies.

I run my 2012 Five with a 160mm Deville and offset bushings. Its ace but I’d quite fancy shoving a slackset in too, just to see what it felt like!

When I change my Five (end of the summer 2015 its probably due a change) a 650B Five or Alpine will be top of my list. I’ve totally bought into this filing cabinet looks and single pivot maintenance thing…

Rode both bikes and now have the new alpine, definitely feels more planted wheel base is a lot longer with lower bottom bracket and slacker head angle. Soon get use to the longer wheel base though throwing it down steep techie stuff. As wl says it’s perfect for techie lakes rides and with it being not much heavier than the five perfect for all day hacks.. I can’t see a reason why you wouldn’t buy one instead of a five, especially if your riding is getting more extreme. 8)

Might be worth trying the Alpine 5 as well. Mine is a much more capable bike then the 26″ 5 it replaced, which was also ace. The 26″ started as a 5 AM with 160mm from new and worked fine.

I run my 2012 Five with a 160mm Deville and offset bushings. Its ace but I’d quite fancy shoving a slackset in too, just to see what it felt like!

How’s the lower BB working out for you with the bushes? They were my first thought, but the angleset messes with everything (seat angle, etc) a touch less so started heading down that route

To be honest legend, not noticed the BB being any lower. I used to smash the pedals into things a few times a ride and still do that so I suspect the actual drop is negligible. For £20 its a cheaper thing to try than the headset…

I run my 2012 Five with a 160mm Deville and offset bushings. Its ace but I’d quite fancy shoving a slackset in too, just to see what it felt like!

How’s the lower BB working out for you with the bushes? They were my first thought, but the angleset messes with everything (seat angle, etc) a touch less so started heading down that route

Im running a 2011 five with offset bushings and 160mm pikes. Cant say ive noticed any issues with lower bb. Bike feels so much better for the riding I now do, although the front end is noticeably lighter on climbs but that’s a small sacrifice to pay for getting it spot on for the descents

I didn’t like the Five-with-Lyriks I rode, tbh I think Orange did a great job of it with 140mm but the 160mm just lost that balance a wee bit and didn’t really feel like it added a lot. But these things all work in different ways

creamegg – Member

Im running a 2011 five with offset bushings and 160mm pikes. Cant say ive noticed any issues with lower bb

You’ve probably got a higher BB than standard, but it’s millimetres either way

I love my Alpine 160(2012 26 wheels) but I think for most Riding in the UK and Alps I would happily run a Five (although I’d slacken out the head angle (offset bushings and/or Works Headset) and fit a burlier fork for what I ride. I tried a Five Alpine with the longer forks and thought it ruined the Five’s handling by raising the BB, etc whereas the Alline handled better.

Or a Five 29 maybe. The new 650b Aloine is by all accounts a big, long burly machine.

I think the Alpine (all generations) are better looking than other Orange Bikes due to not having the big slab sided swing arms

keep your money and buy a proper bike with up to date linkage 😉

And change the bearings if you ever chose to look at them every 3 months or less if you ride all year round!!

cubemeup – Member
keep your money and buy a proper bike with up to date linkage
POSTED 3 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

Bollocks

catvet – Member
And change the bearings if you ever chose to look at them every 3 months or less if you ride all year round!!
POSTED 1 HOUR AGO # REPORT-POST

Also bollocks

Bit of a hijack but if anyone’s after a 16″ 26er alpine frame I’ve just gone up to an 18″ and my 2012 frame and push tuned rp23 could do with being sold, email in profile if anyone’s interested. Got some fox 36 float r’s I could sell too.
Apologies for hijack. Both the five and alpine are great bikes btw.

I meant the Alpine 5 aka 5 29, not the old 5 AM aka Alpine 5 btw. 😉

I just watched those harry heath videos
Wow. I have Fox 140mm up front, would it be worth swapping for some 150mm pikes?

The Pikes would be a decent upgrade but be warned, they won’t make you ride like Harry Heath!!!

stevede – Member
The Pikes would be a decent upgrade but be warned, they won’t make you ride like Harry Heath!!!

Lies! Everyone knows upgrades instantly make you 1000% betterer!

Only if he goes for the 650b Pikes 🙂

I have 36’s at 140 and CCDB, descends like a beast!!

I’d like the Pikes at 150mm to lighten it up but waiting till they’re circa £350 again!!

Just wish the new 36’s were a bit cheaper as they seem like the new gold standard.

Rumour has it that there’s an updated five on the way very soon, with longer wheelbase / top tube, so should be faster descender than the current bike if fashion is to be believed.

The 5 that’s available now has those features over the 2014 model.

astura – 150mm 26″ Pikes work an absolute treat on the 2013 26″ Five – perfect compromise between a Rev and Lyric, or a Fox 32 and 36. Haven’t seen the vid but that bike Harry Heath is on is probably the 650b Five – still a mint bike, but significantly different to the 26″ models.

but significantly different to the 26″ models.

It’s not really though, is it?

Even if he’s on a Five RS, the change is far from wild. Comparing 17s, the 2014 RS has the same HA and actually has a 12mm shorter wheelbase than the 2013 AM. Of course, it does have 27.2″ wheels to make it much betterer

Been on a 26″ 2014 Alpine (new frame without the shock shuttle) for a few months now.

31lb with a fairly tough build (X-fusion Slants, Flow EX, Reverb, X9 1×10). Climbs better than my Bold BFe on techy uphills and absolutely flies when things point downwards.

For the kind of ‘XC with mucking about’ rides we do it’s spot on. Happy buzzing round trails centres. Will bimble around the local woods just fine, and can’t wait to get it to the Lakes or Scotland next year.

It seems to have become our clubs ‘do-it-all’ bike of choice. 4 or 5 of us running Alpines at the moment.

It’s not really though, is it?

Having ridden a 26″, 650b and 29″ 5 I can confirm the 650b rides a fair bit different to the 26″. Significant? Depends on what your parameters are.

Even if he’s on a Five RS, the change is far from wild. Comparing 17s, the 2014 RS has the same HA and actually has a 12mm shorter wheelbase than the 2013 AM. Of course, it does have 27.2″ wheels to make it much betterer

I don’t see how the wheelbase on the 2013 is longer – the 2014 has longer chainstays, equal ETT but steeper seat tube angle therefore longer reach, same head angle and equal fork length and more fork offset. So in all aspects that determine wheelbase it’s the same or longer. Strange…

Also the BB is lower on the 2014 and the wheels bigger, so it should be a fair bit more stable.