So after a fair period off the bike last year and moving away from full suspension in the year or two before that I am looking for a bike for –

Trail centres (gisburn is closest), moor and fell riding, something that will go up hill ( not necessarily winch and plummet), does not steamroller everything.

Current bike Stooge fat ti – brilliant fun and really want a full suspension stooge I guess.

I have owned Yetisb 95, Turner Sultan X2, Rocky Element 29, Santa Cruz tallboy hated vpp, Turner rfx/ 5spot/flux, Santa Cruz superlight/ heckler, Nicolai cc hated it, yetiasr/asr7- Giant trance 140 pikes and others.

I preferred 29ers and the oranges look a good option, owners thoughts? With reason to get the 5 over the 4? Any other bikes I should consider?

Cheers

Both good bikes and absolutely not steamrollers, you could even say they ride like they have less travel than they do.

I’d get the S5 as a “one bike”, as the S4 is a bit steeper and more XC-focused. Unless you want to go everywhere as quick as possible and tend to avoid gnarly stuff.

I own a Stage 6 myself and love it to bits.

Cheers, I was leaning more towards the 4, reassessment needed.

I absolutely loved my Stage 4 – properly fast trail bike, rode everything from Enduro races to Marathon races on it. The Stage 4 is a chunk lighter than the 5 aswell as it uses thinner gauge tubing than the 5 and 6. They are rare too (Still got the frame in the garage…)

The new Pace RC295 or Norco Optic both nice trail bikes. Or in true STW recommend what you own an Ibis Ripley V4 which is an awesome bike. I personally just can’t stand Orange bikes but everyone is different.

As far as I understand, the Stage 5 has been updated with the new style geo, water bottle mount and metric shock, the Stage 4 was not.
That would settle it for me between the 2 models

Good deals available on the outgoing S5 though.

Can you get a demo on a Stage 4? It wasn’t quite right for me but might be the perfect bike for you. I did a review after I demo-ed one…

Orange Stage 4 demo – the flyweight filing cabinet

Cotic Flare Max maybe? Kindof sits halfway between the Stage 4 and the 5 in many ways. A pal and I took a couple of them to Bike Village in the Alps this summer and then on for a few days of Alp-Packing. Very effective, despite being theoretically outgunned in terms of travel. We normally use them for big days out in the Highlands, which they’re pretty much the perfect bike for. Build is quality & functional rather than light or super gnarly; Coil Helm forks, Hunt Trail Wide wheels, decent brakes.
Anyway, I like the Flare very much and it fits both me and the riding I do very nicely.

Really tempted by the S4. Coming from an old school XC 26” world & unlikely to want to squish through big obstacles it seems ideal – but – no bottle mount – on their ‘Xc’ bike. I don’t understand. Maybe if I wait a year or two!

Hello, first post. Having just bought my stage 5 yesterday and prior to that hunting the forums looking for advice.

I’ve just taken it for a quick shake down around Rivington Pike today and I am very impressed. I’ve just chopped across from an Old Carve 29er. I tend to keep my bikes for a long time(I rode a 97 P7 until it was nicked in 2011!) so I am always impressed by the progression whenever I do get a new bike but this is a massive jump.

The most impressive trait for me so far is the hill climbs, great traction. Will probably head to Lee quarry tomorrow to push a little harder and see how it goes on more technical trails.

I’m new to the area so still trying to get a feel for where is good for what.

So it’s a big thumbs up from me.

no bottle mount – on their ‘Xc’ bike. I don’t understand. Maybe if I wait a year or two!

A very valid gripe, but I wonder if they’ll continue making it?

I’m new to the area so still trying to get a feel for where is good for what.

Drop me a line if you want showing round sometime.

I have a segment (model prior to the S4), it’s well documented limitation (struggles with repeated big hits), is so far beyond my riding ability it might as well not be there on the adventure/all mountain stuff I ride.

Light, comfy, responsive and at nearly half price was a bargain.

Lack of a bottle cage is a minor niggle that is less of a hassle than I thought it would be tbh. Under 90 mins and I just ride, anything longer is an adventure type spin and a camelback.

Did twentyfour12 on it and got my best result compared to a 00’s xc marathon machine.

Unless you need a winch and plummet the S4 is well able for anything.

I had a segment- the stage 4 predecessor.

To get round the lack of bottle cage I bought a alpkit frame bag and put a camel back bag in. This works fine and I still use the same thing on my geometron as that doesn’t have a bottle cage either.

Mine was an xl and it took 2L of water which was fine for all day summer rides. I drink a bottle before and after if it’s super hot.

I did bike packing, cross country, an enduro race and bike park wales on it.

It was great. I thought I would feel brake jack as magazines have talkers about that being a thing on single pivotS. I didn’t notice anything.

It is also the quickest and easiest bike to clean that I’ve ever had. 5 min quicker every time. 😀

When I came to sell it I found the dropouts had cracked. Orange replaced it for me, but I have seen a fair few brand new replacement frames for sale.

I’d have a stage 6 if I could stretch to a new one with a warranty. I on a geometron g13 with 160mm forks and 135mm at the rear

There are a few stages on offer at orange. You might be luck with the spec and size

https://www.orangebikes.co.uk/shop/factory

I’d have the ex demo stage 6 in Ron burgundy with £1200 off 😀

matt1983

Member
Hello, first post. Having just bought my stage 5 yesterday and prior to that hunting the forums looking for advice.

I’ve just taken it for a quick shake down around Rivington Pike today and I am very impressed.

@matt1983
Hey, welcome to the forum mate!

We need to see pics of the new bike, nice and muddy though!👍

If you have trouble posting pics, use postimage.org, upload the pic then just click on “hotlink for forums” tab and paste that straight into the forum. Don’t use the IMG tags on here or anything.

Apologies if you already know this! STW is a fantastic forum but it can be a little challenging posting pics sometimes.lol

I didn’t know, so thanks.

Afraid I only took the one and that isn’t a very good one! Was too busy hanging out of my backside after a long pause from cycling

So my older brother was interested in the segment (this was about 2 years back just as the stage 4 was being released) so went to a demo day where we were about to test ride a stage 5, stage 6, four, five and alpine six. Bike I was least impressed with was the alpine (found the least fun to ride on the trails we were on due to the smaller wheels and heavy set up), the most impressive was the stage 6 ( the bigger wheels seamed to steamroll the bike over everything).

For my brother thought he found the stage 5 to be more than enough bike for him and his riding style. He ended up getting the segment as it suits he’s need and after a years worth of use in the peaks he’s still more than happy. The stage 4 does improve on the segment to make the lack of travel at the rear work better and better geometry. I think for the big explore days the stage 4 would be great (more comfort than a hardtail).

@matt1983

Small world if it was you who commented on my wife’s YouTube vid of Rivington! 🙂

I’m actually looking to demo a 2020 Stage 5 sometime this year. Love my current bike, but I really like the feel of bigger wheels and I’ve been Orange curious for ages.

@johnw1984

Not guilty 😆.

From chatting to a few folks off line as I was making my decision I think 29er is right for me. At my level the compromises work the right way round,

Always had a thing for Orange bikes also plus it meant I got to dust off my old jacket from my 97 P7 days…..

Loving that jacket! Are they still available?

@breninbeener

Not sure, I doubt it, this particular specimen is 22 years old!I have a same vintage short sleeve jersey too.

Norco optic, transition smuggler, cotic flaremax would all be worth checking out, short/mid travel 29rs well reviewed and potentially better vfm. But if you have your eye on an orange that’s what you’ll end up with!

My partner had one of those jackets loved it. Friends dog ate it, well most of it.

Thanks for the replies…off to ponder

+ for the cotic flaremax. Test rode everything, till I selected the flaremax. Long travel bikes overrated to be honest. The short travel linear shock big wheeled bikes trounces on the long travel bikes for all but the super skilled MTB’er. I even rode the cotic rocket back to back with the flaremax and I was far quicker on the flaremax at the forest of Dean….

BR
JeZ

I have the last version of the Segment and before that the 5 29. My regular trail is also Gisburn so can say without doubt the Stage 4 will be fine. Compared to the longer travel 5 29 my Segment feels much sharper and snappier as the rear takes the sting out without hoovering up all the feel. 5 29 was great but it really did gobble up everything which sanitised rides a bit for me.

Saying that, I’m now running 150mm Fox 36 up front which are superb. I was happy at 120mm but the Fox were a bargain and the best forks I’ve used. The plush front and twitchier rear work for me.

First time in a long time I have no plans to change. Orange seem to be dragging their feet with the 4 and Stage 4 replacement so they may be dropped but either way there’s some bargains about. If I was buying new I’d defo try the Stage 5 before deciding.

I’ve got a Stage 4 and my wife has the Stage 5. She got hers the year before me and we both test rode lots of bikes first. I went from a 160mm 650B Orbea Rallon to the Stage 4, it’s more than enough for 99% of my riding. My one concern was that I may be a bit underbiked when I wen to Moab and Sedona as I’d taken the Orbea previously, but TBH the orange was totally fine. I love the way it rides, it’s way more sprightly than the Orbea was and way lower maintenance. We both ride all year round, whatever the weather and the prospect of having two pivot bearings in stead of the ten in the Orbea was very appealing. I’ve done 3000 miles on it in a year and definitely have no complaints at all.