Viewing 22 posts - 1 through 22 (of 22 total)
  • Real world reviews of Orange Stage 5
  • pop-larkin
    Free Member

    Anyone got one and care to feedback

    Cheers

    pop-larkin
    Free Member

    They’re popular then!!

    tall_martin
    Full Member

    I’ve got a segment

    It’s great!

    Does that help?

    There was a very positive review of the stage 5 a couple of issues ago in the magazine. That might help. 🙂

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    pop-larkin
    Free Member

    Cheers- I had a segment and wasn’t bowled over tbh- I got the feeling it would only come alive if ragging it and that’s not really my style

    I am considering a stage 5 but thought I would get a view before bothering arranging a test ride

    Shackleton
    Full Member

    I suspect that the 5 would need even more ragging than a segment.

    Unless I’m misunderstanding what you mean by coming alive.

    pop-larkin
    Free Member

    Its difficult to put in words but I had an old 5 and thought it was a great bike that engaged you even when JRA- I didn’t feel that at all with the segment it just felt a bit wooden

    chakaping
    Free Member

    Were you gonna get a demo on one? They are quite easy to get a go on, it seems.

    I only had a quick go on one that a friend was demoing, but funny enough I thought it felt a bit wooden. He really liked it though.

    PS – have a look at the Cotic Flaremax

    bungalistic
    Free Member

    I demo’d one for a full weekend a couple of months back, it was quite fun but very different to what I was used to. It can certainly cope with rough terrain and I don’t think I pushed it anywhere near it’s limits but I prefer the more playful ride of the transition smuggler or cotic flare max.

    tall_martin
    Full Member

    There isn’t a huge gap between the stage 5 and segment. Mines on 140mm forks, this was to raise the bar as I found it too low. With that the stage 5 just has a bit more travel and a slightly different pivot location. Similar to the difference between the 4/5 and segment/stage 5/ stage 6.

    If you liked an old orange 5, why not give a new one a whirl? Or find a demo day and try the lot of them…

    pop-larkin
    Free Member

    Thanks all – I’m looking more favourably at a cotic flare max or smuggler I think

    I can’t get on with 650b as I’ve been riding 29ers for the last 4 years – although have a trek Farley with fat 650b wheels but that’s the same as a 29er tbh

    No rush so will try to get a few test rides in

    gelert
    Free Member

    Orange demo evening at Llandegla tomorrow (Wednesday) if near by.
    https://oneplanetadventure.com/orange-demo-evening-wednesday-16th-august/

    I demoed the Alpine Five back in 2013. The Stage 5 feels like that. I demoed one earlier this year and it did feel lovely to ride. I’ve decided I would prefer the Stage 6 though but I’m waiting for more models to come online and to see what Orange bring out for 2018.

    I’ve only ridden the Large Stage 6 (because they only had a Large to try) and it was just too long for me, as was the Four Large. I have long legs and short arms for my 5’10.5 height so I’m right between sizes.

    Hoping to ride the Medium S6 tomorrow 🙂

    I can’t offer anymore than that.

    brakeforcake
    Free Member

    I have had my Stage 5 for a few months now, I absolutely love it.

    I’m 5’10 with 32″ inseam. I ride a size large and it’s a perfect fit for me. The frame looks small for size large – there’s tons of stand-over, but it’s long so there’s a nice amount of reach.

    It’s an easy bike to ride. It climbs well and descends with confidence. Get stuck in though and it becomes a rocket ship. It’s the fastest bike I’ve owned. You will beat all of your Strava PB’s without much effort, if you’re that way inclined.

    pop-larkin
    Free Member

    Cheers Gelert- I was hoping to go to Deggy tomorrow anyway as was going to demo the new stooge for ss duties so hopefully will be able to have a razz on a stage 5

    What bike did you have before brakeforcake?

    brakeforcake
    Free Member

    What bike did you have before brakeforcake?

    I was on a 2012 Orange Five (26″ wheels) for the past few years.

    I tried a few modern 29ers and decided they were the way to go. I rode an Orange Segment for a little while which was fantastic.

    The Stage 5 is similar to the Segment, just with more travel and a touch slacker. I go riding in the Alps once a year, like rocky/natural trails and do the odd enduro race for fun.

    pop-larkin
    Free Member

    Cheers

    roverpig
    Full Member

    Thanks all – I’m looking more favourably at a cotic flare max or smuggler I think

    I bought a Smuggler to “replace” a 26″ Five but sold it recently and went back to the Five (which luckily I hadn’t sold). We’re all different though and I only mention it because my “problem” with the Smuggler was the same as yours with the Segment; a fantastic bike when I was pushing it but not as much fun the rest of the time. Since I very rarely push anything these days that just wasn’t a trade off that worked for me. I do wonder whether the Stage 5 might give some of that extra capability while still keeping the “Orange fun factor” but that’s probably just wishful thinking.

    pop-larkin
    Free Member

    Hmm- I was very interested in your smuggler at the time but then did wonder whether it would be too similar to the segment although the reviews seem to suggest its quite poppy- you’re experience suggests otherwise so again gives me doubts

    Best full suss Ive had recently was the dw salsa horsethief but the rear tyre clearance wasn’t great and I had an issue with a cracked rear ( albeit sorted by salsa in a good way) but still caused me to lose the love a little

    bungalistic
    Free Member

    We’re all different though and I only mention it because my “problem” with the Smuggler was the same as yours with the Segment; a fantastic bike when I was pushing it but not as much fun the rest of the time.

    Yeah “a fun bike” is very much a personal thing, due to it’s short travel and it not being a long bike I found the Smuggler an easy bike to play around so I really enjoyed it. I’m very tempted to buy another one actually but I think they might be getting an overhaul with Transitions new geometry/sizing.

    roverpig
    Full Member

    Yes, you should obviously be very careful taking anybody else’s opinion of a bike. I’m also hesitant to say anything negative about the Smuggler as it is a fantastic bike. So, why didn’t it work for me? Well two things I think:

    First it seems to require you to get your weight forward and attack things. Get a bit hesitant (as I often do), a bit far back and it stops going round corners.

    Second, just riding along it tends to disappear. That’s not really a criticism, it’s just getting on with the job, but I quite like the way the Five “talks to me”. Silly really. It’s slower pretty much everywhere and just worse all round, but I like it.

    Still, if you do get your weight forward and attack the trail the Smuggler will pop off things all day and be a hoot.

    SirHC
    Full Member

    Smuggler is a really good and capable bike, even better once you’ve thrown the POS monarch away and put on a more capable shock. The only time is gets a bit out of its depth is big/fast repeated hits, where a bigger travel bike is in its element, the ohlins shock helps a lot as it doesn’t get bogged down and flustered like the monarch does.

    On paper, the geometry of the stage 5 and the smuggler are very similar, stage 5 has a little bit more travel. Weight wise there isn’t going to be a lot in it. Would I replace my smuggler with one, nope, as I’d not gain anything. If I was looking for a 5inch travel, slackish trail bike, then would be high on the list, fitted with a proper rear shock and a lyrik/ohlins up front.

    I dont find I have to ride over the front to make it turn, my natural position is somewhere hovering around the middle. I’m not sold on this massive reach/short stem thing, as for me I have to then consciously move my body forward to make sure the front tyre has weight on it. I have added an angleset and overforked the front for trips up to peebles/inners and Molini, where the trails arn’t that rough, but geometry is key.

    gelert
    Free Member

    Might see you at the demo then, pop!

    For the Segments above it maybe worth mentioning that I tried the old bendy top tube Segment and absolutely hated it and it put me off 29ers at the time (it felt bendy and slow and not very fun) but I had a great time on the new straighter top tube 2016-2017 Boost Hub Segment (it was a surprise package)… it’s more than capable of doing all my riding and absolutely flew along however I just don’t see any downsides in carrying the extra few mm of travel or having the extra slackness on tap so I’m planning whatever bike I next get to be the slackest longest travel in the range whatever wheel size it has. The Stage bikes felt great in the air and nimble to chuck about.

    I’ve come to slightly dislike my 2013 Five and love my 2014 Alpine more and more because of the geo. I’m not a push up, thrash down guy. The Alpine just climbs off-road better and descends superbly.

    They flogged off loads of ex Demo Boost Hub 2016 Segments really cheap. I’d have grabbed one but I just think I’ll out grow it’s geo too quickly.

    I’d have a Stage 5 in a heartbeat except that they made a Stage 6 so I’m undecided until I try the Medium properly… hopefully they’ll have one with them this time and be bringing out S and Pro models for next year that are more affordable.

    I want to know more about the new 29er fork offset that Whyte are using and what Orange will do next. I think 51mm offset will be replaced by 42mm offset on long travel 29ers. Orange geometry is generally spot on so I’m just curious about 2018’s line up and wonder if a noob like me would actually feel the difference in offsets. No non eBike leaks from the press camp this year either.

    Still absolutely loving my 2014 Alpine. It just keeps getting better and better – I am the weakest link. Dialled suspension, external everything, easy to service, extremely reliable, dead easy to brush clean. Just over two years frame/bearing warranty left. I don’t think I can let it go yet.

    pop-larkin
    Free Member

    IN true Pop Larkin fashion instead of taking my time etc I saw a deal on a sale offer transition smuggler and jumped straight in……

    Just swapping over some bits to knock a few pounds off so first ride should be this weekend-keep an eye out in the classifieds if I hate it!!

Viewing 22 posts - 1 through 22 (of 22 total)

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