Why so much hatred for the Orange 5?

I dont like gritty kitty hardpacked catlitter trails or a conveyor belt/production line experience.. ‘you are here/going in this direction’.

Soz

I think if it feels nervous downhill then maybe that is more down to the rider.

Apparently it’s the bike northern based UKIp voters prefer. If this it true then that would explain the hate. Apparently a Mr Bloom spends many an hour on his 5 down Yateholme and Honley Wood. 🙂

I supposed you can get used to any bike really.

yep

I think if it feels nervous downhill then maybe that is more down to the rider.

yep

I can’t fault orange customer service , my 6 month old five had a freehub problem last month , took it to my local orange dealer , 2 days later new freehub , gear set and chain was supplied and fitted free of charge, I was shocked and expected them to put it down as wear and tear item ,
Doubt I’d get a service like that from any other manufacture

I’ve never seen a five at a trail centre

I rarely visit trail centres (not because I dislike them, they’re just miles from where I live) but I have never ever seen so many Orange Fives as I did at Llandegla – the place was full of them!

Not that that’s a bad thing, I like the design, its simplicity is rather elegant and they clearly do what they’re meant to do.

Unlikely to happen unless Steve & co retire or sell the business.

Imagine if they did sell up to a bigger manufacturer. This place would go nuclear.

I’ve never seen a five at a trail centre

I’ve visited trail centres with Five owners many, many times, we do hide if we see you though.

we do hide if we see you though.

abit like the Elephant man, you hide your bike in the undergrowth incase a non-Orange rider recoils at the ugliness.

I dont think I’ve ever met a orange rider who cant ride/doesnt ride alot.

no, we have never met I don’t think!

Nervous downhill, a Five? WTF?! Only if you’re comparing it to a 322.

Orange bikes have that instantly “familiar” feel to them, like you have been riding one for years on your first ride. I’ve ridden lines on a 5 I just couldn’t manage on other bikes I have tried. They just fit and are very flattering and confidence inspiring. I only say they are not made so well made because i’ve had 2 orange bikes with off frame alignment. 1 sub5 (Ok we all knew they were terribly made) and 1 2011 ST4. The Rocker and shock were so out of line that the bearing was pulled from its seat. A few washers later and it’s fine. I doubt untechnically minded riders would notice some of the frame alignment issues. They feel so much smoother is everything is running perfectly inline. I think I would like to see the next one in the flesh before I bought it. I got my last one online. Would definately buy another.

Grumpy 5 owner, earlier:

I’ve never seen a five at a trail centre

You’ve obviously never visited a trail centre. 😉

I live in Halifax and don’t actually see many fives about.

I’ve never seen a five at a trail centre

I’ve easily seen more 5s at trail centres than any other bike!
I don’t dislike them, they just don’t pedal very well. I’d like a biggun for gravity stuff.

It did have horrid conti tyres.

You don’t think it’s maybe the tyres rather than the bike that made it feel nervous downhill? And that it would affect any bike? I despair at they’re continuing to spec OEM contis but their argument is that most owners fit what they want anyway.

It was never a problem when I got my Five as the dealer was happy to swap them out. Gyro was quickly sorted with a Hans Dampf/Nobby Nic but I guess it should come specced with better.

I think there’s two sides to Orange, I think the frames are great and I’m comfortable with the value and I think the frame weights are competitive (light even) for what they do. Despite perceptions, whenever I get on one, it always feels like an inconvenient truth when it comes to more sophisticated designs. I’m not saying they’re magic or anything, but I very rarely find other bikes to be any funner, faster, as responsive or more balanced to ride than an Orange.

However, the full builds highlight a small company struggling to match big gun suppliers. But selling full bikes in authorised dealers is a key part of their strategy and it works for them. Personally I’d always build a frame up though…

I also think they pedal brilliantly if your technique is good and you’re fit enough – the chain growth can really help if you work with it.

@Gary: Are you still planning on doing a comparison between the Gyro and Five29 ?

This whole thred has cracked me up. How can you have “hatred ” for a bike he he.

I’m on my second 5 and I love it even more than the 1st….but hey I’m a sweaty northerner (adopted admittedly) 😀

they just don’t pedal very well.

I’d agree with that based on a Five I had briefly with Fox RP23 that wallowed alot under my girth (however theres a fix now isn’t there?).

Ontop of this I’ve got a Patriot with a DSP Dueler ti coil shock and even when I stand up/pedal it doesn’t move much (I’m 100kg’s). So I think you can sort this issue out with tuning as with any frame really.

Its not hatred its ribbing and a hint of ‘it is bloody expensive for a single pivot bike’. THAT I can understand. Saying this – Buy a Liteville – Will it be twice the frame for almost twice its cost?

Doubtful.

sweaty or sweary?

or both 😯

5psi (or less) either way front and rear can make a massive difference I think. My first 5 felt dead on the climbs until I popped a bit more in the rear and a bit less in the front. Bingo…..top of hill here I come.

My latest (2013) 5 however is setup really soft and plush both ends (?!) but still pedals well.

But then I’m a sweary northener!

I’ve never seen a five at a trail centre

Every single time I go to a trail centre I see at least one Orange 5, mine!I don’t care what anyone thinks about my bike. It was cheap and it’s great. I wouldn’t buy a full build, but then again I don’t think i’d ever buy a full bike again. I’d deff buy another frame though. Next bike could be an Alpine 160 though!

The only time I’ve seen a 5 in person was when it was being ridden off the big step down/drop at Woburn (the one that ends up at the entrance footpath/end of hip line). And by that I mean the rider just rolled off at snails pace with no attempt to do it properly. Still not sure how he got away with no OTB, its a fairly big drop and really doesn’t look rollable! Must be that Yorkshire magic..

I don’t think anyone seriously hates them and if they do they’ve got serious issues. It’s only a bike.

When I was new to mtb’ing, I had a succession of single pivots, starting with a main attack trail in 1999. I bought this purely on component spec and cost because I knew nothing about full sussers.

Obviously, once I had invested the cash, single pivots were the best kind of full suss for all the reasons trotted out so far on this thread eventually I bought a sub5, a bike that I had lusted after since they came out.

It didn’t ride noticeably better than the Marin if I’m honest. I got through two frames and a front triangle during my Orange ownership. During that time I probably lost about four months of riding and was accused of lying about how I used the bike by Orange.

They could produce the best bike in the world tomorrow and I still wouldn’t touch it.

I had an awful experience of owning them, made so much worse by an appalling attitude to warranty, involving the most combative, distrustful, reluctant and recalcitrant lack of communication I have ever encountered. A bit like Pace really.

‘Oh,no, our products never fail. It must be your fault’

wallowed alot under my girth (however theres a fix now isn’t there?).

Yes – put more air in the shock and adjust the rebound compression. 🙄

Ramped it right up.

I remember reading a Q&A at the time with a head Orange chap – he said ‘we make the downtube welds etc stronger to resist stone dents.

My Five had a stone/trail dent RIGHT THERE ON THE FIRST FEW RIDES!

You must be enormously fat, or there was something wrong with the shock.

Good job they make the downtube welds stronger, then. Personally, I use a front mudguard all year round so I don’t have to rely entirely on my 5’s bomb-proof quality.

If I was a woman I’d be your charity-shag mrwoppit 😉

Buy a Liteville – Will it be twice the frame for almost twice its cost?

Doubtful.

http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/orange-five-full-suspension-mountain-bike-frame-id79267.html?gclid=CN_y1tHP8LgCFXLLtAod9GAArg

http://www.bromleybike.co.uk/shop/frames/mtb-frames/liteville-frames/liteville-301-mk10-1018592.html

Doubtful indeed. 😉

I can’t believe that this is still rolling!

Hora – if you don’t like trail centres I guess you don’t ride them much therefore your chances of seeing a Five there is much les… 😉

There’s normally loads at Cannock ridden by guys who can ride and others who can’t (not that it matters as long as they’re having fun and they’re entitled to spend their money on what they want).

The consensus seems to be some love them others don’t – like any other brand / frame.

GaryLake – Member

You don’t think it’s maybe the tyres rather than the bike that made it feel nervous downhill?

I think the tyres are part of the bike 😉 But yeah, Orange are mad frankly when it comes to tyres. Selling a £4000 bike with £1 Conti or Schwalbe OEMs, pretty damn shoddy, bike is not fit for purpose. Sending out your demo fleet with those tyres on? Actually insane. Honest mind, but still insane.

micky – Member

Orange bikes have that instantly “familiar” feel to them, like you have been riding one for years on your first ride

Bingo. TBH this is why I switched to the 224, I had a Last Herb which was better- I mean, measurably better, faster on the same runs. Bags more grip. But it was sort of hard to ride, always took me a while to adjust to it. The 224’s a wee bit ropey in some ways but it’s so straightforward, I can jump on it after 2 months off and be almost up to speed in a minute. Good trick.

I’ve just brought one based on reading good things about them & actually liking the look…that and a friend of a friend selling it cheap to get a quick sale so he can pick up a 650b version! It’s my first full suss & so far so good.

At the price I paid it was good value and would be easy to recoup losses should I decide against it but I really don’t think that’s gona happen given my first couple of rides.

I love it so far and am expecting a long and happy future 🙂

Mk10 301?

Pah. MK11’s the only way.

Trailcentres are great if you dont have any natural riding nearby.

45min to the Peaks, rivi 25mins, calderdale 50mins, 1.15hr to the south Lakes or……. 1hr30 to Gisburn?

Naaah!

A five as a first full sus? I wouldnt complain 😀

I’d agree with that based on a Five I had briefly with Fox RP23 that wallowed alot under my girth (however theres a fix now isn’t there?).

mine has an RP23 and as I said earlier it climbs much better than most of the fat knckers you see huffing slowly up the hills would have you believe.

Iv’e got high expectations of my this one which iv’e just finished today.Just felt very intrigued about the five so decided to build one up with all the parts off my hardtail.
The only down side is i now have too many full susses…lol
Big thanks to nick for the 2012 frame at silly money.Finish wasn’t the best so it went back to orange for a repaint.Must say the paint job is just absolutly amazing.Don’t think i would pay the £1700 for this frame new.Can’t wait till tomorrow…Wales here i come… 😀

Try it with a coil shock…even better!

I’m looking for one.(wated section) 😉
Also got lyriks for it

I went coil both ends. The rear shock in particular made a big improvement.

Found one….Tis mine… 😉
http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1388288/