Press ReleaseOrange Bikes is expanding its iconic range with the launch of two radical new 29er models, both aimed at more experienced riders looking for racing-winning performance.
The Stage 5 and Stage 6 are the latest in Orange’s lineup of hand-built single-pivot bikes, designed around a 29” wheel but featuring more aggressive geometry for higher speeds on more challenging terrain. In their special ‘Launch’ editions, both bikes feature Boost spacing, internal routing and high-end parts from Fox, Hope, Race Face and Shimano XT.
The Stage 5 is billed as a seriously fast, versatile trail bike and offers 140mm front and 135mm rear travel, delivered through a frame that’s long, slack and low for superb stability and great handling. Meanwhile, the Stage 6 is a race-ready Enduro bike fit for the world’s toughest courses. Suspension travel here is 160/150mm, creating a bike that’s totally unfazed at very high speeds on the roughest, steepest and longest descents. Both bikes’ super-stiff pivots are positioned to complement the latest shock technology, providing controlled suspension performance coupled with excellent pedalling efficiency.
Orange Owner, Ashley Ball, explained, “We’ve been developing our Stage bikes for a while, and now we’re totally satisfied we’ve hit the geometry sweet-spot where faster-rolling 29” wheels don’t compromise performance on the most technical trails. These bikes redefine what 29ers can do, and they suit experienced riders who want flat-out speed wherever they ride, for leaving their mates behind, ruling Strava, or winning world enduros.”
Orange Stage 6• Handbuilt in Britain
• 5 year frame warranty
• 29" tubeless wheelset
• Unique monocoque aluminium and custom formed tubing chassis
• Single pivot suspension for the utmost performance, efficiency and reliability
• Increased length toptube and wheelbase coupled to a shorter stem for high-speed stability
• 160mm Front/150mm rear travel
• Fox 36 Factory Kashima 160mm Boost Fork
• Fox Float X2 Factory Rear Shock
• Enduro race honed geometry
• Fox Transfer Factory Kashima 6in Dropper Seatpost
• Stage 6 Launch Edition: £5,500.00
Orange Stage 5• Handbuilt in Britain
• 5 year frame warranty
• 29" tubeless wheelset
• Unique monocoque aluminium and custom formed tubing chassis
• Single pivot suspension for the utmost performance, efficiency and reliability
• Increased length toptube and wheelbase coupled to a shorter stem for high-speed stability
• 140mm Front/135mm rear travel
• Fox 36 Factory Kashima 140mm Boost Fork
• Fox Float X2 Factory Rear Shock
• Enduro race honed geometry
• Fox Transfer Factory Kashima 6in Dropper Seatpost
• Stage 5 Launch Edition: £5,500.00
www.orangebikes.co.uk
jock-rock/butt-rock? And vice versa?
I don't really see the need to discuss 29ers.
That's been done.
Don't see the need to discuss Orange bikes.
You either like them or you don't. They'll always have a place to be loved and hated.
Ok, so I lean towards the harder metal myself.
Pantera, Slayer, Lamb of God, etc.
But I can appreciate all types of music.
I secretly have some metal ballad compilation in my iTunes. Saigon Kick? WTF?
Would definitely laugh at someone for playing it but don't feel the need to turn it off when it comes on.
Gay metal at its finest.
Now the Nickelbacks and Three Doors Downs of the world I can't get.
Butt-rock at its worst.
So I guess I agree with Waki in saying that even gay metal is metal. And even 29ers are mountain bikes, even if a little gay.
I'll know better after I build my new 29er.
Ok Metal master. Who is this?
efukt.com/2431_Death_m-etal_Porn.html
Give me your address and I'll mail it to you on a zip drive
Now fast forward to 2017! I'm on a 2016 trek fuel ex 9.9 build, with NOx carbon 35mm Am wheelset and the thing rips! But u no what .Id still ride the crankbros on a better frame over a bottlerocket period...Lol
As for the bottlerocket hmm I'll start with its heavy ,welds look shawdy ..It's single pivot and paint chips easily..Just not something I'd ride ..Oh and it's not a 29..ha
What do so many of you find appealing about these bikes? Compared to other bikes (which I'm assuming are much more highly-engineered), how can a single-pivot linkage compete with a more "modern" linkage? Especially in terms of brake jack and pedal bob?
Once again, I'm not bashing the bike. Just wondering why such a low-end frame is outfitted with such high-end components.
To some people (not me) an alloy single pivot frame = low-end.
Although if it aint broke..
Brake *squat* isn't necessarily negative. Basically all bikes, even multi-link bikes, have some squat designed in so the front and rear both compress a bit when you're on the brakes. If your frame has lots of brake squat you just have to choose your braking points a bit smarter.
Pedal bob is a bizarre thing to care about unless you're racing XC. Who cares if your rear bounces a bit going up hill as long as it is stupid fun going down?
I recently switched from a KS-Link bike to an orange and it suits my style better and is still more than capable enough to plow through serious stuff (which is usually not the most demanding part)
can you imagine the hate Norco would get if they released a bike that looked like this?
You get a 5 year warranty on the frame and the customer service is second to none. I change the frame bearings myself every year for $30 and i ride twice a week all year round in the peak and lake districts in the uk.
The orange 5 bike which is the 'do it all' bike won bike of the year in the UK for 5 years running.
Lots of people get hung up on the single pivot saying its simple and low tech. but highly engineered doesn't mean a good bike. F1 cars are highly engineered but they are rubbish for nipping down the shops in lol
All i say to them is ride one and you will get it.
www.pinkbike.com/u/WAKIdesigns/blog/waki-leaks-installment-8-mental-side-of-mtb.html
youtu.be/fCfoAbxnyMA
What has really helped orange bikes feel a lot better is not honing the design (this does help a bit tho) but shock development with such things as evol air can and volume spaces means you can use the shock to compensate for the lack of linkage and tune it to suit your needs and desired feel.
Brake jack is still an issue tho and unfortunately having ridden oranges and bike with anti brake jack designs, it really does make a difference to the rear end.
There are two clear downsides of single-pivot frames:
1. It's harder to get enough stiffness without adding a load of weight - but 1x helps with that (wider pivots) as does Boost (wider pivots).
2. You have less marketing ammunition because every company using a more complex suspension design tells the buying public that single-pivot is a bad idea.
(I don't own an Orange, I own a short-link 4-bar or virtual pivot bike. But I like facts and truth...)
@RLEnglish: What bikes have a similar axle path to that of a single pivot except other single pivots? Many designs lengthen the chainstay to stretch the chain and prevent the damper from moving. If the bike anti-squats when pedaling then your rear suspension is still moving and the damper still consuming energy. There's nothing special about a damper rebounding instead of compressing from an energy loss standpoint.
There is very little variation in axle path between all the designs out there, the exception being high single-pivots which need an idler to reduce kickback.
AFAIK anti-squat just refers to the suspension de-compressing under pedal stroke as opposed to compressing. "Normal" designs are such that when you pedal, the rear shock initially compresses (and then must rebound). An anti-squatting design first rebounds (and then must compress).
Edit: One last point. To put this all together, what I am saying is that for a single pivot design there is no force to oppose the anti-squat motion, at least not coming from the chain. The torque generated by pedalling is the only one present, and it will act to move the rear damper one way or the other.
I could be misunderstanding all these ideas - I'm not expert, I just read stuff online.
There should be variation in axle path compared to a single pivot by any design for which there is a linkage on the chainstay. Based on my understanding I could write an article on axle path, but as I said, I could just be blowing smoke.
@powderturns - trust me, it looks rather fine out on the trail, I've seen worse. Like a pink Bronson with blue stickers I can probably ask my friend to let me try it! I masturbated the hell out of Strava segment on my own bike and it happens that the track lies very close to his house so maybe I could check it with the clock. I will figure out some good time measuring device.
All I mean is, there is no point to overthink it. Point remaining single pivots have their flavor and they are not much worse than complicated designs, especially given the progress in air shocks. At least not within the limited skill level of Pinkbike mortals. Hence it's about FLAVOR... ekhem... FLAVOUR
Rode my 2013 Patriot today and just had blast in the slickest conditions all year, the longest 2wheel drifts i´ve ever done and bouncing and popping from berm to berm. I am just amazed how an 180mm bike can be more rewarding to ride in an active manner, than the 140/160 trail bike i had before
Here's my trophy wife
www.pinkbike.com/photo/13823755
Cheers!
Rich has nothing to do with it. Getting deals and having skill set to build it is everything. Obviously you know nothing about this.
It is 68.
When you hit 69 you must turn around!
If wheel strength isn't the concern we make it out to be, then I see no reason not to have the biggest darn wheel you can. As I recommend to new riders: Get the largest wheel you can that will be strong enough to survive your application. DJ goes 20" because they have to; If you don't have to, then go 99" for all I care.
That said, according to the shops I spoke with, Hecklers just didn't sell very well. It'd be a bad business decision to have such a wide lineup and my guess is they couldn't justify the cost of keeping it around. Their alloy bikes now are considerably less expensive than they were a few years ago, too.
IMO Orange pricing is a bit steep in this market, £5500 is a lot of money for an Alloy bike
29ers are the way forward. And this orange looks fecking ace.
"For certain designs, as the suspension moves, the chain is stretched - this resists further movement of the suspension. At least this is how I understand this particular design concept. (Note that single pivot designs cannot do this at all since the length of chain from rear sprocket to front chainring is fixed).
AFAIK anti-squat just refers to the suspension de-compressing under pedal stroke as opposed to compressing. "Normal" designs are such that when you pedal, the rear shock initially compresses (and then must rebound). An anti-squatting design first rebounds (and then must compress)."
Single-pivot bikes achieve anti-squat through chain growth when the pivot is not concentric with the bottom bracket. The chain length is only fixed with concentric BB pivots, any other pivot position causes changes in chain length through the travel.
A design with 100% anti-squat does not bob because the forces are balanced. The suspension only extends under pedalling if the anti-squat is well over 100%.
Nothing wrong with latest bikes, most are superb. but sometimes you need to feel like you going fast to get the thrill.
BTW I have an Orange Segment so I am biased.
Escort/Orange - www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQAsUOcbtF0&t=62s
Modern Car/Bike - www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCapT61G6gI
The choice is yours
Because the rest of us.... well... good luck getting an Orange. They're expensive as hell to ship over here. I almost ordered one about a year ago but just shipping it was gonna be $500.
Beyond that... those look like they came out 8 years ago....
...but at prices like these I'd look elsewhere. Sorry.
I bought a new Orange Five in October 2011, loved every minute of owning and riding it and then having demoed a new Five Mk2 and a Bird Aeris in late 2015, I decided to test the water elsewhere. I sold my Five last May and bought an Aeris.
The Aeris has been great, but despite it's undoubted qualities, it isn't an Orange and I'll be back on a new Five before the spring.
They might not be the prettiest bikes out there, you do pay a premium for buying a bike that is hand built in Britain and the budget can be a stretch for top spec kit.
But, the bottom line is that Orange have refined the single pivot design to near perfection, the bikes are a piece of cake to maintain, they're great fun to ride and they just work perfectly in our 'mixed' riding conditions.
don't forget the fair weather riders as well!! don't want to risk there HOPE brakes not working due to a little bit of that moist stuff we seem to see a lot over hear!
www.pinkbike.com/photo/14361145
At 4500 you think yeah that's a fair price positioning itself below the big carbon hitters but at 5500? That's some serious competition new slash new enduro29 Hightower sb5.5c
@siencs tv......
www.pygaindustries.com/frame/stage
Maybe just to make the Stage 5 look more like a Five, And the 6 to look like an Alpine?
If you search online you can find the pictures of them.
Over it
see that's the thing, people are quick to judge on perceived perceptions. With no real experience of how something works in practice. The latest incarnation of Orange pivot placement, with lower front end shock eyelet is fantastic. Jokes like 'filling cabinet' are so old. Modern oranges are not even particularly heavy anymore my Five is 28lbs with some robust tyres. Lighter than most of my riding buddies carbon multi-link bikes. Several of which are on their second frames. Following prolonged warranty handling.
no, one is black and the other blue/black. I used to be an orange fan boy