Riding the new Orange Five
Orange flew us out to Punta Ala, Italy to give their new bike a test and gather some first ride impressions. The trails we rode were mainly undulating with fast flowy sections and some steep climbs – the perfect terrain for the Orange Five.
It was immediately noticeable how well the Orange Five picked up speed. The suspension stiffens up under power meaning the bike accelerates well when sprinting. When climbing in a seated position the high anti-squat of the Orange Five meant pedal bob was minimal. However, due to the relatively slack seat angle, we felt like our weight was positioned a little too far over the rear wheel which compromised comfort and performance and let the bike down on long seated climbs.
On smooth and fast descents the Orange Five really came to life. It felt very playful and lively and wanted to pop and boost off any rock or jump on the trail. This made even the mellower trails exciting and had us grinning the whole time. The components on the Factory model we rode performed faultlessly, and we were especially impressed by the grippy and predictable Maxxis DHF/DHRII tire choice. The bike felt composed and stable in the air, yet still maneuverable and flickable when desired.
The geometry changes on the new Orange Five came into their own on the descents. The longer reach and wheelbase felt confidence inspiring and gave us space to move about on the bike. The lower bottom bracket and longer chainstays meant the Five was composed through corners and allowed us to push hard.
On very rough trails, however, the single pivot that gives the Orange Five it’s brilliant playful and lively characteristics has some drawbacks. The rear end was not able to absorb bumps and holes as well as the best multi-link bikes and we sometimes found ourselves struggling to keep our feet on the pedals (flat pedals) on particularly harsh sections of trail due to pedal kickback from the chain growth inherent in the system. This was especially noticeable when braking hard, as the high levels of anti-rise firmed up the suspension and reduced its responsiveness. Although the suspension system on this bike may not be the smoothest available, the grin-inducing fun and playfulness it offers on the vast majority of trails are what has made it so popular amongst Orange fans over the years, and the new Five is no different.
Conclusion
The Orange Five has always had a strong following of fans. Those who chase reliable trail performance are drawn in by its simple single pivot design and won over by its fun-loving attitude and do-it-all riding character. While our brief first ride is not enough to draw any final conclusions, our first impressions are that the changes made to the new Orange Five all translate to positive performance on the trail. If you’re looking for a simple, reliable and fun trail bike that won’t let you down the new Orange Five is definitely worth considering.
Tops
- Fun and playful on flowy trails
- Accelerates well
- Simple and reliable design
Flops
- Relatively slack seat angle
- The rear suspension does not cope with super rough trails as well as the best multi-link bikes currently available
For more info head to orangebikes.co.uk
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