If there was ever a bike that polarised opinion it was the plucky Orange Five. Keyboard warriors and those that had never ridden one would comment “It looks like a garden gate”, “nice hinge”, “who brought the filing cabinet”. But, as always, the proof is in the riding and the Orange Five rode well, great in fact. The Five, in its many incarnations, has been on the market for 10 years now and despite small updates to the geometry the distinctive silhouette has remained. The latest incarnation of the bike retains the familiar Five style but has received subtle changes that bring it, on paper at least, bang up to date with the current ‘long and slack’ movement, it was time for a test.

The new Orange Five RS, 13.75 kg of hinged fun
The new Orange Five RS, 13.75 kg of hinged fun

The new Five has been stretched a little, 10 mm in the top tube to increase performance with short stems and slackened out 0.5 degrees (to 66 degrees) in the head tube to reflect the more challenging trails we ride now. Traditionally considered very expensive due to being hand built in Britain, as global bike prices have skyrocketed the Five’s price of £2600 to £4000 (as tested) seems almost good value. Being a single pivot the Five still maintains the legendary two bearing reliability, so if you are a regular mud plugger you will spend more time riding the bike and less time taking it to bits. It was time to put one to the test.

The new Five is available in three models, the Five S, Five Pro and Five RS (Five RS tested), and each model can be customized right down to the wheels, brakes and colour (there are 12 colors than can be chosen). We received the top of the line Five RS model that retails for £4000 (there is an ENVE M60 Forty option for those with wads of cash) and looked impressive in the distinctive Fizzy Orange colour scheme.

Love it or hate it the Orange Five is an iconic bike, British engineering at its best
Love it or hate it the Orange Five is an iconic bike, British engineering at its best
five geo
The new Five geometry, longer, lower and slacker
The new Five geometry, longer, lower and slacker

The frame is made from folded Monocoque Reynolds 6061-T6 aluminum tubing and features a 142 x 12mm Maxle rear end. Orange are proud of their 0.47% failure rate over the last ten years, and it all looks very well made. The rear swingarm has been modified with new dropouts and extra folding in the monocoque, which Orange claim boosts stiffness 15%. The cable routing has been tidied up too, with neat internal routing for the dropper seat post and the rear brake and transmission cables routing cleanly through the swingarm. The biggest visual changes is the new straight top tube, giving the bike a leaner, meaner stance that looks cleaner and more aggressive. The shock mount has been lightened and improved to help spread the stress dispersal through the downtube.

New dropouts and a revised swingarm add 15% more stiffness
New dropouts and a revised swingarm add 15% more stiffness

Without complex linkage pathways, single pivot bikes will be heavily dependent on suspension to provide good damping and spring curve characteristics so we were pleased to see a RockShox Monarch Plus RC3 shock looking after the 140 mm of rear travel. This is balanced at the front with a RockShox Pike 27.5 150 mm RCT3 fork, which we know is a superb performer. The drivetrain looks great too, the simplicity and functionality of the full SRAM X1 group set complements the nature of the Five well. We know that the single pivot suspension requires a longer chain length than some so we were pleased to see a MRP 1x Guide keeping the chain secure on the front ring.

The new straight top tube adds and aggressive air to the bikes stance
The new straight top tube adds and aggressive air to the bikes stance

Being a UK based company and targeting the bikes at tough British weather, it was no surprise to see components used from the other UK legendary company Hope technology. The Hope Pro II Evo hubs are not the lightest choice but have proven in the field to be easy to service and very reliable, and perfect if you love a ‘hiker scaring’ loud freehub buzz. The hubs are laced to 27.5 Mavic EN323 rims reflecting that same robust reliability, we had hoped to see bigger rubber than the Continental Trail King 2.2, but they are a good option for trail riding.

Shimano XT brakes provided reliable and powerful deceleration
Shimano XT brakes provided reliable and powerful deceleration

We were pleased to see the Shimano XT brakes and they provided robust braking throughout the testing. Nothing makes us breath out a quiet expletive more than seeing 70 mm stems and narrow bars on trail bikes, but luckily Orange listen to the market and riders and supply a very aggressive and functional cockpit with a Kore 50 mm stem and Kore Torsion 800 mm 20 mm rise bars. This allows the bars to be customized for correct sizing, listen up bike industry – you can always cut some off, you cannot add it back!

A full SRAM X1 drivetrain suits the bike, the single ring reducing chainslap
A full SRAM X1 drivetrain suits the bike, the single ring reducing chainslap

Climbing

The old Five was an OK climber, not the best but happy to hold its own, it will never win an XC race but it’s aimed at riders who wear baggies and enjoy a pint at the end. The RCT3 platform on the new Five keeps the swingarm stable when in firm mode and long fireroad spins are easy and efficient. You have to keep smooth on the pedals though, if you get choppy with your power delivery you will start bouncing the single pivot rear end, especially sprinting up short climbs in fully open mode.

The MRP chain guide is a nice touch, keeping everything in order
The MRP chain guide is a nice touch, keeping everything in order

The riding position is upright and compact, the effective 74 degree seat angle keeps rider weight central and efficient, and the wide bars make it easy to bully the bike up rough climbs. The new a longer wheelbase means the Five handles technical climbs with more control and there are no problems with front end lift on steep ascents. The Five comes in generous sizes so even on the medium bike we tested there was plenty of room to breathe.

Descending

Sitting on the new Five two things are immediately apparent, the first is that the new bike is a lot longer, the second is it still feels like a Five. In place of cleverly worked out axle paths, leverage ratios and unnecessary links, Orange has always tapped into another crucial truth, fun = speed. We are not saying there is no thought behind the placement of the mounts and pivot to get the best out of the design, quite the opposite, but what matters here is that it isn’t too important. What is crucial is that it works, it’s super reliable and completely predictable.

Orange has always tapped into another crucial truth, fun = speed
Orange has always tapped into another crucial truth, fun = speed
The single pivot does not generate the same grip as other platforms but it great fun
The single pivot does not generate the same grip as other platforms but it great fun
Face of fear, or angry aggression, it's a Five thing
Face of fear, or angry aggression, it’s a Five thing

Yes it breaks traction in an array of scenarios and the suspension suffers from noticeable brake jack if you are pulling hard on the panic handles, but if you enjoy this loose feeling you can manoeuvre yourself down the trails grinning like an near-adult on a bike should. In order to get the most out of the Five you have to be more active than usual, it‘s certainly no skills compensator on the limit but it’s riotous fun and induces a childlike eagerness to hoon. The design lends itself well to picking up speed through pumping and hopping more than pedalling when the terrain is favourable and if that’s your thing, it’s a bloody fast, fun way down the hill.

It's a bloody fast, fun way down the hill
It’s a bloody fast, fun way down the hill

The longer front end has improved the handling, making the bike easier to carve through the turns, and the aggressive Pike allows you to drift and rear wheel steer round turns with complete control. If you ride it gingerly or nervously you will not get the Five at all, it’s a bit like an angry dog, you have to grab it by the scuff of the neck and take control.

Bottom line

Orange have taken on current trends well without diluting the nature of the Five. Yes, you can buy more grip, more refined suspension and more travel for less money, but not many bikes possess this sort of easy going enjoyment, not in as good an array of colours anyway. Orange have not only produced a cult classic with the Five, something that sells well and appeals to a certain market because of image and prestige, but also an anomaly, a freak of nature, something that defies the science we all nerd over these days. If you liked the original Five you will love this!

For more information check out the Orange website

Words: Trev Worsey and James Knowles Pictures: Trev Worsey


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