Trail Bike Of The Year - Contender - Orange Five S
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.พ. 2025
- BikeRadar's search for the best mountain bike is over. With a long-list of 25 120mm-140mm bikes costing £2800-£3300, the Orange Five S finished up as a top contender.
A massive thanks to www.blacktowntr... for helping us out with guiding, accommodation and extra riders, and www.brittany-fe... for helping us get there!
had an orange 5 for 4 years now, awesome bike.
Had my Orange Five Pro for 7 months now, extremely capable bike, absolutely love it!
still loving my 2012 five
Same here. Better built too
I love my 2013 Orange Five Pro and I'm 62!
Firstly I don't understand how people can comment on a bike they have not ridden. Full stop. Secondly I 'took a punt' (Australian way of saying 'gamble') bought a 2018 orange 5 frame from my local bike shop with fox float shock, added some 150 fox 36 factory's up front and built it up from the leftovers of the 2016 trek slash 9.9 which I had killed in less then 6 months (the pike on the slash was donated to my hardtail 🙂).
If the orange can take a beating. It can take on double black diamond Dh runs. (Mind you I drop the seat post another 50mm + 125mm fox transfer dropper). It can jump, big and small. It doesn't climb like a hardtail because it's not a hardtail but it climbs beautifully. It loves to drift the rear. It is by far the most fun bike I've owned or ridden. I have a huge grin every time I board my orange. If my orange 5 was a woman I'd marry it. If my bike was dropped from an aeroplane it would probably survive but say it didn't I would pay double what I paid if I had to to replace it. I could not picture life without one of my legs or without my orange 5.
It truly is a stag party on wheels. A rude boy. A fucken beast of a bike!
You, are 100% correct! I demo-ed one and was laughing hysterically and shredding at the same time, such a good bike. My next bike will be an Orange, and the next one, and the one after that, without a doubt.
Ik this is an old thread but I was just wondering if u had any complaints about it as I am thinking of buying one? :)
Jake Simkins me too, but im struggling against this 27.5 or 29er issue at moment as if i get a 27.5 am i behind the times and fives only come in 27.5 :/
This is a super tough bike. I bought my Orange 5 in 2009 after destroying two Specialised frames and a Carrera before that. Rode the 5 for six years, and I am a mid to heavyweight rider that liked to smash the occasional DH run and all my local trails are very hard on kit. The 5 was bomb proof. I sold it for about what I paid for it so it was a great investment (looking at a 6E to start riding again.) Its a chunky bike but they seem to hold value very well. Sort of the Rolex of MTB's, tough, reliable, hold value and never out of fashion but quite a big initial investment!
Still loving my 2002 Sub 5! 👍
My 2005 five is still going strong
I have an Orange five rs version and love it! I bought it for simplicity and very easy to service. Yes I agree direct sales would be the way forward. Due to its single pivot it has 2 large bearings which last ages. My old specialized stumpjumper sworks model had loads of little bearings which were far too small to cope and needed to be replaced very frequently. Which you can't do easily yourself, big nightmare.
Still have a MK1 from 2014 and it's a great all round bike. But do not expect the premium suspension as multi pivot bikes. Also, it is very easy to mess up with aftermarket shocks, so choose wisely. Running an EXT Storia Lok and still trying to find the perfect tune.
why doesn't orange go direct sales? It's eye-wateringly expensive for a heavy single pivot frame/bike. How much fun it is won't matter if you can't buy it :( +bikeradar
Companies will figure that out with the rise of direct sales companies, I feel like canyon being introduced in the United States will especially will send a message to some companies that they have to go direct sales to compete. As companies like YT and Commencal continue to get more popular this will become more obvious.
Goodman 4525 oranges aren't that heavy.
Tom Mellows I know but they are compared to competition
The Orange 324 is the lightest production DH frame.
+Tom Mellows What are your sources?
im massively biased as I've always wanted an orange since being a kid and seeing those crazy box section swing arms. it is eye wateringly expensive 😥 and hasn't got the greatest spec but it is as British as a pork pie and a cup of tea and I love it.
Someone has recommended this to me second hand as a beginner.
ill neVer sell my orange!!
Thomas Marvin - you were doing so well up until 4:19 - when those classic Bike Radar sofa 'mime hands' came out again.
Orange are Awesome bikes
Will you be reviewing the Whyte T130 C RS?
Honestly using "it's hella fun" as an argument is really annoying. You know what other bikes are really fun to ride? Every other bike in this category, and this one is incredibly expensive all things considered. Plus, it uses the most old school shock design I think you can buy on something this price. Is that a bad thing? I'm not really sure because all the presenters could talk about was how much fucking fun it was.
Mediarahan If the suspension design works, and works well why should they change it?
I hear you, but... just 'cos it's an old design, it doesn't make it bad - it has its issues (which we mentioned), but if you like the feel (and it's a very communicative bike, that's for sure), then it's hilarious to ride. Yes, a lot of the bikes in our test were a lot of fun (you're only seeing less than half the bikes we tested for Trail Bike of the Year), but every bike is different. Some are incredibly efficient and smooth, making them fast but perhaps a bit dull. Others kick you in the balls when you get it wrong, and make for an exhilarating ride. Technically the single pivot system is relatively basic, but by moving the pivot point around you can change the feel of the bike, and Orange have shifted it this year - we think for the better.
Ultimately we had a total of 9 different, experienced, testers contributing towards TBOTY this year, and the Five was one of the few bikes that was constantly fought over for testing and photo/video shooting - because it's an absolute blast to ride. And, as that's the case, I feel our comments on it being fun are worth including.
Oh yea old design means it must be shit right 😂 it's a review and you're complaining about what the riders think of the bike
I think that's a valid point to make. You could have the "best" bike in the world on paper but if it's no fun to ride then why would you want it? In fact, you could argue the fun factor is the most important thing about a bike.
why we don't see any hardtail conteder??? some are capable enough. what about surly instigator or orange p7 or ragley bluepig or so many more bikes.
so how would you rate this to the stage 6?
I always found those mono style of swing arms laterally flexy as hell, not to mention the rear end unloading and tossing me over the handlebars 🤔
testing316 mines never flexed really stiff actually
what is your definition of heavy because i have a 42 pound steel fatbike
The sickest paint job!! Does anybody know what shoes these are? I'm doing mountainbiking videos myself, and am currently looking for new shoes :) Thanks!
That doesn't seem right ;)
Hey, they're Shimano M089s - pretty good XC/trail shoes. I prefer the ME7 though (but they are a chunk pricier)
Thanks, Tom!
Can anyone out there recommend a rear mudguard for the Orange 5?
anyone else think there is only 2 colors for an orange ... orange with black decals ... and black with orange decals
What about the YT Jeffsy... was it on the test?
I'm still wondering...
Unfortunately YT were unable to get us a 2017 bike for this test, so, sadly, no YT this year.
oh...well thanks anyways
So, how heavy is it?
77MrAH. No, 30lbs
My Orange FOUR is about 13kg, so I'd imagine the FIVE is between 14-15kg
I remember Fabio Wibmer in this bike
I had an Orange Alpine, never again, bike was loads of fun to ride but the frame cracked because of the shoddy welding on it, I've seen several Alpines in varying models that have cracked in the same place in the same way and Orange think that's not a manufacturing defect, they can keep their bikes and shove them.
i reckon the orange 4 is better
I have an orange FOUR and I love it. It just loves to be chucked about.
#win
Expensive old technology. Marty McFly called and said he wants his 80s bike back!
It was only ever a copy of the 90's Marin single pivot bikes. Never understood why people still buy it.
Obviously never ridden one. Then you would realise how much fun they actually are.
first
Overpriced piece of crap no dropper yari fork for over 3k? what a joke .
SeezMtb yr a joke
You're only looking at the numbers
My £600 hardtail has the same brakes. Orange are a complete rip off
01phantomx that's a bit like saying a Lamborghini uses the same screws as a fiat panda and then saying a Lamborghini is a rip off
And if you didn't buy it then how did you get ripped off?
Poor analogy. The brake is a much more impactful part of a vehicle than a screw.
It's also a hardtail and isn't hand made in the UK. So what?
Way expensive old tech? No thanks.
first like
same design for decades... would need some refresh, the rear arm can be worked and be made to be more elegant
Cycling is overpriced a rip off my mate got a new Suzuki gsx r 125 for 4grand . Sorry but they're laughing at us cyclists
So what's the weight ? Thinking about getting the factory