2019-05-01_Mountain_Bike_Rider

38 mbrm ay 2 019

new bikes

specification

Frame6061-T6alloy,

145mmtravel

ShockRockShox

Deluxe

ForkRockShoxPike

RCT3,150mmtravel

WheelsRaceFaceArc

30 rimsonHopePro

4 hubs,MaxxisMinion

DHF2.53cfront/DHR

II 2.4reartyres

DrivetrainSRAM

DescendantCarbon

34tcrankset,XO1

r- mech,GXshifter

BrakesSRAMGuide

RE,200/180

Components

RenthalApex

50mmstem,

RenthalFatBar

800mm,SDGRadar

saddle,RockShox

Reverb150mm

SizesS,M,L, XL,XXL

Geometry

SizeriddenXL

Headangle65°

Seatangle75°

BBheight329mm

Chainstay433mm

Frontcentre807mm

Wheelbase1,240mm

Toptube650mm

Reach 483mm

hiGhs

Moreprogressivesuspensionanda hostofgeometry

andsizechangesmaketheFivemorefunandcapable.Looks

bettertoo,withimproved cable routing and tubing shapes.

lows

Expensiveforanalloybike,and pedal kickback can be

anissueon really rough terrain.

1st impression

✗

✓

Bronson,toputit inperspective.ThesizeXLI rodehasalso
lostaninchontheseattube,givingmorestandoverheight
andtheabilitytoruna longerseatpost.It alsoopensupthe
biggersizingtosmallerriderswhowanttoridea super-long
bikeandwouldotherwisehavebeenunabletogetthesaddle
lowenough.
Thereartyreontheoldbikewouldroutinelyrubtheinside
oftheswingarm,butOrangehastakenstepstoaddress
thiswitha 10mmwidermainpivottoincreasestiffnessand
correspondinglya widerbackendwithbettertyreclearance.
Theinternallatticeinsidetheswingarmis refinedtoreduce
weight.A combinationofincreasedstiffnessandmoreroom
fortherearwheelmeanttheinnerfaceofthechainstayswere
unmarkedafterthreedaysofridingona 2.4inreartyre.
Therearealsoa hostoflittletouchesI like.Puttingbottle
bossesonthedowntubeis boundtodrawcriticismbecause
it putsyourbottleinthelineoffireoffthefrontwheel,butI
thinkit’sgoodtohavetheoptionfordrydaysorbottleswith
coveredvalves.Thecableroutingis muchimprovedtoo,with
thehosesandcablesenteringthedowntubemuchhigherand
closertotheheadtubesothere’slessshowing,andforminga
tighter,smarterarc.Thenthere’sthegreatnewsaddle,a tie-up
withSDGproducinga wider,moresupportiveandcomfier
seat,aswellasfaultlessspec,fromtheSRAMGuideREbrakes
totheXO1rearmech and on to the Renthal bar and stem.

thejuice
TheFivewentthrougha hostofchangesinmodelyear 2017
thatsawit adopt29erwheelsinitsnewandcomplementary
Stage5 guise,andin 2015 Orangemadesignificantchangesto
thegeometryofits27.5in-wheeledmodeltobringit inlinewith
themarkettrends.Is thenewFiveasbiga shake-up?No,the
suspensionbenefitsfrommoreprogressionthatmakesit easier
topumpthebikeintocornersorpopit intotheair,despiteits
extralength.I foundthislivelyfeelwasbestachievedonthe
oldbikewhenyouupgradedtotheX2shockandincreased
compressiondamping.It’stellingthatI rodethebikewitha
basicFoxFloatDPSshock(theDeluxewasn’tavailableyetfor
thelaunch)ontheRSspecwithoutcompression adjustments
and still found the bike poppy and fun.

ThesuspensionfeeloftheFiveis smoothandcapable;

thesimplesingle-pivotdesignis decentenoughtacklingbig

square-edgehitsandthemoreprogressivefeelmeansit flows

wellonswoopy,mellowtrails.TheFiveis atitsbestsliding

downsteeptrails,usingpocketbermsandcompressionsto

catchthebike—it’sheretheflexoftheframeworkstoyour

advantage,controllingthebikeandlettingyoufireoutofthe

cornerasfastasyoutipin.DroppingtheBBhasmadethe

bikefeelmorestablebutmostimportantlythere’snowdecent

lengthinthechainstaystolendyouconfidenceonthedescents.

It’snotwithoutitslimits,though:pedalkickbackrearsits

headwhenthingsgetreallyroughandI’mgladtheproduction

bikecomeswitha Pikeratherthanthe 34 —I’dstillupgradeto

theburlierFox 36 for£250extrathough.I’dalsolovetosee

a chainidlertoeliminateanypedalkickback,butasit stands

theFiveis a reallyfunbiketoride,andnowmorecapablethan

ever thanks to a host of changes that keep it relevant.

Jamie Darlow

Widermainpivotand

swingarmboosts

tyre clearance