Orange Five
87/100
BikeRide Score
?
The BikeRide Score ranks bikes from 0-100 based on opinions from users and experts. The higher the score is, the better. Read how it works
Facts
Summary of Reviews
We have read all expert and user reviews on this bike. In summary, this is what cyclists think.
13 reasons to buy
- The Five accelerates quickly – and maintains blistering speeds.
- This rig lends itself to a wide range of uses; trails, downhill and Enduro.
- 'Flickable’ is a term that's often used to refer to the Five’s snappy handling.
- Due to its single-pivot construction, the Five was easy to maintain and clean.
- Anti-squat has been improved, meaning less bob while pedaling.
- The pivot has been widened by 5mm either side, increasing stiffness.
- For the indomitable aluminum beast that it is, the Five is lightweight.
- Suspension progression has been increased over previous models.
- Updated geometry features a slacker, 65° head-angle.
- Tubing is sized to specifically fit frame sizes.
- Cable routing has been rethought to give a cleaner look and feel.
- The Orange Five now has bottle bosses on the underside of the downtube.
- The 210mm Fox Float DPX2 Factory rear shock has 5mm more than the previous model.
6 reasons not to buy
- Riders experienced pedal kickback on very rough terrain.
- The lockout needed to be used on flats with harder pedaling.
- With bosses being on the underside of the downtube, bottles got dirty.
- One reviewer felt the Five was expensive for an alloy bike.
- A relatively slack seat-tube angle made long climbs tiring for one expert.
- The Five demanded close rider attention to avoid unforgiving responses on sketchy trails.
Bottom line
Orange’s Five has maintained a cult following for almost 20 years. Pros and enthusiastic amateurs love the bike for being fast, fun and engaging. But it is that ‘engagement’ that comes at a certain cost. According to experts, you need to concentrate closely when aboard the Five, unless you want to experience some repercussions in the form of kickback. Even though the rear shock’s lockout needed to be used on fast-pedaling flats, most riders didn’t mind because it offered so much extra comfort overall. This is the latest model in a simple, fast, high-performance design that continues to delight and impress thrillseekers.Expert Reviews
80/100 based on 1 expert reviewsOrange Five Factory First Ride Review
Level 5 expert
2020 Orange Five RS: First Ride Review
Level 3 expert
Orange Five RS 2020 Live Ride Mountain Bike Review With Joe ‘Top Chief’ Barnes
Level 1 expert
Orange 5 Pro Bike Check
Level 1 expert
Orange Five 2019 – The Evolution of a Trail Icon
Level 2 expert
Rankings
Compared to other bikes
Top 1%
Comparison
In comparison to averages of categories