General: Test: Orange Stage 5 RS – a UK cult bike?

Orange Stage 5 RS test: After years of further development of 29er bikes, long-travel fullys with large wheels are in vogue and Orange Bikes also has two models in its range. The Orange Stage 5 is the slightly tamer of the two, designed to keep trail bikers happy, while the longer-travel Stage 6 is aimed at the enduro community. We got the RS variant of the Orange Stage 5 for a test.

So there the Orange Stage 5 RS is in front of me. I've been riding a similar bike for years, a 29er fully with almost identical travel. That's why I'm particularly curious how the Orange Stage 5 performs in direct comparison. You don't have to tell a lot about the manufacturer here. Word should have gotten around by now that the English still handcraft their bikes together on the island.

The thing is designed to thunder downhill and uphill. I was told that everything that gets in your way should be destroyed. That needs to be checked. With the previous model, the Alpine 5, the bar was set quite high, a few of them drive around in the circle of acquaintances and they are real driving machines.

The frame of the Orange Stage 5 RS

Well, when a bike in Minion Yellow, with turquoise lettering, is announced via email, you first think of little yellow creatures giggling running around. Now there is actually a mountain bike in comic book yellow on my rear carrier. Awesome, just looks awesome. Kudos to whoever created this color combo. The metal company logo adorns the head tube. A piece of real craftsmanship in aluminium. Yep, and you can clearly see the welds. They also adorn the underside of most tubes, which are actually not tubes. They are made from sheet metal that is bent into a tube and then welded. A rare technique that is otherwise unknown to me from bicycle construction. Looks sturdy and high quality. That's why Orange also gives a 5-year guarantee on the frame.

But the highlight is the rear end. The rear wheel is attached to the frame with an extremely solid single component, i.e. chain and seat stays are combined in one component. So the whole bike comes across as a bit clumsy at first glance. However, if you lift it slightly for the first time, you will find a smile on your face. It looks heavier than it is. 13,82 kilos are still okay for this purpose and the stable parts.

At first it seems a bit long. But if you only look at the rear end, you quickly realize that the rear wheel has been brought more compactly to the frame than was the case with the predecessor. A total of ten millimeters have been saved. The head tube has also shrunk by a whopping three centimeters, from 140 to just 110 millimeters on a large frame. With 140/135 mm, the suspension travel is more than enough to shoot through the trails like lightning. Something has also been done on the rear end. The position of the fulcrum was slightly changed.

The Brits have many years of experience with the construction of single-pivot bikes and in all current models the pivot point is no longer in the down tube as it used to be, but in an "aluminium box" in the corner between the down tube and the seat tube, above the bottom bracket. The consistent design of the wheels on just one chainring on the crank allows this. This measure allows a larger support width of the rear triangle bearing, which promises more rigidity. In addition, the characteristics of the rear end could be further optimized. The storage itself is still as simple, robust and reliable as you are used to.

With the Orange Stage 5, too, the lines are routed inside the box swing arm. The relocation in the main frame is new, this has only recently been the case with the bikes from Halifax. The lines emerge at the front at a fairly flat angle of about 55 degrees. It takes some getting used to, but it turns out to be very well thought out. Cables and casings run to the cockpit without touching the frame anywhere. Nothing grinds, nothing rattles, nothing rubs. The frame does not need to be taped. Orange deliberately only offers the frame in M, L and XL. You do that because you only want to sell bikes that promise an optimal riding experience in the overall concept. So there is no S frame because S frames are supposedly just too small for 29er wheels and a lot of suspension travel. It sounds understandable, as small riders keep reporting that they touch the rear wheel on very steep passages when they are far behind the saddle.

Overall, the frame has been significantly modernized compared to its predecessor. The top tube is significantly lower and is connected to the seat tube by a gusset. The longer front and the shorter rear hit the spirit of the times. The design of the Orange Stage 5 looks really good. In terms of graphics and decals, previous models didn't always put that much effort into it. You can choose between many frame colors, some of which cost an extra 130 euros. It would be the same with our test bike. The Sram thru-axle, Maxle Ultimate 174mm, (the frame has Boost 148mm) is cleanly processed and has proven itself many times over.

Equipment of the Orange Stage 5 RS

The built-in components on the Orange Stage 5 RS largely match the bike perfectly. At no time did I have the feeling that the bike wouldn't do what I wanted. Only in relation to the price would I have expected more "bling-bling". As a logical consequence, however, this is a compromise that one accepts if one prefers a piece of "regional craftsmanship" to an "assembly-line product from the Far East". The RockShox Pike RCT3 Solo Air with its 140mm travel keeps the front on course and spoils you with good comfort and a lot of safety, just as you would expect from a trail fork. As usual, the rebound is at the lower end of the fork and the cover cap on the crown hides the valve for adjusting the air pressure. Once the air pressure and rebound were set, we didn't change anything, it fits all situations. The low-speed compression or the charger damping can be adjusted very easily with a rotary knob. You also notice a different behavior of the fork with each step. The small dial here influences the low-speed compression in the open position and we didn't change it often. However, we used the large Charger adjuster more often, it allows for quick, quite effective adjustment to different conditions. The 3 different settings are quickly understood: completely closed (if you have to drive a few kilometers on the road, for example), middle position (wavy terrain, on moderately difficult trails) and open (driving downhill in rough terrain).

A Rock Shox Monarch RT3 Debon Air works at the rear. We know it as a great damper, and it confirms that again. Here, too, air pressure and rebound are set quickly. Like the fork, it can be easily adjusted in compression in 3 stages. A dream for every touring rider. Stepping out of the saddle isn’t a problem either, we simply closed the damper. Quite frankly, the bike feels like more than 135mm of travel on the trail.

The brakes on the Orange Stage 5 RS also come from Sram, the Guide R with 200 or 180mm discs can be dosed very well. A quick twitch of your finger and you're standing. Slow, sensitive deceleration, eg on loose ground, is also possible. I really like the ergonomics and the brakes still don't let me down even on long journeys. In addition to decelerating, Sram is also trusted when accelerating. Different series of 11-speed groups are used, which work wonderfully together. From a purely technical point of view, there is nothing to complain about with the XO, GX and X1 Mix. However, given the price of the bike, one could expect a high-quality complete group. It is noticeable that it switches through well even under load.

With 1×11 and a 30 blade on the crank, I get along quite well on the 29er. That now depends entirely on where you drive and what you have driven before. With 11 gears either above or below, it feels like something is missing with this combination. If you are used to easier gears, you often want them when you have to climb steep, impassable ramps. However, this feeling sets in over time, you get used to it. Nevertheless: my dream bike would either have a tuning cassette like the E-Thirteen or a 12-speed Eagle group. Precisely because the orange is great for touring.

The Reverb dropper seatpost performs its job flawlessly. The Orange Stage 5 RS comes standard with a 125mm KS Lev Integra post; the RockShox is an optional extra. For an additional €105, you can choose between 125mm, 150mm, or even 170mm of travel. An SDG Bel Air 2.0 saddle is used. It offers excellent support and clean workmanship. I particularly appreciated the seamless surface and the slightly downward-curved nose. The rails are made of tough chromoly steel. The final point of contact with the bike is the cockpit. The handlebars: a Renthal Fatbar with a 20mm rise and an 800mm width, paired with a matching 50mm Renthal Apex stem. A handlebar setup that would also suit an enduro bike and underscores the potential of the Orange Stage 5.

The cockpit is absolutely ergonomic, since the shift lever, brake lever and telescopic support all come from the same company, everything can be positioned well and clearly here. The bike is always under control thanks to the wide handlebars, even when it is wet. The Renthal grips contribute to this. At first glance, the Ultra Tacky Lock On looks like a typical grip with two clamps. After touching it several times, you immediately notice that the handle is sticky. In practice, it also offers ultra-strong hold, whether wet or dirty. You no longer have to try frantically to hold on to the handlebars. It practically happens by itself. Only without gloves does it feel a bit strange, which is not a problem for me now because I always wear gloves anyway. The end caps are clipped in and close elegantly with the clamps. But you have to pay for the outstanding grip with faster wear. Already after the first few weeks you can see clear signs of wear on the handles.

The golden cult handlebars from Renthal including stem and grips fit well into the overall concept. Other parts from British manufacture are installed on the stage and thus close the circle to the origin of the frame. You can hear the Hope wheels immediately. When you roll through the bike park, it rattles a lot, I enjoy hearing the freewheeling. Somewhere in the midst of mountains with total silence maybe it can be disturbing. Here the spirits differ and it is a matter of taste. I got used to it quickly. In any case, the Hope hubs are absolutely reliable and always work perfectly, we give our word on that. Furthermore, all spare parts are available individually. The spoked Race Face ARC rims with an inner width of 30 fit well in terms of internal width and appearance, and the wheels also feel good on the trail. They accelerate reasonably and seem stable. But I don't want to hide the fact that we had to re-center after a weekend of bike park banging. Maxxis supplies the tires with the Minion DHF at the front and a High Roller II at the rear. A lot of grip, no punctures and acceptable rolling resistance uphill made me happy. I even had the impression that the tires contributed to the smooth running.

The driving impression of the Orange Stage 5 RS

The bike ran through the test phase for a month. Here was enough time for different testers to lead it through different terrain. Longer tours, sharper descents, flowing trails, stony passages, bike park banging and also a few kilometers on the road. First impression: set the saddle height, sit on it, off you go. The bike fits right away and you feel good. The geometry is just awesome. Very comfortable and yet sporty. At the end of longer tours, it still feels comfortable to sit on the bike. It's easy to put pressure on the front or rear, although the bike is big and long doesn't feel like you need excessive power.

The rear triangle is still not very short and so the bike climbs well, also thanks to the long front end and the compact head tube. If you often want to climb a lot of meters in altitude, you could invest in other tires and a gear system with a larger gear ratio range and thus shift the area of ​​use even more towards touring. I think with the right setup the Orange Stage 5 would also be fun on an alpine cross. If the damper is closed, there is practically no loss of power on the first part of the tour, on the road. Next stop: forest paths uphill, loose gravel, washed out paths. Set the damper to the middle position and off you go. Only on loose rock, when you step out of the saddle, does the rear tire occasionally go through, but that's nothing that comparable bikes can do better. It masters steep ramps and uphill trails excellently if you can handle a low pedaling frequency. It feels as if every step on the pedal lands directly on the track and you bring enormous power to the ground. A "round step" is of course an advantage, as is the closed damper. With a wild stomp while pedaling, you get the Stage 5 to rock.

The first descents, flowing trail. Absolutely awesome, the thing is ultra fast and drives down the mountain like it's on rails. Blocked parts of the track or larger scree are simply flattened and everything is rolled over. The combination of 29" and this geometry makes my heart beat faster. The funny thing is that it doesn't lose any of its agility and is super maneuverable through narrow and technically demanding passages. The brakes and tires provide security. You can always count on sufficient traction and braking power. That's why you like to let the chassis work and let the bike run. Regarding the chassis: the simply designed single-joint absorbs a lot and works no worse downhill than uphill. A slight brake stamping is already noticeable, but that is only a small point of criticism. Because the performance of the rear contributes a good deal to the fact that the bike remains so agile despite its smooth-running geometry. The rear end has "pop" and it's easy to get the rear off the ground and actively position the bike in a corner, for example.

Overall, the bike gives a lot of security. Due to the components, chassis and the sophisticated geometry. The position on the bike is also right and you feel safe on steep sections or steps. I can well imagine that, depending on the parts used, you can build the Orange Stage 5 not only as a trail bike, but also as a tourer or light enduro. The bike has a lot of potential and in my opinion it has what it takes to become a cult bike, like its 27,5″ brother, the Five, from the traditional forge from Halifax.