Medium or Long travel Full Sus???

min_the_merciless

Hello everyone,

this is my first post so here goes (bit of a long one, sorry).

Basically, I’m in the market for a new bike but cant decide which one I want. I’ve narrowed it down to 3 bikes:

Orange 224
Orange 5 AM
Santa Cruz Heckler

I am in a position where I could afford any of the bikes above (thanks to 0% interest free credit spread over 24 months ). I have some experience with mountain bikes, I’ve visited a few forests around the UK including Swinley Forest and totally enjoyed it. Personally I found downhill more enjoyable and not really afraid to try any of the jumps or drops etc. The bike I was using was one of the one’s available for hire at Swinley forest (hard tails).

Ok, so I want to eventually get into more hardcore downhill circuits so basically I want to know which would be the best bike to get? Would an Orange 5 or Heckler be able to handle some of the more extreme DH trails found at Glentress or even the black trails at Whistler B.C (I will reach the promise land one day)? Or……would I definitely need the 224 for those kinda places?? I don’t really wanna buy a medium travel full suss, then realise a year later I really need a 200mm full suss? What is the likelihood of me pushing the bike hard enough to require 200mm of travel anyway?? Could a 160mm front fork be able to repeatedly take 10/15ft jumps and still be ok??

Also, what is the 224 or any other DH bike going uphill?? Since, even at Swinley you do have to climb uphill to go downhill (I’m assuming most trails are like this). Is a DH bike solely for DH runs or can I ride it around the forest (I see a lot of people pushing their bike uphill to the start of a DH run). Advice would be great, thanks.

supersonic

Best advice I can give is arrange for a test! As for bikes surviving big drops, a lot of it depends on the landing - land flat with the wheel crossed over and its usually goodbye wheel and fork ;-)

dave_hill

First off you've picked three very different bikes.

The 224 is a pure downhill rig. Long wheelbase, slack geometry, long-travel suspension. It's going to be a nightmare if you have to pedal up anything for any distance.

The 5 and the Heckler are what I'd call All-mountain, with the 5 having more of a cross-country bias than the Heckler. From what you've described as the type of riding that you intend to do, I'd say that none of the three bikes that you've selected would fit the bill.

I'd say that you need something which as about a halfway-house between a full-on freeride rig and a burly all-mountain iron.

Have a look at - Giant Reign X; Specialized SX Trail; Marin Quake XLT; Scott Gambler FR

The Giant is a burly all-mountain/light freeride rig; The Specialized is similar but has more of a freeride bias; The Marin and the Scott are both full-on freeride bikes but both seem to be set up to pedal fairly well too. The Marin has also proved itself as a capable DH bike despite only having 7" of travel.

Don't be fooled into thinking that more travel is necessarily a good thing - many of the world's top freeriders and slopestyle riders only have bikes with 4" to 5" travel front and rear...

dirtbiker100

i'm going to be getting a marin quake to hopefully ride uphill as well as mainly down which sounds like what you want.
but if you can't have a go on one of those take a look at an orange patriot with a coil shock - as you mentioned two oranges. its in between the 224 and the 5 i'd say. can be taken up or down. ideal for alps style riding.

schmako

Or go for a Patriot Has done me no wrong and can do pretty much anything the 5 and 224 can do.

min_the_merciless

thanks a lot guys.....given me plenty to think about.

i think i've narrowed it down between the Patriot orSpecialized SX Trail

can't find much info on the Marin Quake XLT - anyone got any links to stores that offer 0% credit??

dirtbiker100

leisure lakes do 0% finance and do marin. i'm getting mine as a last years model from rutland cycles which gives a big discount but no finance.
and with patriot/sx trail - patriot every single time. patriot is one of the best out there.

dave_hill

This is purely an observation, but...

I have a problem with Oranges. Yes, they're damn fine bikes. Yes, they're British and are built in Britain. But because of this you will pay over the odds for one.

I'm not saying don't get one, it's your money and your choice but I just feel that for th emoney you will spend on an Orange you could get something with a higher spec from one of the other brands.

schmako

Have to disagree there, my Patriot is of a higher spec than the same priced specialized, giant or kona.

dirtbiker100

Schmako wrote:

Have to disagree there, my Patriot is of a higher spec than the same priced specialized, giant or kona.

and also have you seen where they always come in tests? (unless something strange goes wrong). they're well known to be some of the best out there. I'd be happy to give them my money.

min_the_merciless

dave_hill wrote:

This is purely an observation, but...

I have a problem with Oranges. Yes, they're damn fine bikes. Yes, they're British and are built in Britain. But because of this you will pay over the odds for one.

I'm not saying don't get one, it's your money and your choice but I just feel that for th emoney you will spend on an Orange you could get something with a higher spec from one of the other brands.

Even if this was the case i am more than happy to give my UK pounds to a UK bike co. Orange sponsor countless trails, rides, races across the UK, without their sponsorship many trails would be short of cash for their up-keep, without these trails what's the point of any of us having bikes? I'm happy to spend the money even if it does mean paying over the odds if it means we get good trails across the UK.

Back to the point.......i purchased the Patriot FR today, should be with me next week. Thanks for the help guys.

Father Faff

Dave Hill's real problem is that he's from Lancashire and Orange's are built in Yorkshire.

dirtbiker100

Father Faff wrote:

Dave Hill's real problem is that he's from Lancashire and Orange's are built in Yorkshire.

lmao thats funny, and no doubt true.

congrats min, report back after the first ride!

dave_hill

Father Faff wrote:

Dave Hill's real problem is that he's from Lancashire and Orange's are built in Yorkshire.

D'oh! Rumbled again!

But like I said, I know that they're cracking bikes but even if they are British I'd rather spend my dollar elsewhere. If you look back over Oranges' 20-or-more year history, they always did attract a high price.

grantway

I have an Orange 5 AM what you like to know???

I say a great Bruiser on the trails Top Fork
Fox 36'r Talas 100-130-160 adjustable travel

But to be honest what your talking about would be a Patriot as
your aiming for the big stuff

When talking to the guys in my LBS they say the Orange 5 AM
is good for jumping about 2 feet not for freeride.

If you want to do extreme XC cross country or a dam great
trail ride anywhere bike then put your leg over the Orange 5 AM

The Heckler is the same as the five but more slacker front end.
But again a good bike and cheaper but never found a shop
with a test bike.

You can never pay over the odds for an Hand Built and welded frame ?
No robot or mould making here !

Best thing is to get a test bike on these and do some riding on the
type of ride you want to do.

Just know that the Orange 5AM is only 29lbs in weight
and on the ups my fork is set at 100 and on the downs at 160
and looking for the next buzz im at 130
The rear shock is fantastic too
Fab brakes hope mono 4's

Best put this thread on the what buying room as there a
a few people on here with these bikes

wr bouts r you ?
Im in East London