And MBR's Top Trail Bike of 2010 is....

the article don

...surprise surprise - Orange 5. Winning their Trail bike of the year contest for the third year in a row.Following on from the group test two months ago when the Alpine 160 was best big bike and their incredibly glowing review of the Diva hardtail, it really is getting a bit silly. Guys, get a room.

Also there's the ongoing fetish for Fox forks, which automatically means any bike with Fox is better ( except for TALAS, though, they don't like TALAS, as they say nearly every month)

Although apparently the Zesty 514 is just as good this time round. No Trek, Giant, Marin or Scott bikes were even in the review.

Honestly, I only subscribed to get the free Altura shorts.

jay12

their articles are always good to read but the reviews are awful.

GHill

While I like the fact that they try to take a scientific angle to their reviews, they get it terribly wrong in some cases.

I guess the Orange bikes really suit their style of riding, or something.

Tolk

The ones not in the review, were probably not offered by the manufacturers. They said on their forum a little while back, they request the bikes, but if they aren't offered, then they can't test them.

I think the mag is a good little read, but sometimes it can be a bit hypocritical.

RevellRider

GHill wrote:

I guess the Orange bikes really pay them lots in advertising.

joshtp

i do like the mag, but this is the reason i dont buy it, i mean, seriously, is Orange and Fox really the ultimate nirvana of MTB perfection?!?!? i know that my Magura's feel way better IMO than my mates float rlc's, and that iv the 5 is significantly over priced, overweight, and under engineered, as is the P7, as is, infact the st-4, and the G3...... i dont get it, i really dont not that orange and fox are all bad mind... i just thiknk MBR are a little, well, over exited...

Northwind

Kind of inevitable really. Ah, but remember last year? Best MBR comment ever. "We changed the tyres on all the bikes to our control tyre. This bike didn't work very well with THE TYRES WE CHOSE AND FITTED OURSELVES so we're marking it down for that". WTF?

On about the same level as sabotaging the Inbred in their hardtails review so the P7 would win- they ran it with a fork 10mm too long, and every single criticism was "Feels too long" "BB is too high" "A bit ponderous". No s**t!

Still, the Five is a bloody nice bike and better value just now than it's been for a while what with the weaker pound etc. MBR are stupidly biased, it would still be a legitimate contender.

cat_with_no_tail

Some of the MBR guys were out on the trails over here this afternoon. They're doing a 5 page article on MTBing on the Isle of Man. Not an Orange 5 in sight .

Hercule Q

did you chase them off your island?

Mancunianfightingcat

Cat With No Tail wrote:

Some of the MBR guys were out on the trails over here this afternoon. They're doing a 5 page article on MTBing on the Isle of Man. Not an Orange 5 in sight .

Maybe the bribery from Orange doesn't stretch as far as free bikes!

cat_with_no_tail

Hercule Q wrote:

did you chase them off your island?

These are LOCAL trails for LOCAL people!

stubs

I dont think Orange could afford much in the way of bribes and anyway isnt MBR supposed to be a Specialized magazine. Oh no its a Giant magazine or is it a TrekLapierreScottCommencal and on and on.

I wouldnt buy an Orange 5 but on the rides I do around the North of England and North wales you do see a lot of them

Duffer

You should read some of the American publications - no mention of LaPierre, Commencal, Orange or any other brands from east of the Atlantic.

Nothing wrong with a bit of patriotism.

GHill

Duffer wrote:

You should read some of the American publications - no mention of LaPierre, Commencal, Orange or any other brands from east of the Atlantic.

Hardly surprising (although the latest issue of "Mountain Bike" reviews the carbon Meta), most of the LaPierre range (only the X-Control IIRC) isn't available over here and the prices for an Orange frame are crazy.

I've seen Bike review the On-One 456...

ExeterSimon

All bikes reviews are pretty pointless IMO.

As anyone asking for advice on these boards regarding buying bikes gets told to go and try as many as possible as what's good for one is not for another.

So why should one person's opinion make a difference? I ride with people who swear by certain brands while dismissing others.

I've never got on with Orange bikes but I'm glad a British brand won as opposed to one of big global players.

GHill

Northwind wrote:

Kind of inevitable really. Ah, but remember last year? Best MBR comment ever. "We changed the tyres on all the bikes to our control tyre. This bike didn't work very well with THE TYRES WE CHOSE AND FITTED OURSELVES so we're marking it down for that". WTF?

On about the same level as sabotaging the Inbred in their hardtails review so the P7 would win- they ran it with a fork 10mm too long, and every single criticism was "Feels too long" "BB is too high" "A bit ponderous". No s**t!

That's what I was getting at with some of the getting the science wrong part. They're removing a variable, but...

bregante

have they tested that Saracen yet?

DTW

While we are on the topic of MBR, I won the injury contest one month but never received the prize of 661 protection, and after several e-mails over a 24 month period I have finally given up on ever seeing the bloody things.

Crummy magazine has lost my vote :evil:

supersonic

I think you should all buy WMB. This months issue is particularly good ;-)

lawman

Bregante wrote:

have they tested that Saracen yet?

i believe so, but i rode it at the BR demoday and thought it was overweight, sluggish and expensive for the level of kit it had, not really impressed tbh descended great tho altho it was a pain in the arse to climb and actually pedal anywhere :roll:

JamesBrckmn

which saracen's that?

hoochylala

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=MBR ... sbky5AVTQ8

This one maybe? Saracen Ariel 3. Video says it was part of the Trail bike of the year test though....

mrfmilo

I tried out the Ariel 3 at Bedgebury. IMO it's a great bike - really nice kit on it, the frame has pretty much no pedal bob but it's still active on the decents etc. Climbed really well too so not sure what Lawman is on about

Northwind

I've heard some folk say that some of the demo bikes are still prototypes for the Ariel? Got a go booked on one in 2 weeks at GT, looking forward to it.

supersonic

lawman wrote:

Bregante wrote:

have they tested that Saracen yet?

i believe so, but i rode it at the BR demoday and thought it was overweight, sluggish and expensive for the level of kit it had, not really impressed tbh descended great tho altho it was a pain in the ars* to climb and actually pedal anywhere :roll:

But you can get a Ariel 1 for just 200 quid more than the Orange 5 frame

the article don

The Ariel is in the same review. In a nutshell, they gave it a 7, saying it had a nice frame and fork (OBVIOUSLY COS THEY'RE FOX!!!) but some odd componet choices like Race Face Respond which they felt were more suited to a freeride bike than a trail bike.

Patriotism does obviously play a part in their Orange love-in, the same way Jaguar cars are always fawned over by UK car mags.

Northwind

Hmm, they went out of their way to shoot down the Inbred in that hardtail test and it's every bit as british as the P7...

tptvmbircn

supersonic wrote:

I think you should all buy WMB. This months issue is particularly good ;-)

WMB is a good read +1 on that

Mancunianfightingcat

I'm confused. Just read the TBOTY article and in particular the Orange review.

.....Rims not wide enough......

......brake levers awkward and difficult to adjust..........

.......brakes lack stopping power........

10/10!


Eh?

GHill

supersonic wrote:

I think you should all buy WMB. This months issue is particularly good ;-)

The mother-in-law is bringing me a copy when she comes to visit.

angry_bird

Mancunianfightingcat wrote:

I'm confused. Just read the TBOTY article and in particular the Orange review.

.....Rims not wide enough......

......brake levers awkward and difficult to adjust..........

.......brakes lack stopping power........

10/10!


Eh?

I just want to hit their reviewers, or alternatively drop a five on them, weight would probably crush them