Bike Build Story: The last part of our build story for our Enduro. The heart of our build is the Orange Stage 6 aluminum frame. Why this bike? In times of Brexit and consumers unsettled by scandals, I thought to myself: We'll build a bike from "regional products": In our case, that means we've always tried to find what we're looking for in the European environment. That didn't always work out, or we used non-European parts even if they were only available as custom parts or were simply not available. The story should explicitly motivate self-construction.
Orange Stage 6 structure, light and shadow
With every bike that you build yourself, the fate of components on the chassis is ultimately decided in a "trial and error" process. You rely on experience and intuition to find the right mix of components. The fact that a part works on one bike does not automatically mean that it also fits perfectly on another. Therefore, and because we simply wanted to try out a few things, many parts have been replaced one by one. But that's not necessarily a point of criticism: The Stage 6 was ridden by a few testers, both heavy and slow-moving bikers as well as fairly brisk experts used it on trails and in bike parks. We also limited our selection a bit because we wanted to use "Made in Europe".
The Tune Endurorider wheels held up. Of course, bearings wear in eventually, and spoke tension slacks off a bit over time. But everything in the green area. Only the increasingly frequent noises from the hub in the rear wheel are really negative. This could be remedied with partial disassembly, cleaning and lubrication. The light Tune Enduro riders have meanwhile had to give way to the Crank Brothers Synthesis wheels. How come? Because they simply fit well into our test bike. But would I recommend the Tune wheels? Overall: yes. They are light, affordable, made in Germany, look good... I am also satisfied with their robustness and functionality.
It was a little different with the second component from Tune: I wasn't satisfied with the Smart Foot crank. Stiffness, for example, was not necessarily one of their strengths and the fits between the individual parts did not always appear precise. The crank has now also been removed from the program by Tune. You can read details here:
Construction story Orange Stage 6: The crank, Tune Smart Foot, Made in Germany
Finally, a White Industries M 30 including bottom bracket and 28 tooth ring came onto the bike. Other drive parts also had to lose springs. The box circuit with the shift lever was pleasing, but 2 rear derailleurs gave up the ghost within a short time. So I first installed a Shimano XT rear derailleur, which should be compatible. So far it has worked reasonably well. The Shimano rear derailleur just doesn't dampen the chain slap as much as I would like, and other testers noticed that too. The conversion to a Sram GX 11-speed shifter and rear derailleur ultimately calmed the situation. For more gear range I switched to an e*thirteen cassette with 9-44 teeth. Only the chain remained the same as the original choice as far as the drive is concerned.
The components have proven themselves on the cockpit. The handlebars gave way to a wider one from Enve, which was in the editorial office—recycled, if you will. The plus in width tolerated the orange well. In size L there is already a decent, expansive load that needs to be steered. The stem was replaced by a Timber transport replaced, simply because it deserves to be shown and the small company from Spain fits well into the concept.
There was nothing to complain about in the seating area, nothing had to be optimized. In the meantime, an e*thirteen post is doing its job here as a test, the saddle and clamp have remained. After numerous hours of operation, the support can now get a service and to be honest: it needs it too, because the lateral play is now growing rapidly. Since it was an older model, we swapped out the internal springs for stronger ones at the beginning of the test. The support always reliably reaches its full length when the lever is actuated, which was previously not the case without restrictions.
The brake system is still convincing, everyone can make friends with the MT5 from Magura. Easy to dose, a lot of power and, I think, there are less grinding noises than with the actually more noble sister MT7.
The Stage 6 chassis
We also tinkered with the chassis. The Formula Selva always falls victim to my screwdriver instinct. But it's also just wonderful to be able to swap out different compression settings or the corresponding shim stacks so easily. In addition, the volume of the air chamber can be changed via oil and also elastomer volume spacers, so-called Neopos. The Selva can be tuned pretty much perfectly to suit almost every rider and almost every preference. In the meantime, a Marzocchi Z1 is springing up at the front and it also does its job extremely confidently.
With the Rock Shox Monarch, we really liked the rear end of the Orange Stage 6. It responds well, the suspension travel is used without rushing through, and the response is very good, the rear is always sensitive. But we also tested two other rear shocks: the DT Swiss R414 and the Fox DPX2. The DPX2 was then allowed to stay. Especially in compressions and berms, it offered more support and also calmed the rear when pedaling. I would never have complained about the rear end in the original setup, but I didn't want to go back to the Monarch, the Fox does it a little better.
In any case, the extensive tinkering with the spring elements has paid off. Various testers, all of them very good drivers, who are also at the forefront in racing, were very positive about the driving performance. Brake squeezing is noticeable, but contrary to expectations not really stronger than on most other bikes, despite the simple rear construction. A slight seesaw, which can already be felt when pedaling out of the saddle or when pedaling very unevenly, can be quickly eliminated with the low-speed compression stage.
The geometry of the Orange Stage 6
The wheel has enough "pop" to be willingly moved to a flight position. At the same time, it is stable on the track. In addition to the chassis, the smooth running is also due to the length of the rear end, which at 450 millimeters is not one of the compact representatives, and also due to the long front end. A 64o top tube, 462mm reach and a steering angle of 65,5 degrees result in a wheelbase of 1245mm with the long tail. It clearly towers above a Santa Cruz Hightower LT, for example. However, the geometry is not as extreme as, for example, with Nicolai or Pole.
With its geometry, the bike belongs to the modern enduros without daring wild experiments. That's how it feels on the trail. It lies calmly and needs a bit of effort in some situations, especially when it gets very close. However, it is much easier to act than the visual impression would suggest. This is partly due to the surprisingly low weight. Depending on the structure, we were between 12,4 and almost 14 kilos. This puts it in the league of carbon bikes, which puts the sporty price for the aluminum frame into perspective. The bike feels stiff enough, but without constantly hitting the ground like we've experienced in some places. Compared to other, older, Orange bikes with a massive brace on each side of the rear triangle, the newer construction with two braces per side is stiffer. This is probably also due to the changed pivot point with increased bearing support width. The tire doesn't rub against the rear end in corners if you really let it rip; that was the case with older Orange bikes from time to time.
In tighter corners, we managed better than the data sheet would have suggested. The bike certainly belongs to the category of smooth-running, without wanting to be "stubborn" in a straight line. Low weight, good load distribution and the active rear triangle invite experts to play. It can also be moved properly uphill. The manageable weight, a modern seat angle and the longer rear end help. The rear also does a good job under a chain pull and with a round step. That's why we like the bike for all-mountain use.
It is stable to drive and yet somehow light-footed. But I still have criticism: A bottle holder cannot be accommodated on the Stage. I ride with a hydration pack, so I don't care, but for many it's a no-go! What is also not necessary: Very simple 0815 screws are used for the damper assembly. I'm sure the guys in Halifax discussed every bend in the sheet metal of the elaborate frame over ale or cider - so why not add a little attention to detail here too? The bike definitely deserved it!
Conclusion
All in all a fast, potent bike. It covers a decent distance and climbs reasonably. His strengths are clearly in the downhill. It prefers fast tracks to technical stumbles. The vertical integration, the production in England, the free choice of color, these are special features that inspire me. The most important thing anyway is how the bike feels on the trail - and this is where the Orange Stage 6 put a big grin on our faces many times.