Orange Segment Factory - Review
There's no escaping the unmistakable silhouette of an Orange full-suspension bike. From their iconic monocoque down tube and swingarm, to that tried and trusted single pivot suspension layout. This is a tried and trusted design which has seen more refinement over the years than many linkage systems which trump it on complexity and intricacy. Although these hallmarks of an Orange are the first to spring to mind, we should not forget that these bikes are still handmade in Halifax, England and despite their somewhat simplistic demeanor, have one of the most loyal followings out there.
Yet the question begs to be asked: "Why" - at least by those on the periphery with little experience of Orange and their bikes. And, given their apparent simplistic design, compared to others in the marketplace, "Why do they still garner so much respect?"
Yet the question begs to be asked: "Why" - at least by those on the periphery with little experience of Orange and their bikes. And, given their apparent simplistic design, compared to others in the marketplace, "Why do they still garner so much respect?"
Segment Details:
• Intended use: Trail riding
• Rear-wheel travel: 110mm
• Wheel size: 29"
• 6061-T6 monocoque/Reynolds custom butted alloy tubes
• 12x148mm Boost rear
• Five-year frame warranty
• New lightweight frame handbuilt in Britain
• Fox 34 Factory 120mm Kashima fork
• Fox Float DPS EVOL Factory shock
• Wheels: Hope Pro II Evo/Easton Arc 27 tubeless
• SRAM X01 drivetrain and Guide RS brakes
• Weight: 28.14lb / 12.76kg (tubeless & w/o pedals)
• MSRP: £4600 GBP
• Frame only: £1600 GBP (with shock)
• orangebikes.co.uk
• Intended use: Trail riding
• Rear-wheel travel: 110mm
• Wheel size: 29"
• 6061-T6 monocoque/Reynolds custom butted alloy tubes
• 12x148mm Boost rear
• Five-year frame warranty
• New lightweight frame handbuilt in Britain
• Fox 34 Factory 120mm Kashima fork
• Fox Float DPS EVOL Factory shock
• Wheels: Hope Pro II Evo/Easton Arc 27 tubeless
• SRAM X01 drivetrain and Guide RS brakes
• Weight: 28.14lb / 12.76kg (tubeless & w/o pedals)
• MSRP: £4600 GBP
• Frame only: £1600 GBP (with shock)
• orangebikes.co.uk
One of the last companies to still manufacture on home soil.
One of the most iconic head badges in the business...
The 2016 Orange Segment is a bike that does an especially good job at defying categorization, at least at face value. With cross country travel and trail bike geometry, it really is a unique beast and on many levels. With three complete builds in the range, as well as a frame only option, ranging from the Segment Pro with Fox's 'Performance' dampers and a Shimano drivetrain and brake setup, to the Segment RS; a full RockShox affair with SRAM's X01 drivetrain and a nicely finished with a Renthal cockpit.
Due to stock issues, the Segment RS (which was our chosen test bike), was at the time unavailable. So, we instead opted for the top spec Segment Factory, which at £4600 (GBP), boasts a spec that's hard to fault. From the well-chosen pairing of a Maxxis DHF front to High Roller II rear tires, to the Fox Factory dampers dripping in Kashima, Race Face carbon bars and cranks, an MRP X1 guide, RockShox Reverb dropper, SRAM's X01 drivetrain and Guide RS brakes. The list goes on, but ultimately, this bike is rock and roll out-of-the-box. But what stands out, at least from an aesthetics standing, is the color coordinated and matching Hope Tech Pro 4 hubs, seat post collar, and headset - similarly manufactured in the UK (and only an hour or so west of Orange's Halifax HQ). Add to that, the option to choose what color frame you want for a small surcharge and you're approaching an off-the-shelf bike that feels more like a custom build. This might sound very trivial to some of you, but having such an option adds a unique level customization, which similarly follows through with the spec, which can also be tailored and tweaked before ordering.
Frame Details
Residing as the second iteration of the Segment, the new frame boasts a number of dynamic upgrades over its predecessor. Granted, the frame itself looks remarkably similar, as most Oranges do to the untrained eye, but much has been honed and improved, including the use of a thinner sheeting in the monocoque portion of the main frame and swingram, dropping a substantial 400g in weight.
Less is most certainly more when it comes to Orange.
Handmade full-suspension bikes which ooze attention to detail.
To stiffen things up - an essential element for all wagon wheelers, given their huge hoops - the engineers at Orange not only welcomed the new Boost standard, but also added an additional 6mm to the width of the swingarm pivot. Now let's just talk about that pivot very quickly as there's only one - which for anyone who puts in the miles and hates the prospect of bearing changes, is something to smile about. On top of that, tire clearance has also been increased to handle more aggressive rubber to better reflect the Segment's geometry and subsequent ride characteristic. Addressing the Segment's abilities has also seen a refined shock curve for 2016, which now has more progression than the previous model.
The Factory model is dripping in parts which make it look...
...anything like an out-of-the-box bike.
Geometry
For many of their fans, the geometry of an Orange is at the forefront of why these bikes continue to gain recognition from riders of all walks. Progressive perhaps, but realistically on the money. Orange's home-grown manufacturing and choosing a material to work with which doesn't control or bind their strategy (like carbon), allows them to react to changes in the marketplace and do so quickly without the need to confuse their customers.
At 5-foot, 9-inches, and with a penchant for roomy bikes, I opted for a size large. With 455mm of reach, a 50mm stem, monstrous 800mm-wide bars, and a DH length 1187mm wheelbase, the Segment promised control and confidence - enough to offset the less than aggressive suspension travel. The 68-degree head angle fits in nicely, as do the 447mm chainstays. The Segment is all about superb balance and well, as I've already said; this machine defies categorization.
Suspension
Today's market is packed to the rafters with a host of suspension designs and systems, all boasting latest and greatest kinematics and performance attributes to exceed your wildest expectations. But, when you peel back the layers, many of those designs are essentially a single pivot with a linkage bolted in to deliver the desired spring curve. So, what happens when you remove said linkage from the single pivot suspension and want to keep the desired ride feel? Orange have played with both linkages and pivot locations over the years and in doing so have refined their design - it might look the same, but it isn't.
It might look dated, but when you scratch the surface, you're looking at years of refinement and one of the most effective designs out there.
At Orange, they found that the downtube shock position is the most critical for delivering the desired ride feel and curve, and that moving it in a given direction can produce a spring curve similar to that derived from a linkage-driven single pivot system. This does come at a cost and within Orange's iconic frame design, it means that refinements and upgrades can seem a tad on the unexciting side to the untrained eye. For 2016, the Segment received some minor tweaks to the spring curve, most notably an increase in ramp-up at the end of the stroke. When you only have 110mm to play with, you need to make sure it's there when you need it and considering how capable this bike is, you will need it.
Specifications
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Setup
From the outset, there wasn't much I wanted to change or mess around with, especially with such a top-spec bike. I did, however, play with the tires. The Segment arrived at the end of winter/ start of spring and here in the UK, the weather can be anything but consistent. While I'm a huge fan of the Maxxis DHF front to HR II rear combo, a 3C Shorty and Minion SS soon joined the fold. These four tires allowed me to easily optimize the Segment through the months that followed and were swapped around accordingly.
Big wheels equal big fun and this sentiment was rarely lost on the Segment which thrived when pushed hard and ridden with precision.
Setting up the Fox suspension couldn't be easier and thanks to some of the best damping circuits we've seen from Fox in years, doing little to upset proceedings and provided ample grip and support from the get-go. With 25% sag on the front with four volume spacers and around 30% in the rear with one large volume spacer, the Segment found its happy place. I cut the handlebar to 780mm wide and slammed the 125mm travel Reverb all the way down, which was right on the limit for my 30" inside leg. Opting for clipless pedals over flats for most of the test period, I found that they offered more control and coupled with the ample stand-over on offer, allowed the Segment to be easily thrown around.
Climbing
At just over 28lbs, the Segment is an accomplished climber and easily destroyed long, soul destroying fire road climbs. It did, however, feel slightly stretched for me and my 5-foot, 9-inch" frame, so I would have preferred a marginally steeper seat angle to add a touch more weight to the front and decrease the seated reach. I could have fitted a 40mm stem to offset this, but I prefer the feel of a 50mm stem and that would have thrown out how dialed this thing feels going downhill. Reaching down to crank up the damping with the Fox Float DPS EVOL shock's lever was handy, but it really only became a necessity if I needed to get out of the saddle and stomp up especially steep inclines. On technical singletrack climbs, the Segment's balance came into play and rewarded smooth and calculated pedaling while remaining seated.
The Segment is great in corners, both up and down, preferring smoothness and good line choice over a stylish flick and excessive braking.
Descending
Pointing the Segment downhill was naturally where the fun kicked in. The superb balance between the front and rear wheels, coupled with the great geometry and the grip on offer from the 29 x 2.3" Maxxis rubber was an eye-opening experience, allowing me to remain relaxed and ready to react. Those elements combined would have me grinning from ear to ear and remarkably surprised that another rock-strewn descent was cleaned and I survived unscathed. But this is where the Segment can quickly get you into trouble. You have to be vigilant of where you place the wheels. Charging hard on a bike like this is easy, but dealing with the consequences of poor judgement, quickly reminds you that you only have 120mm of travel in the front, and 110mm in the rear. With the right volume spacer in the rear, it felt great, but perhaps a 130-140mm travel fork could unlock even more of what this bike can do and where it can go.
If you relish connecting with the terrain you're riding and enjoy the buzz of pushing your limits, the Orange Segment has a lot to offer.
While the lack of travel would occasionally detract from big gaps and super steep, rutted out trails, it added to many other situations, and that's what makes the Segment so unique and rewarding to ride. It's a bike that wants to be ridden and not aimlessly pointed at anything and everything in front of you. Being smooth and selective with your lines can get really addictive and on a fast bike like this, the Segment comes alive, prompting you to push harder and explore further. Finding that limit will, of course, depend on your skills and indeed, your better judgement. In the right hands, its limits are way beyond the norm of bikes with similar travel, but it's a bike that can, within reason, be anything you want it to be, defying categorization and blazing its own trail.
Component Check:
• Fox Float 34 forks and DPS shock: The Fox dampers did a superb job of unlocking the Segment's true potential, maximizing all the available travel, providing excellent balance and delivering smooth and controlled action throughout the test period.
• Hope Pro 4 hubs: Hope's new Pro 4 hubs are not for those who like to glide through the forest silently, but it's noisy freehubs for the win every time in my book. It's great to see a smattering of Hope parts on the Factory option, which only adds to the custom build feel of this top-spec bike.
• SRAM/ RaceFace/ MRP drivetrain: SRAM's X01 drivetrain is a personal favourite and never missed a beat, although the GX shifter felt stiff from the get-go. Race Face's CIXC cranks added to the bling factor and are incredibly stiff. MRP's X1 guide was an intelligent addition and finished things off nicely.
• Race Face cockpit: You know a bike means business when it has 800mm wide bars and a 50mm stem as stock. The Atlas stem and SixC 35mm carbon bars were way too stiff, lacking the compliance of other options on the market.
• Hope Pro 4 hubs: Hope's new Pro 4 hubs are not for those who like to glide through the forest silently, but it's noisy freehubs for the win every time in my book. It's great to see a smattering of Hope parts on the Factory option, which only adds to the custom build feel of this top-spec bike.
• SRAM/ RaceFace/ MRP drivetrain: SRAM's X01 drivetrain is a personal favourite and never missed a beat, although the GX shifter felt stiff from the get-go. Race Face's CIXC cranks added to the bling factor and are incredibly stiff. MRP's X1 guide was an intelligent addition and finished things off nicely.
• Race Face cockpit: You know a bike means business when it has 800mm wide bars and a 50mm stem as stock. The Atlas stem and SixC 35mm carbon bars were way too stiff, lacking the compliance of other options on the market.
Pinkbike's Take:
 | There's a lot to be said for bikes which can unlock the fun in front of you and take you on a memorable adventure, even when you're on familiar terrain - and that's exactly what the Orange Segment does. From big days getting lost in the woods, to trying to beat your PBs on your local loop after work, the Segment rewards a rider who relishes the challenge of riding the trail well, rather than simply smashing through it. But, that's not to say it can't handle the rough with the smooth. Far from it. For a bike with only 110mm of travel, it will quickly have you fooled that it has more to give. Would I change anything? Not really, but I would definitely add some bottle cage tabs to that downtube, and let's not shy away from that price. Regardless of spec, this is an expensive bike, but for those who value things which have been lovingly fabricated and done so on home soil, Orange certainly tick all the boxes and then some. - Olly Forster |
MENTIONS: @orangebikes, @SramMedia, @foxracingshox, @raceface
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As a side note, great to see orange getting some good publicity, rock solid bikes!
Do you have any experience with short travel bikes of this type or are you just going on what you think would be best because internet?
Bikes need to feel good seated and standing, a balance some dont manage to achieve as they use slack seat angles.
I dig that Olly has chosen to comment in return -- it shows that he wants his reviews to be properly understood.
Onward.
You'll actually find even WC level XC guys are running more than 20%, just with more compression damping, or a handlebar remote to toggle it.
ETT is a poor way to size a frame though as saddle height and postition make a huge difference, you can also have a frame with a huge ETT and small reach due to slack seat angle's (as he mentions)
E.g. the Evil bikes have very slack seat angles so the higher you run your saddle to longer the ETT - tall riders end up riding over the back wheel when seated and the bike may still be on the short side when standing.
Congratulations on criticizing the readers on your website for being "experts" and having "opinions" (are they not actually opinions? Are you actually a writer?), while you're above them because you just like to ride.
I read the entire article and got the same impressions with your sizing. Sounded to me like you picked too big of a bike, and now get your point after you clarified.
Did it ever occur to you that you may have not written that very clearly, since more than one person came to the same results?
As a "journalist" you can't expect everyone to agree with everything you say. Either ignore it, or use it as a lesson to improve your writing skills if you believe people are not understanding what you were trying to say.
As mentioned, don't feed the trolls!
Long tt/bikes are great and fun. Long Low and Slack!
I just rode a hardtail with Suntour XCR fork and 11-32 cassette and Alivio gearing, that bike was evidently worse than my carbon 160 superbike. But then I rode NS Snabb 160 bike for half price of my carbon superbike and it was very very similar. I could not respect myself if I said that this bike held me back...
The difference in suspension system between Bronson and Orange Five does stopping anyone from achieving anything, it is instead about the lack of training and lack of deliberate practice.
Single pivots designed correctly can attain almost identical performance to many multi link bikes with the exception of braking and being able to manupulate A/S throughout the travel - which many multi link bikes dont do to any effective degree anyway.
The truth as Waki says is that for the majority of rider a small adjustment to riding style can see you adapt to most bikes and their characteristics. Geometry still ranks number 1 for me on how a bike performs and Orange do that well usually but the Segment seems a bit dated in that aspect while the rest of the orange range is longer and slacker.
I am amazed at the hate that Orange bikes can get though with the 'back in the dark ages' comments - The owner of my local bike shop describes them as absolute s@ite yet I dont think he has actually ridden a bike for several years, he ranted about his linkage driven single pivot commencal being amazing though which was hilarious.
I agree that it's MOSTLY the rider that makes the difference and these cliche terms are tossed around, BUT I certainly notice these things from bike to bike. My switch from 26 to 29 isn't apples to apples, however, and the fact that I'm considerably less tired throughout the ride is what I expected. What I didnt expect was that the bike is actually more playful with the super short stays. It corners very well, but will never corner like a 26. The roll over is night and day. Not to make this 26 vs 29 as my two 26 inch bikes are quite different in feel as well. Yes, I can do basically the same skills on each bike but they are tangibly different.
lets spot the angry Orange rider.
Orange bikes are overrated, simplistic, and outdated. they get away with overhyping their heritage of being made in the u.k.
Now differences are absolutely tangible and we don't need to go as far as wheelsize. However you mentioned chainstay length and it gives me a good opportunity to touch on the subject of taking sht out of context like comparing a single pivot with let's say a FSR bike and saying one thing is better than the other. Well, I rode an old Stumpy 29 Evo once and that bike was very manouverable as compared to let's say 275 Jekyll. Everything matters, everything, the feel of the bike is a compound effect of many factors. Playfulness? Put a slightly lighter tyres in your bike and take one click off rebound, there you go, bike feels 2 kilos lighter. It's poppy, it gets eager to lift off, slides in corners. Voulais!
Getting less tired on long rides? How much less tired? Buy Evil Wreckoning, going for a long ride toss in lighter wheels and tyres. Going for shredding? Put on regular ones. Good training program does hell of a lot for endurance and speed.
Swiss folk are overrated,simplistic and outdated.they get away with overfilling their banks with monies from Germany and u.k?
What did I score?
skills! they matter!
........anyone remember when a certain MR PEAT used to spank on an orange against others on intense's??
Btw you can get extra thermal insulation, USWE from Sweden sells insulated packs and hoses, they keep your water colder in summer and warmer in winter.
Moreover in hot temperatures no bottle would be big enough for me.
Yes, I've done plenty of welding. Not for a few years, and I'm not coded, but I still have plenty of welding experience.
Bottom line is that looks cheap and nasty, especially for the money they're asking.
Here you go: s2.thcdn.com/productimg/600/600/11259485-1184372616253660.jpg
Infinitely neater and more professional than that abomination up there ^
You can keep the Taiwanese halfords crap.
So in summary "hand welded" = £3k for something that looks like it was made by a kid in 4th year tech
MEGALOLZ
Go buy a tranny or a spesh if you want pretty boy stuff.(don't get a tranny for f*ck sakes,they can't even get the shock mounts lined up straight) orange true every frame by hand with a lump hammer
About a year ago, I bought a 2018 Alpine 6. The bike was used and in a good condition. It is a good bike for enduro and bike parks. It is not very sensitive and requires a very active riding style.
After using it a few months, I noticed a crack where the brake and shift cables go through. It is not a place where the bike takes a lot of impacts. In my opinion, this is 100% a design mistake, because they drilled holes in the frame to pass the cables through, which weakened the frame just to make it look better.
After contacting Orange, the only solution they offered me was a discount on their frames, which ended up being about the same as their outlet prices. Due to the high cost of buying a new frame, I decided to fix the problem by welding the affected areas.
I used the bike for a couple of months after welding, but unfortunately, the weld points opened up again. I decided to cover the holes where the cables pass through with an aluminum plate, which reinforced the whole area. It was a very good solution that has not failed until today.
Unfortunately, after a bike park ride, the back swingarm developed the same problem. The cable hole cracked. I solved it the same way as before, by covering the hole with an aluminum plate.
I've been using the bike for a few months now, I haven't held anything back. I've jumped big gaps and jumps, even a couple of big cases and I can say so far it has worked and I hope it continues to do so.
In conclusion, as a tip for anyone facing the same problem with Orange frames and their warranty, you can try this solution: reinforce the frame by covering the holes that, due to a bad design, ended up weakening the frame.
Photos:
www.canva.com/design/DAGHWfejXCM/kyiu5bSMO70-Q3hGdLkPsA/view?utm_content=DAGHWfejXCM&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=editor
Can't they shape it with some pressed stuff or something ? The cable routing looks loose as, no bottle cage either,
Transition for me thanks......
or should you be named shunt cos it rhythms with cutn!
Jockistan
Brilliant effort. I'm just amazed they allow you internet access in whatever young offenders institution you're currently residing in.