Large wheels carry on rolling… sooner! The Orange Stage 7 takes its cues from the Change 7, provides 29er wheels, and heads to the races.
British mountain bike model Orange has simply unleashed its latest race machine, the Orange Stage 7. Primarily based across the profitable Change 7, it provides larger wheels to its exquisitely engineered aluminium body. With 170mm entrance journey and 165mm on the rear, suspension leverage curves tweaked to deal with large hits with out sacrificing small bump sensitivity, and an entire lot extra, we are able to’t wait to see what this bike manages over the remainder of the race season.
Must know:
- Full aluminium 29er
- 170mm entrance journey, 165mm rear journey
- Designed for enduro racing
- Sizes M, L and XL (no S or XS)
- Can run air or coil shock

In keeping with Orange, “the intention of the Stage 7 was to create a race bike with an outright give attention to pace. Its sibling, the Change 7 has been obtained exceptionally properly and is really an ideal weapon for racing at world class enduro occasions the place tracks are tight and twisty. However like something that’s good at every thing, there are occasions whenever you want a bit extra. It’s onerous to argue with the flat out pace {that a} full 29″ wheeled bike can provide, so with the blueprint of the Change 7 in hand and suggestions from the World Cup workforce a brand new warp pace machine was born.”
Like all Orange bikes, the Stage 7 was dreamt up, researched, designed, refined and manufactured within the UK at Orange HQ. Orange mixed aerospace-grade supplies, and detailed engineering with 3D modelling and FEA evaluation or Finite Factor Evaluation, which is a digital modelling course of which permits designers to analyse the real-world impact of gravity, torsional forces, vibration and so forth on the each the supplies and the design. The result’s a sturdy, sturdy, high-performance bike that, Orange says, weighs in lighter than another carbon-framed bikes in the identical class.
Body design
The Orange Stage 7 has a full aluminium body, constructed by in-house manufacturing specialists from aerospace-grade aluminium sheets, custom-fabricated tubes with seam welding and CNC’d aluminium parts. In addition to being reported gentle, utilizing aluminium implies that the bike body is totally recyclable at end-of-life.
It contains a 48/56 ZS headtube which will increase front-end stiffness and power, and has additionally meant that Orange have been capable of drop the downtube somewhat decrease, that means that there’s now room for a water bottle to suit inside the body.
The swing arm is uneven, providing elevated vertical stiffness and optimum compliance, which interprets to a direct really feel on the bike with loads of traction. On the again, the Stage 7 complies to SRAM’s new trade requirements with a UDH gear hanger.
Suspension
Up entrance a Fox Manufacturing unit 38 Float fork controls 170mm of journey, whereas on the again a Fox Float X2 Manufacturing unit shock controls 165mm of rear-wheel journey. The shock is a 205×60 link-driven trunnion shock, mounted low within the body for a decrease centre of gravity for higher stability at pace. The benefit of utilizing the trunnion system is that it makes use of bearings quite than bushings which have much less inherent friction within the system, which suggests decrease breakaway drive required to provoke the shock and due to this fact elevated sensitivity.
The STRANGE Energy Hyperlink (STRANGE stands for Particular Know-how RANGE) affords a extra progressive shock curve than earlier Orange fashions, with that promised bottomless feeling, and might run with both a high-volume air shock or a coil shock.
By means of the suspension journey, the the leverage ratio strikes from 3.04 to 2.32, which equates to a real-world development of 23.7% in shock drive. The low pivot place additionally minimises pedal kickback and drivetrain-induced interference, and anti squat sits at round 123% at dynamic sag for max pedalling effectivity.
To succeed in the absolute best sturdiness of the system and to minimise exterior forces which may add friction to the combination, the shock is loaded in a linear vogue.
Orange Stage 7 construct spec
The total construct in a surprising purple color boasts Fox suspension and SRAM XT and NX drivetrain and brakes.
There’s a 5 yr bearing guarantee for the unique proprietor, and closely subsidised buy of components past that interval.
- Body: 6061-T6 Monocoque UK Fashioned Customized Aluminium Tubing
- Sizes: M, L, XL
- Color: Purple Reign with Silver decals
- Wheel measurement: 29er entrance and rear
- Rear wheel journey: 165mm
- Headset: FPD 49mm / 56mm zerostack
- Fork: Fox Manufacturing unit 38 Float 170mm 29
- Swingarm: Bolt Kind Allen Key Head (Increase 12 x 148mm Hub)
- Rear shock: Fox Float X2 Manufacturing unit 205×60
- Backside bracket: SRAM DUB
- Crankset: SRAM GX Eagle 32t
- Rear mech: Shimano XT 12spd
- Chain: SRAM NX Eagle
- Shifters: Shimano XT 12spd
- Cassette: Shimano XT 10-51T 12spd
- Wheelset: Stans Move Mk4 + Hope Professional 4 (Black) 29
- Tyres: Maxxis Minion DHF 2.5 3c EXO+ / DHR II 2.4 3c EXO+ 29
- Brakes: Shimano XT Path 203/203
- Seatpost, clamp and saddle: Fox Manufacturing unit Switch 150/175mm Drop, Unusual Bolted clamp, SDG Unusual Bel Air III saddle
- Stem and handlebars: Renthal FatBar M35 800mm with Hope M35 x 35mm Black stem, Unusual Grappler Lock-On grips
On the lookout for the finest enduro mountain bike yow will discover to get most pace on the races this yr? Or how about physique safety or a good mountain bike helmet or full-face helmet to maintain that mind protected?