The 2021 Orange Bikes Crush Goes Mullet - Across the Pond Beaver

Sep 4, 2020
by Daniel Sapp  
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For 2021, Orange Bikes is offering their Crush hardtail in an MX, mixed wheel size edition. The Crush MX is made to offer extra traction and roll-over from the larger 29" wheel up front and then quick acceleration and handling from the smaller 27.5" wheel in the back.

The 140mm Crush MX is available currently in one "Pro" level build. The 6061 custom butted aluminum frame sports a 64.5° head tube angle, a reduced offset fork, 75.5° seat tube, 430mm chainstays and a reach of 480mm for a size large.

Crush MX Details

• Wheel size: 27.5" / 29" MX
• Aluminum frame
• Travel: 140mm fork
• 64.5° head angle
• 430mm chainstays
• Sizes: S-XL
• Price: £2300
• https://www.orangebikes.co.uk


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The dropper cable is internal while everything else is on the outside.

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The Crush MX is initially only available with a Pro build spec but there will be a lower R spec build following at a later date. The bike will sell for £2300 with a well-rounded package.

The aluminum frame is coupled with a Shimano SLX 12-speed drivetrain, RaceFace cranks, and a SDG 150mm dropper post. Suspension duties are handled by a 140mm Fox 34 Performance fork. The cockpit features a Burgtec bar and stem and Strange Grappler grips with a WTB saddle. WTB rims and Maxxis tires round out the package.

A tapered head tube, CNC dropper cable guides, and tire clearance for up to 2.6" tires along with a new seat stay bridge complete the fame details.

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Clearance for up to a 2.6" tire.

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A Burgtec bar and stem handle the controls.

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The Crush MX is available to pre-order now.



Across the Pond Beaver 2020



Posted In:
Reviews and Tech Across The Pond Beaver 2020 Hardtails Orange Bikes Orange Crush


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105 Comments
  • 78 4
 Oranges only bike that doesn't look like a lemon.
  • 167 3
 and doesn't sound like a skeleton wanking in a biscuit tin
  • 3 3
 I had to double take to see that it was an orange.
  • 12 3
 @sewer-rat: comment of the year right there haha
  • 2 2
 @sewer-rat: hahaha awesome!!
  • 2 2
 @sewer-rat: golden
  • 16 24
flag HarrySimpson FL (Sep 4, 2020 at 6:08) (Below Threshold)
 @sewer-rat:
That was probably quite amusing when I first heard it about about 10 years ago...
  • 39 3
 might have the most advanced rear suspension design of any of their bikes too
  • 13 0
 @HarrySimpson:

Field gate
Filing cabinet
Plough
Bricks in a washing machine
Something about them being heavy (despite modern ones being lighter than some carbon santa cruz bikes)
  • 13 2
 @fatduke:
Out dated suspension design, blind welders, too expensive, my mate had an old one that cracked, etc etc etc
  • 3 0
 @sewer-rat:
Eurotrip Movie Quote: "Wow. You guys are on a completely different level of swearing here."
  • 2 5
 @sewer-rat: greatest quote in the history of pinkbike! Haha class!
  • 3 3
 As someone who owns an orange crush it would really make me happy if orange sacked their graphic designer. Those graphics are bad by even oranges standards. They’re almost as bad as last years alpine graphics. It’s like they’re intentionally trying to make their bikes look as rancid as possible in order to cut manufacturing costs. That being said they do make absolutely banging bikes that’s better than 90% of all cheap plastic crap from China with pointless linkages that don’t actually do anything.
  • 1 2
 @sewer-rat: nailed it... ????
  • 3 3
 I rode my alpine HARD at Stevens pass. It had a pike rc2dh and cane creek db and held up through multiple runs and rock sections that had full on dh bikes bouncing around @HarrySimpson:
  • 3 9
flag woodyc (Sep 4, 2020 at 10:19) (Below Threshold)
 @HarrySimpson: Orange have seen more crack than a smack den. I don’t know why they’ve got such a following, their bikes are wank. Shame really!
  • 9 2
 @woodyc: don’t you ride a trek? Over priced tat with a reputation for breaking and made on the cheap in the Far East. People in glass houses and all that.
  • 2 2
 @sewer-rat: don't know what that means, but sounds awesome. upvote from me.
  • 2 2
 @sewer-rat:
That had me laughing hard
  • 5 0
 @thenotoriousmic: I’m speaking from experience and the fact that one mates had 2 5’s crack, another had a 5 and an alpine crack, another local lad has an alpine that they’ve replaced. My mate worked there and he said they would rather tell customers with warranty claims that they were out of stock and would “offer” them an upgrade at a reduced price. Shit service.
Re my Trek, I bought it from my small LBS and yes it’s let me down and yes Trek promptly replaced FOC with no questions asked. If you want my advice though, buy an Ibis or a Santa Cruz. I’m happy in my glass house for now anyway thanks.
  • 2 3
 @woodyc:
Your mate's cracked and his mate's cracked and your mate worked there?
Was he one of the blind welders?

Same old shite every time Orange release a new bike, if you're going to take the piss please try and come up with something a bit more original...
  • 2 0
 @woodyc: Have a 2012 five and a 2017 alpine, neither have cracked and yet I know people who've had Intense, Santa Cruz, Spesh, Ibis, Devinci and a Banshee crack. Stuff breaks the Fox X2 is a bag of turd if i use your logic as I've had 2 seals go on it.
  • 1 0
 www.instagram.com/p/CEuPI6ynKj9/?igshid=1k0ay999kmhwx
  • 2 0
 So you actually said that after breaking your trek? That’s nuts.
  • 3 0
 @woodyc: ‘smack’ and ‘crack’, different things btw.
  • 1 0
 @fatduke: The hinge is another
  • 1 0
 @jemscott: that was sick!
  • 1 0
 @HarrySimpson: how’s about this then , 2017-2018 rear ends were prone to cracking by the drop out- go on orange riders group and look, they were awful! Plus when you compare them to other brands as a benchmark, the price is circa 1k too much for the build- a rebadged four called the five evo at £5300!! Not for me and I love single pivots , had 3 oranges , 4 empires an old SC Bullit and now on a Cotic Flaremax- the reason I didn’t opt for the Orange Stage 4 was the price and the amount of rear end failures I’ve seen. The flip side is I’ve also seen the way Orange have dealt with it which has been really good, but a change is as good as a test they say
  • 1 1
 @sewer-rat: nail on the head there mate. And Harry, I’m not making it up. I live less than 10 miles from their factory and pass the place on my way to the office. They’re local and i really would love to buy their bikes, I like their designs and one set of frame bearings... need I say more??? The poor welding and high price though, it ruins a brand and forces my eye elsewhere.
  • 1 1
 @sewer-rat:
Five Evo S retail for £3300 and can probably picked up for less from a dealer so this doesn't seem too far out for a hand built in the UK frame.
Being a smaller company Orange obviously don't have the same buying power as the big boys so it's always going to be harder to keep the prices down when specifying components.
  • 2 0
 @HarrySimpson: sorry I disagree, the margin they make is nigh on double the cost, I know as a member of my family is sponsored by them and gets bikes half price. Empire could put together a full frame for less than £400 manufacturing costs so to charge circa 2k is extortion- even if it is manufactured in the uk
  • 1 1
 @sewer-rat:
You're forgetting that they're not selling direct.
They're supporting local bike shops and dealers who also have to take their cut so they're not making anywhere near double the cost.

How much profit do you think the big boys are making on their far east produced frames?
  • 2 0
 @HarrySimpson: I'd give up arguing with sewer rat, he clearly knows everything about orange and will not accept that not all people are the same as him.
  • 2 0
 The big boys - probably far less margin per frame based on volume , I’d guess 18-24% as that’s what most high volume manufacturers would be looking for , just seems a mess IMHO
  • 1 0
 I just giggled! @sewer-rat:
  • 1 0
 @sewer-rat: Thanks for clearing that up, I knew you'd have all the inside information.

I'm guessing you and @woodyc have both got mates or family members out there working in the high end mass produced bicycle industry??
  • 1 0
 @HarrySimpson: not at all, but it does seem my guestimate isn’t far off, or is this thread below total bs also- I’ll stick by my above comments, overpriced imho


weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=145480
  • 1 0
 @sewer-rat:
Thanks for the link to that forum.
It clearly shows how much profit the armchair experts were guesstimating manufacturing companies were making on road bike frames in 2017, can't argue with any of that.
  • 1 0
 @HarrySimpson: wow, I don’t think we’ll ever agree with this Harry, you go your way and I’ll go mine. Enjoy your cracking bike
  • 1 0
 10 year failure rate on orange FS 0.47%, less than 1 in 200. @sewer-rat, with your sponsored family member I thought you might know that!
  • 1 0
 @jemscott: 0.47 over 10 years - agree that's impressive, now run those failure numbers again over the last 4 years, pretty sure it'll be quite a lot higher
  • 1 0
 @sewer-rat: it's not though, when I was on FB orange riders some one posted the figures up for the newer bikes it was well within tolerances. The thing with social media groups is that they'll always piss and moan and when some one pipes up about cracking the drop out on an alpine 6 you'll find some one who broke something on their sub zero.
  • 1 0
 @fatduke: sorry, but another one was reported in the group just yesterday - the 0.47% thing was a figure from 2016! From their 2016 release "Built to go anywhere and back. Since we we launched the first Five over ten years ago we have had a failure rate of just 0.47%. That's not a made up statistic, we checked our records to be sure. It means the five year warranty we provide is rarely called upon." I go back to my above comments, the 2017-2018 rear ends were prone to cracks. I'm not an Orange hater, far from it but they aren't as reliable as they once were. up to 2015 were the magic years
  • 1 0
 @sewer-rat: I’m not saying what you said is totally incorrect but with out figures you can’t say “it’ll be quite a lot higher”.
  • 30 0
 Full Geo chart in metric, then BAM! seat tube length in Inches. Why?!
  • 2 3
 Wheel diameter in inches, inner rim width in mm. Have you ever seen something this uncommon?
  • 19 1
 Weld done Orange. Looks awesome!
  • 6 0
 That could get you expelled from the school of puns.
  • 19 2
 Over priced
  • 4 2
 orange bikes are great, and they sponser many riders and used too myself, but i can definitely confirm they are too expensive for what they offer
  • 1 1
 @Jaib06: Complete bike, made in the UK, this kind of money? I think it is fair. Which European or North American made frame were you comparing this to?
  • 2 0
 @vinay: @vinay: frame isn't made in the UK though!
  • 2 1
 @TheElectricGhost: Oh wait, it isn't? That's kind of a reason to buy one of their frames, for many of their customers. What would they think they're contributing to the market then? Ok, I'm baffled.
  • 4 0
 @vinay: hardtail frames are made in the Far East. It is only the full suss frames made in the UK.
  • 16 0
 I like the low res geo table
  • 15 0
 Wouldn't be Orange if it were high-res. Foggy up north you know.
  • 6 0
 They should have used Scribd
  • 14 0
 That's a nice looking hardtail.
  • 4 0
 Agreed. Low top tube, mid size fork with proper geometry, looks massive fun.
  • 17 3
 That’s not an Orange the welds dont look shit.
  • 7 1
 Probably not made in halifax, guess its far eastern?
  • 14 2
 'Designed in Britain'... then made by people who know what they're doing
  • 5 0
 Never been a big fan of Orange myself but man, Poms are their toughest critics! Smile
  • 14 0
 @deadbeat: its the pommy way mate. We'll slag it off and say its crap (its not) but you try slag it off we'll be after yer.
  • 1 0
 ..
  • 3 0
 If they could get a Stage 6 in this brushed aluminum or that polished finish that they used to do, that would be pretty sweet! I also think that 'MX' is a good way of referring to the mixed wheel sized bikes.
  • 2 0
 "The dropper cable is internal while everything else is on the outside."

The dropper cable is _partially_ internal. These silly in and out and in designs look terrible to me. Just run it external until the seat tube, especially when every other cable/hose is external.
  • 1 0
 I personally prefer everything external, but I don't see the issue with what Orange has done here. Full suspension bikes with internal cable routing do the same, right? The have to go external between front and rear triangle. Same here. The kink the cable would have to make to travel from downtube to seattube would be too sharp and affect the performance. Of course they could have gone all external and only dive into the seattube to be able to work with "stealth" type dropper post, but then again the same would then go for all those other full suspension bikes that do the exact same thing.
  • 1 0
 @vinay: "Full suspension bikes with internal cable routing do the same, right?" Some do, and they also look stupid. I have a Stumpy 2019 and it does not. Hell, even the brake and rear shift cables only exit the bike at the rear port. Actually fully internal. No stupid loops.
  • 6 1
 Ah, great to see external routing coming back into favour!
  • 1 1
 The cable routing is the same as my 2019 Orange hardtail.
  • 1 0
 Maybe there is an Australian who can ultimately confirm as they are the world leaders in them, but aren’t mullets business up front and party at the back? Short front, long back.

Has this been addressed in another thread and I missed it?
  • 1 0
 You are thinking too literally (in terms of size). 27.5" is the fun wheel, and 29" is the business wheel.
  • 1 0
 @Wozza-nz: Gotcha. business up front and party in the back and ignore the size thing.

And also never mention it again as it werent worth it for one vote. I’ve let myself down.
  • 1 1
 Brought an orange crush 27.5 for my son a couple of years ago. Fantastic bike - riden at all the bike parks in the southwest UK, all year round. Orange bikes are expensive - they could do with adopting the direct to consumer model, however I purchased the crush in the sale in Oct 2018 for £1150. Best money i've spent on a bike.
  • 3 0
 Out of Oranges entire full suspension line up, this bike is the most advanced theyve produced so far
  • 5 0
 I actually think the process where they weld a frame out of sheet metal is pretty unique and advanced too.
  • 1 1
 I'll never understand why everyone wants stealth dropper routing but external cables for everything else. I get that the stack height is a bit higher but my collar routed Transfer is far less of a pain in the ass to set up than other droppers I've used. Either go all external or all internal...
  • 3 0
 Internal looks 10 million times better. But I don't want internal routing for brake lines for very obvious reasons. If internal routing is done right, setting up shifter and dropper cables is super easy. But fuck internal brake lines.
  • 1 0
 Bloody lovely looking bike but yeah too expensive . Owned an Orange Alpine 160 a few years back and loved it , luckily got it on the cheap , would definitely go second hand on a hardtail tho
  • 1 0
 New geo looks a bit wonky to someone who grew up on 90s hardtails but this may have got me onto a hardtail.

(If I hadn’t just spent too much on a new filing cabinet)
  • 3 0
 İs it international hardtail release day?
  • 2 0
 Yeah bro. Won't you join and dance around naked? It's cool bro.
  • 2 0
 It looks mighty fine but I can't find the weight for this thing anywhere. Probably means it not particularly light.
  • 2 0
 Nah, design is too clean. No one will ask why I brought origami drafts to the trail.
  • 2 0
 I think it looks great. I even like the old school black and white graphics, and I’m a sucker for brushed aluminum frames.
  • 2 0
 Hardtails taking over again
  • 2 0
 But whyyyyy the external cable/ hose routing?
  • 8 1
 Do you even wrench, bro?
  • 2 0
 I see at least one Orange in my future
  • 2 0
 the longer i look at that cassette/rotor, the more it trips me out.
  • 2 0
 Wish people would stop hating on skeletons wanking in biscuit tins.
  • 1 0
 Is MX now a thing. Mullet > MX. Does sounds a bit better...
  • 1 0
 Motocross bikes(MX) have 21" front wheels and 19" rear wheels. Makes more literal sense IMO than mullet, because a mullet is actually bigger in the back, not smaller.
  • 1 0
 Orange you glad we aren't forced to buy it?
  • 1 0
 Stunning. This looks fantastic on paper.
  • 2 0
 Mullet bikes!!!
  • 2 1
 I'm guessing these frames aren't made in Halifax.
  • 1 2
 Not sure why you’d want a mullet hardtail. I’m quite impressed with how well a 29 wheel takes the sting out the back end of my ragley hardtail.
  • 2 1
 okay boomer
  • 2 1
 @tobiusmaximum: Im genX like u
  • 1 1
 @flattire: I was just joking bud, I’ve no idea how old you are.
  • 1 0
 Looks great.
  • 1 1
 I thought that was a Ragley for a second!
  • 1 1
 Who is this made for? Hardtail DH bike? Imagine riding that up a hill.







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