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Orange Elite

MSRP $ 2000.00
# of Reviews 1
Average Rating 5/5
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Submitted by John Stokes a Weekend Warrior from Abergavenny, Wales UK
Date Reviewed: June 8, 1999
Favorite Trail:
sugarloaf, Abergavenny
Duration Product Used:
more than 3 years
Strengths:
Strong, Light, responsive. Climbs and accelerates like a rocket
Weaknesses:
Original Clear finish on polished aluminium has worn off in parts and it now looks tatty. newer E's are much better.
Similar Products Used:
Kona Lava Dome.
Just ordered a new Klein Attitude with Pace RC36 Pro Forks. Not sure why I am changing though really.
Bike Setup:
Rigid Forks, Changed all original Suntour Micro drive to XT kit when it bacame unobtainable. Cooks sealed cromo BB, 517 rims, Richie Z Max 2.1 Kevlars, light tubes, replaced Dia Comp cantis with Avid V's (superb), Flite Ti/Kevlar Saddle.
Bottom Line:This bike has performed outstandingly throughout the seven or eight years that I have owned it from new. I bought it on the strength of a excellent write up in a uk bike magazine when the Elite model was first launched. It has now gone through several evolutions to the now E4. It is a really light weight and stiff frame which provides excellent single track control and lightning acceleration. It is now a little heavier 24 lbs from the original 22.5 since the Suntour micro drive had to be replaced by the heavier, but I must admit, better performing, XT gear set and hubs. The Cooks BB was a brilliant investment and you just can't fault the Richie Z max Kevlar WCS tyres. The bike is now stoppable thanks to the Avid V's.
This bike has been hammered abused and trashed and still shows no sign of fatigue. A good example of solid engineering by the Orange poeple up north. If only they could have got the finish right. The newer E2 etc had a much better surface finish but I am not that keen on the flexi wishbone modification that came in on the E2.
Overall Rating:5






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