First Look: Orange Patriot E.P.O

Oct 3, 2023
by Seb Stott  
photo
It's becoming a thing for bike brands to dust off old model names and apply them to e-bikes. The original Orange Patriot was a classic freeride bike of the early two-thousands. The new Patriot E.P.O (Electric Powered Orange) bears about as much relationship to the original as Mel Gibson's movie does to history. It has more in common with Orange's Switch 7 enduro bike, with 170 mm of travel at each end and mullet wheels, mated to a Bosch Performance Line CX motor with a 750 Wh battery.

While the motor may be relatively new to Orange, they're still made in-house in the UK out of folded sheets of aluminium, as they have been since around the time of the Magna Carta.
Patriot Details

• 170 mm travel front & rear
• Mullet wheels
• Bosch Performance Line CX motor, 750 Wh battery
• Sizes: S-XL
• Linkage-driven suspension
• Price: £8800 | €9500 | $9900 USD
• www.orangebikes.com



photo

Suspension

Like the Switch 7 and Stage 7, it uses Orange's latest innovation: a link to drive the shock in a way that offers some progression to help with bottom-out resistance. The Strange Powerlink system results in a 25% drop in leverage ratio from 0% to 100% travel, making it progressively harder to compress the shock towards bottom-out as the leverage ratio decreases. In contrast, Orange's single-pivot bikes for which they're best known have a leverage ratio that remains approximately constant throughout the travel, meaning bottom-out resistance is left up to the shock.


photo

Geometry

The geometry is designed for stability, with a slack 63-degree head angle and relatively long 448 mm chainstays. The geometry is very similar to the Switch 7 enduro bike, but with a 5 mm higher bottom bracket (and 5 mm shorter crank) to help reduce pedal strikes.


Price and parts

For now, there's just one build: the Patriot LE. It goes for £8800 | €9500 | $9900 USD. For that, you get Fox Performance-level suspension (Grip fork damper), Shimano SLX drivetrain (with SRAM NX chain); SRAM Guide RE brakes and Stan's Flow/Hope Pro5 wheels.

photo



Posted In:
eMTB Reviews and Tech First Looks Orange Bikes


Author Info:
seb-stott avatar

Member since Dec 29, 2014
297 articles
Report
Must Read This Week
Police Called to Scott Sports Headquarters as CEO Dispute Continues
63820 views
First Ride: Fox Releases New Grip X & Grip X2 Dampers
46006 views
Pinkbike Poll: Center Lock or 6-Bolt Brake Rotor Mounting?
42318 views
Tech Briefing: Fancy Suspension, Carbon Wheels, Spring Apparel & More
37082 views
Pinkbike's DH Fantasy League: Get Your Team On The Line for Round 1
33262 views
SRAM Patent Shows Compact Motor x Battery Unit
31376 views
Bike Check: Craig Evans' Airdrop Edit V5
30389 views
First Look: Fair Bicycle's Drop Best Offset Saddle Clamp is Universally Compatible
29080 views

161 Comments
  • 312 7
 Let's look at the positives; They can't force you to buy one.
  • 66 1
 No headset cable routing
  • 55 63
flag vinay FL (Oct 3, 2023 at 6:23) (Below Threshold)
 Bike looks nice.
  • 18 2
 they really need to figure out how to make the linkage not look like a block of aluminium. That and not charge 9k for baes level fox suspension and poo-tire brakes. Just picked up a Trek Rail in the sale with a better spec than this for 4.7k
  • 9 1
 @toad321: Really hard to justify against this bike which is nearly £4k less:
www.canyon.com/en-gb/electric-bikes/electric-mountain-bikes/mountain-ebikes-striveon/strive-on-cfr-underdog/3428.html
  • 33 11
 Oh boy I love this comment section. OP: "Let's look at the positives". Me: "Looks nice". End up below threshold.
  • 14 4
 @vinay: Remember, you’re stuck on a rock spinning through the cold dark vacuum of deep space with these people – and there’s no escape. My sympathies buddy.
  • 15 10
 @vinay: not sure what's difficult to understand about this. You put up a comment saying the bike looks nice. Other people are disagreeing and express that as downvotes. Seems fair.
  • 12 8
 @rarerider: I think the concept of a downvote is a bit lost here, especially since it results in the post getting actually hidden. We are really downvoting something as trivial as someone liking the looks of a bike we don’t? Scary times we live in.
  • 12 3
 @vinay: I think the key, which you left out, is that "look at the positives" was followed by a sarcastic "they can't force you to buy one". Sincere positivity was not actually being solicited.
  • 3 6
 @barp: Yet sincere positivity was being expressed as a reply, and while that reply may not have fully grasped the sarcastic nature of the original comment its disturbing to consider that negative comments stay visible while positive comments get hidden.
  • 2 0
 @LarryTheLoafer: Sorry to disturb your disturbance, but I wasn't disturbed about it myself. Welcome to teh intarwebz. Here is your free lolcat and enjoy ur stay.
  • 1 0
 * High five *
  • 1 4
 @barp: Quite the contrary my good man, one might conclude you were disturbed enough to have replied. I see your lolcat and raise you a smirk emoji.
  • 7 0
 Imagine sitting in front of a spec sheet, for a high end ebike. It says Bosch Performance Line CX motor, 750wh battery, 12sp Shimano SLX drivetrain...

You then somehow manage to type in "sram nx chain" and "G2 RE brakes" and press save
  • 3 0
 Yea, we've got choices, I can pick a Whirlpool refrigerator or a Bosch refrigerator.
  • 4 0
 Put this in a Win it Wednesday and the odds might actually be in my favor.
  • 1 0
 Phwar
  • 4 2
 @vinay: im with you, I think orange bikes look good. Love a single pivot.
  • 4 1
 @vinay: You need the pinkbike braille website.....
  • 2 4
 @LarryTheLoafer: Funny comments get props. Woosh comments get wooshed.
  • 1 1
 @vinay: props given.
  • 2 0
 Must be the first time I'm glad I can't afford an eeb
  • 2 0
 Positive: When plugged in your family will assume it's a refrigerator. So you can store/charge your bike in the kitchen.
  • 2 0
 @Betacygni: Homie out here thinking a pb down votes on a comment praising an ugly bike is a threat to the 1st amendment
  • 1 2
 @NorCalNomad: The dangers start small. If you’re not concerned about the prevalence of “likes” and “dislikes” via a button, well, good luck in the society you will find yourself in one day. Most big problems start at such a trivial level no one notices until it’s too late. Goodness knows if our society ever mirrors the pinkbike comments section we’ve got problems.
  • 2 1
 @Betacygni: don't you have some nike's to burn or bud lite to destroy?
  • 1 3
 @NorCalNomad: Thank you for proving my point.
  • 1 0
 @Betacygni: Yeah but people will always use upvotes and downvotes the same as likes or dislikes as that's what makes the most sense. It's pinkbikes fault for using a counterintuitive system that has unintended effects.
  • 1 0
 @Ousqa: I guess I didn't get the memo--what are PB votes intended for, if not "agree/like" and "disagree/dislike"?
  • 87 1
 What sound does an electric filing cabinet make when tossed down the stairs?
  • 82 0
 The dude that wasted the excellent "looks like a fridge" comment on the megawatt article must be livid today!
  • 3 0
 @Mugen: lol
  • 3 1
 @Mugen: lol I was coming to say the same thing.
  • 1 1
 Same as an Orange E.P.O riding down an rock garden?
  • 56 1
 i see ya left out the weight...
  • 41 0
 Let's file that under heavy.
  • 2 0
 @LemonadeMoney: i see what you did there
  • 1 0
 Surprisingly, Orange never ever talk about weight...
  • 51 0
 Do you think Orange actually steps back upon a bike's completion and says man, look at this beautiful masterpiece. Or, is it more of a handing in your 10 page final paper that you wrote the night before it was due and telling yourself it's not that bad and the professor might dig it kind of thing?
  • 1 0
 Definitely the latter. I’d say this is not quite fugly, but pretty close.
  • 15 1
 Obviously like most e-bikes this looks absolutely vile but most Oranges look absolutely incredible in real life, I know they’re rare in the US and they don’t look good in 2D but in person they are works of art but you need to see all the folds and tiny intricate pieces to appreciate them. I’m not sure I’ll ever get one but they’re always my favourite to look at in the bike shop.
  • 1 0
 As someone who just graduated and did that pretty much every assignment, I can assure you that the Orange design team was intoxicated during this project, and just hope the public doesn't find out.
  • 49 0
 Did someone say that Nukeproof e-bike looked like a fridge…
  • 49 0
 The Megawatt is a fridge, this is a shipping container
  • 7 0
 Dude if it comes stock with a little Redbull fridge in the downtube I'll buy it.
  • 1 0
 This one looks like a beam, a W-beam.
  • 1 0
 Yeah me. This is more a fridge/freezer.
  • 43 0
 All other criticisms aside, EPO is pretty funny name.
  • 5 0
 Yep, it goes straight to veins
  • 1 0
 No replacement for displacement.
  • 40 0
 30kg bike with Guide brakes? very optimistic
  • 7 5
 The Guide REs use the old Code calipers and aren't too bad.
  • 8 3
 @ABhardtail: for a 13-14kg bike they’re okay for general trail riding. For a 30kg fully loaded shipping container…RIP little guides, you weren’t made for this
  • 5 1
 They went with the Stan's/Hope wheels, so why not go with the Hope brakes too?

I don't know about the tech 4 brakes, but my tech 3 E4 brakes sound almost as bad as guides, but can actually stop me whilst still pissing off my riding buddies with the noise.

"Looks agricultural. Sounds like shite. Bloody well works tho" - Orange bikes
  • 5 1
 @ROOTminus1: those tech 3’s are terrible they’ve fixed absolutely everything about them with the tech 4 and are now brilliant.
  • 3 0
 @ROOTminus1: Tech 4s are incredible.
  • 2 1
 @sjma: 2011 Avid Code ( which is exact copy of Guide RE) are very powerful brakes on my Session 88 that is probably pushing around 39lbs
  • 1 0
 @Td5819: Yep. Tec 4 are a massive upgrade, everything i loved about Hope (feel, look, serviceability) and fixed everything that was wrong - they now have massive power and stainless non sticky pistons. Well pleased.
  • 1 1
 @snotrag: the lever blades aren’t so rough when riding without gloves they’ve taken out that super stiff lever spring actually might now have the lightest lever pull and there’s actual power that is predictable and like you said they’ve fixed the pistons so they don’t stick when they get hot.
  • 30 0
 Literally my number one favourite thing in the world is to spend nearly £9k then buy immediately new brakes - nailed it fellas
  • 4 0
 there are no issues with Guide RE, this is rebranded 2011 Avid Code that everyone was rocking on Rampage in 2010 - 2014 on very heavy DH rigs
  • 1 1
 @valrock: even Shimano seems to have sorted out their brakes. I’d happily use any brake from any reputable manufacturer as long as they’ve got metallic pads. Honestly think if someone’s having issues with any brake it’s because they’re not using the correct pads and rotor size.
  • 1 0
 @thenotoriousmic: wrong, there is about 10000% difference in power between basic Level T\Guide R with metal pads and CODE RCS, or Shimano XT\XTR. In fact top of the line MTB brakes can probably stop a motorcycle Big Grin
  • 1 1
 @valrock: I still don’t care. As long as they’ve got metallic pads Orlando the correct sized rotors they’ll still work really well.
  • 1 1
 @thenotoriousmic: if you do not care, then you are not riding hard enough. Which is absolutely fine, not everyone here sends down the mountain.
  • 1 1
 @valrock: I disagree. It’s not the brakes fault you can’t ride something or you’re going slow. It’s your fault for not being good enough. It’s an ability issue not a product issue.
  • 30 4
 Like that big lady at the end of the bar, I am gonna need half a dozen whiskey sours before I even think of riding it.
  • 11 1
 Good fun till your mates find out!!
  • 3 3
 @escy44: Someone please make an ebike bike called Fat Bird (in a ginger colour).
  • 2 0
 Should be called the FBG, not EPO.
  • 21 4
 I think we should all take a moment to be grateful that there are plenty of other bike companies out there who actually know what they're doing.
  • 17 0
 Shimano drivetrain with Sram NX chain? Why? FFS
  • 44 0
 They obviously had to make some compromises to hit that low price of €9500
  • 14 1
 Whos buying these filing cabinets? I haven't seen one on the trail since 2007
  • 14 2
 I will never understand why Orange still makes that swing arm.. it is just unbelievably ugly, plus must weigh a ton...
  • 2 0
 amen
  • 2 0
 Agreed, I dare say Ibis did it better on the Oso, at least.
  • 2 0
 They’re not heavy at all! I replaced my orange four for a 2022 Santacruz 5010 and the 5010 is much heavier even in cc frame. It’s also much more noisy than the orange was. To say I’m kinda gutted is an understatement. However I’m getting it to where I want it noise wise. But I was really surprised and the weight and it feels heavier to ride than the four too! I’m hoping it’s overbuilt and strong instead.
  • 9 2
 Cantilevered single swingarm? Check.

Welded monocoque structure? Check.

Motor? Check.

Just put pegs on and it’s good to go. Looks like Orange is FINALLY building the kind of bike they’ve been engineering for decades-a motorbike.
  • 4 0
 Motorbike is probably quieter. Imagine the amplification of all the motor rattles echoing round inside
  • 1 0
 @chrismac70:
  • 10 0
 Wonder if Canfield will go Specialized on Orange over EPO?
  • 3 1
 Canfield had the Riot, but they had to change it to the Toir, so they have been on the other end of this. That being said, I don't think anyone is going to confuse the Canfield carbon fiber hard tail EPO with the Orange Abomination.
  • 10 0
 came here for the comments, left happy and fulfilled, thanks pinkers
  • 10 1
 are orange and pole having a contest
  • 7 0
 Makes the new carbon megawatt look good value! Performance level suspension, NX chain, guide re brakes, for £8800?!
  • 7 0
 Almost £9k for that. What they smoking in Halifax? Trail bike brakes on a 30kg ebike, okaaaaay.
  • 6 0
 I don't know if it's the nostalgia from Peat's era and childhood memories but I am one of the few who really digs the look of Orange (e)bikes and I really like that one
  • 2 1
 I loved my 2004 Patriot. At the time, they were cool. This isn't cool now, let alone in the future.
  • 1 0
 I loved my Patriot66.
  • 8 0
 Does it explode into multiple pieces like their DH bike? :s
  • 7 0
 in the words of a Duke Nukem: damn, you're ugly
  • 5 0
 Ever see an Orange catastrophically fail during a race run?
www.instagram.com/reel/CvnNIWdPRiN/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
  • 3 0
 @lead-sled Wow - I would think twice about selling any more sheet metal bikes if I was Orange.
  • 7 2
 Orange seriously need a brand, design and manufacturing overhaul. Or just retire.
  • 3 0
 Their last 'filing' on Companies House would suggest otherwise.
  • 1 1
 No you
  • 3 0
 They have kind of "boxed" Wink themselves in with the folded sheet metal look and seem to be incapable of moving away from that design for fear of not being Orange.
  • 1 0
 @BertRoot:
Amazing. £2M in the black….

Who is buying them then?!?
  • 4 0
 @rich-2000: I've got one. I've had a few. Its ace. Its lighter than many carbon equivalents. It was made by people in Yorkshrie earning a decent wage. Its SUPER reliable. Masses of mud clearance. Excellent paint finish. Its fast.


Its not a gopping ebike though!
  • 1 0
 @rich-2000: There are three in our house, am supporting British manufacturing. Tried a few multi-pivot bikes and always come back to the raw predictable feel.
  • 1 0
 @rich-2000: looking at it i'd say they could be in trouble this year, they had next to no cash in the bank in oct 22, 2m in debtors and carrying a huge amount of stock, 3.8m im stock is a lot of bikes to shift in 2023 when barely anyone is buying bikes, especially these ugly bikes designed 20 years ago.
  • 6 0
 Is that a Decepticon or Autobot?
  • 1 0
 It's heavier than Metroplex
  • 5 0
 Can we ban digging up old names for bikes that are absolutely nothing like the bikes that made that name famous.
  • 4 0
 Didn’t know orange could make their bikes look anymore uglier….

Yet here we are
  • 4 0
 An electric clockwork orange
  • 6 2
 Looks great. Been on the Phase, it was great. Expect this to be great
  • 8 0
 I feel like you may have issues
  • 5 0
 63lbs.
  • 3 0
 Love that Orange have kept their design language over all these years. That elevated chainstay just screams Orange
  • 2 0
 This is the equivalent of BBC but in the bike community... She tells you not to worry about it, but it always just lurks in the back of your mind...
  • 1 0
 Why this old clunky controller, and what is on the top tube. In terms of electronic integration outdated in the time of its premier Frown
  • 4 0
 motorised skellingtons
  • 3 0
 Agree… the Guide brakes are a wildly optimistic spec for this bike. Oof.
  • 2 0
 As much as I like the brand I'd buy a new petrol bike or a second hand van for that price.
  • 3 0
 They really need to update their look. Primitive looking.
  • 3 0
 that part about the linkage haha
  • 1 1
 The bike is very cool!

However, why would one want to mix imperial and metric units in the geometry table? ST length could be stated in units that the civilized world understands and uses.
  • 3 0
 Anyone know where I can short Orange shares?
  • 4 0
 make it stop
  • 17 0
 Not with those brakes
  • 2 2
 @seb-stott the Mel Gibson comparison does not check out. Let me tell you that Mel Gibson, in fact has a movie related to history. He did not act in it. It's the Passion of Crist in which he directed.
  • 3 0
 How is this over 9K with performance and SLX stuff?
  • 1 1
 It's funny to see that swingarm design showing up on more bikes now. I guess the patent ran out on that, for Marin was it? And so many people whined about that design when the original was on the market.
  • 2 0
 Orange you glad you bought something else?
  • 2 0
 More struts than Freddie Mercury
  • 2 0
 It wouldn't be an Orange with an idler pulley?
  • 2 0
 Isn't EPO already on the UCIs doping list?
  • 2 0
 If you turned an excavator into a trail bike.
  • 2 0
 If the Nukeproof was a refrigerator, does that make this the deep freezer?
  • 3 1
 so not only will it sound like a filing cabinet it now looks like one.
  • 2 0
 Clockwork orange was also a kinda hard to watch
  • 1 0
 Yikes. Just when you think e-bikes can’t get any uglier Orange come as long and cries “hold my beer boys”
  • 1 0
 the ugliest bike on the market hands down. orange bike sells are gunna drop tons after this.
  • 3 2
 I’m from Yorkshire, but I think I’ll stick with my Pole Voima. Welded aluminium is so ‘90s
  • 2 0
 Throw a Trust linkage fork on this and you got something pretty special.
  • 2 0
 Gee. When a bike designer has a brutal hangover and still goes to work…
  • 2 0
 You could’ve told me this runs on diesel and I would have believed you.
  • 1 0
 looks smaller than the orange switch 6 which haunts the banners of pinkbike.
  • 3 1
 Couldn't be much uglier.
  • 2 2
 Hey Lance Armstrong, here is your favourite cycling thing, and now its free to use!
  • 3 1
 Woof
  • 1 0
 I once tried e-doping but ended up a bit fried. My PTSD was gone though!
  • 2 0
 Yikes...
  • 2 1
 Good lord, what a disaster of a design.
  • 1 0
 Perfect solution to an obsolete frame design....just slap a motor on it.
  • 2 0
 EPO? BSO.
  • 1 0
 LOL
  • 4 3
 This is UK grim. Put it in a bin.
  • 1 0
 Mechanical doping got expensive!
  • 1 0
 Well, EPO does make you go faster...
  • 1 0
 How many filing cabinets died to make that!
  • 3 2
 What Brit in their right mind would want to be patriotic at the moment
  • 1 0
 After seeing this thing, the fork in my eyes hurts less
  • 5 7
 Gather all the commenters on here
Put them on a rocket into space
& you eliminate the major KOOK FEST that is
Pinkbike
  • 1 3
 do they even know what EPO stands for in cycling....
  • 6 0
 thatsthejoke.gif
Below threshold threads are hidden







Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv42 0.057659
Mobile Version of Website