The Halifax-based bike brand has made small improvements to the Orange Crush hardtail, slackening things a touch and offering two builds, in either wheel size.

The alloy hardcore Orange Crush has always been one of the best hardtail mountain bike offerings out there and the 2022 range adds both wheel sizes and is now a touch slacker, increasing confidence on those steep technical descents.

Core geometry specifiations see a 63.5° head angle on the 27.5” Crush, built with a 150mm fork. Front suspension travel reduces to 140mm if you upsize to the Crush Pro 29er, which sits slightly steeper, at a 64.5° head angle.

2022 Orange Crush

Suspension spec to handle big hits

Both versions of the updated Crush have similar reach numbers, with a size large stretching to 480mm.

Orange’s build kits see RockShox Lyrik Select forks and SRAM SX Eagle drivetrains, with 32t chainrings driving 11-50t cassettes.

Plenty of premium brands up front

With the slacker overall geometry, there is no question that owners of these new Crush hardtails, will venture into steep and technical terrain.

Big brakes and tyres

Orange has equipped the improved Crush range with SRAM Guide T brakes to provide adequate braking power and modulation when things get steep on rowdy. These Guide T callipers act on big 200mm rotors up front, and 180mm rotors at the rear.

Tyre specification is predictably Maxxis, with the Crush frames providing enough mud clearance for beefy rubber. Orange’s Crush 27.5” rolls a combination of Minion DHF and DHR, both in the 2.6” casing width.

On the 29er version, the front Minion DHF is a 2.5”, while the rear tyre spec changes to DHR II, sized 2.4” across.

Typically generous tyre clearance

Crush gets wide bars and KS droppers

Helping riders on these new Crush steer with precision is a RaceFace Chester 780mm handlebar, held in place by Burgtec’s enduro 42.5mm stem.

Hardcore hardtails work better with long droppers and on these new Orange Crushes, there are KS Ragei droppers, sizes 150- or 170mm, depending on frame size.

Besides the stealth dropper, all brake and drivetrain controls are routed externally for ease of maintenance.

Both the 27.5” and 29” Orange Crush Pro derivatives price at £2600.