The new Alpine6 is an enduro monster with a shorter, stiffer back end, a 170mm fork and a whopping wheelbase.

Why the name change? It’s partly to do with keeping some consistency with the Alpine6’s numerically named siblings the Four and Five and partly to do with adoption of 170mm forks up front.

>>> The 2017 Orange Five

The Alpine6 is still 160mm travel at the back but all Alpine6 models will sport 170mm forks. The Alpine6 is clearly intended to be a bit more aggro than a trail bike.

It’s a bike for for proper mountains – or at least proper gnarly gradients anyway.

Much like the new Orange Five, the 2017 Orange Alpine6 features Boost hub standard. This has enabled Orange to make the swingarm shorter. It’s also allowed them to make the pivot a few mm wider.

Basically Boost has shortened the chain stays by 9mm to 430mm, stiffened the rear end and increased the tyre clearance. Can’t be bad.

The shock location has been tweaked a bit to improve the suspension feel; there’s now more progression at the end of the stroke.

This has been achieved by a shaping of the down tube that allows the top of the shock to be mounted a bit lower.

>>> How to fit Fox Float rear shock volume spacers

The Alpine6 has committed to 1x drivetrains. You can’t fit a front mech on there at all.

Let’s talk about that swingarm a bit more. It’s the part of the bike that has seen the most reworking.

Essentially it looks a lot more sophisticated the previous Alpine Oranges. The swingarm features a bit more curving and, most importantly, the stays feature ‘creases’ along their length. This is to add stiffness.

Most of the main tubes have been reworked a fair bit actually. There’s been a bit of slenderisation gone on. The frame has lost 300g in total.

The top tube has a very slight curve to it. This is to increase standover, which has the knock-on effect of allowing more riders to be able to squeeze in a 150mm dropper post should they wish to.

Geometry wise the Orange Alpine6 has a 64.5 degree head angle (half a degree slacker than the Alpine 160), a 74 degree seat angle and a 6mm lower BB (342mm).

The wheelbase numbers will be sure to excite those of a gravity-assisted disposition: the XL has 1,235mm wheelbase. That’s pretty huge. For reference, the Small’s is 1,190mm, the Medium’s 1,210mm and the Large’s 1,231mm.

Prices will range from £2,900 to £5,200. More info at orangebikes.co.uk

Availability for the 2017 Orange Alpine6 is at the end of July.