For 2009 Orange is replacing the Patriot with a new Alpine 160. At first glance it looks pretty similar to the outgoing bike, but with tweaked geometry, a dropped top tube, and a twin strut swingarm, there are difference there.

As with the Patriot there will be a coil build with Fox 36 Vans and a coil shock, or a lighter build with a Fox DHX air shock and air-sprung 36’s up front.

The shock is fixed in position here – there’s no shock shuttle to tamper with; and the back end is bolt-thru to increase stiffness.

Also new on the Orange stand was a new hardtail: the R8. It’s lighter than any of the current crop of Orange hardtails thanks to the use of Reynolds 853 tubing.

More details should eventually be making their way onto www.orangebikes.co.uk, and we’ll have more details in the November issue of the mag.