Orange Phase RS

The Phase is our first mixed size wheelset E.P.O model. The positives which made us consider the producing the Switch 6 were also applicable to an E-bike and from then on the concept for the Phase was born. With a 29” front wheel paired with a 27.5 rear wheel and 160 mm of travel at both ends, this could potentially be our most versatile E.P.O model to date.

The Phase will be fitted with a Shimano 8035 battery, will have a keyless battery removal system with the power button fitted to the top tube. The phase has a 64° head angle and a 76° seat angle with a reach measurement on a size large being 488, the bike will also be fitted with a 230x65 metric shock and a reduced offset fork. We will have 4 specs available (Pro, RS, Factory and XTR) with four custom colour options.     

CONSTRUCTION

Something that was painstakingly pored over was the suspension characteristic of the new Alpine 6, with everything we gained from that bike we wanted it to translate across into the Surge. Revisions have been made to the shock mounts to accommodate the new metric rear shock (230x65) and the increase in travel from 160 to 165mm, we have also focussed on increasing the amount of progression in the system which has seen a substantial increase, reduced the bike's anti-squat value and decreased the amount of pedal kickback in the system.

The Surge’s revised construction and shape is one of the biggest leaps forward over its predecessor, revisions to the front triangle in both construction and tubing profile have helped improve the bike's stiffness while still remaining compliant enough that the bike isn’t harsh, the new down tube is substantially slimmer and has a much more organic profile that the one that went before it.

While the rear swingarm has taken cues from our 327 DH bike in its profile, this has been done to help deal with the large amounts of torque being produced by the motor, the additional overall weight of the bike and the fact that this bike acts like your own personal uplift vehicle where descents are the order of the day.

The final piece of the puzzle was to have a battery that was easily removable. Hearing of riders doing “double battery rides” is very much a reality and we wanted a system that allowed this to happen as easily as possible. The battery is now removable with the use of just a key, so there are no more bolts to undo and it should take a matter of seconds to swap. Second batteries will be available from Orange and will come with the protective cover as standard.

THE DRIVE UNIT

We've chosen to work with Shimano, using the E8000 pedal assist system. The features it offers work extremely well for us.
Due to the size of the drive unit, no change to bike geometry is necessary. The E-bike you see here is the exact same geometry as our Alpine 6 model.

The power is delivered when the rider starts pedalling. We've found with the Shimano E8000 unit the power is smooth and controllable, even in boost mode. This is crucial on the technical terrain we love to ride. 

Unlike other drive units on the market, the Shimano E8000 crankset has the same Q-factor as the human powered cranks you are used to, this means no awkward changes to your pedalling position. This drive unit also has a zero-drag feature, so as you surge past the assisted power, often into descents, all of your pedal input goes into the drive, rather than dragging the motor's "gearbox". This gives a really responsive feel, when you're hitting those high-velocity descents. You soon forget you're riding an E-bike until the assist kicks in again to help power you up the next climb.  

WHY THE PHASE?

ELECTRIC POWERED ORANGE

F: 160MM | R: 160MM | W: 29/27.5

- Frame designed and built in Britain
- 5 year frame warranty with Limited Lifetime
- Crash Replacement 
- New 29 front/27.5 rear mixed size wheelset
- New Slimmer downtube with Shimano 8035 battery
- New Quick release battery
- New 'On' switch on top tube
- Boost 148mm rear hub spacing
- Orange trail honed geometry
- Reduced offset fork
- Long top tube short stem for high-speed stability
- Shimano E8000 250W drive unit with 70Nm torque
- 504Wh Lithium Ion battery for up to 100km assist
- Same 177mm Q-Factor as a standard XT crankset
- Choose from 4 custom colours