Patriot 29 –  a big wheeled brother for the Patriot

The Patriot is a legendary name, that goes a long way back in the Orange Bike history books. Used by the now legendary Team Animal at the turn of the millennium, the Patriot is arguably one of the DH World Cup's OG iconic bikes. Versatile, hard-hitting and incredibly capable, it was the bike of choice for many gravity riders, either racing DH or just finding the best Alpine technical trails in a sport that was rapidly finding its way. All those attributes apply to the brand new E.P.O. (Electric Powered Orange) model from Orange - it became obvious that this has to be the new Patriot range.

The frame is built around the Strange powerlink driven shock system that we use to great effect on the Stage 7 and Switch 7 frames. The performance of this system is perfectly suited to powerful e-bike assisted drivetrains where grip is paramount.

The new Patriot also features another first for us. This is the first E.P.O. model to feature a Bosch drive unit – The Performance Line CX. One of the most advanced power units out there and we’re really excited about the features it brings and how well it complements the Orange ride philosophy.

First things first: - The "Ride"

The big wheeled Patriot 29 is built for speed and confidence on big mountain terrain. If you're thinking gravity bike with built-in uplift, then we're on the same page. The Patriot 29 is the 29er version of our MX wheeled Patriot, but with its big travel and 29" wheels front and back this is a properly fast trail slayer.

The ride geometry for the Patriot follows the Stage 7’s lead to give that sure-footed trail hugging grip that is so characteristic of the powerlink chassis.

The Patriot geometry is perfectly on point with its performance orientated slack 63° head angle, forward looking 76° seat tube angle combined with a roomy reach (481mm Large) and lengthy chainstays, putting the rider front & centre and balanced on the contact points for perfect control, climbing or descending.

One difference from the analogue Stage 7, for the E.P.O. version is that we have lifted the bottom bracket by 5mm, which combined with the 165mm crankarms, gives just a little more ground clearance to reduce pedal strikes that can occur when climbing technical trails under power.

The low pivot position of the Patriot 29 minimises pedal kickback, and drivetrain induced interference, to the point that it is practically negligible.  

The Strange powerlink gives a very progressive shock curve which adds to the truly bottomless feel of the Patriot family, and easily allows the use of both high-volume air cans or coil shocks to suit a riders preference. Through the rear shock’s travel, the leverage ratio falls from 2.86 to 2.14. Looking at shock force, this means the real working progression is 25.2%. The frame's shock curve was developed so it maintains the fun confident feel that Orange Bikes have become famous for while adding the big-travel requirements of a progressive platform.

The lynchpin of this dynamic bike is the Strange powerlink-driven 205x60 trunnion shock, mounted low in the frame helping to lower the bike's centre of gravity and allow for a more neutral weight distribution whilst riding. A trunnion mounted shock runs on a full complement of bearings or optional bushings, both the trunnion mount and lower eyelet, along with all the frame pivots run on cartridge bearings allowing us to achieve as low as possible break away force, providing incredible sensitivity to the initial part of the shock's stroke. The shock and linkage mounting hardware is now a mix of titanium and aluminium. The titanium bolts are not only lighter and stronger than their aluminium counterparts, they are reusable in servicing where aluminium bolts need to be replaced. A small detail, but one that makes suspension checks and maintenance a much simpler task.

Handbuilt in Britain

Like all Orange E.P.O. models the new Patriot is a UK made frame, the latest development of the Strange powerlink program that we’ve successfully deployed on our EWS enduro models; the Stage 7 and the Switch 7 and now for the first time on an eMTB.

The frame fabrication is our iconic aircraft grade aluminium folded monocoque construction that we pride ourselves on. With state-of-the-art aluminium craftsmen who boast many years of experience, we think that the frames we produce today are the very best we've ever made and indeed probably the finest in the world. Manufactured from flat sheets of aerospace grade aluminium into individually custom-fabricated tubes, then seam-welded for each specific application, working in harmony with CNC machined components from aluminium billet, all meticulously modelled and analysed. All produced, manufactured and tested in the U.K at our own facility. It  means we have a product that's strong, durable and fully recyclable at the end-of-life cycle.

The Patriot frame’s features are the result of meticulous analysis and test rider feedback. A new 49/56 zero stack headtube helps improve both strength and stiffness at the front end of the bike, increasing the surface area for the welding between head tube, downtube and top tube as well giving us enough room to drop the downtube slightly to allow for a water bottle in the front triangle. To make access even easier new tooling was produced to create a recess on the top side of the down tube. The bike also uses a UDH gear hanger incorporating SRAM’s new industry standard and allowing a spare to be bought at nearly every bike shop on the planet.

Technology developed on other models also plays its part, the Patriot has an asymmetrical swingarm design similar to the recently released Switch 7, this swingarm allowed us to increase the bike's vertical stiffness whilst tuning its lateral compliance, producing a bike with a direct feel but with buckets of grip.
  
Throughout the design process we were conscious of our reputation for low maintenance bikes. We made every effort to conceal most of the linkage bearings within the front of the swingarm, out of harm's way and safe from jet-washers.

Bikes will come with a 5 year bearing warranty for the original owner and any original owners outside of that period will receive heavily subsidised pricing.

Bosch – A dynamic new partnership

The Bosch Performance CX drive unit has performed flawlessly for us in a long-lasting and ongoing testing Program. Working with Bosch engineers who have also had access to our prototypes we couldn’t be happier with the way the Bosch system integrates with our E.P.O. thinking.

While the Bosch drive unit offers up to 85Nm of torque, it is the way that it delivers the power that makes it so perfect for the Orange bike. With its fast off-the-mark acceleration, you get that instant feel from the powerful drive unit, but when it comes to technical climbs the dynamic eMTB system detects input power and cadence to modulate the assistance to perfectly match the trail. The eMTB intelligent mode is impressive to say the least, standing starts on steep climbs are easy and you don’t get overpowering slip-ups on loose terrain while its extended boost gives that extra kick of power when you need it most to get you up-and-over roots and stepped rocky sections.

From the hardware through to the software the Bosch system shows its class leading maturity. Their experience and know how really shines through.
The system is accessed through the compact yet extensive Purion 200 bar mounted computer. It is surprisingly powerful and will give just about anything you need to know to control your bike’s power right at your fingertips. It couldn’t be easier.

The new Flow eMTB app is an essential part of the system which offers a staggering number of features along with constant updates and improvements.
As standard, Bosch Performance CX has 4 ride modes – Eco, Tour, eMTB/ and Turbo. These are all customisable through the Flow app. The app also brings features like eBike Lock, a navigation system, a Ride Screen (if you’re a Quad-lock kind of rider) and a pocket full of other features.

The Orange Patriot’s downtube houses the Bosch Power Tube 750Wh battery giving you plenty of distance plus as with all Orange E.P.O. models the battery is easily swappable for quick change outs. There is easy access to an onboard charging port for topping up the battery quickly and easily, while the battery is also removable for off-bike battery charging and contact cleaning maintenance – so you have the best of both worlds.

In the rare event that you have an issue with the Performance Line CX system, the customer service at Bosch is second to none, they will soon get you back on the trail. Very much matching our own philosophy.

TECHNICAL SPECS

PEDAL ASSIST MODES

4 Customisable Ride Modes: Eco, Tour, eMTB, Turbo

eMTB Dynamic Ride Mode - with Extended Boost, for a natural ride feel and optimal control

Smart walk assitance with hill hold

PERFORMANCE

Max. support level** (%): 340%
Nominal power: 250 W
Maximum torque: 85 Nm

WEIGHT OF DRIVE UNIT

2.9 kg

GENUINE BOSCH POWERTUBE 750Wh BATTERY

4 Amp fast charger: 50% charge: Approx. 2.3 hours/100% charge: Approx. 6 hours

Capacity: 20.1 Ah

Weight: Approx. 4.3 kg