Orange Mountain Bikes: A Very British Brand
Orange mountain bikes is a British mountain bike company which has come to be known around the world. Based in Halifax, in Yorkshire, the company started with humble beginnings but has no developed so much that in recent years it has sponsored two world champions: Greg Minnaar and Steve Peat.
Since the credit crunch reared its ugly head, a lot of importance has been placed on supporting British brands, which Orange mountain bikes undisputedly is. Lester Noble, one of the founders of the company was raised in Yorkshire and found his interest in mountain bikes as a young adult. At first he rode bikes made by a company called Muddy Fox but he moved away from the brand when he felt they were becoming more of an urban fashion statement than a serious off road bike company.
At this stage, still before Orange mountain bikes came into existence, lester Noble starting designing his own mountain bikes. He originally sourced bikes from the Far East to sell in the UK under the brand name Tushingham bikes. When he later met Steve Wade, they decided to set up a business together and have been business partners ever since. With him, Steve Wade brought his engineering background and his existing sheet metal company, both of which proved ideal for starting a bike business.
Originally they worked together assembling bike parts bought in from Taiwan but later began manufacturing. Orange mountain bikes, whose name is taken from 'All Round Range' came into existence. Nowadays all Orange mountain bikes are made in Yorkshire, with the exception of the cheaper, entry level range.
Sponsoring high profile bikers really gave Orange mountain bikes a head start in making its name. When the Animal/Orange team used the Patriot bike on British downhill courses. It also prompted the creation of the 222 downhill bike which brought about a storm of publicity overseas.
It's true to say that from simple and humble roots, Orange mountain bikes have come on a lot. Still a particular favourite of mountain bikers in Britain, they are also available in 26 other countries worldwide.
The Passportes du Soleil Mountain Bike Race
The Passportes du Soleil is an epic mountain bike race in the huge Portes du Soleil region of France & Switzerland which heralds the start of summer and the opening of the lift system. It takes place over the last weekend in June, and has evolved from an earlier event known as the "Freeraid".
Most riders don't really treat the Passportes as a race (although you do get a number for the front of your bike) but simply a great day's mountain bike riding. The event is massive - 2 days, 3 courses (30, 45 & 75 km) and 3700 riders. The classic trek of 75 km includes 12 ski lifts, 6500 m of total downhill, 500 m of total uphill climb.
What makes this event unique is the fact that it attracts a wide range of participants - from lycra clad cross country riders to armour clad downhill riders, and from beginners to experts. Everyone gets involved and rides the same course. True, the cross country riders tend to beat the downhill riders on the climbs, and for the real keen peddlers, there is also optional climbing sections. And true the downhillers tend to overtake the cross country riders when it comes to descending, and there are a couple of optional "free ride" sections. But overall, the race is a fantastic melting pot of all mountain bike styles and standards.
As for the course itself - it has to be one of the best in the world! It takes in some amazing panoramas on the Morgins and Champoussin sections with views of the Dents du Midi, the Dents Blanch and even Mont Blanc. There is some excellent steep and twisty single track down through the woods in Torgon. There are dedicated downhill courses used at Chatel and Les Gets. There is an epic descent from the top of Linderets down to Morzine and there are some great meandering cross-country sections on relatively easy 4x4 tracks.
Another excellent feature of this event are the fantastic refreshment stands located at regular intervals throughout the course. Large tables offer up a wide range of snacks and drinks, from energy/nut bars to cheese and ham, from energy drinks to beer and wine. It is always interesting to see who feels fit to tuck into the alcoholic drinks at ten in the morning, and then avoid them if you see them on the course!
The Passporte du Soleil is really an event for everyone. It has become so massive that it now sells out months in advance. However, if you visit the Portes du Soleil later on in the summer, it is possible to get a map from the local tourist office and cycle pretty much the whole route.
Race stats:
Classic trek - 75 Km The classic circuit is for purists: a long tour of the Portes du Soleil about 75km* approximatively 75km - 12 lifts* 6500m of total downhill/ 500m of total uphill* 7 resorts to start from : Avoriaz, Châtel, Les Gets, Morzine, Champéry, Morgins et Torgon* 8 refreshments points
Intermediate trek - 45 km 45km with one aim in mind; having fun* approximatively 45km - 7 lifts* 4000m of total downhill /300m of total uphill* 4 resorts to start from: Châtel, Champéry, Morgins et Torgon.* 4 refreshments points
Discovery trek - 30km For those who are quite good at mountain biking, but out on The Portes du Soleil's tracks for the first ime...an ideal "breaking in route"* approximatively 30km- 5 lifts* 2200m of total downhill/ 200m of total uphill* 3 resorts to start from: Avoriaz, Morzine et Les Gets* 3 refreshments points