Orange have today unveiled a prototype 29 inch downhill bike at the Eurobike show.

Orange have been working on this project since they first unveiled the Orange 5 29 but, much like the Stage bikes, had to wait for the time was right to show them to the public. This Strange prototype takes the learnings of the Stage 5 and 6 and transfers them into an ‘Stage 8’ style downhill package. You’re looking at a 180mm travel, metric bike with a 190mm (for 29 inch) fork.

Aesthetically, it’s not too removed from the Orange 324, which we love to bits, but this is actually a total re-design. The pivot has been moved back and raised to provide a more progessive shock curve and a new tubeset brings it bang up to date.

27.5 fans need not fear, there’s a smaller-wheeled update to the 324 coming as well but Orange’s stand simply wasn’t big enough to fit it on.

Orange have told us this is penned in for public release but it’s going to need a few more rounds of testing and refinement before it’s ready to be unleashed.