Ben Cathro Bike Check

Posted: Jul 28, 2009

Ben Cathro is part of the MTB Cut DH team and is the only racer on the World Cup Circuit that is 7 feet tall. Ok maybe he's not 7 feet tall, but damn he's a giant. Ben is here with fellow team mate Joe Barnes and is sporting the all new prototype Orange 225 bike.

Learn more inside,

Ben Cathro talks about his 225:

Views:6911 Faves:22 Comments:7

Ben's new Orange 225 Prototype is looking pretty cool. Gone are the adjustable shock mounts, and a new adjustable headtube (Via a sleeve) are in its place.

Ben runs a mixed bag of parts that seem to work well together as he's by no means slow on the course. Shimano XTR shifter with Ultegra rear derailleur, Hope Brakes and hubs, Fox Racing Shox Suspension and custom Straitline bits are all some of what makes Ben's bike unique. Ben wanted to be able to control the leverage ratio of the rear shock and get a longer stroke shock on the bike, so with a new linkage and the bigger shock, the bike is easier to tune and control.

The MTB Cut rider placed 19th this past weekend at Mont Sainte Anne in Quebec. Maybe that link is helping him keep it together in the rough stuff?

2009 Mont Sainte Anne Photo Galley
www.velirium.com

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72 Comments

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7882

- 43

trailchef (Jul 30, 2009 at 0:18) (Below Threshold) show comment

is that a pride parade float?

+ 17

pinkboyo (Jul 30, 2009 at 0:20)

Don't be hatin'

+ 13

a-dan (Jul 30, 2009 at 0:27)

i think its pretty shweet

+ 21

D-ponko (Jul 30, 2009 at 0:46)

its pink. get over it Razz

+ 12

mty10 (Jul 30, 2009 at 1:04)

PINK IS THE NEW BLACK

bxxer-rider (Jul 30, 2009 at 3:13)

hay its a sick bike, it may be pink but who gives a toss about that?

TyreBurningBiker (Jul 30, 2009 at 3:59)

wow its awsome! i still dont quite get how ajustable headangles work though Confused

Mingermouse (Jul 30, 2009 at 4:03)

nah i think it's alright, it's different and it stands out like a mother!

shawncd (Jul 30, 2009 at 4:51)

it takes a real man to pull off pink. i think that bike is sick!

stryke (Jul 30, 2009 at 5:57)

@tyreburningbiker

you have sleeves you install the headset to and the sleeves are angled, its super simple but rather frustrating and id prefer not to use them on my bikes

TyreBurningBiker (Jul 30, 2009 at 6:15)

ah yeah seems dogdy Confused

diferent shock mounts are simpler...

stryke (Jul 30, 2009 at 6:44)

its not dodgy its fine.. i just dont like adjustment in my frame, i prefer companies to get it right for the discipline rather then give themselves some leway

raveglia (Jul 30, 2009 at 7:11)

it's much simpler to build one frame that offers the standard headangle and +/- 1 degree by changing/rotating an internal sleeve, than it is to build the three different frames, all with different headangles. It's the simplest way for them to offer the choice to those of us who would notice a 1 degree change in headangle. The rest of us can just use the bike as it comes, with the 'zero offset' headsleeve. Commencal have been building this feature into their Supreme DH (and maybe others?) for years now, and there's nothing dodgy about it at all. Smile

- 11

cools320 (Jul 30, 2009 at 9:51) (Below Threshold) show comment

ITS NOT PINK ITS LIGHTISH-RED

+ 12

Mingermouse (Jul 30, 2009 at 10:02)

that is the dumbest comment EVER ^^

OlSkoolJake (Jul 30, 2009 at 10:08)

trailchef: You sir are an idiot!!

cools320 (Jul 30, 2009 at 10:09)

not that i should post this because it has no relevance to the topic, but watch these Episode 4-5 it should start u on 4 then my comment will make more sense!!!

http://redvsblue.com/archive/?id=767

theminsta (Jul 30, 2009 at 11:32)

If you add white to red, don't you get something like pink?

cools320 (Jul 30, 2009 at 12:00) (Below Threshold) show comment

NOPE YOU JUST GET LIGHTISH-RED!!! LOL

banshee-ripper (Jul 31, 2009 at 14:49)

Bike: Ok

Color: YUCK! Thumbs Down

Mingermouse (Aug 1, 2009 at 8:03)

cools320 i think you just need to shut up now haha

[Reply]

DragRider (Jul 30, 2009 at 0:18)

pink orange Big Grin

, seems nice for those who prefere linear suspention, is one of the best ones on the market lol...

[Reply]

Mooney10 (Jul 30, 2009 at 0:22)

thats a sick bike!

[Reply]

takeiteasyridehard (Jul 30, 2009 at 0:26)

looks like a msc, which is pretty nice. but i still prefer my judge w/ floating brake. pretty nice bike.

[Reply]

woody-dh (Jul 30, 2009 at 0:28)

Love the bike. Don't see many Orange's on the WC Curcuit.

[Reply]

konagalvan (Jul 30, 2009 at 0:35)

whats with the rear mech??

aflo661 (Jul 30, 2009 at 0:43)

Ultegra, a Shimano road rear derailleur. Its the road equivelent of XT

Woulex (Jul 30, 2009 at 0:44)

The rear mech is a Shimano Ultegra. If you would have read a bit you would have known this.

extention (Jul 30, 2009 at 2:27)

I have run an Ultegra on my DH rig for the past 3 years its been great no probs at all. Im still on my original one and it does not look like breaking any time soon

theminsta (Jul 30, 2009 at 18:23)

TBH, I think it looks like a piece of shet. It bedazzled me for I thought of a carbon fibre cage with a colourful aluminum body and some better graphics. Eh I'll give you this:
Does NOT fit the pink!

bagnalt (Jul 30, 2009 at 20:20)

Whats the advantage of running an ultegra? i mean theres nothing wrong with it just not sure why... bikes super sweet! like to color, something different!

extention (Jul 30, 2009 at 20:24)

I dont know. Mine was on the bike when I got it of a mate. It does have a very short cage it never seems to catch on any rocks or logs. I dont know if it has an advantage over a mtb mech

konagalvan (Jul 30, 2009 at 20:24)

well IN MY OPINION i dont really think it fits, just think a saint or an xo would look and fit nicer. imho

theminsta (Jul 31, 2009 at 6:25)

Haha, because of constant barrage of insults and assailment, people have forced themselves away from the thoughts of buying all the top-end components and gone to attempt finding something "unique" I suppose? Big Grin

Reverse psyfukogy

aflo661 (Aug 2, 2009 at 22:19)

At about $160 ish bucks Ultegra is a much cheaper alternative to Saint/XO/XTR with virtually the same performance, weight and a very strong spring which guarantees positive shifting. That's just on top of it's short cage design and "differentness".

[Reply]

joel-rides-a-bike (Jul 30, 2009 at 0:41)

sickest bike going

those parts are all like the best of the best its insanely sick

[Reply]

ridekonastuff (Jul 30, 2009 at 1:15)

Dan Stanbridge's orange is much nicer

[Reply]

lewievans69 (Jul 30, 2009 at 1:25)

Drilled out levers for extra speed

jaycommins (Jul 30, 2009 at 7:02)

they come standard like that

[Reply]

bisk (Jul 30, 2009 at 1:25)

look how high he run's his saddle :O.. pretty sweet bike though

bigburd (Jul 30, 2009 at 5:48)

have you seen how tall he is lol

TyreBurningBiker (Jul 30, 2009 at 5:55)

hes 6'6'' and only 18 lol xD

leeam (Jul 30, 2009 at 9:19)

he's 6'7 and he's 21

TyreBurningBiker (Jul 30, 2009 at 10:52)

wow 3 years go by in a blink of an eye...

[Reply]

Waldon83 (Jul 30, 2009 at 1:29)

I'm going to drill some holes in my code levers . . f*ck it

[Reply]

kyle420 (Jul 30, 2009 at 1:43)

real men like pink and that bike is f*cking sick i love the brakes

[Reply]

vortexian (Jul 30, 2009 at 1:53)

looks interesting

[Reply]

Keit (Jul 30, 2009 at 2:18)

hmm hope everywhere but the headset
interesting

personally i think it looks like fancy scaffolding

[Reply]

lifeis2ride (Jul 30, 2009 at 2:19)

i would have to get a Ti spring for that babe

[Reply]

WatsonJoe (Jul 30, 2009 at 3:32)

that shock looks incredibly long.

Looks lovely, and pink its a good colour for a downhill rig.

[Reply]

lescart (Jul 30, 2009 at 4:45)

To run a pink bike is a big statement, if you are on a pink bike and cant ride, well you deserve the shit, but trust me dude, this guy can ride big time!

[Reply]

mxnate (Jul 30, 2009 at 4:50)

Orange = Massively ridiculous rear swingarm. I could care less that its pink, although a Pink Orange would be unique.

[Reply]

DH-DUNC (Jul 30, 2009 at 4:53)

A pink bike on pinkbike what more could you want Razz

lol

[Reply]

konafarker (Jul 30, 2009 at 5:06)

I am sure it rides great and Pink is OK...
Darren Berecloth rode a pink Big-Hit for a while there...
But still, I am not a fan...
I just dont like the complete package with the green breaks and hubs...
And the road derailier is sooooo 2003.

[Reply]

yetiboyjay (Jul 30, 2009 at 5:08)

Who the hell put those colours together, pink-white-green....YUK. Pink and black would look race.
LOL

[Reply]

RyanW8282 (Jul 30, 2009 at 6:14)

pinner

[Reply]

clarky123 (Jul 30, 2009 at 6:46)

ahhhh i've touched that bike......

[Reply]

captainspaulding (Jul 30, 2009 at 7:02)

that huge swingarm are great billboards for sponsors..

[Reply]

nightmareterror (Jul 30, 2009 at 7:16)

lol. Pink is the new Black? I'd ride it with pride. Look at that monster fork, it would completely take away from looking at the frame anyway!

[Reply]

zac87 (Jul 30, 2009 at 7:22)

What a champ!

[Reply]

Knife-in-the-dark (Jul 30, 2009 at 7:31) (Below Threshold) show comment

Wow all the same people that diss Kona for lack of design upgrade love orange. Come out with a completely new design already, this standard single pivot is garbage.

spoiledgoods (Jul 30, 2009 at 9:17)

Orange is known for making single pivot bikes,
thats like asking Santa Cruz to make a VPS bike...

Knife-in-the-dark (Jul 30, 2009 at 9:27)

My point was more about kids jocking on certain brands but not others because it's cool. I know orange are known for single pivot bikes, but the lack of new look or design is still weak.

munro3 (Jul 30, 2009 at 10:44)

I agree that good old Orange could revamp their look a little, (even though I like it), but that's not a single pivot bike at all man... if you think about the simplicity of four bar linkedge you'd see that this Orange has a giant chain stay, the equivalent of a tiny little seat stay, and a rocker arm.
Besides, by placing the main pivot on the bottom of the bike and the rest in a small cluster at the top of the bike it would create more horizontal regidity in the rear wheel.

[Reply]

Fader18 (Jul 30, 2009 at 8:11)

that is like the king of all bikes

[Reply]

pisaniello (Jul 30, 2009 at 8:34)

pinkbike

[Reply]

- 23

hubertje-ryu (Jul 30, 2009 at 8:53) (Below Threshold) show comment

That is one ugly bike. Where's the simple honest look and the characteristic welded-plate downtube?

It looks like a cheap-ass Kraftstoff.

[Reply]

dv8416 (Jul 30, 2009 at 9:38)

Pink bike = you can really throw it down, no matter what colour you bike is Big Grin

[Reply]

RafaRider (Jul 30, 2009 at 13:11)

he doesnt look 7 feet tall , maybe like 6 feet 8

tall rider tough

and 6´3 and im already tall rider

[Reply]

Armor (Jul 30, 2009 at 18:32)

lol i'd ride that.

[Reply]

soar (Jul 31, 2009 at 3:41)

hmm not sure about the olive green calipers etc.

[Reply]

mellon305 (Aug 9, 2009 at 13:29)

hes riding a nukeproof headset,because hope ones are terrible and everyone i know that has had 1 has had serious problems with it

[Reply]

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