Offset bushings aren’t anything new – there’s a wide range of companies offering them. I took up the offer from OffsetBushings.com nearly a year ago now and I’ve been running them in a 26″ Orange Five ever since.
Each bushing is custom made to suit your bike and specification, they can also manufacture bespoke for frames with non-standard sizing. If you’re thinking of trading in a much loved but not-quite-right bike, off set bushings could be a cheap, simple way to save yourself a compete overhaul.
They’re machined from brass with an aluminium spacer and each bush costs £12, including shipping in the UK. The idea behind offset bushings is to shorten the eye to eye distance of your shock and therefore lower the bottom bracket and slacken the head angle.
Getting slack
Fitting two bushings to the Five, I dropped a degree off the headangle to 65 degrees and removed a centimetre from the bottom bracket height. You could of course fit one bushing for half the effect. I’ve noticed a few more pedal strikes since doing this but not enough to make me want to switch back and sacrifice the improved handling from the slacker headangle.
I’ve had 10 months on these bushings now and they’re still running sweet with no issues at all. Using good quality brass means they’re strong and hard wearing.
Life in the old dog
They say 26 ain’t dead but it’s not far off, if you’re pouring over geometry charts and gazing longingly at slacker, lower bikes then this is one way to achieve that. The downsides are that you’ll also effect the seat angle and of course the pedal strikes. Are they worth the loss? Well thats up to you but for £24 it’s a comparatively cheap upgrade which could yield great results.
Our bushings were supplied by OffsetBushings.com
