Yorkshire mountain bike firm which served customers including Guy Martin set to appoint administrators

In a statement issued at the time, the team said it would “press pause” with plans to return “when the time is right”.

It added: “Whilst we’re celebrating the successes of the team, we’re also drawing a line under this particular chapter of Orange’s history. Orange Factory Racing won’t return for 2024.

“Our passion for racing isn’t going anywhere and neither is Orange Bikes. We’ll continue to support a number of talented athletes around the World.”

After the statement, however, the company filed a Notice of intention to appoint an administrator to the High Court on 22 December 2023.

As of the company’s latest accounts, filed in July of last year, it employs around 20 people.

Orange Mountain Bikes was first founded in 1988 by mountain bikers Steve Wade and Lester Noble.

In October of 2015, it was acquired by Ashley Ball, owner of Bairstow's Sheet Metal of Halifax, which manufactured frames for Orange Mountain Bikes.

Orange Mountain Bikes held former motorcycle racer and TV presenter Guy Martin amongst its customers. In 2022, the company built Mr Martin a custom one-of-a-kind bike at its Halifax factory.

Mr Martin also visited the factory a decade prior in 2012 for a video which saw him hand build his own bike.

In June of last year, fellow Yorkshire cycle firm Planet X Limited was saved from similar circumstances to Orange Mountain Bikes after it was bought out by West Yorkshire-based Winlong Garments.

The company had filed a notice of intention to appoint an administrator around two weeks before the sale was announced. The pre-pack sale saw all 33 of the company’s staff transferred to the new owner.

Founded in Sheffield and now based in Rotherham, the business had been designing and building a range of bikes for over 30 years, under brands including Planet X, Holdsworth, On-One and Titus.

Orange Mountain Bikes did not respond to requests for comment at the time of publication.