Anybody using one for all mountain/xc/trail center type riding? Can they be built up reasonably light? Recently did my first DH day and fancy doing more but fancy something a bit burlier than my Heckler but still light enough for pedalling around on all day rides in Wales,Peaks etc.Ta

see patriot Xcel?

yeah, my patriot weighed about the same as my mates 5, mine was built A/M his was built A/M.

Patriot 66 here, used as light DH bike. it's an amazingly polyvalent and capable bike and I have used it on (lift-assisted) all-day rides… but honestly, it begs to be pointed downwards at high speed, not pedalled around/up things. While you *could* use it for trail-centre-type riding etc., I don't think it's the best solution. If you can afford to run two bikes, get a hardtail or a short-travel FS for xc stuff and keep the Patriot in full-on DH mode. if not, then try at least to buy 2 shocks (short-stroke air, long-travel coil), a travel-adjust fork (the '09 55 ATA is seriously under-rated and would be ideal) and maybe two wheelsets as well (quicker to swap over).

I can't wait till Orange bring out a proper successor to the Patriot 66…

I did 110km/4000m climbing in a day in the alps on my patriot (with short air shock/lightish tyres/z1), scouting out the grand raid course with a mate who was riding it (he was on a carbon trek top fuel!):

Next day I stuck the 66s and coil shock on with DH tyres and rode uplift around morzine.

Great at both. I had a new shape heckler before it and the patriot is a better handling bike for me, I really like it. Now I've got a Lyrik on it again so no need to swap the forks…

Although I have got a trance as well now, and it does climb considerably better!

Yes it is fine for that. I do day rides on mine or DH with a few swaps and tweaks. However I'd want something lighter and less travel if it were my only bike.

nice photos, loving the fixed stare off that drop!

Use mine ('08 Maxle model) for everything and it's great, although it's overkill for UK trail centres. Done xc and dh in the Pennines, Lakes, Alps, Canada and Spain – super reliable and fun to ride, although obviously it's not the lightest bike in the world. Just spec it carefully and it makes a great all-rounder. I run mine with Van 36s and a coil shock. A 2.35 tyre on the back helps reduce drag if I'm riding more xc. A few of my mates ride very similar Patriot set-ups for the same kind of riding.

Yes it is fine for that. I do day rides on mine or DH with a few swaps and tweaks. However I'd want something lighter and less travel if it were my only bike.

yep, an 190mm/50mm stroke air shock thing is a good trick to get around that – reduces the travel to about 140mm – exactly the same as a 5. With an air shock, 2.35s and a travel adjust fork it is perfectly useable as a trail centre bike – a pound or so heavier than an equivalently specced five. So still overkill, but not as much as 178mm of coil sprungness :D.

Hmmmm,well ta for the replies everyone.Think I might be better off getting a coil shock and a pair of Lyriks for my Heckler than trying to build a light Patriot.