I’ve ridden the same trail over two days on two different bikes, Pitch and Alpine.

My issue is a slight lack of confidence when riding the Alpine over some of the rockier stuff (doesn’t feel quite as stable as it could/should), I have the confidence on the Pitch just something doesn’t feel quite right on the Alpine, it could be me or setup 🙂

Was think of trying 140mm instead of the 160mm forks and maybe a layback seatpost.

Any thoughts….

i run a layback but are you in the saddle?

Why would a layback seatpost help over rocks? Do you sit down riding over rocky stuff?

hang on a minute, the Pitch is a full sus!

not really a comparison is it. it’s got to be your riding style really

mrmichaelwright – correct it is a full suss but really some of the stuff I was riding it wouldn’t have mattered too much.

I can ride much more confidently out the saddle on the Pitch than the Alpine, it could be riding style (or lack thereof on the Alpine) but riding out the saddle on the Alpine it just feels unstable!!

Could just need some more practice 🙂

bend ze kneez!

i’m the opposite, i’m faster on a hardtail in general but that’s from experience.

You’ll find where you need to keep your CofG is different on a hardtail, you may need to be more aggressive and keep your body further forward over the forks

at least you can ride yours 🙁

If it feels unstable with 160mm forks I don’t think going to 140mm will make it any better, probably worse.

You’ll prolly need to be much looser on a hardtail than FS so your legs do the work of the suspension. Take note of how you ride on the Pitch and then see.

michael do you only cycle uphill 😀 of course the pitch will feel more stable and confidence inspiring its a bloody great full suspension bike, nothing is going to make the alpine feel like that and its not supposed to.

vortex, you can ride yours too, you just can’t turn too sharply 😆 leave the bar spins for another day.

😯

nope, I’m faster on a hardtail, especially on sketchy rocky peaks type stuff. just how I learnt to ride. been mountain biking for over 20 years and only 6 of those have I owned a full sus. Of course i’m getting old and soft now so the bouncers see a bit more use.

If a full sus feels more stable then you aren’t riding it fast enough 😉

Why are you comparing a HT and FS bike?

Different riding required. Ask GW!

I was comparing the two as I was suprised at the mark difference in how I felt on the trial using both on the exact same trails.

I suspect that I was riding the Alpine like I ride the Pitch (as I’ve been using that a fair bit) and so my weight is probably not in the correct place, what I’ll do is spend a bit more time on the Alpine and see how I am positing my weight.

At least I know I can do the rocky bits just need to get the technique on the Alpine correct, update next week on that….. 🙂

I wouldn’t expect them to feel the same at all.

I run more sag on my hard tail forks, I like to use my arms a lot more to push the bike through stuff, a couple of years of mainly full sus made me a lazy rider but i’m getting better again.

practice makes perfect

and try pedalling through rocky stuff on the Alpine, it really works for me, push a hard gear and that super stiff rear end just seems to work even better. You’ll find a certain speed where it’ll just flow, this isn’t as important on a full sus as the suspension soaks it up 🙂

cycnic-al – they don’t that’s for sure 🙂 It’s the first time I’ve had the chance to back to back ride them in terrain that isn’t realtively smooth so the difference wasn’t so marked previously 🙂

mrmichaelwright – I will try that and see how it goes.

In the words of Lee McCormack:

“Heavy feet, light hands”

i had a brief test ride on a alpine the other day and the front was way too high. inch of spacers, steep stem and high rise bars on top of a 160mm fork mean there was absolutely no weight on the front wheel, meaning i found it really hard to control the bike at times.

i dunno what your set up was like but it might have something to do with that. i also complin about this on other peoples bikes so it may be a personal thing.

He’s already said..

My issue is a slight lack of confidence

MTFU? (or accept your limits 😉 )

different technique init

Forge197, more time needed on the Alpine and less time on the talent compensator me thinks 😉

mike-at-dialledbikes:

Forge197, more time needed on the Alpine and less time on the talent compensator me thinks

I think what Mike is trying to say is MTFU

Can everyone stop posting about Alpines. Mine’s still hanging in the garage waiting for me to get a job.

Wow FB-ATB, your bike is really strict with you 😆

FB-ATB:

Does it also make sure you get in before a certain time as well?

what does it do if you try and ride another bike?

I imagine it would move back in with Mike.

I think Mike is right 😉 oh and MTFU

My local trail has just changed from Swinley to Dalbeattie so the terrain is a little different to say the least so a bit of time and adjusting needed, will report back in a couple of weeks.

Thanks for the replies

rocky stuff at Dalbeatie? 😯

is swinley a grassy field?

At the end of the day the Pitch is more than likely just a better bike.
🙂

hmmmmmmmmmmmm, never ridden an alpine but have compared an enduro and my switchback back to back.

The enduro was longer, but with a shorter stem, so less weight up front.
The switchback is about an inch shorter on the TT, but 20mm longer on the stem (90mm vs 70mm) and has a steeper angles, thus bringing the front wheel much closer in and shifting your weight forewards.

Whats the relative setup of your two? I found that full sussers as short as the hardtail didn’t work out for me. The closest thing i demo’d to the medium switchback was a large giant reign-X! Thats in terms of how it felt to ride, both bikes turn me into a hooligan, boosting off every little treestump at the side of the track 🙂

So maybe the solution is play arround with a slightly longer stem on the alpine compared to the pitch?

spoon – there’s way more to it than the measurements you’ve compared

GW in comparison Dalbeattie has some very different trail features to Swinley 🙂

Appreciate that there is plenty of undiscovered much more rocky stuff in the world to be found but need to start somewhere so I can move onto bigger stuff 🙂

I am going to look at the setup of the two bikes, but suspect the issue is more in the mind than with the equipment.

PP – not convinced by that yet by any means, like them both equally.

lateral rigidity? those tubes are fine for a long travel hardtail but a 160mm fork puts a lot of twist into the frame and the pitch will be stiffer by a long way, ie steel ht vs alu fs, the steel will be twangier and there is a limit to how much twang some riders feel ok with. so in this case, 140mm forks may help.

Forge 197, for riding the Alpine, spend time practising picking smoother lines through the rocky stuff and this will pay dividends. Then start riding faster and looking further ahead.

Once you get to grips with the Alpine it really is a fantastic bike.

And to those on here that have said “of course the Pitch is faster, it’s a full suss”… ride both in anger down the same somewhat smooth but definitely tight descent with natural berms, etc…. and you will be forced to eat your words !!! the Alpine springs out of corners faster than ANY other bike I have known.

Thanks Ash, I am going to try that when I am next out hopefully it will be nice on Saturday will report back 🙂

of course there is, but when i swap between full sussers and hardtails i invariably seem to prefer slightly longer stems and lower front ends on the hardtails so the weights naturaly further forewards (the reign-x for example was a good few inches higher up front as well)