I’ve spent ages trying to decide what hardtail to buy for a 130mm Rev fork i have in my shed and have narrowed the field to these 2. Reality would be either a new PA or a used Soul due to cash issues though if I can find a buyer for a slightly used kidney (and get permission from my wife!) I may just be able to stretch to a new Soul.

I know it’d be best if I could ride test both bikes but the reality is that I am unlikely to be able to do so. Has anyone ridden both/either and what do you think?

Intended use – south downs riding, Afan type trails and intermittent towing of a child in a trailer. I’d probably use my Yeti for most day to day riding…
Thanks in advance,

Mark

I’m afraid I have a rather one sided view on this 😳 as I have never ridden a PA but I have been chuffed to bits with the ride from my Soul 8)

Builds into a light bike too.

Ive got a soul and my mates got a PA, both wiegh around 27.5 lbs and personaly i prefer the soul found the PA a little to long in the TT

I’m afraid I have a rather one sided view on this as I have never ridden a Soul but I have been chuffed to bits with the ride from my PAs, of which I own 2!

I can’t fault my Mk1 4130 PA, the tt length is good as I’m 6’3″ on the 19.5″ frame. Used for everything from xc to racing DH.

Alpine is better and a short top tube. (I have an old 853 PA if you want one 🙂 )

They are both well respected bikes. You can’t go wrong with either.

Pick the one you like the colour of and which one fits inside your budget.

I’ve owned both, there is a reason why the PA is about half the price of a Soul. The PA is fine, it looks good, and the geometry is good – it does the job, but the ride feels dead and you don’t get much feedback from the frame. I swapped it for a Soul (same set-up) and the difference is obvious – lighter, climbs better, more fun to ride – feels much more responsive when you’re hooning through tight or technical sections. I may not be able to articulate why it is technically a better bike, but it is. I found the PA frustrating, the Soul is everything the PA is not.
Sorry Mike…

Geda – what size and colour?

Battleship grey 17.5. I am in Sweden but am coming to blightly in a few weeks.

Never felt dead but the Alpine is a bit smaller so more fun for me.

Now the Chameleon that feels dead in a dead feeling every dam rock and bump dead sort of way.

Hmm. Got a standard Mk.2 in orange at the mo – wondered if the 853 would be any lighter…

No – I must be strong. It’s Xmas soon and I must buy gifts!

I have an 853 PA – love it, a friend has a Soul – he loves it, I’m sure if I had a Soul I’d love it as well. Pretty sure you’ll be happy with either.

I had an 853 PA which was great, I swapped it for a soul as it was a little to small. I went for the Soul as I had the cash in my pocket and it’s great also. I can’t imagine you would be upset with either really.

thebikechain has it spot on imo

Love my PA. Have never ridden a Soul, but would probably like that as well.

Buy whichever one you want, or test ride them both – you can test ride PAs in Dorking.

Buy one quick before the Piglet comes out and confuses things further.

I havent ridden either but given a choice of what I have read (with intent to eventually replace my 456) I would go for the Soul.

I’m the same as Ivantate, not ridden either, but when I replace my Kinesis Maxlight XC2 (which I love btw) it’ll be with a Soul.

Well I replaced my Maxlight with a PA and replaced that with Soul.

Riding thr PA after the Max put me off Alu for life. But it was a large and in the end felt a bit like a gate. Rode best with a 50mm stem, I reckon that gives alot away about the type of riding it suits. Now happy with the medium Soul.

Had 130mm revs on both the latter and the front end was a little light on both TBO.

Soul is a bit pricy, you should also look at the Blue Pig.

Also got a Mk1 PA that I love to bits. I think thebikechain has it spot on tho – both good bikes, different price range. You could get a second hand PA either and save yourself even more! (I’ve the mk1 running 130mm revs)

Thanks all!! I’m hoping to get to Dorking to try a PA in the next few weeks and am going to keep an eye out on the classifieds in the interim!

PA great bike, really enjoy mine have a mk3 mrs mk2 just a nice bike to have and a lovely ride, no complaints.

I think most of the comparisons above will be the Soul versus the older Reynolds 520 versions of the Prince Albert, which used a 34.9mm top and down tube (as I’ve sold less than 50 of the newer Reynolds 725 versions).

The current Prince Albert uses a smaller diameter 31.8mm Reynolds 725 top tube which reduces front end stiffness somewhat. Obviously, the Prince Albert which uses 0.9/0.6/0.9 front tubes will never have the same twang as the Soul (which I believe still uses 0.8/0.5/0.8 walled tubing), but I don’t think many of the Prince Alberts target audience necessarily want it to be anyway.

I’ve never really considered the Prince Albert a direct competitor to the Soul (or vice versa). I personally think it slots somewhere between a Soul and a BFE if you compare it to Cotic stuff.

Mike – thank you for your advice and your time on the phone today. You really are a gent. Everyone else, thanks too. I just bought a Dialled Alpine. Woop woop!!!!

I just bought a Dialled Alpine

You will enjoy it, I guarentee. Fantastic bit of kit and a real looker. Which one did you go for?

I went for the 16 inch one after a long chat with Mike. Intent is to make going down a less terrifying experience!!!!

Just unwrapped mine, you just wait ’till it arrives! 😆 😀 😆 😀

Love my Mk1 Alpine. As I have said before it has got me down things I never thought possible or had walked down in the past. Gives a real confidence boost – don’t know how but it does.