Hey everyone,

I'm in the market for a new full sus (my first to be exact) and have narrowed it down to 3 but would love some advice on these. If anyone has one or have ridden one and can shed light on whether they think it out shines one of the others it would be much appreciated.

The three are:

Trek Remedy 8

Orange Alpine 160

Lapiere zesty/spicey 514

cheers

which of the 3 do you want most!

either the remedy or the orange but have heard the lapiere are excellent

If you like the look of the Zesty then you might like the Chumba VF2. Similar type of bike but the VF2 is more 'boutique' if that is important to you 🙂 5" travel, carbon rear end, very stiff and really versatile. I run my own VF2 with a Cane Creek double barrel and Fox Van forks and it it great for all types of riding.

I have an offer on the VF2 frames at the moment, £1950 for a rolling chassis deal, everything you need expect for drive train, buy an SLX group set from merlin and away you go!

Here is my VF2 (not the best picture) which is soon to be reviewed by STW!

Take mag reviews with a pinch of salt.

try to get a demo.

also the remedy/ alpine/spicy are all 160mm & the zesty is 140mm.

What type of riding? Where?

the chumba looks really nice will have to look in to them.

cheers

I ride a lot in the black mountains and peaks but also visit the forest of dean and cwncarn. AM looking for a bike that will be able to progress as i do. i.e as I start being able to ride harder it will be able to keep up. wanna be able to ride the DH track at cwmcarn for example.

+1 Zesty

done the Wales black mountains, Brechfa, Cmwcarn, Afan, CRC marathon Bluith, FOD, Bristol bike fest. Marin rough ride 75km next the 100km trailbreak following week.

Light 140mm is what you want the rest would be far too much bike and too heavy.

thinboy70 – Member
I ride a lot in the black mountains and peaks but also visit the forest of dean and cwncarn. AM looking for a bike that will be able to progress as i do. i.e as I start being able to ride harder it will be able to keep up. wanna be able to ride the DH track at cwmcarn for example.

Orange 5

Orange 5

+1

p.s. You don't need a 160mm fs to ride the dh at cwmcarn. I ride a 5 but my mate rides it on a 100mm ht and (no offence to him) he's no superstar.

All three are made out of pure aceness.

not a duffer in there, you can't go wrong!

Whatever you do, ride them before parting with your cash. I test rode a Zesty 314 at Glentress last week and didn't like it at all. My 2010 EX9 was better up and down, which surprised me somewhat.

Being based in Wales I ride many of the same areas as you. I also spend five weeks or so a year in France so having sold a "freeride" bike I was looking for a bike that would handle all I could throw at it, but also be enjoyable for pootling along country lanes on weekends away with the missus. I opted for the Alpine and am very happy with my choice. I guess I was looking for a bike that covers the broadest range of riding and having tried both the Zesty and the Alpine, I preferred the burliness of the Orange. With seat up it is comfy on drawn out forestry road climbs and despite slack angles it is delicate enough for technical climbs despite not being a light bike. The only criticism I would levy is that "it" does not handle tight switchbacks well given the long wheelbase. Aesthetically I also wanted a bike that would not date and given the lack of go-faster stripes and paint schemes found on other bikes, there's no danger there!

Although I have a Zesty if I were looking to do stuff like Cwmcarn DH I'd look at a Spicy or Alpine (a 5 probably being a better compromise than a Zesty if most of your riding is XC/trail centre). My Zesty lasted OK on a Cwmcarn uplift day but it wasn't overly happy and I wouldn't want to do it too often. The trouble with orange's are they're pig ugly and not exactly cheap, you at least buying British rather than French though (although I'm sure either way most of the cash ends up in the Far East) :p

Cheers everyone for all the input, after a lot of thought and trying of various bike I reckon I'm gonna go for the alpine. Saxabar answered many of the questions that i had about the alpine and now having ridden one I'm totally sold.

thanks again

Reign 0 2010.

Talus fork 100-140mm
Race Face Deus
SRAM X9/0
6" of the best bike suspension system on the planet (IMO)

A bit over 2K at activesport.co.uk.

you at least buying British rather than French though (although I'm sure either way most of the cash ends up in the Far East) :p

Well not really. Lapierre bike are build in the far east but assembled in France (IE all the bits are made in taiwan, ship to France and them bike is build…). Orange bike that are not made of spherical alloy are still welded in Halifax IIRC.

+1 for demo-ing

had my heart set on an orange5, went to a demo day tried 4 different bikes and bought a spesh stumpy, felt much better to ride to me

I rode a decent-spec lightweight hard tail for years, then last year built up my first full-susser using a Giant frame. I haven't looked back, anyone that thinks you can go as fast downhill hasn't tried FS, i wish i'd done it years ago.

All i would say is get as lightweight as possible….you'll notice the difference on climbs and long rides. You can always beef it up a bit if anything breaks.