FIGHT!

Has anyone ridden both an Orange Alpine and the latest Specialized Enduro Expert?

I’m gonna be using it for downhill razzing, Alps blasts and anything in the UK that the hardtail will be less fun on. Definitely going for airsprung though so I can pedal the bugger back up fairly easily.

Any thoughts on their relative merits? Orange looks a touch under specced/over priced.

Definitely going to ride both before choosing. Might even push the boat out and test a Santa Cruz Nomad but I can’t see the benefit in spending an extra grand for the bling factor…

Only one way to decide, ride them.

I can’t speak for the Alpine but I have ridden an Enduro (comp) and it was, errr, horrible.

Alpine gets excellent reviews but no doubt someone will be along in a minute telling you its all hype 🙄

Got a 2004 enduro if that helps and very good it is to.

Rode an Alpline, if your buying Frame to build 1 word

NOMAD!!

Was much better – not sure how the builds compare

I’ve ridden all 3. so IMO

Enduro is a really good bike, pedals well and found it very confident on the downs. Not for me though as its a bit of a safe option and I dont like how the shock bolts into the top tube.

Alpine, let me start by saying I’m the biggest Orange fan (ducks for cover), but I rode a 160 with a ccdb and really loved it. Pedaled great (alought not as light as the enduro, so a bit more work) and found it even better on the downs. Very suprised I was. Still think its a bit fugly where the pivot is mind.

Nomad, I rode a carbon one, not for me. I’m not a fan of how they pedal. Seemed okay when grinding it out but when I pedaled harder it didnt seem to go faster, just used more energy. At least as good as an Enduro on the downs.

As above, have tried ’em all.

For me, the Enduro was the better all rounder, and the Orange the better “Alps bike for teh gnaar!”

Nomad was good, but not as good as the price should have made it, IMO.

Loved the old Enduro frame circa 2008 on my SX Trail (but not its weight up the climb at Innerleithen [alright, so it was the morning after 10 pints and a curry]) and I loved the Orange Clockwork back in the day (1993!) more than any bike ever.

Both will be getting the soundest thrashing I can get away with before any cash gets spent but its tough to get a comprehensive comparison if I end up being limited to a car park spin.

Any long-term views on either would be useful too.

Thanks for the insight.

It shouldn’t bother me but the Orange is a right munter and I resent having to shell out £100 on an ‘anything but black’ paint job.

That said, if it rides better than the Spesh I’ll just put a bag over its head when I take it out in daylight.

FWIW retail on Alpine & Nomad is the same (ish)

FWIW? WTF?

for what it’s worth

mikewsmith – Member
FWIW retail on Alpine & Nomad is the same (ish)

POSTED 20 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST

Two different bikes best go and try them both?

Not ridden the latest Enduro but the last one was very very good. And the Alpine’s also very very good. That’s probably not totally helpful.

grantway – Member
mikewsmith – Member
FWIW retail on Alpine & Nomad is the same (ish)

POSTED 20 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST

Eh not sure why I got quoted there!!

Ahhhh! Ta for that.

I was looking at an Alpine complete bike with a couple of the factory upgrades vs. a Nomad custom build as the less expensive complete Nomads aren’t great.

There’s a big part of me lusting after a custom Nomad with DHX air and Fox 36 TALAS 180mm forks but I suspect it’s the Dirt-reading DH fantasist part of me rather than the slightly overweight cowardly realist part of me!

I also tried the carbon Nomad, Orange 5 and Enduro.

Really didn’t like the Nomad pedal feedback and felt very long even in the correct size, the Orange 5 wasn’t enough of a bike for what I wanted (granted, not a direct comparison with the others but it was on hand) and so I ended up buying a new 2011 Enduro Expert.

Great spec and amazingly confident bike. Super quick on the downhills once you start pushing it and you can really push it.

Rode the Carbon Nomad with 160mm Lyriks have to say best bike I have Ever ridden ever!! direct fast smooth never left me short, rode the blur lt on the same ride was as good except for the directness of the carbon.

The VPP took a bit of getting used to and would have to learn how to ride it properly (different way of handling jumps & drops) but felt so much more than the Alpine. Hard to describe more but try it

For an objective test you’re gonna want similar set up, cockpit and tyres on both bikes. Everyone’s opinion is going to vary based on set up and personal preference.

For what it’s worth I’ve ridden the current alpine and plenty of enduros and the geo on my older sx trail is very close to the current enduro. I would give the alpine a slight edge in climbing due to the steep seat angle. I would say that the enduro is a more competent and confidence inspiring descender. I think at the end of the day it’ll come down to whether you like the feel of a single pivot or a 4 bar.

It might be worth considering that it’ll take a stellar build to get an alpine down to the spesh’s 31 lbs. My friends alpy with air can, 36 rc2, 819s, thompson and xtr build is 37 lbs. Waits for someone saying they have same build and it weighs 30 lbs.

That sounds like SX Trail territory – too heavy. I’ve seen the standard airsprung Alpine build quoted as 34lbs, which I thought was a bit much anyway.

The Spesh is starting to feel like the right option unless I can find someone to do me a good deal on a custom Nomad build…

I got an 2011 Enduro. I ride in the Alps and around. THE bike I have been waiting for. Angles down (66.5 HA) and up (74degrees SA). It climbs like a beast, eats up tech climbs, Razzes at speed and EXTREMELY playful. The Alpine, just like all Orange’s will be a flat out fast, speed machine with less desire to play (I’ve had Patriot and 224 and ridden a five a bit). Its ace too. I just love the combo of Flat out and playful in the Enduro (The front end is so easy to pick up and manoevre)

Light and Aggressive. LOVE my Enduro.

Sure the Alpine is excellent too but a bit more heavyduty but not by much.

I think all the bikes are great. Pick the one you like the look of the best?

Have a look at these
http://www.canyon.com/_en/mountainbikes/series/strive.html
just ordered an ES 8.0. Great value for money and excellent spec too

That does look good! Same basic system as a Meta 6 (which was good apart from breaking) and great angles. Cheap(ish)

Make sure you report back with pictures and a ride report please marco!

Very easy to get an Alpine below 32 lb, mine weighs 31.5 with pedals. No silly light bits….Hope hoops on Flow rims, Bonty XR4 tyres, Full XT drive train, 170 air Lyriks, Thomson post, Nuke Proof bars etc. Hope Mono m4’s 203/180. You could lighten almost all of those bits if budget allowed.

I went through this last year.

Nomad – strange fit – at 5’10” a large felt too short, when seated climbing, but too long when standing on steep twisty downhill. Standover was compromised. Hated the Monarch air. Could feel the back wheel retreating away from rocks though as the suspension moved, which made it sillyfast downhill in the Peaks

Alpine. I was in between sizes. An 18 felt great for all day riding, but a bit of a barge DH, a 16 was an absolute hoot for DH, but cramped for all day. Suspension was not the most subtle or active, but it was very predictable and the handling was fanstastic.

I ended up buying an Intense Uzzi. Not the lightest thing ever – mine’s smack on 35lb. The geometry is just that bit different from the Nomad that it fits properly (slacker ST mostly) and the G3 dropouts mean that you can have a sensible AM setup, but then slacken and lower it for full on DH stuff in only a couple of minutes. Coil shock beats the living crap out of air cans. Deals with technical climbs pretty well (U-turn fork helps) and is pretty amazing DH. Realy easy to gain speed from pumping and it pops really well which makes jumping surprisingly good for a big sofa of a bike.

None of them were bad bikes, but it’s all in the fit. Try them before you commit!

The Alpine, just like all Orange’s will be a flat out fast, speed machine with less desire to play (I’ve had Patriot and 224 and ridden a five a bit).

My Five with Lyriks is one of the most tech-play-fun bikes I’ve ever had the pleasure to ride…

None of them were bad bikes, but it’s all in the fit. Try them before you commit!

True. I ride an 18″ Five but find the 18″ Alpine too short for all day riding. I’m 6′.

I’d try and ride both before taking the plunge.

Otherwise I’m a simple soul – the single pivot (especially if you’re using it year round) and the lack of any major visual changes (Specialized *will* change the look of the bike regardless) would sway me towards the Orange.

My Five with Lyriks is one of the most tech-play-fun bikes I’ve ever had the pleasure to ride…

Doesn’t change the length of the chain stays though does it. Hence easy, easy, easy ability to manual and lift front wheel of the Enduro. Orange’s always have that length which is what makes them so fast.

Great bikes for sure. Not had pleasure of riding an Alpine. Can imagine its a hoot.

Also I think it depends on how much the OP wants to pedal. You can get all those bikes uphill. Some with a bit more graft than others.

If you want one bike to rule the all, I’d say Enduro, if you want bigger, burlier bike that CAN pedal then I’d probably go for Alpine.

I was in this position and decided I wanted the ‘One to Rule All’. Before I came to that decision I was thinking about the Last Herb FR…just to throw that into the mix.

Glad I came across this thread.
I`m looking for an all mountain bike, after smashing up my Specialized XC at the weekend, decided to get a little more travel.

You could of course go for the Enduro EVO too… 😉 so many options.

DangerousDan – as a “Dirt-reading DH fantasist”, just look through your copies of Dirt and see what they say about the Alpine – it’s all good. Personally, I’d have the Alpine for lots of reasons, and not just those mag/forum reviews. Or, better still, wait for the new Patriot….

chakaping
I will do
Expecting delivery in around 3 weeks
Cant wait

I have good reviews from a New Patriot rider. Better than Alpine.

Its a minefield fro people trying to choose a bike these days 😉

Also I think it depends on how much the OP wants to pedal. You can get all those bikes uphill. Some with a bit more graft than others.

If you want one bike to rule the all, I’d say Enduro, if you want bigger, burlier bike that CAN pedal then I’d probably go for Alpine.

Again I’m torn. One (expensive) option is a ‘basic’ Alpine AND a long trail hardtail OR a single super-bling rig like a pimped Nomad with light/strong gear that I try to convince myself can do it all.

I definitely want a bike I can ride round the Peaks with my XC buddies but I also like throwing myself down DH runs at least once a week. Not sure I’ve got enough cash to get two awesome bikes though, so maybe one all-rounder is the best option.

Of course there are always compromises – I don’t really buy this ‘descends like a DH bike, climbs like a mountain goat’ BS.

Arrrghh!

Try my S-Works Enduro. There is also the Cannondale Jeykl.

Of course there are always compromises – I don’t really buy this ‘descends like a DH bike, climbs like a mountain goat’ BS.

You’re right to be wary of marketing BS like that, but many modern 160mm bikes do climb really well and descend even better.

It’s on the flat where they can be a bit harder work .

I have good reviews from a New Patriot rider. Better than Alpine.

aye but that’s a 180mm bike is it not?

but many modern 160mm bikes do climb really well and descend even better.

Yep, it’s all relative, the mags are comparing the climbing prowess of the new 160mm bike they’re reviewing against a fuel ex9.9 or giant anthem x1 they tried a week before not your 5 year old 32 lb rig with the mud tyres you can’t be bothered to take off. I think the whole reason d’etre of the enduro and similar bikes is that there is no ‘compromise’ as long as you don’t expect it to be the best at everything which no one would, that territory is occupied by the niche bikes obviously.

I think the enduro looks about the most accomplished do it all bike in terms of up,along, down, price and weight (those canyons might pip it on value per smile). I feel that the alpine’s a bit more focused as a crank up and them bomb it down here as the spesh will do it all and by all accounts be pretty much as good bombing down. Dirt are in love with the new one.

It’s on the flat where they can be a bit harder work

This is what supprised me about my new Pitch.

It decends really well, which I expected.

It climbs acceptably, slower than the hardtail, but more unstopable if there’re steps/roots/rocks in the way.

But going allong, you have to really tell yourself never to brake, because the moment it loses speed you’re not getting back upto speed again for a while!

That and the speed is deceptive, feels slow, but then you realise whole sections have been cleared off the brakes and you’re mid air of a big drop/fade you didn’t even know existed on a slower bike as you just rolled down it or had to really pump to get ay air.

actually. The Enduro isn’t brilliant at out of the saddle climbing. Honking tech stuff it is, but getting up the hill its way better sitting down spinning.

mafiafish has put it well. A well rounded bike. Good at a lot of things.