The Alpine is my first FS, but doesn’t feel ‘wallowy’ to me. I do run it quite stiff on the rear though.

Reckon even basic shocks (I have the CTD) are good enough now to counteract the downsides of a single pivot. Feels bottomless downhill and climbs better than my old hardtail even when left in ‘trail’.

So it climbs well? Good to know. Orange don’t exactly push it as being good at the uphills, they seem keenest to impress one with downhill prowess.

My dilemma has just got worse. Having decided in my ignorance that the Transition and the Spitfire, being from US and Canadian makers, would be a bit remote, I’ve just discovered that they’re both stocked by a cool shop here in Edinburgh I didn’t even know about. Rude not to drop in.

You cannot compare new Transition with a Orange. One is based on fresh design, the other is a recently hashed together update incorporating the latest trends but the same old tired suspension philosophy.

Oh come on, the Horst link isn’t that bad 🙂

You cannot compare new Transition with a Orange. One is based on fresh design, the other is a recently hashed together update incorporating the latest trends but the same old tired suspension philosophy.
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roverpig – Member
Oh come on, the Horst link isn’t that bad

LOLZ

OP, not tried the Patrol but have ridden the Scout which was marvellous. In Darren’s dream world I would have both, in reality the Patrol would be too much for most of my riding.

Darrenspink – hmm, interesting.

I ride Scottish trail centers a lot, especially GT and Innerleithen. I want to spend more time on rocky places like Golspie and Laggan, and handle DH courses like Fort Bill – though very much on a non competitive level. I do go on longer XC trail rides too.

I’d like the bike I do get to be able to cover at least most of that ideally. If it can’t do everything then the priority is the gnarlier, even DH lite type stuff. Which I have already tackled on my On One Ti 456 hard tail, but clearly bounce would help considerably.

In that light, would the Scout be up my alley?

I think one thing I like so much about the Spitfire is that 140mm on the back with a CCDBA is so controlled but never wallowy or dull whilst 160mm up front lets you charge into things, especially as in the slack setting you’ve got a sub 66 degree head angle. And in the steep setting it feels much more like a spritely trail bike and less an enduro winch-and-plummet bomber.

I think you are going to really benefit from riding at least a couple of these bikes (spitfire/scout/patrol for eg).

It will tell you a lot about what you’re after.

You cannot compare new Transition with a Orange. One is based on fresh design, the other is a recently hashed together update incorporating the latest trends but the same old tired suspension philosophy.

Why is a fresh design better? There’s been loads of ‘fresh designs’ over the period Orange have been refining theirs that were classed as the greatest thing ever at the time but have been forgotten long ago.

Of course you can compare them but the only way to do that properly is to test them.

Oh come on, the Horst link isn’t that bad

LOL. 😆

Oh dear.

Surely the Transition and Orange are both proof that long-established suspension designs can still be relevant and competitive with the right geometry and dampers?

Alex Simon – deffo, testing is going to show me a lot, especially since I’ve not ridden a FS for over 10 years and am no doubt still lugging around my impressions/prejudices from then.

Chiefgrooveguru – see what you mean. The Scout being 140mm travel too, I’m starting to think that could be more me. Could be between that and the Spitfire. I don’t need a bike that can do massive drops to flat – I’d like to do the World Cup course at Fort Bill, but whatever bike I’m on I won’t be racing and I’ll take the chicken runs on the fat air sections.

Concept-wise, I like the Spitfire’s adjustability a lot.

Chiefgrooveguru – see what you mean. The Scout being 140mm travel too, I’m starting to think that could be more me. Could be between that and the Spitfire. I don’t need a bike that can do massive drops to flat – I’d like to do the World Cup course at Fort Bill, but whatever bike I’m on I won’t be racing and I’ll take the chicken runs on the fat air sections.

Concept-wise, I like the Spitfire’s adjustability a lot.

Yes, the Scout is a similar but scaled down concept – 125mm out back, 140mm forks, and not as slack as the Spitfire. I know the designer Keith has ridden Fort Bill on his Spitfire (but at a slower pace than on his Legend DH bike!)

CGG- sorry, yes, 125mm. Warming to the idea of long front/short chainstay/mega-short stem geometry being applied to the slightly shorter travel. Cost’s a factor – the Spitfire’s another £360 for the frame. Though that could be worth digging down the back of the sofa for if it’s betterer enough.

ridden the Scout which was marvellous

would the Scout be up my alley?

I’m sure that’s an arrestable offence.
Transition got crossed off my list the day they changed the names.

/me puts a rocket back on the “possible” list. Hope black is back on the menu?