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How long is the headtube ?
please hold....
90mm on the 15.5"/16" frames and 100mm on the 17.5"/18" frames.
Edit: maybe the Mk1 frames had 5mm longer head tubes (memory failure/old age), so 95mm/105mm.
105mm?
105mm
original model, not sure if Mike change it on later frames, i remember talk of shortening head tubes when i rode the proto in the Alps
100mm MK2 18" frame.
I dont actually know that, but mike says so ^^
Why not try the new PA frame? CEN makes it built burly-enough and as far as I can tell only the Alpines seat/top tube brace along with more clearance are the differences..
Alpines not going anywhere, but maybe swapping forks about.
😛
Geometry is different, Hora (Alpine has slacker head angle) and Alpine rated for longer forks.
Scruff's already got an Alpine.
And I LOVE it.
as far as I can tell
That, dear boy, speaks volumes of you
Oh yes and the head angle and that forky-bit.. 🙄
..anything else? 8)
Alpine is basically a harder hitting, longer forked and slacker frame than the PA. I suppose if you wanted to pigeonhole it, you'd stick it in with the likes of the BFE, Blue Pig and 456 Summer Season.
Prince Albert was reverse engineered a little bit when I changed from 520 to 725 tubing to make it less burly. It's probably a bit harder to pigeonhole these days because it's not as light/XC as an Inbred or Soul but not as burly as the frames mentioned above. Probably falls somewhere between the Soul/Inbred category and the BEF/Blue Pig/456SS/Alpine category.
If only you'd asked last night. I had a tape measure in the car. You could have measured it.
What is the Alpine like for climbing? Do you need to wind the forks down or is that not required.
I'm seriously tempted by an Alpine but I'm not sure if it is different enough from my MG to justify getting one.
I have a relatively short stem on mine, the shorter headtube on the MKII will help. I've got used to climbing on it, it's not the easiest but travel adjust forks would help a lot (i don't have them). On the other hand, once you are used to the slightly skittish steering on climbs and have masterd popping the front wheel up and over stuff it becomes a lot of fun. Now my bike of choice for riding in the peaks and lakes on rocky stuff
point it downhill however and everything just becomes a blur of speed and smiles
Mine climbs fine with 60mm stem and 140mm Revs, dont feel the need for winding down on climbs. I've just put lower wider bars on and front ends feels more planted up and down, which is a bit weird. Alpines are stiffer and handle better (more *GRRR* ) than an MG but not as comfy.
What forks are you getting Dad?
I've never really hung about after the ride on a Thursday, if it involves BigJohn measuring other peoples tubes then I'm pretty glad of it.
Thanks for the responses.
I'm currently using Pikes on the MG and have them at 140mm most of the time so I'm not sure there is really going to be that much difference between that and the Alpine, unless I get some bigger forks for it too.
However having recently moved to the Highlands the ability to have a bit more GRR may be justified 🙂
Alpine will be excellently suited to epic highland passes, the rocky ones that look like you could never ride down them, it is after all designed for riding steep rocky trails in the Alps. I've ridden a few things in the Peaks on the alpine that i've balked at on other bikes
Pikes on Alpine is just right IMO for non-specific-category riding, it will be slacker and lower and better for *Aggressive XC Grrr riding*- depends what you want really.
I've ridden a few things in the Peaks on the alpine that i've balked at on other bikes
Be interested to know where these are/anything new?
I've ridden most things in the Peaks on every frame I've had recently (456, Blur4x etc)
some of the more direct lines down Cut Gate and the Beast mostly. You can cut out some of the Cut Gate hairpins with 'Alpine' style roll downs, nads on the nobbles kinda thing.
Have you been down Parkin Clough? (its cheeky mind).
Hoping to ride Edale-Mam Tor-down Cavedale-then up and over Mam old road and down Chapel Gate early tomorrow am 🙂
I swapped from a 456 to an Alpine and found it much better. Partly a slightly more sprightly ride (yes, really), partly the angles just seem to work better. I dunno why, but it's a bike that instills confidence somehow.
I found it better climbing with a slightly longer stem (80mm) with no change in what it was capable of. Preferred to run at 125mm with the option to open up to 140 for descents. Sadly I'm gonna flog it shortly due to back surgery - if I can ride again I'll be looking at a PA or maybe a Soul.
don't do cheeky in the Peaks
Hora- yes. Dismounted for two sections.
I've got a PA at the moment but i'm very Alpine curious, they just look right. If i changed over it would be run singlespeed though.
Anyone else do this? Or am i missing the point a bit?
SS + 80mm stems + 125mm forks = Blasphemy.
Scruff, the only way I can see dismounting there is down into that stream or over the bars 😆
Im 5' 8" an ride the new small model Alpine with Pikes and find it to be a great all round trail bike. For me the big selling point is the dropped top tube design as it has LOADS of standover clearance. The angles seem "spot on" and its relatively cheap compared to many other frames. Some people say its just for "big stuff" but I find it great for general riding and having fun on 🙂
Rich S - let me know if you do consider selling your Alpine - if its an 18 that is
SS + 80mm stems + 125mm forks = Blasphemy.
Whoa, i didnt say anything about the 80mm stem and 125mm forks. 😉
It would be run properly pikes and a 50/60mm stem 😀
top frame.... very happy with mine after a season in the alps. will be ragging it around Gran Canaria next week for six months.
woo-and indeed-hoo!
Yeh class frame thats good for downhilling in the alps.
Think my Alpine is 140 pike forks and 80 stem. I love it though. I had a 50mm stem on my PA though but it has a longer headtube. So stem length is more to do with the frame than anything.
I never wind the forks up or down. My best bike.
i should say that i have 150mm air forks which have the small bump sensitivity of a brick, this slightly slacker head angle and lack of fork preload will make it completely different to those with 140mm coil forks.
Thoughts please:
Ti Alpine... how many of you would be interested if said mythical beast were to exist?
mangoridebike - will do. It's the old version but is big/long - 17.5" with 23" TT. The new one is 1/2" longer in both dimensions IIRC.
bikechain - several people across the country have just done a sex wee in their pants.
I believe Mike has pondered this before
Ti Alpine
Mike, hello 🙂
i would buy one
I have a Mk 1 PA and am Alpine curious also.
Anyone recall the weight of the Mk1 frame. As I occasioinally enter an enduro type race and like covering some miles [but also like my trips to Gawton and only want 1 bike] I keep thinking a lighter frame would be nice, but I want the angles of the Alpine.... At 5.5lbs for the current Alpine, it's never going to be lighter than the Mk1 PA, or is it?
Am I a confused individual?
Probably falls somewhere between the Soul/Inbred category and the BEF/Blue Pig/456SS/Alpine category.
Yes...I am niche-tastic.