Hi im looking to change my current bike [ patriot ] with possibly a 160 self build, but whats it like as a xc bike with a bit of cwn carn, FOD type of riding thrown in .
cheers darren.

As long as you are content not to be first up the hill it will be great. I know a few people who use Alpine’s for everything and they are brilliant when the trail points down but the weight, big travel and big tyres obviously slows it down for ascents, especially if you opt for the Cane Creek coil shock. Depends what your priorites are I suppose, maybe consider a Five AM (140mm rear, 160mm front) for something a touch more all roundish.

Keep the Patriot for the heavier stuff and buy something else easier to ride up hills?

Undoubtedly there are better suited bikes for XC, but I have an Alpine and use it as my “all-mountain” bike (N. Wales, Alps, etc.). A bit OT for trail centre use perhaps but if you like a bit of DH and something a little burlier then it’s a great bike. Mine has an air shock and although a coil would be great for the Alps, I’m not sure about one for the rest of the year. Never had any problems keeping up with folk on climbs and the extra few pounds pay dividends on rougher descents.

Cheers lads , have looked at other bikes but keep being drawn back to orange, havnt ruled out a 5 , oh dear what to do , again thanks

+1 for surprising all rounder. Mine gets used in chilterns, then on fantastic holidays in places like Kerala (see my history). Built heavy but climbs well and descends better. Ignore “too much” naysayers, 160mm bikes are still engaging even on mild trails.

Wouldn’t worry too much about the weight either, my colleague’s on a weighing trip at the moment, and the standard model he’d just built came in below 32lb.Not bad at all for a downhill oriented bike.

ive got an alpine with the cane creek, yeh it does everything you need it to do, great on the decends and great on the climbs, yeh it can be bit slugish but it still gets up them! go for the 2012 alpine with the reverb and kashima coat forks 😛

Don’t go 5AM, it’s too compromised. It’s not designed for those forks so the seat tube is too slack, making an Alpine better on the ups. But, as always, that’s only my opinion after demoing the pair…..you might love it!

I’ve got a five with 36’s and coil shock and I think it’s great. I like it much better than with the 140 forks. Never tried an alpine so can’t compare the two.

I use my Alpine as my everyday bike and have done for the last 2 years. I have the CCDB, but light wheels (fulcrum red zones) and find descending is great and climbing fine. I even did the Dyfi enduro on it last year and it was stunning, albeit in a fun rather than fast way. Personally I couldn’t recommend it enough.