Alpine 160 owners

Hi thinking of buying the New Alpine 160, hows the old one ride, is it good for an all round bike, was going to get a Santa Cruz Tr , but really like the new Alpine just looks like it will ride well if you know what I mean.some bikes just look right 😀

Hiya,

I’ve had my alpine 160 for about 18 months now and I absolutely love it, way more confidence inspiring than the trek fuel ex I had before this. Its ok at climbing if you don’t mind spinning away but it really shines on the descents. I’ve spent a fair bit on mine to lower the weight but still wanted it to be quite tough. In the standard spec it is a little heavy unfortunately.

Be rude to not add a pic 🙂

Hope that helps,
Ash.

I was thinking of ordering a new Alpine this weekend, but worried the 26″ wheels will make it ‘out of date’ within a year. I wonder if they will change to 27.5″ in the near future ?

ash – what size are thos tyres, looks like a fat bike lol

only had mine 4/5 months and cant fault it, its no whippet up the hills but you will get up but its great at coming down.

had mine on the uplift at inners last weekend and loved it even thow it was a proper stinking day.

27.5 29? pah

I’ve had mine for 3 years and although its heavy (37lb) Its a do it all bike. It climbs pretty well but goes down like a mini 224. I’ll get the new one when i snap this one!

I’m not sure it will go 27.5″ unless fashion / market pressure makes it relevant (ie – no decent tyre choice, loss of sales to other 27.5″ brands).

I know I want a new one…

Thanks for the help, Ashwee is that Plasma Blue looks awesome 😀

more pics will help ,

Not bothered about wheel size , just want it to ride well, and I understand it wont be no mountain goat, new one is 2/3lb lighter which will help 😀

Is the new one out now?

My tank. It’s no featherweight but damn it’s fun

It’s a very different bike to the Blur TR. It will be like a tank in comparison.

Kendo – The tyres are hans dampf 2.35’s, they do look huge in that pic to be fair!

Jeffus – Yup that’s plasma blue, it’s an awesome colour, very bright all year round. If you’re anywhere near the southwest you’re welcome to have a spin sometime.

Here’s a couple more pics.

Cheers,
Ash.

Thats cool Ashwee, will be the colour for me looks amazing…

ddmonkey tis on the Orange Website due in June

nice one uberscott, like the Candy Apple green

Sunset cycles in Cardiff had one of the new frames in the other day, it was black with orange graphics, looked pretty good in that combo. I’ll try and find the pics now.

Found it on the sunset cycles Facebook page.

Had mine a while now and as others have said it doesn’t build up to the lightest bike by any stretch. If your style of riding is slugging up and hooning down then it will work for you, feels like a DH bike on the downs and is very capable.

The thing I like is that it is simple, hasn’t got millions of pivots with tiny bearings, parts can be bought direct from Orange for nothing. I think a bearing kit is £15 with two bearings, a Santa Cruz one is £35 with eight bearings.

I had an S-Works Enduro before the Alpine and it seemed to climb better, but the Orange is much more fun on the downs and feels planted at speed. I use mine on local xc rides, dh runs, jumps and take it to the Alps. As I can only have one bike and like to go downhill it makes sense for me, and the fact that it’s purple keeps a smile on my face 😀

Hmm, the heir to my Patriot XC I think.

If I had all my bikes nicked again and got to claim on the insurance (touch wood obv) I think I’d get one of those then an XC race bike.

Had mine just over a year now, its an awesome bike and an absolute loon on the descents, the rockier the better it seems.
Done a few XC rides on it, and I have to admit it’s a bit too much like hard work, but that’s probably due to the way I’ve got it built up as I’m mainly using it as a mini DH bike 37.4 lb.
Riding Moelfre uplift on it this weekend.

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Lac de Vonnes Châtel[/url] by Karl33to[/url], on Flickr

I like – it looks like a much better all-rounder than the previous version.

Mr M.
stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it
That is all.

Ive never quite understood the alpine, its not really a all round bike, its not quite mini DH either.

If you want a mini DH the patriot looks nice!

The Blur TR and the alpine are miles apart thats much close five territory surely?

boxxer7 – it’s in the name. It makes a great all-round bike if you live in the Alps.

Otherwise, I’d say it’s a bit big/heavy for a UK all-rounder, but would work if you’re the kind of rider who wants to hit DH courses and do uplift days regularly as well as getting the miles in from time to time.

^^^ thats kind of my point it seems like a compromise thats not as good at going down as the patriot and probably no better at going up either?

Perhaps not whistler or fort bill, but that thing would murder DH runs like cwmcarn, antur, gawton etc.
coil front and rear, burly wheels, wide bars. Lovely. I actually see this a much more useful bike than the 5.

if your were glass half full kinda person, you’d say it’s better at descending than a Five and better at climbing than the Patriot, win-win 😀

Sort of in the same boat was 95% sold on the TR bit it only really makes sense to me in Carbon, Going to get the LT which is a tad lighter according to the spec and 140mm, sits happy with a 160mm fork.
Rode the LT/Nomad C & Alpine at the same spot in the lakes. LT was the winner. Alpine was just a bit too much pain up for not enough extra on the down, was more a straight replacement for my heckler rather than an improvement. I wouldn’t worry about the 26″ wheels going out of fashon at orange, nothing else seems to 😉

31 lbs and change, bit more with a Reverb. I like mine very much. Up, down, along.

Buy a Five, you will like it more.

I guess the Patriot is more DH lite, the Five more Backcountry. The Alpine half way between the 2 – Aggressive Backcountry?

I had one for years and now regret selling it. The bike just feels “right” and I wonder how many of the naysayers about climbing and weight have actually owned one? I’m up in North Wales and rode trail centres, DH and all the delights of the Gwynedd/Conwy area. I’d really like to test a 17″ version.

Mr M.
stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it
That is all.

So true Mr K 😀

The alpine is completely different to a TRC, hell in my opinion a FIVE is completely different. Do you know what sort of bike you want?

I guess my point was more Karl33to’s.

Just being in between a Patriot and a Five doesn’t make it a compromise. All bikes are a compromise, based on what the rider wants to use them for.

An Alpine is usable for all-day adventures in a way that a Patriot is not. It will also do better on DH courses or really tough terrain than a Five. What’s not to like?

I’ve had 3 BTW…

One of the best bikes I’ve owned! Here’s mine which I’ve just sold for an enduro sworks. Whilst the alpine is very capable going down I felt it needs trails with more elevation to really come alive. It climbs surprisingly well for its weight, as said if spinning is your thing it fine. Got mine done to just over 32lbs.

Had my enduro for 3 weeks now and it obviously climbs better, but according to my strava times its quicker on the downs as well…perhaps I’m more suited to a linkage type suspension. Anyway fun wise they both rock.
I could recommend an alpine 160 to anyone who appreciates the gravity side of riding.

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Alpine 160[/url] by dan45a[/url], on Flickr

My disco black one with orange bling. Great bike (once I got the shock set up right).I Can do a 25 mile XC loop on a Saturday and a downhill race on Sunday without touching the bike in between.
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alpine160-orange2[/url] by JCcreative[/url], on Flickr

Some really nice builds, I wonder how heavy my build would be,

XT group set 1 x 10 , Float 36 RC2, Hope Hoops with FlowEX , Reverb, etc guess around 31lb 🙂

Deliberated for some time before buying my 160. Never regretted the decision. Its the most foregiving bike,solid, whatever you throw at it. I have a spesh stumpy and 224 evo, but I still always go for the 160 as it will do anything from XC to DH.

I was always fed up of breaking the lighter bikes, this one just never breaks. As long as its serviced regularly.

Mines now up for sale! Its only taken me a year to decide that. I need to reduce my ‘garage’ and do more DH and Road now. I would seriously consider a Five with a Fox 36, unless you do more big stuff. Only because you can save maybe 3-4lbs…. or just miss a meal. (its very costly trying to reduce weight through ridiculous pricey bling.. IMHO