I run a patriot with a pike 454 up front. It will be getting some Lyriks when budget allows. I’m not slow down hill and still feel I have got some way to go before I need “more bike” under me.

Its an ace frame, ugly but does the job and not too heavy. loads around too.

Over 3 mins and nobody has slated the five for being overprice/ugly blah blah nonsense.

STW you disappoint me. 😆

FWIW, I used a Patriot as a guide bike in Chamonix, in 2003. Loved it then, even with its ‘long’ 125mm Vanillas! It climbed well (especially over the technical stuff) as long as you didn’t mind sitting and apinning, and was ace fun on the downs.

Patriot is seeming like a good choice then. Orange bikes look to be built like a brick shithouse as well 🙂

Considering I could get a used dh bike for probably £800-900 I think I might actually just go for a complete rather than build up something from my Trailstar remains! Although if the Patriot will ride well with a 140mm Pike then it would be ok. My only real issue with buying a complete is that I’d be worried I’d only be paying really for the frame/forks then the rest of the parts would be shit.

There’s a 2002 Patriot LT with old Boxxers on Pinkbike at the minute for £450. Good price/is it likely to be battered to shit?

I don’t know any more, buying new bikes is annoying!

No, get one of the newer patriot 66’s if anything. The old ones had a tendancy to crack.

Your best off getting one with a platform shock aswell

platform shock? What’s one of those then?

I’d agree with David. A platform shock has a ‘platform’ in it which requires a certain amount of force to ‘blow through’.

Essentially, what it gives you is a smaller amount of travel until you take a hit that exceeds the ‘platform’ settings, which then allows the rest of the shock to be used.

To put it into a real-world situation, when climbing you will have a small amount of travel due to the platform, but as soon as your bike starts taking hits descending – because of the greater forces involved – the shock will fully open and active (the platform will be continually getting ‘blown through’)

Re: the Boxxers, unless you’re planning to ride purely downhill I’d avoid and get a single crown.

The Patriot 66s started in 2005 as well, IIRC. Personally I’d get nothing older than that and preferably be looking for something a lot newer (the 2007 model was lovely).

An 8 year old big-hit frame with DH forks is not a wise investment.

The 66’s also look like they have decent geometry.

I had an 05 7+ and it was quite short and tall.

The 66’s look lower and slacker and they have adjustable geometry.

Yes Patriot 66 is the one to go for, super versatile, try to get a later one with the revised swingarm.

I have an as new Patriot that I have built up, but due to a change in circumstances, can’t see myself using to anywhere near its potential in the next 12 months.

18″ Chrome grey 2008 Patriot (the last version ever made) with Manitou coilover shock and Fox float air shock (just serviced & tuned by Simon at Loco tuning)
Spank Spike 777 bars
Hope Mono m4 brakes
2010 Marzocchi 55 Mico Ti forks 160mm travel
Mavic ex823 tubeless rims on hope Pro2 hubs
SDG belair Ti saddle
Raceface seatpost
Raceface cranks & Bash
E-13 DRS

Its mint having been ridden twice off road and one commute since being built and stands me at a small fortune. I don’t want to split unless someone desperately wants the frame from me then I would. All in as it is £1200, which is a bit over your budget but will not need anything spending on it:

That looks so good and I’m tempted to try and save a bit extra for that! Think 18″ might be a bit big though, current bike’s a 16″ and I used to have a 19″ which was way too big.

Have also just realised that new complete Specialized Big Hit 1’s are “only” about £1100 – I know it wouldn’t be suitable for climbing but potentially a really good downhill bike for relatively cheap?

Tom – the Big Hit would be a great DH bike for the money.

Yep this is the one I was looking at – http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Specialized-Big-Hit-FSR-I-Mountain-Bike-2010-Full-Suspension-MTB_20979.htm – not a huge fan of the newer curvy specialized looks but if it rides nice..

Buying new would give me great peace of mind as I know that DH bikes tend to get thrashed, and also I’d have warranty. That Patriot above really does look nice though!

Have also just seen the ad up top for the £199 blue pigs, very tempting I’m just not sure if I want a hardtail for downhill!

If you’re not planning on riding up anywhere, I doubt you’ll get so much (good) bike for your money anywhere else.

You could even ask if they’d upgrade the fork to something nicer like a Domain 318 for a bit more cash at purchase. Or pick one up off ebay.

Vanilla is a pretty good rear shock, got one on my Froggy. Avid brakes are strong. Drive train you can upgrade over time anyway.

Tom, an 18 patriot would feel way to big for you, imho, if you want a go on my 18 just holler, but they feel massive and i know you like your chuck about bikes.. stand over clearance is a massive issue on my +7 too..

Plus side of the stand over is the bb hieght, the breakover clearance is massive, i get back on my on one after a ride and forget, and end up clattering the cranks rings and pedals on everything

Cool, sounds good 🙂 Only problem is I’ve been looking and can’t find x-firm springs for that fork anywhere on the internet. I’d definitely need the hardest ones at my weight, although in a few months when I can afford it I should have lost a bit more 😛

U31 I had wondered about sizing for a Big Hit as well, gonna have to have a ride on some to see what I think. Think you’re a bit far up north for me to easily come and have a go on your orange!

offers there if ever anyone organises a ride out…. 🙂

Seen this? – http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/500-deal-specialized-big-hit-1-2008-medium

N.B – nothing to do with me in any way…

The standover on a 7+ is hugely different to the later Patriots. The one I’ve offered above is an18″, but the seat tube centre of bb to centre of top tube is 36cm, or less than 15″. So unless you have a ride on one I wouldn’t discount it too readily. I went from a 16″ 66 version to an 18″ of the later ones and they feel virtually the same, though a bit longer and more stable at speed.

Tom, I got more into DH last year (only at StileCop mind), got better at it and realized by Heckler was gonna break much earlier than it should do, so I sold it and bought a Bighit2, kept my HT. A decent DH bike will help so much with confidence and your riding can really be improved by confidence. If you can- buy 2nd hand DH bike, keep the HT. My Mate just bought a nice Giant from PB for £600, another mate got a Commencal Supreme for about the same. Patriot, SX trail etc would be good though.