Coed Llandegla’s nearest A&E is Wrexham Mealor, only about 15 mins away. Judging by how many times I have seen their ambulance up there, it may be worth calling there before you venture up to Llandegla to ask them where the high risk areas are 😉

crazyjohnblows :…I’m lucky enough to own both 5 & Alpine 160 (both 2010 flavour). They are built-up very similar, apart from the forks. 150 Rev Teams on the 5, & 170 Lyrik solo air DH’s on the 160. I’m not saying I can do either justice compared to the likes of Rowan Sorrel. But I do prefer the 160 for the Trail Centre type riding I do, be-it going up or down. The 160 is 3 lb heavier than the 5, but I prefer it on steeper climbs as it doesn’t try and lift its front wheel like the 5. Then when you point it down, its just so much more fun and confidence inspiring than the 5. I know quite a few people have suggested a 5 with 160 forks, which although works well, still leaves you with 140mm of rear travel that will never match the 160mm of the Alpine (with its better shock/travel ratio) 8)

As Loco suggests. And to try and simplify it a bit more, I tend to run 190-200 psi in my Fox air shocks on the last 3 bikes I have owned, on all of them , I tend to run about 3 clicks from max rebound. Turn the red rebound dial clockwise until it stops, then, back of anti-clockwise 3 clicks. You wont be far off there 😉

Rock Shox Pikes with std. spring should be just fine. Even better if you can find some Push tuned ones.

Stick to your 12″ hack saw, and a big tin of elbow grease 8)

as mtbtomo said. It has fine ‘O’ rings either end that seal in the BB cups, preventing water getting in. Quite an important part of your BB 😉

YES….its the law 8)

dive a car ! ?

messiah… I got the grease ports from rod end bearings that were U/S (nobody had bothered grease them). I only used the 2.5mm grub screws because the larger protruding grease ports would foul the BB face on my Alpine 160 due to it having a thicker wall (bigger dia. outer) than some other BB shells.

You can buy small packs of Zerk ports for Turner bikes, Try the importers 😉

retr83…….I sold the Hustler frame last year with the grease port BB still fitted and going strong. I have done the same mod to my current Orange 5 & 160, with the exception of fitting 2.5mm grub screws on the 160 instead of the Zerk ports. This was due to the BB shell wall thickness fouling the Zerk port when tightened fully.

I think there is a bit of a misconception about why the none drive side bearing usually wears out 1st. Some folks recon its to do with the preload being on that side. The preload nut pulls the drive side arm as much as it pushes on the none driveside arm, SO the bearing preload should be equal. The main difference between the two sides is the protection the driveside bearing gets from crap thrown up by the front wheel, ie. the chain and sprockets etc. The none driveside arm has a gap at the back that lets the crap in.

If you are going to the trouble of splitting your HT II BB to regrease, take extra care of the inner surface of the plastic top hat insert that the outer seal runs against, and the seal itself. SEALS need lubricating as well as bearings. A dry seal will wear quicker and let crap in to destroy the bearing.

A shed full of old classic motor bikes in need of restoration 😉

Recently gone to chrome and also having same problems. Its fast when working OK, but also slow as f00k! on many occasions

Focus it is then 😉

Maybe a decade behind most of us, spelling and grammar are OK, and his feedback is good 😕

Out of those two I would choose the RP23, But for the type of riding you describe, I think a coil shock would be more fitting. On that type of use an air shock will over heat and give a harsher/less controled ride.

Thats normal, serviced both of mine many times, they are always quieter after greasing, they will slowly get a bit noisier with time. FWIW I use a light semi fluid grease, which never comes out of the hub seal, and keeps the hub innards well lubed and quiet(ish)

Got a recently rebuilt 5th Element 8.5 x 2.5 ( was on my 160, but I think it also fits Hecklers ) its had the platform/SPV valve removed and a shim stack to suit 12-14 stone rider fitted. Very plush, with hi & low speed comp.,rebound and bottom out resist adjustments. 😉

Very informative thread. Just tagging for future use 8)

5.1 will be fine, it just has a higher boiling point than 4. Whatever you do, DONT use DOT 5, thats diferent stuff altogether 8)

Bryan Adams…18 till I die

Played at a mates funeral after a fatal jet ski accident. It was his favourite song. Seems to sum up a lot of people on here too 8)

5’10” on an 18″ here. The best fitting bike I have ever owned. Which is’nt the case with my 18″ Five, which feels a bit cramped.

Sold 2 cars on ebay, one for 8k and the other about 10k. On both occasions I used the Classified add option with an asking price based on market value of these cars . A fixed price add (about £12 i think) no final value fees etc. Basicaly an Autotrader type add with more coverage, more pics, bigger description etc.

5’10” on 18″ 5 here, but to be honest it feels a bit more cramped than my 18″ 160.

I am sure its 215mmm i2i x 63mm stroke or 8.5″ x 2.5″(same as the Alpine 160). However, I think you can use a 190 x 50 shock in certain shuttle positions for a shorter 140mm travel. Hope this helps.

Beeten to it. Tastynuts have a huge range of quality Ti fasteners.

I saved thousands, I did’nt buy anything 😆

The entire cast of all soaps 😈

was it a 456 frame by any chance ?

Dirtworker……………£20 brand new bargain off ebay, no problems so far. Not very pwerfull, but no bearings failures either 8)

Dirt 8)

drunkenmonkey……..I have a 160 & 5 at the moment, both 2010 and both great bikes, both usualy on RP23’s on rear, 150 Rev Team’s on the 5, and Lyrik solo air DH 170’s on the alpine. The 5 weighs 28.5 lb and the 160 weighs 31.5. I maybe don’t do either justice, or have had the fortune to venture to the Alps or such places…..But you ask which is the best ? To me its the 160 without any doubt, even at my local haunt llandegla. If you happen to be near Llandegla in the near future, I could maybe arrange a dual test ( both bike are 18″ ) Oh and if you go for a 5, you could buy the std. swingarm version, and use a 10mm bolt thru axle (which I have done, and recon is as stiff as the 12mm Maxle)

granny-ring…not many springs will fit the Romic, due to it requiring a spring with internal dia. of 38mm, most current coil shocks use a spring of about 36mm int. dia.

PJM1974, The main problem with servicing Romic’s (if you can get the seals) is the special charging jig required to recharge it.

where’d it go musky 😕

Any good deals on MIG’s about, got one day left before the VAT rise !

coffeeking, never got a chance to overheat it, fuse popped before I got a chance 😥

Has been in the garage for years, will take it indoors tonight and try again. Cheers for the tip dropoff.

Conditions today varied from soft/loose slow going to ice/slush slow going in many places. All rideable with care on the slushy/icey bits. Should be less ice tomorrow as temp today was about 6 degrees, but still slow going as surface is getting very soft with the thaw. Bacon and egg bap still as good as ever 😉

Got me thinking now too. I can feel the warmth already 😳

Ton go for the Alpine 160 !. I’m 14+ stone (maybe 15 now), I’ve got a 5 & 160, both 2010, and much prefer the 160. Plus the rear suspension performes far better (both RP23’s) due to the more favourable shock ratio, 5=140 travel x 50mm shock stroke, 160=160 travel x 63mm stroke. No matter what forks you put on a 5, the back end still lets it down compared to a 160 8)

Leatherman here, every Gerber I have owned have had burrs on the blades from new. Leathermans come as sharp as razors.