I’m considering selling my Specialized Pitch Pro and getting a hardtail.

I’ve never had a 27.5 or 29er bike but it looks like I have no choice now. 😉

I can get a good deal on Genesis bikes and I do like the brand a lot. However I can’t decide between the 29er or the 20.

I do like the double chainset on the 29er and I do want to try out that wheel size.

However the 20 has arguably a better build kit on it and the plus size tyres are an interesting idea.

Riding around West Yorks mainly, so mixture of rocky steep hills and some sloppy single track.

I’ve been riding for nearly 30 years and I’m stuck completely as this is new territory!

If it’s any help I’m 5’7″ with short arms and a long body with 29″ inside leg.

Its available as a frame only, so I was going to suggest that you could build on to your own spec.

However, as is often the case, they’ve made a strange decision by bundling the rigid fork with the frame. By doing this, what should be an empowering option now forces you down a particular route.
They really ought to offer the frame and fork separately, so that customers can do exactly what they want. If I was in your position, I’d find this very frustrating.

Having said all that, Genesis make brilliant steel hardtails so, if you can settle on the choice between the two models you mentioned, you should have a great bike.

My altitude 00 is 8 years old and, in singlespeed configuration, is still providing me with big grins.

Having ridden both I’d go 20. Loved the traction uphill and a hoot pointed down anything.

Its available as a frame only, so I was going to suggest that you could build on to your own spec.

I would normally do this, but there is nothing on my Pitch that will fit it – boo! 26″ 135/20mm hope wheels, 30.9 RS dropper, 160mm straight steerer 26″ RS Lyrics, none of it fits!!! The Genesis build is rather a good one too.

Dave – how was the fork? I don’t know much about the current range of forks from RS not having bought any for a long time. I’m concerned about lack of travel coming from 26″ 160mm Lyrics.

Great article by the way.

Another question – if you got the Tarn 20 27.5+, can you put a spare pair of 29er wheels in – will the forks still be ok? I am assuming that it’ll be fine on the back as its the same frame…..??

The Yari is a great fork, should accommodate a 29 wheel too I’d have thought.

I would have a Tarn 20 in a second. Currently have a 26 Soul and a 650b Anthem SX, so hard to justify…..

newrobdob – Member
I’m considering selling my Specialized Pitch Pro and getting a hardtail.

why you thinking of changing FS to HT ?

The Pitch is my first ever FS and I love it to bits but it’s a bit too much bike for me now. Not doing the big epics any more. I’ve not ridden it much due to illness/injury but it’s pretty tricked out. Going to split and sell it.

ah, makes sense. I often think about the Tarn 20 as main bike, chopping in my 2015 Anthem, but can never quite get my head round it…

It doesn’t say in the spec, but both have 110x15mm forks, so presumably they’re both 29″ boost?

In which case, probably the 20, because 29″ wheels and tyres are cheaper to acquire if you wanted a second set. Is there a difference between the ’16 and ’17 bikes, if not then the ’16 seems a lot cheaper too.

I think the ’16 bikes are being discounted a fair bit now.

Great article by the way.

Cheers. We’re really happy with how it looks and reads.

^^^^ That article is in danger of damaging my bank balance by best part of £1800…… 🙁

I think the ’16 bikes are being discounted a fair bit now.

All sold out at Madison though.

Evans did have the rigid frameset really cheap. Chuck your drivetrain and brakes and cockpit over. Buy a seatpost and wheels and tyres. Sell the pitch frame fork and wheels. Done. Thats what i would do

Evans did have the rigid frameset really cheap. Chuck your drivetrain and brakes and cockpit over. Buy a seatpost and wheels and tyres. Sell the pitch frame fork and wheels. Done. Thats what i would do

Yeah, but his brother **cough** works in the trade and he’s asked me, err, sorry HIM, to get him one like wot ‘appened wiv iz last Genesis, see..? 🙂

Might keep my brakes though, I love my 203mm rotor SLX brakes. 😉

What these plus bikes like in the mud ? Would it be suitable replacement for do it all winter 26’er hartail. Local trails incl mud and slop ?

What these plus bikes like in the mud ?

My Stache 29+ was bloody awful in mud and even at discount prices it’s £100+to experiment with new tyres.
It spat me off twice, literally nothing I could do about it. I know someone else who as a Specialized Fuze and came to the same conclusion – Plus bikes don’t like mud.
In the dry, superb, on tech stuff, awesome, in mud? Nope.

Peter, that’s what I suspected, cheers

The way I’m figuring it is like this. The 29+ bikes you are pretty much stuck with the plus tyres on them.

The Tarn has tyres on that aren’t ginormous, so if you wanted to put some thinner tyres on it for mud it probably wouldn’t mess the handling up too much and the lower BB height would be a plus for muddy areas.

However you’ve also got the option of going for a set of 29er wheels with mud tyres on and the bike would handle just the same and you’d have loads of mud clearance.

Round Huddersfield where I ride it’s mainly rocky. You get the odd bits of mud but not miles of it in long stretches. I’ve always run big tyres round here and yes it gets a bit sketchy in a bit of mud but you expect it and the trade off is worth it for the advantage in the rocky bits.

So the Tarn 20 should work fine as it is, and if I fancy a change the frame will accommodate it. Sounds good?

Yeah makes sense to me

newrobdob – sounds ideal for the type of stuff you ride. I have a lot more mud on my local stuff, so probably too much of a compromise as my only HT and probably not an alternative to light xc FS (though maybe….)

I’d be interested to see if the introduction of plus sized minions didn’t go some way to improve mud performance…

I’d be interested to see if the introduction of plus sized minions didn’t go some way to improve mud performance…

I’m not sure how that will help.