I’m going to the Mega this year and quite fancy buying a full sus frame so I can enjoy myself a bit more……and not incur a gigantic dental bill when I return.

I’ve been looking at, mainly, mid travel stuff and, in particular, Specialized Pitch and Gina Reign X frames. I’m pretty torn and having only ridden a Reign once or twice, don’t have much to go on.

SO, for the Mega, which would you recommend? I know it’s not that black and white, but, at least provide me with some information (or, opinion, if you must) so I can make a relatively informed decision. I suppose you can throw other frames into the bag too.

If it makes any odds, I ride hardtail for everything and would consider myself to be a pretty smooth rider. I’m not hard on bikes and only weigh about 11 stone. I’d be looking at large frames….I think.

Cheers
Andy

Isn’t the Pitch being phased out now? There might be some knocking about in shops going cheap.

I’m talking second hand and frame only (unless I find a sweet sweet deal).

Yeah, Pitch is no more 🙁

They ride completely differently so get s go on one before you buy a pitch. IME the Pitch feels much more stable than the Giant, but the Giant felt more fun, horses for courses. Also the Pitch pedals OK up hill, the reign-x was hopeless if you stood up and pedalled, but then again the Reign-X is about an inch more travel and coil sprung so a fairer comparison would be a Spesh SX Trail (or a normal Reign with a slackset?).

Do you know the Reign and Reign X are 2 different bikes (as trance and trance x are 2). They’re sort of similar but not the same
Which Reign did you ride, there are least 3 significant variants which are different to one another?

Pitch similar to the 3 reigns, but all a model lesser to the Reign X which is more like an SX trail, enduro evo, trek scratch etc

Reign X is 170mm rear sus, 160+mm forks IIRC, both shock through downtube and shock with swoopy downtube. I think first one (shock through downtube) might have been 67deg HA w.160mm fork, so middling angles
Reigns are all 152?mm travel, mk1 (shock through downtube) came with 130,140 and 160mm forks
mk2 (shock and swoopy downtube) came with 140mm forks w.69deg HA (so steep), will probably take 160mm forks, there was a framset avail for £800
mk2/3 still swoopy but 150mm forks w.67deg HA (so slack). Will also probably take 160mm forks

the now discontinued pitch was 150mm(152?) rear, came with 140/150 forks,67deg HA, will take 160mm forks

the pitch is dead.

long live the pitch!

it’s now called a ‘Vitus Escarpe’ and you can buy them from chainreaction for £1300.

and i think that’s a bargain.

perfect for the mega.

That doesn’t appeal in the slightest!

I’d like a touch more than 140mm for the mega – Any reviews anywhere on that vitus? looks very interesting.

I know the Reign and x are different, just presumed the suspension action to be similar. It was a shock-through-frame version.

I’m kind of leaning towards the Pitch at the minute. In all honesty, I haven’t spent much time on full-sus at all so don’t really have any idea of what sort of ride I’m after. I had a Tazer VP for a while but that’s it. As fun as it was, I thought the action was a little dead feeling.

If I were to get a Pitch, I’d probably ruin it with some 160mm forks…….and maybe a coil shock.

i have a medium pitch frame which I am looking to sell. See ad here

i ran it with 160mm Magura Wotans. Ace.

A mate runs a Pitch with chunky Totems (180mm) and a coil shock as a DH bike. Easy bike to ride and looks very purposeful.

SO, for the Mega, which would you recommend?

Without being funny, a Mega…..

That’s coming from a standard Reign…

I did it on my Pitch – seemed about right to me, but bigger forks would have been better. I now have 160mm 36 Vans and a coil shock – would have been pretty much perfect IMO.

If you’re good you can get away with a much lighter bike of course, I’m not…..

I’d also make sure you have decent brakes – I had major fade with the stock Juicy 3 SLs. I now have Formula the Ones which have never felt like fading at all (damn I must do the Mega again with my bike how it is now!!).

I’ve not done the mega, but have ridden a bit in the alps on a Pitch with air shock and 36 Van 160mm coils and found it perfect. Split between chuck-able and pedal-able perfectly. Get one, you won’t be disappointed

I’d love a Mega, alas, I don’t have the funds.

That Pitch looks good Twoton but I’m almost certain that I need a large frame. I ride a medium BFe which comes up longer.

Would we class the old style SLX brakes as decent? I’ve never really used them for prolonged descents, other than Snowdon. I’ve considered getting some of the Ice Tech rotors help me fight the battle against fade.

I ride a medium BFe which comes up longer.

They’re longer than they look, medium pitch would be 18/19″ on other bikes (I’m 6ft and it’s comfortable).

Which is weird because I’m 5’8 and also ride a medium Pitch.

yep i wouldn’t think you’d need a large if you ride a medium Bfe. I’m 5’10” and rode a small with a layback post, 50mm stem, 740mm bars and loved it. BFe might be longer in effective top tube due to a slacker seat angle – pitch seat angles are quite steep 74 deg i think making the effective top tube seem short but when you’re stood up descending they’re pretty roomy.

lucien hit the nail on the head too. Took mine to Molini in Italy and Verbier in the Alps and it was super-capable downhill and perfectly good for climbing on. Mine had a set of 160mm coil lyriks which suited it really well.

Ice tech rotors will help with brake fade but more importantly make sure you’re running some decent sized rotors, get some decent brake pads in there and you’ll be sorted.

Pitch feels great with 160mm forks – I ran Lyriks on mine and it beefs it up considerably, making big hits a breeze and boosting confidence.
I had a Reign before with through frame shock basket jobbie, but the second iteration of this design. In every respect I prefer the Pitch, but the Reign isn’t a bad bike.

You can pick both up secondhand pretty cheap and while frames are about £250-400 you can get a complete bike for £550+ which will make building it up much cheaper and easier.

Would we class the old style SLX brakes as decent?

yes, they’re excellent.

I’ve never really used them for prolonged descents, other than Snowdon. I’ve considered getting some of the Ice Tech rotors help me fight the battle against fade.

really no need.

Which is weird because I’m 5’8 and also ride a medium Pitch.

They’re longer than they look, medium pitch would be 18/19″ on other bikes (I’m 6ft and it’s comfortable).

I’m just under 6′ and ride a medium Pitch; bizarrely, i find it a little short in the cockpit. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, given it’s intended use. It has a long wheelbase, though…

I also ride a 456 – which is notoriously long in the TT.

How about this? Frame only. http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1051532/

If you want a pitch, build it up like this!

Here is my Reign, i love it. however it is my first full sus so i don’t have anything to compare to. i have it built up with 36 vans which are great, more of an AM setup in terms of other components. slx gearing/brakes, mavic en521’s on superstar hubs, soon to be carbon bars, 1×9 with e*13 chainguide (not pictured)

Ska-49……you tempt me! After reading your build thread on SDH (and actually recommending the clearcoat) I am very, very, very tempted.

Only thing I’d add is that Pitches are often crap value as used frame-only, compared to full builds.

Ps Marin Wolfridge.

I’ll do it for £500 posted with a XT 10speed mech 😉

Which is weird because I’m 5’8 and also ride a medium Pitch.

[quote]I’m just under 6′ and ride a medium Pitch; bizarrely, i find it a little short in the cockpit. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, given it’s intended use. It has a long wheelbase, though…[/quote]

I think it’s the seat angle, if you get the seat far back enough (i.e a more normal seat angle) then they come up long, or if you can deal with the steep angle then it’s short. I demo’d a large but it was huge and didn’t feel like is suited the bike (for me) and the small was too short to make the most of the long wheelbase geometry.

Someone on here was asking about size specific geometry the other day, guess the Pitch must be a good example of a bike that just feels right in a medium (other sizes probably suit other people) even if the actual size feels compromised. 650b medium pitch with a slack seatube please 😛