Forgot about the SPOC who fancies meeting for a DH day at cannock chase?
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specialized ptich as an all day bike???
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Posted 2 years ago #
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Depends on your riding but burly long-ish travel bikes suck the fun out of most basic trails if you ask me, all-day rides tend not to be packed with super-steep super-technical hard hitting descents. But then I know a lot of people believe too much bike is never enough
Posted 2 years ago # -
I had one of the first Pitch comps in the country when they came out back in '08, rode it for a while as standard and then started adding bits here and there and it just got better and better at going down/over/through things, but I was riding more XC/trail type stuff so it went in the end after a good 18 months of daftness.
Too much of a bike for all day trails in the likes of England & Wales IMHO of course.
This is how mine ended up before I broke it up and built a bike more suited to my needs:
Posted 2 years ago # -
My mate had one, it was stolen, he demo'd a few and went and bought this year's Pitch, he missed his so much. He 'rides xc all day' but we live in the lakes so it's rocky and descent orientated, and he's doing Whinlatter enduro 30 miler on it too. He's the first to admit it wouldn't be the ideal bike for that, but for the majority of his riding it does what he wants.
I don't understand the 'big bike for trail centres' chat though. The ones I've been to the trails are generally smoother and more forgiving thean out local 'xc' riding.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I think when most people on here talk about XC they usually mean riding around farm tracks and muddy fields. By comparison to this a trail centre probably seems quite extreme.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I got a large one last year (...steady...)
It's great, just ride it for as long as I can wherever I can; couldn't spare any more £s & couldn't be more pleased. Probably around 60% trail centres, including a days intro to Laggan black -
And the other 40% kinda XC and long days on the hill trails. I'm sure better riders would use it more appropriately than I, but it's mine & I'll ride it whenever I like. The only things I've changed so far are the saddle & grips, & it's got me to places I'd never have expected...
Posted 2 years ago # -
Mine's coped well with regular riding with U-Turn Lyriks up front, it's not a 100mm travel whippet bike so would be unfair to compare it to somethign like that.
It seems to sit well in the middle.
Ride it as stock for all sorts or lighten / beef up a bit as your fancy and budget takes you.
Mine's now in long travel "rad" mode as I've built a 456 for general riding.
Picking up on a few other replies on this thread though, are trail centres not XC anymore?
Posted 2 years ago # -
on a side note..........
Add 5% more air pressure , reduce the sag a little and you've got a 30lb 5" travel bike that cope with your stature and have a big bottom out bumper.
Although being outside the avreage range you may be better getting the shock tuned for your weight,
Posted 2 years ago # -
I got mine the same time as PP. I changed my 853 Inbred for it and I love it. To add to the comments above, I think it depends A LOT where you mainly ride. Where PP is in the south it's a lot smoother with longer but smaller hills and more singletrack. A Pitch is a bit much for that so that's why he has specced it a bit more burly and only uses it when travelling to rockier steeper places. He does have a hardtail for local duties anyway.
I live in West Yorkshire and ride Calderdale/Dark Peak mainly. Very steep ups with lots of rocks which the FSR system just eats up, and rocky boulder strewn downhills and drop offs. It's perfect as an all day bike for that IN ITS STANDARD SPEC. If I made it lighter I couldn't trust it as much and it wouldn't make much difference on the ups anyway, loads are too steep to ride anyhow. If I made it heavier I would struggle on longer rides.I have only 1 bike and where I ride it seems to fit the bill nicely.
Oh, and trail centres? Are you kidding? Thy are so smooth and undemanding you barely need any bounce, if any at all!!
Posted 2 years ago # -
cheers for the replies people!!
im going to pick it up tomorrow and will post a few pics of it up .
interestingly in the pitch manual it gives shock pressure for some a lot heavier for me and ive read that it has the maximum pro pedal tune on it too.
will see how it goes!!
Posted 2 years ago # -
Yeah, wot Rob said.
I've got some coil Lyriks going on mine tonight. **Manic laughter**
Posted 2 years ago # -
any ideas what spring comes with the pikes on a large frame??
Posted 2 years ago # -
Isn't the new one air sprung?
Posted 2 years ago # -
yes, but a firm damer for a 60kg whippet and 120psi is different to a firm damper with 100+kg on it and 200+psi.
IIRC TF or Mojo do re-tunes at a reduced cost compared to a full service as nothing else needs doing (i.e. they dont charge for parts, just the labour)
Posted 2 years ago # -
yes, but a firm damer for a 60kg whippet and 120psi is different to a firm damper with 100+kg on it and 200+psi.
I think you may be confusing damping with springs. Entirely different things...
Posted 2 years ago # -
PP im buying a used 2009 version with u turn coil pikes on the front and a fox rp2 on the back.
im trying to find out if i will need a firmer spring for the pikes as im not sure what spring it comes with(large frame)
Posted 2 years ago # -
Think I remember reading that the large frame comes with a firm spring. I weigh over 16 stone and the X firm was too stiff for me.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Renton - Ahh I see now. Look at the Spesh site, they have older bike specs archived.
Posted 2 years ago # -
yes, but heavier rider/springs still need more damping.
Take the rebound for example, if the same damper was used for both riders the lightweights shock would rebound very slowly, while the heavyweights would be very quick as its got nealry double the spring rate.
In compression you have the same issue,
compressive force = (spring rate*compression) + (damping rate * speed)
if you just up the pring rate your only solving half the problem, the logical conclusion being that the heavyweight would feel like he has no compression damping and the lightweigh would feel like his shock was very over damped.
Posted 2 years ago # -
yes, but heavier rider/springs still need more damping.
Having switched springs myself, and being heavier than average, I can assure you the standard rebound adjustment range is fine.
And by it's very nature, a heavier spring will require more force to move it, so less compression adjustment is required than you think.
If it's not enough, just go up a weight on the damping oil. Very easy to change. Sorry for the crappy pic, but it gives you an idea as to why mine isn't an XC bike.
Posted 2 years ago # -
PP are they lyriks??
just picked this pitch up and i have to say im very impressed!!
feels a lot less stretched with the standard stem and a lot tighter?? than my enduro.
its got some brand new specialized clutch tyres on it which im going to swap back over with my eskars and see how it goes!!
will get piccys soon.
Posted 2 years ago # -
gives you an idea as to why mine isn't an XC bike
So why the bottle cage then?
Posted 2 years ago # -
anyway here it is!!
will see how it rides!!
Posted 2 years ago # -
Actualy, thinking about it.................
Forks usualy just use a variable orifice for the rebound damper, shocks are a needle in an orifice, so yes your right no need to change that as long as the range is sufficient.
Which is now making me wonder why magura forks have such an odd rebound damping curve, theyr way too under damped in the low speed and over damped in the high speed. Leaving you with a choice, either they pack down or they top out.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Renton, yes they are Lyrics. Coil ones. I've been wanting to fit a bigger fork for ages but didn't want to spend £700. I did a couple of deals, and sold the Pikes, and basically it's cost me £55 to upgrade, including a firm spring.
Personally, I really like Eskars too. Great tyres I think, I did the PPDS on them last year. They were fine in the Alps.
Wacko - The bottle cage is for putting a bottle in, oddly.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I use mine for everything, was out downhilling on it yesterday, works fine for XC as well.
Quick example of what it can do
Posted 2 years ago # -
So come on then Renton, was it any good as an all-day bike?
We need to know!
Posted 2 years ago # -
I use mine for all types of riding ,local loops , trail centres the daily commute even raced a 24k enduro!!!
Yes its a tad overweight but i've never been a speedy climber so don't mind plodding along (well sometimes i do )
Have made quite a few changes and love it , once it sniffs out a descent its off :o)
Would like to match front and rear travel with some 2010 revs but they cost SOOOOOO muchSo what do you think Renton???? Let us know! heres mine
Posted 2 years ago # -
GET A Carrare BansheeX,save a fortune and benefit from Halfords support.
Posted 2 years ago # -
ahh sorry fellas i forgot about this thread....
anyway i only really got to give the pitch a good ride on saturday up at cannock chase as ive been busy at work.
initial impressions are very good, its a lot lighter than my old enduro and due to this it climbs a lot better too.
I think the fox rear shock helps with this too, you can feel a marked performance difference between propedal on/off and come climbing i didnt feel the need to switch it on much !!
for some reason it feels a lot more planted on the downs too?? i mean really stable and egging you on to go faster.
ride position is comfy too although i think it could do with a slightly longer fork to match the back end, or it could be down to the fact i like a higher front end than most?? the pike is still a very capable fork though.
anyway is it the bike for me........ well im not sure yet, compared to my mates 08 and 09 enduros the frame and bottom bracket are a lot lower, i clipped my pedals a couple of times up cannock due to this.
im going to put it up for sale soon i think as im away for 5 months with work and it will just sit in the shed gathering dust.
so if i can sell it i might be able to get an 09 enduro for the same sort of cash when i get back in november!!
cheers all
steve
here she is currently though........
Posted 2 years ago # -
bump for all those after a verdict
Posted 2 years ago #
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