With my first child on the way I don't think I can justify keeping my DH bike, so it looks like I will be going down the one bike with two sets of wheels route. The pitch is highly rated and looks like it will do everything I want, but I'm not quite sure on the sizing. The medium I tested felt pretty good, but left loads of seatpost showing at XC pedalling height, but on the next size up the TT is over an inch longer.

I'm currently on a Dialled Alpine Mk1 in the largest size which I like, but shows huge amounts of seatpost. I'm around 5'11", so how tall are you and what size pitch do you ride? Some people on here roll their eyes when the term 'chuckable' is used, but for messing around which most of my local riding consists of I prefer a bike I can move around on.

There's been quite a few threads on this very subject – this one, for example. And many related threads too, like this one.

I'm 5'8", 30' inside leg and ride a medium Pitch.

It feels quite small and short to me (Someone will tell me it's actually very long in a minute!) but I can ride it all day in the Alps or for XC rides if I want (rarely though) no problem at all.

They do benefit froma longer 160mm fork though. Suits them a lot more!

Peter, to be honest I will buy the bike just for the frame and swap out the parts from my Alpine including u-turn lyriks. I'm probably going to go with the large with a 50mm stem.

Lyriks will be perfect, I have coil U-turns on mine which are a superb fork.
But give it a chance with the standard stem before you ditch it. Mine came with a 75mm stem and I tried a 40mm and a 60mm neither of which I liked at all before going back to the 75mm. You might find it perfect with a shorter stem which is obviously great, I'm just giving you my opinion! 🙂

6ft and ride a medium – 50mm stem and Easton Havoc bars.

SV – How many times a ride do you smack your knees on the shifters? 🙂 😉

I'm 6'2" and have a bog standard 2010 Pitch Pro in L and it fits me fine, feels very 'chuckable' too as it disguises its weight and length well. You'll have to take an inch or two off the seatpost if you like to move the saddle out of the way.

Mine is for sale in STW Classifieds if you're interested

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fs-2010-specialized-pitch-pro-in-large

5' 11" and I ride a large. Like you I need the post all the way up on the medium so I went for the large. Couldn't be happier!

Thanks for the input everyone, pretty sure I will be going with a large now.

It is a good offer Naranjada, but I wont be buying until after my DH weekend at Inners in August. It will be gone by then, but my LBS will give me a hefty discount plus warranty.

With my first child on the way I don't think I can justify keeping my DH bike, so it looks like I will be going down the one bike with two sets of wheels route.

Do you need two sets of wheels? I have Stans Flows on mine and they are light enough to pedal uphills but tough enough for DH.

Oh, and 5'8 ish and on medium here.

grum, I already have the spare wheels, so no big deal. XM719's ghetto'd with bonty big earl wets and some heavier DT Swiss with dual ply high rollers for uplift days.

If you already have two bikes then keep them. You wont raise much cash by selling both bikes and buying another and 1 bike doing the job of 2 is likely to brake more and not be anywhere near as good at either thing that the 2 bikes that you already have.

If its just a case of downsizing for another reason then the pitch will do a good job. BTW I am 6ft and used to ride a medium and that was fine for most things.

SV – How many times a ride do you smack your knees on the shifters?

Can't remember ever doing it! Then again I only use it for stuff where I tend to be standing up and then winching back up – the 853 Inbred is going to be for that other stuff 😉

I_Ache, my opportunities to ride will soon be much reduced, so having a full blown DH bike gathering dust is just wasting money in depreciation.

My LBS can get me the pitch at a very good price, so after I sell my DH bike and hardtail frame, plus the forks etc from the pitch I should have a new bike plus over £700 in my pocket. The riding I will most frequently be able to do is Aston hill, Woburn freeride with the odd trail centre, mojo uplift etc. That still leaves me my commuter which I can put sus forks and knobbly tyres on if need be.