Specialized Pitch Pro Seat – You Are the Weakest Link, Goodbye
You’ve hopefully already read Matt’s excellent write up of our Moles day out at Swinley, which was an absolute hoot. Its true to say there was the odd mishap but thankfully nothing that resulted in a trip to A&E.
It could have been so different however and I’m reminded just how close we are to getting it badly wrong sometimes.
Like others, I was revelling in having a whole day of riding without worrying about the time or feeling guilty about (always) being late back. My excitement heightened whenever drops, roll-ins, berms or jumps featured, which is actually an awful lot of the time round Swinley. The Pitch is a missile and hides its slack angles and 30lb weight extremely well around the tight and twisty stuff as well as eating up the gnarly bits Swinley has to offer. It really is far more capable than my skills levels, which can help to get you out of trouble, but it can also coax you into trouble in the first place!.
According to my gps route, which resembles a plate of spaghetti at certain points where sections were sessioned, I ran down the jump gully 8 times and another 7 down the adjacent hill over the jumps and large berms. Other than nosing a few landings due to poor body position, I was beginning to get a little confident and there’s no doubt my skills have improved…. to a degree.
So by the time we rode the jumpy lumpy option on Labyrinth I was a little over-zealous, particularly as I thought I’d just follow Warren. Big mistake.
The first stand-alone table top went well, then the second. My problems started when I encountered two together. With too much speed, I actually cleared the first table and landed on the transition, which in itself would be fine and dandy.
However, by now I was going far too fast and was too busy thinking ‘holy crap, I’ve just cleared a table jump’. So by the time I immediately hit the second table it all went wrong and all I remember is seeing my feet up by my ears and clenching my sphincter as much as possible whilst holding onto the bars for dear life.
By what must have been an act of the Great Lord above, the bike landed first and then I, directly onto the seat. My testicles must’ve retreated so far from whence they came its a miracle they’ve reappeared.
Other than some bruising and tenderness to a delicate area, no real harm done and after a few shakes of the head, I remounted and set off, only to find I had remodelled the seat, which made it nigh on impossible to ride back. At least I had an excuse to walk every hill, which I needed after 26 miles of adrenalin-filled riding.
So what have I learned from this is:
1. Beware situations where confidence begins to exceed skills level
2. Roll unfamiliar stuff slowly first
3. The Specialized Pitch Pro is an awesome bike, but the seat is made out of Cathedral City
Is Matt’s suggestion of a warranty claim is a tad optimistic?
A full review of the Pitch will follow soon when Matt and I plan to ride it along with his Orange 5 back-to-back on the same trails so we can hopefully articulate some reasonable conclusions.
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Rob says:
My saddle went the same way too at Kirroughtree (7 Stanes Trail Centre) the other day. A small off saw the Charge Spoon part from its rails. A few zip ties and some gaffer tape saw me back to the trails centre. I then had to buy a new SDG from the bike shop there for £40, quite painful seeinng as the Spoon was £25 and only a week old.
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Posted on June 9, 2009 at 11:52 pm
Matt says:
This is one thing I don’t want to happen to me even if it means I hold back on the tabletops!
Not quite as bad as a sheared off seatpost but anything saddle related always makes me nervous.
Obviously having a Colin land on you from a great height is always going to hurt but I’d expect a saddle on that kind of bike to hold up better.
Colin’s it’s got to at least be worth a warranty query? Spec will no doubt change it for goodwill.
I’d be happy to take the new one off your hands for a small contribution if you’re fitting something different, it’ll go well on my road bike/summer MTB :o)
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Posted on June 10, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Colin says:
Inspired by you, I’ve just called Specialized uk in Chessington and my request met with a stoney silence! No warranty cover for bad landings and I could hardly lie as they’d no doubt want to see the damage!
N’er mind. The brown Charge Spoon off my Prince Albert will look good on there.
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Posted on June 10, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Matt says:
Snigger!!
Worth a try I guess…
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Posted on June 10, 2009 at 2:50 pm
lee says:
Colin have you gone soft with a full sus ? I would never of thought it!
We will have to meet up soon.
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Posted on June 10, 2009 at 10:35 pm
Colin says:
Hello stranger, yeah I thought I’d get one after frightening myself trying to follow you last time we rode on Pitch. You’re a bad influence.
I hear the jump gulley at Swinley claimed you last time out, we’ll have to have a sensible ride over there soon. Cheers
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Posted on June 10, 2009 at 10:39 pm
AndyC says:
My ribs certainly agree with your summary points 1 & 2. Problem is we just get carried away with the excitement of the moment (the root cause of many an accident, as a man with 4 kids should know). At least you’ve got a bike to fit a saddle to; still no news on my replacement Whyte frame 🙁
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Posted on June 12, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Muddymoles says:
Specialized Pitch Pro
A breakdown of the spec on Colin’s Specialized Pitch Pro
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Posted on June 19, 2009 at 8:58 am
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