Specialized Pitch Sport 650b review
Budget trail basher from the big S is a bit of a disappointment
GBP £500.00 RRP | AUD $849.00 | USD $700.00 Skip to view dealsPublished:
While most bikes at this price are fitted with larger 29” wheels, Specialized’s entry-level Pitch range rolls on 650b versions. That pays dividends in terms of a much more playful and agile ride feel, but upright-feeling geometry combined with an uncontrolled fork mean that exploiting that isn’t always easy.
- The best mountain bikes under £500
- 5 essential things to look for when buying a £500 mountain bike
- Mountain bike wheel sizes: 26in, 650b and 29in explained
Using smaller wheels allows the front end to be much lower than a 29er, meaning it’s easy to hustle the Pitch in the turns, with an agile and direct feel rather than the oft cumbersome sensation of a big wheeler.
A relatively short stem aids that agility, but the narrow bar does you no favours at all when it comes to wrestling the bike once speeds get higher. The riding position is fairly upright, with a relatively short frame.
We’re not huge fans of the ‘ergonomic’ grips either, which have broad sections on them to support your palm. They’re great for comfortable leisure riding, but hamper control on proper off-road trails.

We’re also a little disappointed to see an 8-speed cassette at the back paired to Shimano Altus shifters. It’s got a decent overall range thanks to the a 34T big sprocket and a 42/32/22T triple chainset up front, but the jumps between gears are pretty gappy and neither lever-feel nor shifts are particularly crisp.
The Tektro disc brakes may well be proper hydraulic units, but they feel much more wooden than the best budget units out there. They also lack overall power and bite, meaning it’s hard to fully place your confidence in them when you want to haul up in a hurry.
The aluminium frame is very nicely made, with shapely hydroformed curves that help give it the impression of being less of a budget machine than it really is, especially when combined with the big brand cachet.
Usefully, it has a full complement of rack and mudguard mounts too. You also get a non-drive side dropout that’s got an attachment point for a trailer, hinting that the true target of this bike is perhaps someone that wants a rugged, do-it-all machine rather than a dedicated off-roader.
A complete weight of 13.8kg means that should you head to the hills, getting to the top won’t be too unpleasant however and if you get on with the riding position it’s a good place to start upgrading.

Specialized says that the coil-sprung SR Suntour XCT fork has got custom damping inside it, but hit any sort of extended rough ground and you’ll be wondering where it is. The lack of damping control means it gets rapidly out of shape once you start hitting washboard trails or rooty sections, and combined with the flex from the skinny chassis, keeping the front-end where you want it is more a matter of luck rather than judgment.
Again, being coil-sprung means that if you vary much from what Specialized reckons is the ‘right’ weight for a rider, you’ll be under or over sprung with little recourse to fix that, save from taking it apart and changing the spring.

On a more positive note, the Ground Control tyres do a respectable job of hanging on to grip in all but really slick conditions and they’re not too snappy when traction breaks either. Slightly higher volume rubber and wider rims would definitely help control and also turn down the amount of trail buzz that gets passed back through to you, but at this price we can’t complain too much.

Overall, if you’re after a bike from a big-name brand and you’re more likely to be riding tow paths than tough trails, the Pitch Sport is a well made and engaging bike, but there are better value options out there.
Latest deals
Product Specifications
Product
Name | Pitch Sport 650b |
Brand | Specialized |
Description | Geometry based on size Large |
Weight (kg) | 13.8 |
Saddle | Body Geometry mountain, thick padding, steel rails, 143mm |
Seat Angle | 73 |
Seatpost | Alloy, 2-bolt, micro-adjust, 12.5mm offset, 30.9mm, anti-corrosion hardware |
Shifters | Shimano Altus RapidFire Plus, SL type, optical display 8spd |
Stem | Specialized, 3D forged alloy |
Trail | 7.9 |
Brake Levers | Tektro Auriga, hydraulic, reach adjust |
Rear Tyre | Specialized Ground Control Sport, 60TPI, wire bead, 650bx2.1" |
Spoke Type | Stainless, 14g |
Bottom Bracket Height (in) | 11.85 |
Chainstays (in) | 16.73 |
Seat Tube (in) | 18.11 |
Standover Height (in) | 31.18 |
Top Tube (in) | 23.86 |
Rims | 650b, disc, alloy, double-wall |
Rear Hub | Specialized Stout, Hi Lo disc, alloy, double-sealed |
Available Sizes | XS S M L XL |
Fork Offset | 4.2 |
Bottom Bracket | Square taper, cartridge bearings |
Brakes | Tektro Auriga, hydraulic disc, resin/metallic pads |
Cassette | Sunrace, 8-speed, 11-34t |
Chain | KMC X8, 8-speed |
Cranks | Specialized Stout, forged alloy, 8-speed, semi-replaceable rings, square taper spindle, 42/32/22T |
Fork | Custom SR Suntour XCT 650b, custom Multi-Circuit Damping, coil spring |
Frame Material | Specialized A1 Premium Aluminium, Sport Trail 650b Geometry |
Rear Derailleur | Shimano Acera Shadow |
Front Derailleur | Shimano Altus, high mount, bottom swing, dual pull |
Front Hub | Specialized Stout, Hi Lo disc, alloy, double-sealed |
Front Tyre | Specialized Ground Control Sport, 60TPI, wire bead, 650bx2.1" |
Grips/Tape | Specialized Body Geometry XCT, Kraton w/ gel, lock-on |
Handlebar | Specialized Stout, double-butted 6061 alloy |
Head Angle | 70.5 |
Wheelbase (in) | 42.68 |