Built From Trail Pressure, Not Theory

Switchback GenV

The Switchback GENV carries over more than a decade of trail feedback: square-edge hits, late-line corrections, loose rocks, slick roots, and blown-out berms, and the way a hardtail reacts when the terrain throws a curve at you. Each previous version taught us something about how a frame should behave when the trail stops cooperating. This generation distils all of that into a cleaner, more controlled chassis.

It runs 27.5 or mullet without losing its rhythm. On full 27.5, it settles around a 140 mm fork, giving the front end the support you want when pushing deep into compressions or leaning hard into technical corners. It’s approved up to 160 for steeper, rougher riding where extra front travel buys you stability. In mullet form, 130 mm is the perfect balance point: front-end bite with a back wheel that still pops and pumps without hesitation. It’ll take 150 if you want the added margin.

The chassis is built from our own custom-drawn, triple-butted, heat-treated 4130 steel. Every tube profile was specified by Dan Stanton to strike the right balance: enough give for traction on chattery ground, enough structure to stay accurate when the rear wheel takes a hard landing or you drive the bars into a corner entry.

The Ultimate 27.5" Downhill Hardtail

The straight seat tube finally gives a completely open internal channel, letting you run a full 210 mm dropper even on the 15-inch frame. Raised bosses on the seat tube leave space for two bottles in the triangle while keeping that insertion path clear.

Routing is stripped back to essentials. The dropper runs internal. Brake and gear lines stay external, tucked cleanly under the top tube and down the stays for easy maintenance and a tidy silhouette that’s still unmistakably Stanton.

UDH

The frame runs a 55 mm chainline, giving full compatibility with SRAM’s new T-type transmissions. It also features our GenV dropout system, complete with a UDH hanger as standard, providing strength, reliability, and straightforward serviceability for modern drivetrains.

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refined to what matters

The GENV is the Switchback refined to what matters on real dirt: steel that responds rather than resists, geometry that stays calm when the trail throws a curve, and sizing that lets more riders find their sweet spot without compromise. Modern drivetrains, modern dropouts, and every line engineered for the trail — the Switchback GENV doesn’t just ride, it reacts.

Sizing

Sizes now run 15", 16.5", and 18", each properly rebalanced. The new 15-inch carries the reach and virtual top tube of the old 16.5", giving smaller riders the room they’ve never had without stretching their position. And if you liked the fit of the previous 16.5", the new 15-inch lets you keep that familiar cockpit while gaining extra standover — more confidence in technical terrain, more freedom to move the bike underneath you.

Features
  • Wheel Size: 27.5" or Mullet
  • Max Tyre Size: 2.6"
  • 30.9mm stealth routing dropper-compatible seat tube (34.9 clamp).
  • Head Tube Type: 44mm
  • Headset Cups: EC44 and ZS44
  • UDH Compatible
  • The frame includes a seat clamp, dropouts, hanger (UDH) and a boost axle.

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