Pivot s new carbon framed trail bike is as tight and tough as they come

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Diana Victoria Porter
5 years ago
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1 BikeTest mid-travel full sus 1,999-7,000 (frame only) (full bike) fork choices The 429 frame only delivers 100mm of travel, but it s designed to run a 120mm fork. Riot gear ISCG mounts and dropper post cable guides built into the frame prove the Pivot is ready to riot as well as race. stiff chassis It s another 142x12mm bolt through axle at the back, but the overall chassis stiffness of the Pivot is outstanding compared to other bikes. Pivot Mach 429C 4,950 Pivot s new carbon framed trail bike is as tight and tough as they come SO GOOD Stiff full carbon frameset Well balanced, neutral suspension 120mm travel fork plus reinforcing panels equal trail toughness ISCG and dropper post mounts give all-mountain versatility NO GOOD On the heavy side for a 100mm travel carbon chassis Top quality costs top money Jargon buster DW Link Twin linkage system developed by suspension guru Dave Weagle, who liked it so much he gave his initials to it. Doddy s burly but super stiff Pivot 429 long-termer was the bike that switched him onto the benefits of big wheels. Pivot s new 429 carbon version still isn t a featherweight but it s a shockingly stiff and properly tough piece for pushing your fast techy trail riding to whole new limits. The frame Pivot only claim a 15 per cent bottom bracket and 12 per cent head tube increase in stiffness over the alloy bike, but compared to the other bikes here it feels as though it s hewn from granite. Pivot have also used the strength and stiffness gains of the material for practical benefits. Standover clearance is increased by 1.5 to 0.5in depending on frame size. The chainstays are also 8mm shorter than the alloy bike while still giving triple chainset and 142x12mm screw-through axle clearance. The DW Links are super short too, with the lower one swinging inside pockets that are sunk into the massive base of the seat tube. While 2.61kg (5.75lb) is slightly heavy for a 100mm (3.9in) travel cross-country bike, Pivot provide ISCG tabs on the press-fit bottom bracket, and there are dropper post cable guides. There are big armour patches on the down tube belly, chainstays and inner face of the dropout too. The gear cables are routed internally through the mainframe and there are also up and under bottle cage mounts. The kit We tested the Pivot in complete XT Pro format, and the Shimano XT stop and go kit (with XTR rear mech highlight) is an excellent match for such a tough and capable bike. The 120mm (4.7in) travel Fox Kashima fork is the default too despite the Fox CTD can out back only having 100mm (3.9in) travel. We like the KS seatpost, with its neat collar-mounted cable stopping paint scuffing. Thankfully the style cramping FSA bar and stem will be replaced by a more power assisted trail friendly cockpit on UK build kits. The ride There s no doubt that one word outweighed all others during our test time on the 429C. Whoever was riding it attached every possible superlative (and a fair amount of swearing) to the basic bottom line of stiff. Load the pedals into a corner, shove the inboard tip of the bar towards the trail, flare the back end broadside and slam land it sideways. Whatever we did with it, the frame didn t flinch an inch. Add a low bottom bracket and super smooth Fox Kashima fork and shock action, and this translates into phenomenal cornering accuracy and tenacity on the trail. Whatever lines the other bikes were holding through corners, the Pivot consistently carved inside them with an aggression that stretched our trust in the tyres to the limit. Despite the uptight crosscountry cockpit, the slack angles made for easy high-speed confidence, which its smoothly controlled reaction to rocky sections did nothing to undermine. The super short back end still means you can whip it through tight stuff very smartly, and it transfers power outstandingly well. Unfortunately this super aggressive cornering character had dire implications for the rear wheel, which barely wobbled past the frame stays by the time we d finished with it. It was stiff until it started to warp and dismantle itself though, and it was one of three wheels that Alex destroyed in 130 Mountain Biking uk

2 Bike Test MID-TRAVEL FULL SUS 1,999-7,000 (FRAME ONLY) (FULL BIKE) FORK CHOICES The 429 frame only delivers 100mm of travel, but it s designed to run a 120mm fork. RIOT GEAR ISCG mounts and dropper post cable guides built into the frame prove the Pivot is ready to riot as well as race. STIFF CHASSIS It s another 142x12mm bolt through axle at the back, but the overall chassis stiffness of the Pivot is outstanding compared to other bikes. PIVOT MACH 429C 4,950 Pivot s new carbon framed trail bike is as tight and tough as they come SO GOOD Stiff full carbon frameset Well balanced, neutral suspension 120mm travel fork plus reinforcing panels equal trail toughness ISCG and dropper post mounts give all-mountain versatility NO GOOD On the heavy side for a 100mm travel carbon chassis Top quality costs top money JARGON BUSTER DW Link Twin linkage system developed by suspension guru Dave Weagle, who liked it so much he gave his initials to it. Doddy s burly but super stiff Pivot 429 long-termer was the bike that switched him onto the benefits of big wheels. Pivot s new 429 carbon version still isn t a featherweight but it s a shockingly stiff and properly tough piece for pushing your fast techy trail riding to whole new limits. The frame Pivot only claim a 15 per cent bottom bracket and 12 per cent head tube increase in stiffness over the alloy bike, but compared to the other bikes here it feels as though it s hewn from granite. Pivot have also used the strength and stiffness gains of the material for practical benefits. Standover clearance is increased by 1.5 to 0.5in depending on frame size. The chainstays are also 8mm shorter than the alloy bike while still giving triple chainset and 142x12mm screw-through axle clearance. The DW Links are super short too, with the lower one swinging inside pockets that are sunk into the massive base of the seat tube. While 2.61kg (5.75lb) is slightly heavy for a 100mm (3.9in) travel cross-country bike, Pivot provide ISCG tabs on the press-fit bottom bracket, and there are dropper post cable guides. There are big armour patches on the down tube belly, chainstays and inner face of the dropout too. The gear cables are routed internally through the mainframe and there are also up and under bottle cage mounts. The kit We tested the Pivot in complete XT Pro format, and the Shimano XT stop and go kit (with XTR rear mech highlight) is an excellent match for such a tough and capable bike. The 120mm (4.7in) travel Fox Kashima fork is the default too despite the Fox CTD can out back only having 100mm (3.9in) travel. We like the KS seatpost, with its neat collar-mounted cable stopping paint scuffing. Thankfully the style cramping FSA bar and stem will be replaced by a more power assisted trail friendly cockpit on UK build kits. The ride There s no doubt that one word outweighed all others during our test time on the 429C. Whoever was riding it attached every possible superlative (and a fair amount of swearing) to the basic bottom line of stiff. Load the pedals into a corner, shove the inboard tip of the bar towards the trail, flare the back end broadside and slam land it sideways. Whatever we did with it, the frame didn t flinch an inch. Add a low bottom bracket and super smooth Fox Kashima fork and shock action, and this translates into phenomenal cornering accuracy and tenacity on the trail. Whatever lines the other bikes were holding through corners, the Pivot consistently carved inside them with an aggression that stretched our trust in the tyres to the limit. Despite the uptight crosscountry cockpit, the slack angles made for easy high-speed confidence, which its smoothly controlled reaction to rocky sections did nothing to undermine. The super short back end still means you can whip it through tight stuff very smartly, and it transfers power outstandingly well. Unfortunately this super aggressive cornering character had dire implications for the rear wheel, which barely wobbled past the frame stays by the time we d finished with it. It was stiff until it started to warp and dismantle itself though, and it was one of three wheels that Alex destroyed in 130 Mountain Biking UK

3 BIKE BIKE TEST the slack angles made for easy high-speed confidence, which its controlled reaction to rocky sections did nothing to undermine just two days, so the end result is more a sign of the abuse it was getting rather than any specific weakness. The stiffness also affects shock set-up, in that we had to drop the shock and fork pressures to take the inherent sharp sting of the frame out of the ride. Once we d done that though we never really thought about the suspension again. Set the CTD shock in the middle Trail mode and there s certainly very little trace of rear wheel movement through the pedals, whether you re spinning from the seat or standing up and stomping. Just consistent ground connection and rich traction that you ll soon learn to trust whatever the surface underneath. It sucks up drops and square edges well enough for the 100mm (3.9in) of rear wheel movement to feel totally in sync with the 120mm (4.7in) up front as well, making it totally suitable for fitting up with a chain device and dropper post for fast, technical trail-blasting. This carbon speed machine has taken a smoothly neutral suspension design and bolted it into one of the stiffest 29er frames we ve ever ridden. When you add a full all-mountain/ future-proofing feature list that includes extensive frame armouring, the result is a super precise, trail tough, high velocity weapon that aggressive riders will love. Phenomenally stiff and sharp handling from a smooth riding, trail tough, race-light 29er Mountain Biking uk 131

4 BIKE TEST Winner Pivot 429C XT Pro FINAL Verdict Alloy construction inevitably makes the Sultan heavier than the carbon bikes on test here. It rides with a superb warmth though, and you re never going to look at a mass produced bike and marvel at how beautifully made it is like you will with a Turner. That s not to say the carbon bikes are ugly though, and Devinci s Atlas is particularly pleasing on the eyes, the scales and the pocket. It offers masses of technical trail control at a racer weight once you ve set it up right, and it comes at a bargain price. A simple set-up process is also a surprising benefit of the techology-loaded Specialized S-Works Stumpjumper. And we love the fact that all their unique innovation creates a bike that s just an absolute blast to ride whether you re racing up, whipping along or blasting down the most technical trails you dare. All bikes on this test score highly, but if we had to pick a favourite frame from the foursome though it would have to be Pivot s new 429 Carbon. It s not heavy, but it s perfect proof that weight isn t everything when you re trading it for proper trail toughness and jaw dropping stiffness. Add super controlled suspension and a spot-on handling balance and you ve got a bike that ll properly reset your flat-out riding limits. Next month Weekend Warrior full sus bikes ON SALE 14 december Mountain Biking uk 133

5 BIKE BIKE TEST THE SLACK ANGLES MADE FOR EASY HIGH-SPEED CONFIDENCE, WHICH ITS CONTROLLED REACTION TO ROCKY SECTIONS DID NOTHING TO UNDERMINE just two days, so the end result is more a sign of the abuse it was getting rather than any specific weakness. The stiffness also affects shock set-up, in that we had to drop the shock and fork pressures to take the inherent sharp sting of the frame out of the ride. Once we d done that though we never really thought about the suspension again. Set the CTD shock in the middle Trail mode and there s certainly very little trace of rear wheel movement through the pedals, whether you re spinning from the seat or standing up and stomping. Just consistent ground connection and rich traction that you ll soon learn to trust whatever the surface underneath. It sucks up drops and square edges well enough for the 100mm (3.9in) of rear wheel movement to feel totally in sync with the 120mm (4.7in) up front as well, making it totally suitable for fitting up with a chain device and dropper post for fast, technical trail-blasting. This carbon speed machine has taken a smoothly neutral suspension design and bolted it into one of the stiffest 29er frames we ve ever ridden. When you add a full all-mountain/ future-proofing feature list that includes extensive frame armouring, the result is a super precise, trail tough, high velocity weapon that aggressive riders will love. Phenomenally stiff and sharp handling from a smooth riding, trail tough, race-light 29er Mountain Biking UK 131

6 BIKE TEST WINNER PIVOT 429C XT PRO FINAL VERDICT Alloy construction inevitably makes the Sultan heavier than the carbon bikes on test here. It rides with a superb warmth though, and you re never going to look at a mass produced bike and marvel at how beautifully made it is like you will with a Turner. That s not to say the carbon bikes are ugly though, and Devinci s Atlas is particularly pleasing on the eyes, the scales and the pocket. It offers masses of technical trail control at a racer weight once you ve set it up right, and it comes at a bargain price. A simple set-up process is also a surprising benefit of the techology-loaded Specialized S-Works Stumpjumper. And we love the fact that all their unique innovation creates a bike that s just an absolute blast to ride whether you re racing up, whipping along or blasting down the most technical trails you dare. All bikes on this test score highly, but if we had to pick a favourite frame from the foursome though it would have to be Pivot s new 429 Carbon. It s not heavy, but it s perfect proof that weight isn t everything when you re trading it for proper trail toughness and jaw dropping stiffness. Add super controlled suspension and a spot-on handling balance and you ve got a bike that ll properly reset your flat-out riding limits. NEXT MONTH WEEKEND WARRIOR FULL SUS BIKES ON SALE 14 DECEMBER Mountain Biking UK 133

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