Wandering Justin's Pivot Mach 4 XT test bike.
Welcome to Wandering Justin’s ongoing Mountain Bike Monday feature! That’s where I throw down some mountain bike advice, from gear to riding technique. Check out this review … just one thing: I realize some things about my review could be taken out of context. Be cool and don’t do that – if you want to use this review on your own site, use all or nothing. No cherry-picking!
I recently had a chance to test-ride a Pivot Mach 4 XT, which occupies a different address on Planet of the Mountain Bikes than the value-packed Santa Cruz Superlight (a bike I consider the Subaru STI of mountain bikes – huge performance for the money). The Mach 4 is nearly double the price at $4,300, though the same frame with lower-end components goes for about $3,600. In either case, it’s a big step up in price from the Superlight.
My goal was to find out if the Pivot is really worth that extra ding in the bank account. I got a bit more than an hour over the rougher parts of the Desert Classic Trail in Phoenix, Ariz., to find out.
First off, why is it so much more? Pivot uses a rather complicated rear suspension system called the DW Link. Pivot takes it to the nth degree, using CNC machines to carve hunks of aluminum into the right shape. The DW Link’s goal is to prevent you from losing power through pedaling. The long-time goal of rear suspension designers has been to create a design that moves independently of brake and pedaling influence, so all your pedaling power goes to propelling your bike. Not eating power up by bobbing uncontrollably. The linkages are mated to main triangles built overseas.
Pivot also sought to reduce flex. Everything in the suspension system is overbuilt, including a super-wide bottom bracket shell that houses a Shimano XTR bottom bracket. The result is serious rigidity.
View from the cockpit. That's a wide bar!
Pivot’s technicians set my test bike up with 25 percent sag in the shock and front fork. They usually recommend 30 percent. In other words, they want the barrel of the shock to compress through 30 percent of its travel when I’m seated on the bike in a normal riding position. That sticks the bike to the ground and absorbs the small bumps.
Speaking of the rear shock, Pivot uses the RP-23 ProPedal shock from Fox. The ProPedal is designed to prevent bob. If it’s rear suspension is designed to do this, why use the expensive RP23? Pivot’s Web site language clearly shows its spare-no-expense approach: “First, the RP23 is Fox’s top of the line performance shock and we like to give our customers only the best.” The site also adds that the RP23 offers more tuning options to add more flexibility. Clearly, “value” is not on Pivot’s agenda.
Clearly, the fabrication accounts for the big price tag. But will the ride justify the whole package?
The Mach 4’s rear suspension certainly feels more connected to the ground than any 4-inch-travel bike I’ve ever tried. I looked at the link to see if it was actually moving, and it was. It was definitely intercepting and eliminating bumps of all sizes, but maintaining an extraordinarily solid feel. I definitely didn’t feel energy loss when I pedaled.
And yes, the huge bottom bracket transferred the pedal power straight to the wheel. This frame is solid. No wag, no detectable flex at all. It was also very noise-free – apparently, each pivot in the suspension uses two cartridge bearings per side. That will keep everything tracking smoothly and accurately. If you plan to keep your Pivot for a long time, I imagine you’ll need to replace those pivots at some point in the future. And I’m certain it will ding your wallet. But if you’re willing to splurge on a Pivot in the first place, you might not care.
The suspension stroke was also consistent, though the Mach 4 loves rocks and drop-offs. The rear suspension smoothed the nasty bits out effortlessly.
Now, here’s where the Pivot was less than pleasing: The front end of the bike was completely unpredictable. At times it felt leisurely, and required a lot of input to change direction. Other times, mostly when hitting obstacles or pushing into a corner, it seemed to wander on its own. Some of this could come down to bike setup and tire choice. My Shimano XT-equipped test bike had a super-wide handlebar, and its brake and shift levers were moved several millimeters too far inbound. This combination created a very odd riding position – or put more strongly, completely unpleasant. The odd front-end configuration also made the Mach 4 prone to accidental wheelies on slow, steep, grinding climbs. The front end would not stay down, even on climbs I could tackle seated on my Gary Fisher Cake 2 DLX. I also think the Fox fork may have been over-sprung for my weight. A few less pounds of pressure in the chamber may have solved the problem.
Some people may point out that the sketchy handling could be from not being familiar with the bike and not having much time. However, I’ll point out that I spent the same amount of time on a Specialized Stumpjumper FSR 29 in Whistler, and felt absolutely at home on it from the first pedal stroke. With an unfamiliar wheel size and on trails I didn’t know front and back. So, that argument holds no water.
It would be revealing to see what the Pivot would be like if I could dial in a better handlebar setup and let some air out of the fork. I also really, really missed my Ergon GP-1 grips – going back to a round, skinny standard grip did not make my hands happy. The GP-1 grips are essential for me.
Okay, so what’s the bottom line?
The Pivot Mach 4 has a suspension system that’s unlike any other I’ve ridden. It tracks the ground and delivers a defined but smooth ride. Here’s the thing: I don’t feel like it made me any faster. If it did, it didn’t make me faster by much. It didn’t help me climb any technical bits I couldn’t already climb on my Gary Fisher or Santa Cruz Superlight (an older model that preceded the Fisher).
That said, it’s highly unlikely that I’d buy one. And that puts Pivot in dire straits: The company’s novelty factor will erode. And the fact that a Mach 4 equipped comparably to a Superlight RXC or Specialized Stumpjumper Comp will cost $1,500 more isn’t going to sit well with buyers seeking value. Pivot really needs to think about a few things – how to keep a really excellent rear suspension, but making it more affordable. Or possibly selling to a larger company that can use its buying power to bring the production costs down.
As things stand now, though, Pivot’s performance doesn’t justify the sticker shock. The Mach 4 will make a rider moving from a low-end suspension bike far more capable. But riders moving from other proven, race-worthy designs will see little gain. If you have a big bank account or don’t mind eating Top Ramen for a spell, go for it. It’s certainly not going to hurt your performance once you dial in the handling.
Got a question for Mountain Bike Monday? E-mail Wandering Justin at wandering.justins@gmail.com.
Related posts:
- Bike Review of Pivot Mach 4 Coming Soon I spent better than an hour today flogging a Pivot...
- Mountain Bike Monday – See Not the Obstacle, but the Way Around Welcome to Mountain Bike Monday at WanderingJustin.com! In each Mountain...
- Mountain Bike Monday – Two Tubeless Tire Tips Welcome to this week’s installment of Mountain Bike Monday. Today,...
- Mountain Bike Monday – 5 Things About Bike Shorts Welcome to Mountain Bike Monday at WanderingJustin.com! In each Mountain...
- Mountain Bike Monday – 11 Things I learned about 24-Hour Races A few weeks ago, I raced in the Kona 24...
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
