So even though we never talked about the bars or the gears or the tyres or grips so what… we love it and consider it to be the leading carbon 170mm travel bike at the moment. And the reason for this is that we reckon this could well be favourite for 2017 and that we’ll be spending more time on it as a reference point to other similar bikes. So there you have it the most uncomprehensive bike review ever.
PIVOT FIREBIRD FULL
£3300 for the frame and less than £8K for the complete is about right for a non-direct sales full carbon bike. However, compared to the Radon Swoop it has not quite got the rip roaring stability in corners, but everywhere else, in headtube angle, wheelbase and reach this bike is thoroughly up to date and on the money. On paper the bottom bracket is a shade too high, but at 170mm travel its easy to run a bit more sag and get away with it. What we have is a fast bike that feels good. Well, I have not read any marketing around this bike, I’m simply not interested. I mean who wants a bike that feels like a gate or skitters out in corners? The real truth is that many of the real good bikes only have strength in the right places. Its common for some brands to make bikes that are less stiff and yet market them as stiffer simply because they feel that’s what we want. I’m not so sure about this, and many brands can be incredibly patronising to think that we all think stiffer the better and actually tailor their marketing around this talk.
There is much talk within the mountainbike industry of stiffness and progression and in general such qualities are regarded as being positive. So there’s faults with the Firebird then? Well yes and no. We opted for a few more spacers in the can as it doesn’t run any from stock, but please do not take it for granted, just pop the outer case off the can to check. it’s in such tough places that the Fox X2 shock does need a helping hand to keep the rider supported on the rear, it’s easy to put a lot of air in the Pivot and still not get the best sag/support balance out of the unit. Key words there being ‘used to’ and much more importantly is that a negative? It doesn’t happen everywhere just on big holes on fast rooty tracks – the beaten up places where this bike is meant for – that it yields a bit more than we’re used to. It’s in fast dry conditions the apparent weakness of the Reynolds carbon rims shod with bladed spokes onto DT hubs displays itself. The sensation of riding the Pivot is one of a bike that is slightly too linear in rear travel with wheels that are marginally too flexy.
PIVOT FIREBIRD ZIP
Pace, balance and energy are central to the Pivot but more than anything it’s comfortable and supportive even in the biggest breakers.įirst impressions are generally pretty accurate and so it was with the Firebird we found a bike with incredible zip but one which was little too…err…bendy maybe? It’s the case that every now and again you come across a bike that probably requires you to write something vaguely intelligent when all you want to do is simply smile and keep riding.
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