PIVOT MACH 429/SHIMANO XT/XTR PRO COMPLETE BIKE

The Pivot Mach 429/Shimano XT/XTR Pro Complete Bike was designed expressly for big wheels and fast riding. It has a 100mm (4") dw-link rear suspension, and like the smaller-wheeled Mach 4, the Mach 429 is versatile enough to line up in your local expert class cross-country event or to simply carry you down an unseen singletrack faster and farther than ever before.

The Mach 429 is a super-efficient race machine because it pedals well without inducing strange or wasted motion in the rear suspension. At the same time, it has deceptively plush travel that just makes it a fun bike to ride. Though these characteristics might seem to be mutually exclusive, the dw-link suspension makes it all possible because of its anti-squat characteristics. By virtue of Newton's Third Law of Motion, when something accelerates, its mass is transferred rearward. The dw-link counteracts this transfer to minimize your impact on the rear suspension. This is why Pivot is able to get such a lightly damped tune on the 7. 5" x 2.0" Kashima Coated RP23 rear shock from Fox. With the dw-link controlling unwanted suspension squat, the lightly damped shock can respond with ultra-sensitivity to the demands of the trail. As a result, the Mach 429 delivers a comfortable ride and awesome climbing traction. It floats over rocks, roots and ruts, yet it still remains firm while hammering out of the saddle. In short, the Mach 429 adapts to virtually any situation you throw it in.

While many 29ers are too flexy, Pivot made it a point to improve this aspect of the frame. Pivot builds the Mach 429 frame from hydroformed 6000 series aluminum tubing and 3D hollow aluminum forgings. The production processes for these raw materials both help to align and strengthen the grain structure of the alloy. Compared to the Mach 4, the tubes in the front triangle are bigger around, though also shaped differently, to add torsional stiffness. The rear triangle also gets a new structure. It does without a brake bridge on the seat stays, and it gets a vertical strut on both sides between the links. This gives the Mach 429 the same kind of stability and precision as the 26" bike.

There are a few other details that emphasize the efforts towards optimizing frame stiffness. One of the easiest to see is the BB92 pressfit style bottom bracket. The extra width in the shell does two things -- 1) It allows the frame designers to spread the forged lower seat tube yoke and increase the width of the lower dw-link, increasing stiffness and resistance to torsional flex in the link. All this comes without sacrificing front derailleur functionality. 2) It also provides better support for the bottom bracket bearings. Speaking of sealed cartridge bearings, the forged and CNC machined aluminum lower link contains eight of them -- two at each corner. This increases the durability of this workhorse component, stretches service life, and optimizes suspension function. The upper link is made of carbon fiber for strength and light weight, and since it sees less stress than its lower counterpart, Pivot relies on four bearings here to do the job of keeping the suspension operating smoothly.

The XT/XTR build kit consists of an XTR Shadow Plus rear derailleur and an otherwise full XT group -- 26/38t crankset, shifters, brakes, front derailleur, and cassette. You'll get rolling on DT 29r 350 Custom hubs/400 Rims and Kenda Slant 6/Nevegal tires. FSA supplies the SL-K carbon riser bar, stem, and carbon seatpost. A WTB Rocket V Race saddle tops it all off. A Fox F29 Talas 95/120 RLC FIT Kashima Fork handles the front suspension and offers a travel adjust as well as rebound and low-speed compression damping adjustments and a lockout on the crown.

The Pivot Mach 429/Shimano XT/XTR Pro Complete Bike is available in anodized Black or Blue. It comes in four sizes from Small to X-Large.

US Pivot dealers are prohibited from shipping Pivot bicycles outside of the United States and US territories.

Mach 429/Shimano XT/XTR Pro Complete Bike Price:  $5499.00