Pivot

Mach 429 Trail 29 Race XT 1x Complete Mountain Bike - 2018

Pivot's 2018 Mach 429 Trail XT Race 1x Complete Mountain Bike brings proper all-mountain capability to the 29er platform. It builds on last year's award-winning design, adding Boost axle widths for an even stiffer, more responsive ride and 27.5+ compatibility to bump up the plush when the off-season rolls around. The XT Race build gets a mix of Shimano components that prizes durable precision over extreme light weight to land as a race-worthy steed at a more attainable price point.

The 429 Trail's DW-Link suspension takes a handful of queues from the Mach 6 and Phoenix, teasing a virtual depth out of the 4.5in of travel that feels closer to a proper 5in trail bike. The canny cyclist may spot elements of Pivot's DH clevis and enduro lower linkage in this model, but the new upper linkage translates those big-hit designs to the traction-focused language of a trail bike. By bringing the 429SL's small-bump compliance and race-worthy trail-contact into conversation with the Mach 6's terrain-erasing capabilities, the 429 Trail defines the crossroads where XC speed meets fearless enduro aggression.

The frame itself benefits from Pivot's hollow-core internal molding process for uniform, controlled wall thicknesses and material distribution. This process virtually eliminates inconsistencies and resin pooling, increasing structural integrity while targeting areas for weight loss. The frame emerges from the molding process with a 67.5-degree head tube angle and relatively stubby chainstays, making it slack enough to challenge lines across rock gardens but nimble enough to pick its way through enduro-grade terrain—all while sticking climbs and roosting berms in the manner that made us fall in love with its immediate predecessor, the 429SL.

The wide PF92 bottom bracket anchors the stiff Boost axles, accommodating wider pivot placement for longer life in the suspension's bearings and a stiffer rear triangle. We suspect that the PF92/Boost 148 collaboration is also responsible for the room to slam the rear wheel up and shorten the chainstays, making for even more power-transferring efficiency and the nimbleness described above.