Pivot

Mach 429 Trail Carbon Mountain Bike Frame - 2018

Building on the 2016's award winning design, the 2018 Pivot Mach 429 Trail Carbon Mountain Bike Frame starts with the lightweight all-mountain ready geometry we love, and adds Boost axles for an even stiffer, more responsive steed than its predecessor, and with 27.5+ compatibility, so you have the freedom to swap between extra plush traction for off-season slushy rides and berm gripping tread, or fast rolling wagon wheels for blasting miles of singletrack.

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.