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Jetblack Signs Pivot Cycles for Australian Distribution

Technology and cutting edge inovation:  http://www.pivotcycles.com/

Internal Bottom Bracket

The Mach 4 and Mach 5 are the first frames of their kind to feature a 92mm wide bottom bracket shell with internal Shimano bearings. There are no spacers or threads in the shell. The bearings are housed in composite resin cups with a full sealed sleeve to keep out the elements. This design allows for easy crank installation, and no frame facing or special spacers required. The cranks literally bolt on and that’s it. The design insures that the chain line is perfectly optimized and as an added plus, the bearings are extremely easy to replace and install and have a 3 year warranty from Shimano.

The 92mm BB shell allows for a wider down tube at the bottom bracket which really contributes to the frame’s overall rigidity and stiffness. The lower DW Link features oversize pivot axles and 8 cartridge bearings for unmatched reliability and smoothness and adds increased rigidity to both the Mach 4 and 5. This also makes room for the optimal placement of the suspension linkages which would not be possible with a 73mm BB shell. It takes a degree of accuracy to manufacture the 92mm BB shell and this accuracy cannot be reliably duplicated by many of the low-mid priced frame manufacturers.

Direct Mount Front Derailleur

Designed to work in conjunction with the bottom bracket system, the front derailleur mounts directly to the Mach 4’s and Mach 5’s hollow bottom bracket forging. This locates the front derailleur perfectly to the crank and chain rings and provides for the most solid and accurate front shifting possible.

DW-Link Suspension (Dan Weagle)

Pivot DW Link is designed to obtain maximum traction while keeping the suspension fully active. This is different to VPP bikes which use opposing linkages and chain forces to provide a stable ride.Pivot DW-Link bikes have both links moving in the same direction which makes for a substantial difference in design philosophy and the way the bikes function.In real world riding situations, VPP bikes have a slight movement or bob at the beginning of the stroke which requires more “platform” in the shock design.VPP bikes are stable-riding at the sag point because this is where the opposing links and the chain forces act to keep the suspension from moving.This also creates a bit of a dead spot in the travel.VPP bikes ride well in this spot, but the suspension is not active at this point which causes the bike to lose traction on climbs.This is the exact opposite of the Pivot DW Link design which focuses heavily on obtaining maximum traction at the sag point and keeping the suspension fully active in order to follow the terrain.

Another difference in ride is the way the Pivot’s take midsized hits.Pivot will take the hit in a controlled, progressive manner using a metered amount of the shock stroke for a given size impact.Most VPP bikes go to a more falling rate just past sag point and tend to use a lot of the travel for even moderate hits.On repeated hits this can create a wallowy, less-controlled feel. Pivots are designed so riders can maintain more control and thus go faster.

The differences also go beyond the general suspension feel and bump absorption.Pivot bikes are fully active under braking as well, matching the lack of braking effect on the suspension with the best Horst-Link bikes.VPP bikes have some problems with brake jack that causes the suspension to stiffen under braking. Ultimately this affects how much speed can be carried into a corner and how late the rider can brake into the corner and still maintain traction and control.

Tubing and Forging Technology

All tubes on the Mach 4 and Mach 5 are proprietary 6000 series. The down tube, top tube, and chain stay are all triple butted and hydro-formed. In addition, every other part on the frame (other than the head tube) is cold forged. Forging is significantly more expensive but yields a much strong, lighter frame.

Zero Stack Headset

The Mach 5 and Mach 4 do not use an integrated headset. They use a zero stack standard headset. This headset takes cups just like a normal external 1.125 headset. The head tube is however significantly larger in diameter and the entire headset cup fits inside. The 50mm zero stack design allows Pivot to reduce the front end height by over 1 inch which is great on a XC racing frame. It reduces overall stand over and really helps get the rider in a better position (especially on the smallest frame sizes). Aggressive riders can use standard riser bars without having to flip stems upside down. In addition, the head tube is a larger diameter which in turn gives more weld area for a larger top and down tube making the frame both stronger and stiffer in the front triangle. This design is a huge benefit on the Mach 429 29er as most 29er front ends are already very high due to the large wheels.

Welds

The Mach 4 and Mach 5 have a combination of traditional welds and smooth welds. The smooth welds on some bikes are polished out after being completed (a la Cannondale). The flat bead look of the smooth weld as it is laid down looks hot! It is used near on the top tube shock tab area to keep things smooth and snag free and on other areas because it actually reduces stress risers and makes for a nice strong joint.

Finally, regardless of the brand or design Pivot is compared to, Pivot Cycles set a new bar for frame stiffness and pivot durability. The Mach 4 and Mach 5 are arguably the best riding suspension frames ever made. Everything is designed to get power down to the ground in the most efficient manner possible with no bob or flex while keeping the suspension active. The pivot points are large, well sealed and move in a manner that does not create any opposing loads on the bearings and pivots.

The revolutionary direct mount front derailleur and the 19mm wider bottom bracket shell of the Pivot frames unlock the full engineering potential of the DW-Link suspension and allows for absolute pedalling efficiency with true, instantaneous small bump compliance. No other bike has ever ridden like a Pivot. It’s Full Suspension Redefined!

Pivot Mach 4

“This bike is awesome. It’s light, fast and all but locks out the pedal bob. Climbs like a scared monkey and descends beautifully.”

“Great handling and very stiff. ZERO frame flex…this bike has really impressed me with its paradoxical ability to remain super plush and ultra efficient at the same time all the while void of ANY pedal feedback. This bike moves forward with every pedal stroke and makes you feel faster and stronger.”

“Accelerates like a demon in all conditions. Great to climb and descend with. Has no power loss in the uphill and screams on the down.”

· Frame weight: 5.4 lbs (Medium frame with rear shock)

· Rear shock: FOX RP23 custom valved to work with the DW Link and Pivot’s specific linkage rates.

· Geometry: Medium frame (geometry chart on website http://www.pivotcycles.com/ is accurate

The Ride

The Mach 4 is designed to be an incredible peddler with an efficiency level that will impress even the most discerning pro level XC riders. The Mach 4 has a full 100mm of active travel to soak up pretty much anything you can throw at it. The DW Link system keeps the bike from bobbing during hard pedaling efforts out of the saddle and gives the bike additional traction while climbing (seated or standing) as well as really helping propel the bike forward during sprinting and hard efforts out of corners. The beauty of dual link designs and the DW Link in particular is the ability to optimize the wheel travel path at different points in the travel. Single pivot designs, and even 4-bars are tunable to a set arc and therefore are really optimized for a section of the wheel travel and/or for a specific gear/chain ring combination. The DW link truly allows Pivot the tunability to give the rider the best pedaling performance possible without sacrificing braking or suspension feel.

Frame Stiffness

Pivot believes that the frame stiffness is one of the most important aspects to having a suspension frame perform at the highest level, so every detail on the Mach 4 was designed with frame stiffness in mind. The BB shell is 92mm wide allowing for a wider down tube at the bottom bracket which really contributes the frames overall rigidity. The lower DW Link features oversize pivot axles and 8 cartridge bearings for unmatched reliability and smoothness as well as contributing heavily to the zero flex nature of the design. Finally, the compact, one piece rear triangle pivoting off of short dual links are two of the final touches that help the Mach 4 set a new bar for frame stiffness.

Other info: The Mach 4 comes in 6 sizes to fit riders from 4’10 all the way to 6’4”. Each frame size utilizes different tubing shapes and wall thickness’ to optimize the frame for the weight and size of the riders. Even shock valving and stroke on the smaller frames differs from that of the larger frames in order optimize the performance of each size frame for a given size and weight range of a rider.

Pivot Mach 5

“I absolutely love this bike! The DW-link setup on this bike works as promised. With the Mach 5, you can bomb down rock gardens and rocket up-hill on climbs. When I say rocket, I mean it hauls arse!!”

“Best full suspension bike I've ridden by far. Perfect choice for all day epics I love to do and plenty fun for shorter rides. The Mach 5 climbs great with no pedal bob and I never use the propedal lockout off road. Suspension smooths out the bumps going up or down. Confidence inspiring descending on steep technical trails to max velocity single track. Get one!”

The Ride

The “5” inch travel segment covers some pretty broad territory. You have bikes from 4.75 to almost 6” falling within the realm and ride goals that are even more varied. This is the category where bike companies are trying to design the “one” bike that can do it all. To Pivot, a 5” travel bike that is super plush kills off the entire epic, long ride, go anywhere focus of what a 5” travel bike should be.

The Mach 5 has 140mm (5.5”) of travel and is meant to cover the spectrum of 24 hour racing, all day in the saddle rides, with the ability to devour technical descents.This bike doesn’t bob under power and doesn’t feel too ‘squishy’. The Mach 5 absolutely comes alive at speed - especially in rock gardens.There are certainly longer travel bikes that are plusher, but it’s all about controlled travel. The Mach 5 holds its line at speed and always seems to have extra travel in reserve for big hits, big drops, and even the occasional big jump.The Mach 5 is such an incredible peddler yet can really soak up the bumps and drops at mid to high speeds.

The head angle with the fork at 140mm travel is 69 degrees. This is a nice stable number for handling very technical terrain. When the fork is dropped to 120, the head angle is at 70 degrees which puts the bike in stable handling XC to moderate technical territory. Additionally, with the DW Link and the shock that is being used (2.25” stroke on a medium frame), it is imperative to run 30% sag (.675”). Most people are used to running less because other bikes need to have more air to keep from bobbing. NOT THIS ONE! The Mach 5 is all about achieving a balance in what Pivot believes to be the perfect combination of incredible pedaling efficiency and frame stiffness with a controlled feel throughout the stroke and enough travel to keep riders grinning from ear to ear in even some of the most technical terrain.

Mach 429 – 29’er

“The Pivot Mach 429 has set a new standard for all 29ers, let alone full-suspension frames. I was fortunate enough to ride the prototype of this bike some months ago, and if ever a suspension was tailor-made for the advantages of the 29" wheel, this incarnation of the DW-link is it.

I always knew Chris Cocalis could design one hell of a bike, but this thing is on a whole other level. How this bike manages to convey feedback from the trail while at the same time smoothing out absolutely everything in its path, I have no idea. It doesn't seem possible that a full-suspension bicycle could ride as well as the 429. Like all the Pivot frames, the 429 features a wider 92mm bottom-bracket shell with Shimano's ultralight pressed bearing system, and a direct mount front derailleur. On a lot of new frames, this is a cute gimmick; on the Pivot, it's critical to the suspension. You just can't get your pivot points where you need them to be for this bike to ride as well as it does without finding a workaround for "the derailleur issue." Accomplishing that is no small feat, even on a smaller-wheeled bike, but Cocalis has done it on the 29er. A well-executed DW-link bike does not wallow--run a little more sag if you want--and that translates into acceleration not normally found on any other full-suspension 29er.” – Chris

Summary of Tech Features

92mm Bottom Bracket Shell – Uses internal threadless BB
-Cranks fit perfectly. No spacers or alignment needed.
-Larger diameter downtube for increased frame stiffness
-Increased stiffness and rigidity in frame from wider suspension pivot link
-Optimal placement of DW-Link suspension pivots
-Increased longevity & durability of pivot bearings

Direct Mount Front Derailleur
-Works in conjunction with 92mm bottom bracket to allow optimal pivot
placement
- Perfect chainline for reliable shifting

DW-Link Suspension
-Able to handle big square edged hits & has excellent small bump compliance
-Minimal pedal bob under power
-Maintains maximum traction whilst remaining fully active
-Does not need pedal platform (like other suspension designs)
-Works efficiently & effectively at all stages of the suspension stroke

Zero Stack Headset
- Reduces height of the bike’s front end.

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