RM Slayer Vs Pivot Firebird

PB Forum :: All Mountain, Enduro & Cross-Country
RM Slayer Vs Pivot Firebird
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Posted: Sep 18, 2017 at 12:55 Quote
I have narrowed my choices for my next bike purchase to the 2017 RM Slayer and the 2017 Pivot Firebird. I have been able to test ride both and i am torn between the two.

I am wondering if any of you that have ridden either or both and would be able to shed some light on your experience and why you feel one is better then the other.

Any input is greatly appriciated

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Posted: Sep 18, 2017 at 15:57 Quote
Slayer for pop, Firebird for plow. I'd pick whichever best compensates for your personal weaknesses as a rider.

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Posted: Sep 18, 2017 at 16:27 Quote
personally I like the Slayer more since it has more pop/ play than the firebird.

BUT I would say if you can try and ride a Guerrilla Gravity megatrail (I am a little biased since I own one) it has 150/165mm rear travel paired to 170mm fork (can go up to 180mm). it feels a lot like the firebird when it is in 165 mode in that it can plow through anything and you feel very "in" the bike. When it is in 150 mode it feels more like you are "on" the bike it is very poppy and pedals super well. you can switch between the 2 modes with the moving of one bolt (takes like 20 seconds). and if you want to do more XC/trail you can just buy a shock with a shorter stroke, boom you have a shreddog (same frame as the megatrail) with 135/145 travel and can run 27.5x2.8 OR 29x2.2.

best of luck picking your next bike, both the firebird and slayer are awesome bikes no matter what one you pick!

Posted: Sep 18, 2017 at 22:09 Quote
zsandstrom wrote:
Slayer for pop, Firebird for plow. I'd pick whichever best compensates for your personal weaknesses as a rider.
I am not to sure which one of my weaknesses as a rider is more in need of a crutch. I guess i'll have to think about that one a little more,

Thank you for the info.

Posted: Sep 18, 2017 at 22:18 Quote
2zmtnz wrote:
personally I like the Slayer more since it has more pop/ play than the firebird.

BUT I would say if you can try and ride a Guerrilla Gravity megatrail (I am a little biased since I own one) it has 150/165mm rear travel paired to 170mm fork (can go up to 180mm). it feels a lot like the firebird when it is in 165 mode in that it can plow through anything and you feel very "in" the bike. When it is in 150 mode it feels more like you are "on" the bike it is very poppy and pedals super well. you can switch between the 2 modes with the moving of one bolt (takes like 20 seconds). and if you want to do more XC/trail you can just buy a shock with a shorter stroke, boom you have a shreddog (same frame as the megatrail) with 135/145 travel and can run 27.5x2.8 OR 29x2.2.

best of luck picking your next bike, both the firebird and slayer are awesome bikes no matter what one you pick!

When you say the Slayer has more pop and play then the Firebird do you find that it can handle rougher more technical terrain as well? I know that the Firebird can plow but i have heard that when it gets really rough it struggles a bit where as the the Slayer feels at home on all types of decent.

Also did you noticed a huge difference in the climbing capabilities? I have ridden both and I would say the Pivot has a slight edge but is it so much of a gap that it would make you choose one or the other?

I'll check out GG and see what they have to offer as well.

O+ FL
Posted: Sep 18, 2017 at 23:36 Quote
Have only ridden the Firebird around a parking lot but I spent a full day in Squamish on the Slayer and loved it. Slayer you can customize geometry quickly with the flip chip. I was really impressed with how well the thing climbed, even in a slacker setting, I was getting up single track in Alice Lake pretty easily (the punchy bits going up the start of Rupert, Mark my Word etc). Super fun and confident feeling on the descents, and it can hang in the bike park. If I was buying one bike I would look at the Slayer pretty hard.

Posted: Sep 19, 2017 at 14:31 Quote
gramboh wrote:
Have only ridden the Firebird around a parking lot but I spent a full day in Squamish on the Slayer and loved it. Slayer you can customize geometry quickly with the flip chip. I was really impressed with how well the thing climbed, even in a slacker setting, I was getting up single track in Alice Lake pretty easily (the punchy bits going up the start of Rupert, Mark my Word etc). Super fun and confident feeling on the descents, and it can hang in the bike park. If I was buying one bike I would look at the Slayer pretty hard.

Having only ridden the Firebird in the parking lot did you notice enough of a difference pedalling the Firebird opossed to the Slayer?

I was leaning toward the Firebird but recently having read some articles about both I'm back in the middle again and leaning towoard the Slayer because it climbs really well but better on the descents but the Firebird climbs well but I hear it struggles on really super tecky gnarly
terrain.

Ah the torment on picking the right bike for me. ????

Posted: Sep 19, 2017 at 20:28 Quote
I demoed bikes for 2 years before settling on the slayer. I raced a dh course with it and it did fine. I'm not very good but I didn't have any trouble keeping up with my friends who have downhill rigs.

Posted: Sep 20, 2017 at 9:50 Quote
I was recently shopping for a new bike as well. I rode the firebird, and liked it, but I ended up buying a Slayer. I actually think the yellow/blue is the worst color around, but the thing just rides so darn well. I find it to be a super playful bike. The ride4 geo really makes some changes to the way the bike rides, and in the slack setting you would be hard pressed to find something you couldn't plow through/over. It really does feel like my DH bike.

O+
Posted: Sep 21, 2017 at 8:30 Quote
I'm glad this thread was started. Im also on a new bike quest and I've been torn between these two for several weeks. I have read nearly every review on both bikes, but can't find many comparisons between the two. I also noted that the Slayer seems to get more positive comments when tested with the Fox suspension (model 790). Anyone have experience testing both the Rockshox suspended Slayer and the 790? I feel like the Slayer 790 is a more direct comparison to the Firebird since they both run the Float X2 on the back. I don't have a Rocky Mountain demo program near me, so it doesn't look like I will be able to try one. I will be demoing the Firebird in the near future.

Posted: Sep 22, 2017 at 10:39 Quote
DoubleJackOnTap wrote:
I'm glad this thread was started. Im also on a new bike quest and I've been torn between these two for several weeks. I have read nearly every review on both bikes, but can't find many comparisons between the two. I also noted that the Slayer seems to get more positive comments when tested with the Fox suspension (model 790). Anyone have experience testing both the Rockshox suspended Slayer and the 790? I feel like the Slayer 790 is a more direct comparison to the Firebird since they both run the Float X2 on the back. I don't have a Rocky Mountain demo program near me, so it doesn't look like I will be able to try one. I will be demoing the Firebird in the near future.

I demo'd a 770 and the 790. bought the 790. The slayer climbs well for what it is, but the lack of a climb switch on the x2 is a little stupid if you ask me. I don't think that I would let the rear shock dictate which build I bought. There wasn't much of a difference if you ask me (other than the switch that is)

I was a BMXer, so I tend to like bikes that fall on the more playful end of the spectrum. The Slayer has super short chainstays. It might not be for everyone, but I feel like it rails corners, and nearly manuals itself. In the slack setting it really does feel like a DH bike when the trail gets rough. You can just point it, and it will eat anything in its path. I have been riding it in the slack bro-brah setting, and have no trouble pedaling to the top of hills that I struggled pedaling to on my Bronson. This could have something to do with the oval ring and eagle setup.

I have no regrets at all. I wasn't stoked on the color of the thing, and still ended up picking it over every other bike. The only one I'd even consider still is a Devinci spartan, but getting a hold of one right now is tough.

Pics for whoring, has sixc cranks on it now. Not near as light as the bronson was, but damn it is better in every way.

2017 Slayer 790 2018 lyrik rct3 enve M70 on Onyx hubs Eagle xx1 drivetrain guide rsc brakes
2017 Slayer 790 2018 lyrik rct3 enve M70 on Onyx hubs Eagle xx1 drivetrain guide rsc brakes

O+ FL
Posted: Sep 22, 2017 at 15:08 Quote
ortonc85 wrote:
gramboh wrote:
Have only ridden the Firebird around a parking lot but I spent a full day in Squamish on the Slayer and loved it. Slayer you can customize geometry quickly with the flip chip. I was really impressed with how well the thing climbed, even in a slacker setting, I was getting up single track in Alice Lake pretty easily (the punchy bits going up the start of Rupert, Mark my Word etc). Super fun and confident feeling on the descents, and it can hang in the bike park. If I was buying one bike I would look at the Slayer pretty hard.

Having only ridden the Firebird in the parking lot did you notice enough of a difference pedalling the Firebird opossed to the Slayer?

I was leaning toward the Firebird but recently having read some articles about both I'm back in the middle again and leaning towoard the Slayer because it climbs really well but better on the descents but the Firebird climbs well but I hear it struggles on really super tecky gnarly
terrain.

Ah the torment on picking the right bike for me. ????

Without going on the trail I can't say if the Firebird's DW-link suspension would make enough of a difference pedaling to prefer that bike. I don't mind using a shock with a climb switch personally, so I would just get a Slayer with a X2 and use the switch on long fire road climbs. Pivot is so expensive in Canada that it was never really a consideration for me. I ended up going another direction as I wanted a smaller bike than the Slayer/Firebird.

Posted: Sep 23, 2017 at 14:40 Quote
I'm fortunate to work in an lbs so I've ridden a lot of bikes this year, including the Firebird, not the rocky though, sadly.

The thing that gets you about the Firebird is how fast it climbs for such a big bike; seriously, it's pretty mind blowing. And then, on the downhill, of course it's a big long fast enduro bike so it shreds. Seriously impressive machine. DW-Link really is gamechanging, but something you notice is that it has a really racy, planted, plowy feel. Not my style, I prefer a playful, flickable bike, but I really liked it nonetheless, and some guy really love the racy feel, like you're railing every berm and landing every drop perfectly.

Posted: Sep 23, 2017 at 16:31 Quote
Is this now a slayer pic-thread? 770 checking in.

photo

Posted: Sep 24, 2017 at 12:36 Quote
seanondemand wrote:
I'm fortunate to work in an lbs so I've ridden a lot of bikes this year, including the Firebird, not the rocky though, sadly.

The thing that gets you about the Firebird is how fast it climbs for such a big bike; seriously, it's pretty mind blowing. And then, on the downhill, of course it's a big long fast enduro bike so it shreds. Seriously impressive machine. DW-Link really is gamechanging, but something you notice is that it has a really racy, planted, plowy feel. Not my style, I prefer a playful, flickable bike, but I really liked it nonetheless, and some guy really love the racy feel, like you're railing every berm and landing every drop perfectly.

I really like the feel of the Firebird but i still like to have that playfulness that the Slayer has.....If i go with the Firebird i am afraid of it feeling lethargic and not being able to whip it around the trail like the Slayer, in your opinion can you still throw the Firebird around but maybe not as much as the what everyone is saying about the RM?

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