Pivot's New Carbon and Alloy Enduro Bikes - First Look

2017 has seen Pivot release their new Mach 5.5 Carbon back in May, followed up with their Europe-only Shuttle eMTB in August, and now the Arizona-based company is adding two more bikes to their catalog: the Mach 6 Carbon and Mach 6 Aluminum.

The two bikes share the same 155mm of rear wheel travel, dw-link suspension system, and updated geometry compared to the previous version of the Mach 6.










New Carbon and Aluminum Frames

Like a lot of brands, the design language is very similar throughout Pivot's catalog, and it's no different when it comes to the two new Mach 6 platforms. Both are unmistakably Pivot through and through, but both the carbon and aluminum Mach 6 frames are also completely new.





The fresh carbon frame is made using Pivot's ''exclusive hollow core internal molding process,'' and the finished product is said to be comparable to their downhill bike when talking about rigidity and strength. Given that many of these new all-mountain rigs are essentially being ridden like short-travel downhill bikes, Pivot's claims and confidence have to be a good thing. They also say that the large diameter tubes, new linkage pieces, and suspension-specific EnduroMax bearings all help further their cause. Tire clearance taps out at 2.6'' rubber out back, and no, you can't fit 29'' wheels.

The aluminum frame hosts all the same features, minus the carbon fiber, of course, and has external cable routing (except for the dropper post) as opposed to the internal routing found on its more expensive brother.


Pivot has long employed dw-link suspension, and it's no different on the new Mach 6 platforms, with the bikes featuring a system that's tailor-made for air shocks. Want to run a coil-sprung shock? You're mostly out of luck, as the bike's rear-end is made to work in tandem with the progressive nature of an air spring. That said, Pivot has worked with Colorado's Push Industries to come up with a tune that will play nice with the Mach 6, so you'll just need to shell out for one of those US-made shocks if it's a coil or nothing kinda thing for you.

Up front, the frame is made for 160mm-travel forks with a 44mm offset, although you can up-fork your bike to 170mm if you party really hard and think you need the extra 10mm of squish.




Often, when a new bike is released, it's debuted in carbon fiber before a less expensive and slightly heavier aluminum version is shown a bit later down the road. There are all sorts of things at play there, from priorities when it comes to manufacturing, to timelines and availability, but it usually works out that people get excited about the high-end, dentist and doctor-spec carbon models before the less pricey aluminum versions can be had. Pivot is dropping both at the same time, though, so you can get your hands on the same geometry and dw-link suspension starting at $3,899 USD for an alloy model, or spend up to $10,398 USD if only the fancy pants carbon bike is good enough for you.

There are fourteen Mach 6 models in total, which is a lot of numbers to type out, but you can see the entire range and all the MSRPs on Pivot's website.

More Length, More Slack

We have enduro racing to thank for our bikes growing in front-end length, the steep seat tube angles that hide that extra reach when we're on the seat, and especially the slacker head tube angles that are inching closer and closer towards downhill bike territory with every new bike. The previous Mach 6 was no slouch in its day, but it was obvious that it was time for Pivot to drastically increase the reach on their premium all-mountain and enduro offering, so that's exactly what they've done.




Comparing the old and new bikes in a large size, the old Mach 6 had a 414mm reach that's pretty dang short by today's standards when a lot of medium-sized frames are considerably roomier. The new Mach 6, in a large size, gets stretched out considerably to 460mm, a number that's a whopping 46mm longer than its predecessor and more in line with other contemporary offerings. The new bike's head angle is also slacker at 65.8-degrees compared to the old one's 66.25-degree front-end, and you don't need a math degree to know that all that makes for a longer wheelbase as well.

Pivot hasn't added the same massive amount of length across the board, however, as it's only the medium, large and x-large sizes that see the biggest increase. ''Small and x-small remain compact, in keeping with our rider-size-specific design philosophy while still offering the climbing advantages of the steeper seat angle, and a nimble, capable handling on descents,'' Pivot explained about their approach to sizing. That "size-specific design philosophy'' doesn't quite reach the back of the bike, however, with all sizes featuring the same 430mm chainstay length.

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