Pivot Cycles Launches Carbon Mach 5.7 – Interbike 2011

Pivot Cycles has been tight lipped about when it was going to join the carbon revolution. Designer-founder Chris Cocalis is no stranger to the stuff, having designed a few carbon mountain bikes and most recently, line of breakthrough road bikes under the BH name – so the question has always been ‘When,’ not ‘if.’ The Mach 5.7 Carbon appears to be well worth the wait.

Mach 5.7 Carbon
While the Carbon version of the Mach 5.7 shares the same geometry and dw-link suspension, it cuts a different profile when standing beside its welded-aluminum sibling. The carbon frame’s top and down tubes flare significantly where they join its tapered head tube, and especially so at the seat tube/top tube junction. The frame members are significantly larger in cross-section as well. Pivot optimized the bottom bracket area for carbon construction as well, with a huge 'Hollow Box' profile that spans the full width of its 92-millimeter-wide PressFit bottom bracket shell. Unlike the aluminum 5.7, the lower dw-link wraps outside the composite frame where it is supported by double-row bearings.


The carbon layup and molding technique of the 5.7 is said to employ a close-tolerance-molded internal bladder and a special high-pressure curing technique which ensure that the inner walls of the carbon frame are of consistent thickness and nearly as smooth as its sleek outer complexion. Precise compaction of the carbon layers during the molding process helps shave 6 ounces off of the original aluminum 5.7 with a ten-percent boost in stiffness.

Mach 5.7 Carbon Frame Details:
• DW-link suspension with position-sensitive anti-squat provides the cornering benefits of a lower bottom bracket.
• Fox RP23 Kashima shock with custom rebound and ProPedal settings for better tunability and small-bump sensitivity.
• 142/12mm through- axle and 160mm post-mount dropouts.
• Under top tube cable guide includes routing for dropper seat post.
• Rubberized leather chainstay, seat stay, and down tube protectors.
• Direct-mount front derailleur design accepts Shimano and SRAM systems.
• 145mm (5.7 inches) of rear-wheel travel
• 140mm or 150mm fork compatibility (150mm standard).
• PressFit 92mm-wide bottom bracket shell allows for wider pivots and better bearing support, and increased stiffness.
• 1.5” tapered head tube.
• Frame weight: 5.25 pounds (2.381g)
• Sizes: XS, S, Med, Lg, XL.
• MSRP: $2599 usd

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With a 150-millimeter-stroke fork, the 5.7's head angle is 67.1 degree, which is is slack enough to enjoy gassing it down technical descents without giving up the 5.7's climbing ability. Position-sensitive dw-link anti-squat suspension allows Pivot to drop the bottom bracket to 13.7 inches without giving cause to bang the pedals on every sizable rock. The original 5.7 was spec'ed with a 24-millimeter-stroke fork and while the 'Carbon can roll nicely with that choice, Pivot will ship the Mach 5.7 Carbon with a 150-millimeter fork as standard fare. Rear suspension is a specially tuned Fox RP23 Kashima shock which is fitted with Pivot's sag gauge to make it easy to set up.

Mach 5.7 Features: (clockwise) Pivot's sag meter is shipped with every one of its dw-link bikes. The suspension is position-sensitive to ensure that there is no conflict between its firm 'anti-squat' pedaling action and the need for plush, long-travel suspension performance • Double-row bearings in each link keep side-play and premature wear out of the Mach 5.7's suspension equation, while a markedly different frame configuration that employs a central spine, better optimizes the qualities of carbon fiber at the bottom bracket • Integrated bash protector keeps the carbon happy on the down tube.

The Mach 5.7 carbon's swingarm is configured differently than the aluminum version as well. Taking advantage of carbon's better stiffness-to-weight ratio, the new swingarm eliminates the double-triangulated C-section bracing up front and adopts a single, left-side strut, with a small right-side strut near the dropout. The new configuration follows the lines of the well-proven Santa Cruz Blur series. Pivot further sweetens the stiffness of the '5.7 with a 142/12-millimeter through-axle arrangement and direct, post-mount caliper fittings for 160-millimeter rotors.

Chain Guide Mount Option
While the Mach series frames lacks dedicated ISCG chain guide tabs, Pivot offers a machined-aluminum ISCG chain-guide mount that bolts to the frame and clamps securely around the bottom bracket. The metrics of the new carbon frame are slightly different, however, so Pivot had to design a new adapter which will be shipping in winter of this year.

Will There Be Complete Bikes?
Yes, Pivot's website is already populated with specifications for seven different models of the mach 5.7 Carbon featuring both Shimano or SRAM components. The Shimano Deore XT/XTR model shown in this feature is pegged at $5599 usd. The first bikes will arrive at dealers this Fall.

Visit Pivot's website for exact arrival dates and check out their DH and AM models while you're at it.