2018 Pivot Mach 5.5 Carbon Team XTR 1x

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For those looking to go fast and take chances, increasingly capable components and frames mean mountain biking of all varieties is quickly becoming a more aggressive endeavor. For those simply looking to have a good time, those same improvements ensure added safety and fun on the trail. Today Pivot Cycles introduced an all-new bike that will carry them well into the future – the Mach 5.5 Carbon.

Part enduro, part all-mountain, and part trail bike, the new Mach 5.5 brings an interesting mixture of travel, geometry, and technical features to the party. With 140mm of dw-link rear travel and 160mm up front, this 27.5-inch wheeled bike is poised for both all-day efficiency and rowdy trail capability in a cohesive package. Add in new 2.6-inch Wide Trail tires from Maxxis, FOX's updated 36 Float fork, Shimano Di2 integration, a place to mount a yet-to-be-released electronic suspension system from FOX, plus Pivot's dialed details and you've got a ride that's well ahead of the game. Building off the legacy of Pivot's Mach 5.7 Carbon, a bike Vital praised during our first Test Sessions, the Mach 5.5 Carbon presents a fresh take on just about everything from the ground up.

Highlights

• High-modulus carbon frame
• 27.5-inch wheels
• 140mm (5.5-inches) of rear wheel travel // 160mm (6.3-inches) fork travel
• dw-link rear suspension with mid-travel specific linkage design
• Clearance for 2.6-inch Wide Trail tires
• Pivot Cable Port system
• Shimano Di2 electronic drivetrain integration
• FOX Live electronic suspension integration
• Enduro Max cartridge bearings
• Front derailleur compatible with removable stealth E-Type mount
• Low durometer rubberized frame protection
• 180mm post mount rear brake
• 12x148mm Boost rear axle spacing
• Press Fit 92mm bottom bracket with ISCG05 mounts
• Claimed complete weight (size medium, no pedals, XTR 1X build): Sub 27-pounds (12.2kg)
• Claimed frame weight (with shock): 5.2-pounds (2.35kg)

"The original Mach 5.7 Carbon was the most popular, best loved bike we’ve ever produced. We wanted to update the design and knew that it had to be absolutely perfect for all the riders out there waiting for the next generation." – Chris Cocalis, Founder of Pivot Cycles

Evolved Mid-Travel Linkage Design

Pivot's Mach 429 Trail marked the introduction of their mid-travel linkage design – a system meant to be both compact and lightweight for use in trail bike applications. Much like recent Metric-compatible frames, Pivot sought to reduce friction in the system through the use of Enduro Max cartridge bearings in the rear shock mount. Doing so drastically improves small bump compliance and results in noticeable traction gains. It's similar to Pivot's clevis design used on the Firebird and Phoenix, but the upper link resides in front of the seat tube.

The bike's 140mm of dw-link rear travel is designed to work with the progressiveness of a large volume 7.875 x 2.0-inch (200 x 50.8mm) air shock with medium compression valving and medium rebound damping. At present the frame comes stock with a FOX Float Factory DPS EVOL shock, and a FOX Float X2 Factory shock is offered as an upgrade at an additional cost.

There is no spacer hardware or bushings on the rear shock mount, and instead the rocker mounts directly to the shock body. Swapping shocks is slightly more involved than most bikes as it requires the removal of a few pivot bolts, but with no washers to deal with it's a relatively simple process.

High-Modulus Carbon Frame

Pivot's bikes are well regarded for their impressive carbon construction as a result of their proprietary hollow core internal molding process. The Mach 5.5 takes things even further with the move to lighter weight, higher modulus carbon and a further optimized lay-up design. "Weight matters" when it comes to trail bikes, says Pivot, and the Mach 5.5 slots in at an impressive complete weight claimed to be just less than 27-pounds (12.2kg) for the XTR 1X build. The frame is claimed to weigh as low as 5.2-pounds (2.35kg).

Pivot says they've matched the Mach 6 Carbon on the durability front, and frame stiffness was dialed in to match final aluminum prototypes. The frame is protected by cleanly molded guards in several key locations.

Future Proofing – Shimano Di2 & FOX Live Integration

Looking the frame over you'll notice various ports and rubber covers that may seem out of place. Moving into 2018, their purpose will become more obvious as various technologies come to market.

Under the downtube, near the bottom bracket, you'll find a second water bottle mount. By removing the rear bolt you gain access to a storage cradle for a Shimano Di2 electronic drivetrain battery. This port is also useful when routing internal dropper seatpost cables or housing. The battery can be securely fastened and slides up into the base of the seat tube. Pivot takes things one step further by also providing clean internal routing specifically for Di2. Thanks to cable ports that clamp down there's little chance of rattling from any of the cables.

What's even more interesting are two rubber covers for FOX's upcoming Live Valve electronically controlled suspension system – one for mounting the battery under the top tube and one for mounting an accelerometer near the rear brake rotor. Briefly shown as a prototype back in 2015, FOX has been working to finalize the design in the time since. While details are sparse, we do know that the "active shock-damping system" uses accelerometers mounted to the fork and swingarm which provide terrain feedback to help determine ideal suspension settings at any given moment.

When pressed for more details, Pivot's Chris Cocalis simply responded, "It'll be amazing. I'll leave it at that."

Geometry

Pivot has been on a tear in recent years, updating several of their bikes to meet the latest trends in geometry. Notably, their reach measurements have seen a substantial increase following the introduction of the Switchblade last May. The Mach 5.5 Carbon continues down the same path with numbers that will appeal to many. The company's two and a half year development and prototype process included a handful of geometry tweaks along the way, in addition to dialing in the ride feel.

While the bike sports a beefy 160mm travel enduro-worthy fork up front (with a 44mm offset), Pivot chose to keep the geometry reasonable. It's highlighted by a moderate 66.5-degree head tube angle, snug 430mm chainstays, and a decently steep 73.5-degree seat tube angle.

Offered in five sizes to fit everyone from 4'11" to 6'7" (1.5 to 2.0m) tall, Pivot made it a goal to keep standover height, seat tube length, and head tube measurements relatively short to allow riders some flexibility in sizing. The photos above show the extra small and extra large sizes. Want a longer bike? Chances are good that you can size up without issue. Every size, including the extra small, fits a large water bottle inside the front triangle.

Suggested sizing:

• XS: 4'11" – 5'4"
• Small: 5'4" – 5'8"
• Medium: 5'8" – 5'11"
• Large: 5'11" – 6'3"
• XL: 6'2" – 6'7"

Fresh 2.6-Inch Rubber

Pivot makes a big effort to match tires and rims to each bike, carefully considering the intended purpose of every ride. In the case of the Mach 5.5 they've gone an interesting direction. Like most things in the bike industry, the trend is to go too far and then reel things back in a bit. New 2.6-inch wide Maxxis Minion DHF and Rekon Wide Trail tires are included on all builds. We were told the tires are very close to the same diameter as a standard 2.35-inch 27.5 High Roller II.

On the wheel side of the equation Pivot relies on DT Swiss M1700 and Reynolds carbon hoops with very sizable 35 and 36mm inner widths, respectively. The Reynolds wheels are exclusive to Pivot, for now, and come with a lifetime warranty. The tire and rim combination offers far better support than a plus-size tire while maintaining some of the wider tire benefits like added traction and improved rollover, ultimately resulting in more control.

On The Trail

We were given the opportunity to try the bike in Moab, Utah. Following a quick setup procedure, hundreds of wheelies were popped and thousands of rocks were smashed over the course of two days and two rides including a Mag 7 to Portal Trail epic.

The overwhelming impression is one of excellent capability and a quiet, calm ride feel that encouraged us to hold the imaginary throttle wide open. As you'll see in the video below from the famously rough Captain Ahab trail, we were blown away by how well the bike worked at speed in very chunky terrain – a testament to the nature of Pivot's Phoenix testing grounds.

While clearly capable of hauling ass, the bike also offers riders some short travel benefits including faster reaction times to rider inputs, last second bunny hops, pumping efforts, and precision moves often lost on a bigger bike. At the same time the 160mm fork, geometry, and component selection are worthy of much bigger tasks.

One of the most impressive qualities is that it suits a wide range of rider abilities quite well, which is less common than you'd think. Whether cruising along at a very casual pace or tackling the trail with everything you've got, the Mach 5.5 feels comfortable and controlled.

While clearly capable of hauling ass, the Mach 5.5 Carbon also offers riders some short travel benefits including faster reaction times to rider inputs, last second bunny hops, pumping efforts, and precision moves often lost on a bigger bike.

Pivot's whole system approach continues to impress. From the added bump-eating ability of the tires to the jar-reducing Pivot grips, each of the components plays a crucial role in how the bike rides and we encourage interested readers to experience it as a complete bike if possible.

As mentioned, Pivot currently offers two FOX shock options – the standard Float Factory DPS EVOL or a Float X2 Factory with a piggyback. We swapped shocks between rides and noted a big difference. If you prioritize pedaling and pumping performance, opt for the Float Factory DPS EVOL. If you want to flog your "little" bike from time to time, go for the Float X2 Factory shock. Given how rally-worthy the front end, geometry, and tires are, we felt as though we were over-riding the Float Factory DPS EVOL on our pinned descent down Captain Ahab. The X2 feels like a much better match for the 2018 FOX 36 with EVOL air spring, settles into the travel a bit better, and maintained consistent damping performance during sustained runs. The only change we made to the stock tunes was to add a bit of low-speed compression.

It's an awesome thing when serious design skill is backed by talent on the bike. Pivot's crew shreds.

Build Kits, Pricing & Availability

We've always applauded Pivot for including quality components in places that really count across the price range. Never one to skimp on tires or suspension, they keep a good thing going with the Mach 5.5 builds. In addition to Pivot's own Phoenix Component system tackling steering duties with claimed shock absorption and more direct input benefits, they also work with WTB on custom saddles with a durable memory foam for all price points.

The Mach 5.5 Carbon is available now as a complete bike ranging from $4,899 to $10,199 USD and as a $3,099 frameset. There are nine builds to chose from, including Race, Pro, and Team level options with both Shimano and SRAM drivetrains to suit your preferences. The FOX Float X2 Factory shock upgrade runs an additional $399 for Team and Pro builds, and Pro bikes can be upgraded to the Reynolds carbon wheelset for $1,300.

• Race XT 1X - $4,899
• Pro XTR/XT 1X - $6,199
• Pro XTR/XT 2X - $6,399
• Pro X01 Eagle - $7,099
• Team XTR 1X - $8,299 (Tested)
• Team XTR 2X - $8,699
• Team XX1 Eagle - $8,999
• Team XTR Di2 1X - $9,199
• Team XTR Di2 2X - $10,199
• Frameset - $3,099

View Race build specs | View Pro build specs | View Team build specs

What's The Bottom Line?

In a time when many are riding their trail bikes harder and harder, Pivot's new Mach 5.5 Carbon steps up to the challenge and succeeds in a big way. It delivers a familiar, comfortable, and capable ride that combines short-travel efficiency, long-travel eagerness, modern geometry, and worthy components that promise to carry you to new levels of fun. Pivot's forward thinking frame details also make this a bike that will still be very relevant for many years to come.

Visit www.pivotcycles.com for more details.

Vital MTB First Ride Rating

• Climbing: 4.5 stars - Outstanding
• Descending: 4.5 stars - Outstanding
• Fun Factor: 5 stars - Spectacular
• Value: 4 stars - Excellent
• Overall Impression: 4.5 stars - Outstanding

About The Reviewer

Brandon Turman - Age: 30 // Years Riding MTB: 16 // Height: 5'10" (1.78m) // Weight: 175-pounds (79.4kg)

"My current riding joys include pulling up hard and hucking test bikes into poor landings and techy sections with reckless abandon, then seeing how they react upon landing." Formerly a Mechanical Engineer and Pro downhill racer, Brandon brings a unique perspective to the testing game as Vital MTB's resident product guy. He has on-trail familiarity with nearly every new innovation in our sport from the past several years and a really good feel for what’s what.

Photos by Jens Staudt