2021 Pivot Mach 6 Pro XT/XTR Coil

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In aerospace definitions, Mach is the ratio of an object’s speed to the speed of sound. Pivot’s Mach 6 absolutely blitzes the trail with a sonic boom, falling somewhere within the hypersonic category of fun. With nothing to hide on smaller 27.5 wheels, the Pivot Mach 6 puts it all out on the table. This bike is not shy about holding a line in unpredictably loose, steep, and challenging terrain. We couldn’t find anything to slow down this rowdy trail-loving, downhill precision missile. It managed to hold decent speed when we slammed it into the occasional teeth-gritting uphill sprint that would typically bring your engine close to red-lining. Even then, if initiated with enough thrust and in full attack mode, the Mach 6’s downhill charging momentum carried surprising speed on those shorter stinted lung-burning uphills that many of us encounter here and there during a long descending singletrack trail or at an enduro race.

Highlights

• Full carbon frame
• Carbon or aluminum option 27.5-inch wheels
• 160mm (6.29-inches) travel front, 158mm (6.2-inches) travel frame
• Size-specific ride tuning geometry
• Phoenix DH inspired longer DW-link
• High and Low adjustability to increase head tube angle
• Flip-chip on high setting elects for mixed-wheel setup
• Pivot Tool Dock system beneath top tube
• Internally padded cable routing with covered cable ports
• All models equipped with 2.5-inch Maxxis Assegai front and rear
• Pro-level models available with FOX Live Valve suspension
• Step by step Suspension Setup Guide for FOX suspension models
• Sealed cartridge headset on most models
• Four-piston brakes on all models
• Pressfit BB92 bottom bracket
• 157mm rear spacing with Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH)
• Measured weight: (As tested, small, no pedals) 30 pounds 10 ounces / 13.89 kg
• MSRP $ 8,849, Pro XT/XTR - Coil w/Carbon Wheels

The full carbon frame of Pivot’s Mach 6 allows for it to be unbelievably playful. Mated to smaller wheels, we found it to be extremely flickable. One thing that we believe enables this bike to be so smooth and exhibit such precision control is the longer DW-link. The DW-link rear linkage has become an entity of Pivot Cycles and enables the frame to function more efficiently with anti-squat capabilities that help mitigate suspension bob during pedaling.

The vertical mounting of the shock allows for an ample amount of negative space situated beneath the top tube and down tube of the frame. This gives the rider customizability of both larger hydration bottles in combination with Pivot’s Tool Dock system. Pivot's attention to detail in the design of the rear triangle and chainstay was noted. How many times have you taken a look at rear triangles and saw scuff marks made by the sole of your mountain bike shoes? Pivot solved this by engineering the rear triangle and chainstay slightly concave without jeopardizing the structural capabilities or trail performance.

When discussing body lines and the flow of the frame, Pivot has created a beautiful cascade from the top tube to the seatstay. This has been accomplished in one continuous line from the top of the head tube all the way to the rear axle. We found this non-interruption of angles to be extremely clean and eye appealing. The sleek body lines, internal cable routing, and detailed frame decals of our matte black finish make the Mach 6 a show stopper. It will have people on the trails and at the bike park snapping their necks...in a good way.

Geometry

We exuberantly awaited the news of Pivot’s reckoning upon launching a 27.5-inch wheel size versus the ever-growing demand for a juicy new 29-inch wheel model. The truth is, our tester is a full-time 29er rider. However, the proof is in the pudding that Pivot nailed it with the progressive geometry of the Mach 6. They succeeded in giving it all the capabilities of an unambiguous climber that can descend like it’s nobody’s business.

The Mach 6 sports 160mm/158mm of travel and despite the smaller wheel size than the 29er Switchblade (160mm/142mm), has a longer wheelbase of 1174mm versus 1169mm. Our Mach 6 also runs one degree more slack at the head angle, respectively on our tested small frame. This puts it right in the middle of its slightly bigger travel brother, the Firebird, another 29-inch trail smasher with 170mm/162mm, and a wheelbase of claimed 1185mm on a small frame. It is quite possible that this can be attributed to all three bike frames being designed with a 431mm chainstay. Differences in measurements are attributed to front-end variances on the three distinctive frame designs.

Setup

Initial impressions of the Mach 6 out of the box exceeded our expectations. We knew this was going to be a stand-out ride and boy was it ever! Pivot did an extraordinary job at getting our tester’s numbers’ dialed in for optimum performance. The sag was set right at the company recommended 30 percent for maximum absorption of trail bumps and chunder. The FOX Factory 38 Float with Grip2 damper was set to 58psi for our 105-pound “pack a punch” tester. Our tester was extremely pleased with the plushness with regard to both small and large bump compliance of the fork. Pivot provides an extremely handy follow-along Vimeo video of how to properly adjust the correct specifications on sag in their “Engineer’s Corner” FAQ’s section on the Mach 6 web page.

Our 5’4” tester felt right at home with the spacious cockpit and geometry of the Mach 6’s small frame. The Phoenix Team low-rise carbon 780mm handlebars and zero-degree 40mm stem proved comfortable and aided handling while steering the bike through fast and technical sections of trail. The only thing that was changed out of the box was the positioning of the brake levers for a more aggressive down-turned stance. Both the claimed 430mm (low) and 435mm (high) reach on the small Mach 6 were excellent complements to our tester. Standover heights varied ever so slightly from 653mm (low) to 659 (high). Honestly, the difference of 6 millimeters was undetected when discussing reach and cockpit feel. However, that 6-millimeter difference made all the difference in climbing tricky technical rocky zones by steepening the seat tube angle by half a degree. This positioned the rider ever so slightly more forward over the BB allowing the rider that extra power to pedal ratio for making it up and over technical climbing sections.

On The Trail

We tried our absolute hardest and put our Mach 6 through the wringer. We wanted to get this thing to jump ship on the trails we took it down and it just wouldn’t budge. Our testers sought out the rowdiest trails they could find in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of the Lake Tahoe region. We wanted to see if they could scare the tires off the Mach 6. We had no such luck. We specifically cherry-picked some of the gnarliest rocky descents. If it was loose, off-camber decomposed granite (AKA DG) then we aimed right for it to push this bike’s limits. We were completely in awe at its outstanding performance.

The rowdier and steeper the trails got, the more this bike just laughed at us. The Pivot Mach 6 is truly a trail champion, willing to take on anything in its path. It is almost as if this bike had been designed specifically for these types of trails. Pivot absolutely nailed it on constructing a chassis that is so well suited to remain stable and planted on trails that normally can rattle your brains.

We noticed zero reverberation in the cranks while climbing. Especially when panic shifting into a gear that would hold an appropriate cadence up steeper sections. Additionally, we found the pedal bob to be remarkably minimal considering the fact that our Mach 6 came equipped with a FOX Factory DHX2 coil shock.

DH/Technical Performance/Fun Factor

This heavy artillery cannon shot down the trail with precision when we decided to unload it into the gnarly abyss. The more hectic the trail, the more the Mach 6 just locked in. We never once felt the bike drift out of its line, nor did we ever catch it stalling out. No matter how rough and bumpy the terrain got, the Mach 6 performed. Both small and large bump chatter was no match for this bike’s capacities. We consistently found its aggressive nature wanting to be unleashed during every descent. The box should come with a warning that states, “PASSIVE BRAKING WILL RESULT IN MORE FUN!”

Corner initiation is basically all you need. The bike continues on a projected path as if it was pre-programmed

The Mach 6 exhibits the aggressive unruly attitude of a honey badger, yet steadily remains under complete control with the utmost composure. The precision and line loyalty of this bike are comparable to man’s best friend... it just wants to please. And that it does!

This bike is remarkably stable and planted while cornering. Corner initiation is basically all you need. The bike continues on a projected path as if it was pre-programmed to hold that line in the corner. The Mach 6’s performance was spot on and had zero slippage or sliding during and after the apex of the corner, just as we had expected.

The thought of "mulleting" this bad boy out did cross our “Imagine if we could.” thought cloud. With a bike that already has a great reputation of partying like a rockstar, we decided to leave well enough alone.

Rear Suspension Performance

The Mach 6 was found to be extraordinarily buttery and ultra-smooth over every bit of the terrain we guided it into. The rear suspension glided gracefully behind the beastly FOX Factory 38. Trail chatter was completely non-existent, not to mention, this animal can gobble up 6-10 foot natural trail drops without thinking twice. We decided to take this cool cat for a rip down the Tyrolean jump’s built by Sensus Rad Trails and were we ever impressed. The handling capabilities of the Mach 6 while jumping is awesome. It floats effortlessly into the transition with confidence and poise, not to mention how it rails berms when it's laid over in fast snappy corners.

Unique Features

Pivot included full-length internal foam padding for cable routing which makes for a much quieter ride, essentially eliminating any internal cable chatter. The only noise we detected was coming from the cables in front of the cockpit. Most people have their own ways of dealing with this (electrical tape, zip ties, etc.) The craftsmanship and high-quality design of each individual cable routing entry/exit port are securely fastened by a 2mm Allen bolt. In addition, Pivot has solved the hassle of having to maneuver your cable housing around the 90-degree corner where the down tube meets the seat tube by installing a removable cable access trap door. The door allows you to conveniently negotiate the bend and run housing to your dropper post without struggle.

Perceived Weight

The Pivot Mach 6 just never ceased to amaze us. Out of the box, in its stock condition, weighing in at 30 lbs, 10 oz, this bike felt incredibly light. For a bike that was equipped with a downhill capable fork and a coil shock, we were delighted by the on-trial feel. Within just a few rides, we were making the most of the light, perceived weight and how it transferred directly into the snappy capabilities of the bike. We were surprised at how fast and nimble this bike performed for a 27.5-inch wheeled trail smasher.

Climbing

The Mach 6 is an extremely passive climber and motors calmly up the trail. The plushness of the DHX2 coil shock allowed for exuberant traction while climbing rocky, technical sections. The weight of the shock with the SLS (super light steel) spring was not even taken into account as notable by our testers. The shifting of the Shimano XT/XTR was silky smooth with very little to no noise.

Pivot has incorporated an optional geometry adjustment or “flip-chip” to optimize bottom bracket (BB) height depending upon trail conditions. The chip effectively raises the BB from a verified 349mmm in the low setting to 355mm in the high setting. Mach 6’s geometry section claims a 7mm difference between BB height settings, which we found to be accurate as listed. We found that with this difference of 7 mm on the high BB setting, there was no stopping this beast while attempting to climb technical rocky zones. The A-Line up through the rock garden was a breeze in the high setting.

The Mach 6 was light on its wheels and pedaled extremely efficiently, almost as if it were going for a KOM up the tech. Honestly speaking, that was the only thing we noticed regarding the performance of this bike between the low and high geometry adjustments. Head tube angle, stack, and reach are also numbers that are affected on paper, yet we noticed no difference on the dirt. This could be directly attributed to the fact that the seat tube angle was bumped up half a degree, from 75.5 degrees in low to 76 degrees in high. Body position while climbing was surprisingly comfortable in both BB settings respectively. However, these small-angle contrasts did not affect downhill performance, to say the least.

Build Kit

Our small frame Mach 6 in the Pro XT/XTR with Coil and Reynolds Carbon wheels build kit glided into the rink ready for action. It came heavily equipped with Shimano XT M8120 4-piston brakes, Shimano XT M8100 12-speed shifter, and M8100 10-51T cassette, all driven by the silent crispness of a Shimano XTR 12-speed rear derailleur. It all made for a super smooth shifting experience.

Suspension duties were handled by a FOX Factory DHX2 Coil shock that comes stacked with six different adjustment parameters. Our DHX2 was wedded with FOX’s beast-mode Factory 38 Grip2 fork with 160mm of plushness. We could not find one con or oddball judgment call regarding the components on our build with which to stir the pot. Everything that Pivot decided to give to our Mach 6 was completely complementary to the intentions that this bike sets out on the trail to do.

Our build in the Stealth color came in just shy of $9,000 at $8,849 USD. This is a substantial amount of money to dish out, no matter who you are. If you’re a baller on a budget but are in love with the riding capabilities of a Pivot, there are other options. The Race XT Coil 27.5 build is the base model, starting at $5,899 USD However, Pivot has generously provided consumers with twenty different build kit options with prices ranging all the way to $12,799 USD. That’s if you want to get your ride game dialed in with the Team XX1 AXS with FOX Live Valve and carbon wheels build kit.

Tire Performance

Maxxis has truly nailed it with the 2.5-inch Assegai setup. They play well on the Mach 6, as both the front and reartires. Our 3C EXO+ allowed for ultimate gripping and performance on loose to loose over hard, all-mountain applications. We pushed these tires to the edge, and we mean edge. We tried our hardest to get them to wash out whilst laying them over in a high-speed corner and just when we thought we were going to stop for a dirt sample, these aggressive meats took a big healthy bite out of the dirt and kept us rubber side down.

The grip and traction of the Assegai were just as notable during braking performance as it was during accelerations and rolling resistance. Our tester ran the tire pressure at 22 psi in the front and 24 psi in the rear respectively for each rip on the Mach 6. We found we experienced optimum grip at these tire pressures in the loose decomposed granite substrate of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Wheel Performance

Pivot’s proprietary choice for many of the Mach 6 build kit combinations, including our Pro XT/XTR Coil suspension is the Reynolds Blacklabel 34mm external width trail Enduro carbon wheelset. This wheelset is remarkably strong and durable, giving them the ability to take the Tahoe torture we put them through. The asymmetric carbon allows for more sound spoke tension. Our Mach 6 came tubeless with two little bottles of Stan's sealant. The toughness of these wheels added the finishing touches to the monster downhill machine that Pivot engineered. They were stiff and rigid yet light and stable for excellent maneuverability.

Long Term Durability

This bike is built to take a beating, over and over. We could not find much on the Mach 6 that would be susceptible to wear and tear unrelated to how its owner would treat it. The perdurable matte finish paint is sure to stand up to a thrashing but a frame wrap never hurts after plunking down this much coin. Both the upper and lower linkages are easily serviceable and cleaning around them was a fairly painless process.

The lower linkage has a protective debris mat attached above it to prevent sticks and rocks from being tossed in by the rear wheel. This typically results in scratches and the occasional small pine cone getting wedged. If this has happened to you before, it’s annoying and you understand what we are talking about. Pivot has made removing the Mach 6’s rear shock a simplistic task and the lower bolt is easy to access from the non-drive side of the bike. Our tester put over 200 miles on this unicorn and continued performing as if it were still on its honeymoon. With proper maintenance and care, this bike is due to stand the test of time on both the rowdy trail and rugged bike park.

For aggressive riders with the budget to afford it, the Mach 6 needs to be your muscle machine of choice.

What's The Bottom Line?

Simply stated, the Pivot Mach 6 is a champion trail beast. A truly remarkable performer in all categories. The engineers at Pivot Cycles have vivaciously designed a trail smashing contrivance that willingly takes on anything in its path while allowing the rider to be light and whimsical atop this beast. The lightweight feel of this bike will serve riders well on longer adventures. When it's time for gravity to take over, the Mach 6 holds a line like your downhill bike. Surprising to say the least at how precise and playful this bike gets once up to speed. For aggressive riders with the budget to afford it, the Mach 6 needs to be your muscle machine of choice.

Be sure to visit PivotCycles.com for more details on the 2021 Mach 6.

About The Reviewer

Tasha Thomas - Age: 42 // Years Riding: 22 // Height: 5'4" (1.63m) // Weight: 103-pounds (46.7kg)

Tasha never had training wheels. She watched helplessly as her dad removed them immediately after arriving home with her brand new bike when she was 5. Needless to say, nothing has stopped her from riding a bike since then and moving to the Tahoe area was the icing on the cake for her. Tasha likes to live large and ‘go big or go home’ tends to encompass her every activity. The rowdiness of the Sierra’s plunged her right into the racing arena which has paved the way for much of her knowledge and understanding of how a bike works and how to make a bike work for you. Geeking out on bikes has become somewhat of a pastime as a freelance product tester, recently targeting women specific mountain bikes. Her summers are now a trifecta of mountain bike coaching, racing, and just galavanting in the forest looking for new trails and terrain to explore. Looking for rewards and fun new lines with friends is something that she can’t get enough of.