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New Pivot 27.5″ Downhill Mountain Bike Spotted in Testing

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prototype Pivot Cycles 650B downhill mountain bike testing under world cup riders

Thanks to Reynolds Cycling’s crew and the Pivot Cycles Facebook page, we got these pics of the Pivot Factory Team trying out their new 650B DH bikes with those prototype Reynolds Black Label DH wheels.

The design departs from the current Phoenix DH by putting the shock in a horizontal position, being compressed toward the head tube. This mimics virtually all of Pivot’s bikes, save for the Firebird 27.5 introduced last spring. It should make for a drastically simpler seat tube and bottom bracket junction, though the seat tube is still heavily formed to accommodate the DW Link movement.

Speaking of the links, this new design does away with the upper rocker arm, instead driving the shock directly from the upper linkage. You can see how the pivots are placed in this post on the Mach 6, but positioning is likely tweaked for this bike.

prototype Pivot Cycles 650B downhill mountain bike testing under world cup riders
Hmmmm….this looks rideable.

Another immediately noticeable change is the much lower rear triangle height. We’re thinking the bike will have a lower total weight and lower center of gravity. Be curious to see if they’re still eking out 8.15″ of rear wheel travel. Maybe that’s why they wanted that new WTB High Tail saddle.

prototype Pivot Cycles 650B downhill mountain bike testing under world cup riders

That fork is the new X-Fusion RV1, introduced at Sea Otter last year along with a 180mm single crown counterpart. The new bike will be ridden by Eliot Jackson, Micayla Gatto and Bernard Kerr on the World Cup circuit.

pivot-phoenix-downhill-mountain-bike-shock

The presumably outgoing Phoenix’s suspension design used a vertical shock and rocker arm with some serious metal work to make it all fit.

prototype Pivot Cycles 650B downhill mountain bike testing under world cup riders

If we had to guess, the final design will be shown by Sea Otter. More as we get it.

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Tyrone
10 years ago

Gotta love the trails at South Mountain in Phoenix! Bikes looks sick too!

Paul in VA
Paul in VA
10 years ago

Why not a 650b front wheel only?

Ilikeicedtea
Ilikeicedtea
10 years ago

Because they put one on the rear too.

pornitswhatlwouldratherbmaking
pornitswhatlwouldratherbmaking
10 years ago

lt would be sweet if it was carbon. l like carbon but my bank account does not, unless its Chinese.

DaveG
DaveG
10 years ago

Ancient news. This bike was out at Crankworx last year.

Stew
Stew
10 years ago

Pivots are overpriced and heavy…..suspension is 1st generation DW….Meh

gabbia
gabbia
10 years ago

@Stew-pid,
Since you’re so awesome where’s the bike of your design for us to ride? Oh you’re a wannabe commentor….Meh

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