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First Look! All New Pivot Mach 6 27.5″ Enduro Race Rocket

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2014 Pivot Mach 6 650B Enduro Mountain Bike

The all-new Pivot Mach 6 mountain bike has been in development for two years, and founder Chris Cocalis says it’s designed to be the ultimate enduro race bike.

It’s built around the DW Link suspension design like the rest of Pivot’s line, but gets an entirely new rocker arm and bearing design to help keep the chainstays extremely short despite the 155mm (6.1″) travel and improve small bump performance. It combines that with a very slack 66° head angle and long top tube to provide a very stable ride, particularly when things point downward and get fast. Fortunately, it’s also perfectly quick on tight, flat sections, too…something we verified with a couple hours of riding on it.

The frame is full carbon, built using Pivot’s hollow box high compression internal molding process to keep things light, strong and stiff. And it is indeed stiff.

Drop in for the full rundown and first impressions…

2014 Pivot Mach 6 650B Enduro Mountain Bike

The Mach 6 has Pivot’s instantly recognizable look. The top tube length ends up about a centimeter or slightly more than the Mach 5.75. The reason is to allow for the increased travel without putting an odd bend in the downtube. It also keeps the overall cockpit in the right range given the trend toward shorter stems.

The tapered headtube is nicely shaped and has internal ports for stealth dropper routing that hides the cable from here on back. Shift cables also go internal, but pop out just above the shock (bottom of the top tube).

The geometry is based around a Fox 34 150mm fork, but can easily handle a 160mm fork. The change in the already slack head angle from the additional length will generally be mitigated by increased sag, but still provide a bit plusher ride for big days.

2014 Pivot Mach 6 650B Enduro Mountain Bike

The brake hose runs externally through multi-cable guides, so you can also run a non-stealth dropper post and still keep the cables under control.

2014 Pivot Mach 6 650B Enduro Mountain Bike

Moving down, there’s a rubberized leather protective plate over the downtube and bottom bracket shell to keep rocks and such from chipping or cracking the frame. Similar protection is on the chainstay and inner seatstay. ISCG05 tabs sit behind the chainrings, and the front derailleur is direct mount. There will be an XX1 equipped model, too.

The bottom bracket height is 13.6″, which is intentionally low. Cocalis says aggressive, experienced riders will really appreciate the lower center of gravity, and that the occasional pedal strike from less experienced racers is a compromise he’s OK with.

2014 Pivot Mach 6 650B Enduro Mountain Bike

Up top, it uses a very long stroke shock, which allows for lower pressure and more supple performance. The mounts are universal, so you could swap in any major brand, including the Cane Creek Double Barrel. The included Fox Float X is custom tuned with an increased adjustment range from the CTD settings.

And that brings us to the real new, the updated linkage and suspension:

2014 Pivot Mach 6 650B Enduro Mountain Bike

The “next generation DW-Link” suspension uses a new rocker link that has two upper bearing positions. This connects the shock yoke and rear triangle at slightly offset positions, which let them fine tune the variable shock rate to maximize performance throughout the travel range.

2014 Pivot Mach 6 650B Enduro Mountain Bike

Cocalis says they played with an eccentric pivot design, but this proved lighter and smoother while also allowing for shorter chainstays. They come in at just 430mm (16.93″).

2014 Pivot Mach 6 650B Enduro Mountain Bike

But the design wasn’t just driven by geometry preferences. Cocalis wanted something that really highlighted the DW-Link’s anti-squat characteristics. He says it climbs just as we’ll as it rips the downhills.

2014 Pivot Mach 6 650B Enduro Mountain Bike

One last benefit to the design is that it replaces the bushings of the other bikes with dual-row Enduro Max cartridge bearings. This also aids small bump compliance, which improves traction.

2014 Pivot Mach 6 650B Enduro Mountain Bike

Bringing it all together is a 12×142 rear axle, post mount rear brake tabs and a PFBB92 bottom bracket.

RIDE REVIEW

The Mach 6 was a blast to ride. The carbon frame is very stiff and tracked really well over the rutted out or rooty/rocky corners and descents. That’s also a compliment to Fox’s 2014 suspension -the Float X is mighty plush- but having a frame that maintains its line while being twisted against G-forces by a bigger rider like myself is a huge plus.

And it does indeed climb as we’ll as it descends, mostly. On a really steep fire road, the front end did want to wander a bit. With a 66° to 66.5° (depending on size), that’s not exactly a surprise. What was surprising was that it didn’t wallow around the tight, twisty sections or flatter singletrack. And when things turned downward, it handled very well. I could guide the bike easily around the switchbacks at speed, and the longer top tube helped keep my weight back, so I never felt like I was going over the bars. Even the tire spec is fantastic. With a Kenda Nevegal on the front and Honey Badger out back, it hooked up really well on Park City’s typically dry, dusty trails. I wasn’t even coming close to testing their limits, and we were scooting along.

Another surprise was that it really did climb extremely well, even when the shock was left fully open. In fact, I left the shock in Descend mode for the majority of the ride. Despite the improved range of Fox’s current CTD settings, there wasn’t a huge difference in climbing performance between Trail and Descend. There was a big difference in general riding feel between the settings, though. On the trail, whipping through berms and over rocks, the Trail setting does tend to keep the suspension a bit higher in the travel and firms it up a bit. Clicking it to Descend let the bike push into the travel more around the fast berms and absolutely made it flow over the descents better, but actual pedaling performance really didn’t change all that much. That’s a real testament to the DW-Link design. It just works.

The sizing is big. I played around on the Large and XL, ending up on the XL for the ride. At 6’2″, I could have ridden either, and the Large would have probably felt a bit more playful. The XL shown here had the stem slammed, and I think it’d have been a bit more aggressive if it had been flipped, too.

Is it the enduro segment killer? Could be, it certainly rides like it – we were going pretty fast without *feeling* like we going too fast, so it provides a very high level of confidence and control. And weights are competitive (by feel, we’ll throw them on the scale this week).

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JOEP
JOEP
10 years ago

Yes, Yes I would.

dhbomber
dhbomber
10 years ago

That’s Hot…

Vincent
10 years ago

155mm travel, 430mm chainstays, DW link. Just what i was waiting for. Except it’s got the wrong whellsize, being a tall guy i wanted a 29er. I will have to go for the specialized. Sad.

Ian Settlemire
Ian Settlemire
10 years ago

Bike looks very promising. I hope they offer a 140mm travel bike with the same geo, tech, etc. I’m on a 140mm bike (with 150mm fork) and it’s plenty of travel for 650b wheels.

Matt
Matt
10 years ago

Pivot, please make a carbon 650 with 145mm of travel and 67.5 – 68 degree HA for technical mountain riding. PLEASE.

chasejj
chasejj
10 years ago

Hmmmmmm. A nicely done Turner Burner cousin in CF. Nice. What is the frame weight with shock?
I am actually [deleted] looking at it as I sit in my Mammoth Lakes condo waiting for the smoke to clear.

bin judgin
bin judgin
10 years ago

pivot bikes are nice. too bad cocalis tried to get me fired at my shop like he’s done to many others for not worshipping his bikes.

rodeoj
rodeoj
10 years ago

@Matt – Devinci is releasing a 145mm carbon split pivot that runs 27.5s here pretty shortly.

aaron
aaron
10 years ago

@Vincent
Taller than 6’2″?
“The sizing is big. I played around on the Large and XL, ending up on the XL for the ride. At 6’2″, I could have ridden either.”

Mindless
Mindless
10 years ago

Can it have more garish graphics?

Devin
10 years ago

@Mindless- are you asking? Because yes, it could.

Charles
Charles
10 years ago

Booooo, 27.5 is just a repackaging of the 26 inch wheel. It’s actually a misnomer because the name “27.5” leads one to believe this wheel size is in between 26 and 29, which is nonsense. 27.5 wheels are just a tad bigger than 26. Some 26 inch frames can take 27.5 inch wheels no problem. But, the bike industry has to reinvent itself all the time to keep people buying new bikes, that’s all this is about. It seems they’re here to stay. All it means for most of us is crappier tire selections at our local bike shops. I can’t wait for the bike companies to unveil the 28 1/4″ inch wheel. They’ll say it splits the difference between 29ers and 27.5, giving us the perfect blend of rolling momentum and lightness, and Mountain Bike Action will tell us we have to buy it. What a bunch of crap.

DeeEight
DeeEight
10 years ago

I’m 6’6″ and happily prefer 650B bikes to 29ers.

Woof
Woof
10 years ago

@Mindless +1 on those garish graphics. Chris, man please tone it down !!! If I’m riding in the McDowells I don’t want those Scottsdale housewives to see me coming at them till the last minute ! : ))

Captainsnappy
Captainsnappy
10 years ago

@Matt, you want a steeper HA & shorter travel for technical riding, but it has to be a 27.5? Why not the 5.7?? 1.5″ of wheel size won’t really make that much of a diff. With some low prof tires on a 27.5 and big volume 26 tires, there’s even LESS than 3/4″ of diff of circumference.

Chris
Chris
10 years ago

Looks like it’d make for an excellent replacement for my four year-old Mach 5 – a bike that I still enjoy greatly.

Out for a Ride
Out for a Ride
10 years ago

Charles, can you blame them? Seems to me people are asking for 27.5″ bikes faster than companies can deliver, and companies offering 27.5″ (well, OK 27″) are getting the most attention. Of course they’re going to try to make the most attractive package for people to buy their bikes. I’m pretty sure that’s the whole idea of being a bike company (or one that wants to stay in business I guess)…

bin judgin
bin judgin
10 years ago

boohoo wheel size. go ride, shut up.

JB
JB
10 years ago

Well damn… this is 0.3″ better than my mach 5.7c! Clearly I need one of these too.

(I am really jealous of the ISCG mount though!)

Izzy
Izzy
10 years ago

I’ve been waiting for this. This is what the Ibis Mojo HDR should have been.

Shane
Shane
10 years ago

How is the rear tire clearance (looks tight in the one photo)? Will something meaty like a HR2 fit?

18Tray
18Tray
10 years ago

@Izzy I couldn’t agree more, I feel like IBIS was scared to go all in. Now they are playing second fiddle to a lot of companies. IBIS would have been high on my list for my next new bike but now its not even on the list at all. This wheel size is not about companies trying to redesign the bike industry it is about keeping up with what the people are going to be buying. Its not the companies fault, if they do not keep up they will not survive.

Joey B
Joey B
10 years ago

After riding this bike at Dealer Camp I would agree with Tyler. Outstanding combination of descending ability but also climbs very well. As far graphics are concerned, this bike will be available in three colors. The one pictured, one in “Ford” blue and a stealth scheme. Something for everybody! My favorites were the Ford blue and stealth.

set
set
10 years ago

@Charles. Booo. You are making a discredited 2012 zombie argument in July 2013. As the cliche goes, time to wake up and smell the coffee. Zombie arguments are myths that are killed off by things called “facts” but they keep getting resurrected by the clueless and uninformed. Don’t be that guy.

Jantzen
Jantzen
10 years ago

@set. What a bunch of complete b.s. it’s marketing. I’m fine with it. But 27.5 really is a repackaged 26. Take a look at a 26 and a 27.5 wheel side by side…anyone who has not is clueless (a zombie?) on the subject because they are so close they could be the same.

Frankly, I could care less as long as I can rip on the bike. But don’t try to paint a marginal (to the point of being unrecognizable in most cases) difference in wheel diameter anything more than what it is: marketing.

29ers roll shit better and make killer trail bikes. But they are ghey and look silly. Function over fashion. Unless you want to sell something. Then fashion wins the majority of the time so 27.5 most very well be the “standard” in 24 months.

I love Pivots. Fantastic frames/suspension.

Rick
Rick
10 years ago

Curious now why Pivot came out with the Mach 6 when they already have the Firebird for All Mountain/Enduro in this catagory, seems like these bikes are for the same rider? Nevertheless, its a beautiful bike and I also would love to see this spec. on the 5.7….27.5″ is the new 26″!!

GeoLeo
GeoLeo
10 years ago

MSRP $3000!!! And it doesn’t come with a motor? For that stupid ludicrous price it should. By the time this is built, you could buy a motocrosser. Stupid!

Steve
Steve
10 years ago

Just throw a 650b wheel on the front of your 5.7 with a cane creek angleset and a big fat tire on the back and you’ll have your light weight xc bike with better roll over, ok I guess it would be a 2650b but you ll love how it rides, been using a maverick durance with that set up and it runs real nice, and yes you will notice the diff in roll over. It’s not a 29er but it’s a pretty sweet ride. Steve

D biker
D biker
10 years ago

Yes, color choice is really important for the coffee shop set and the guy who hangs out for extended periods of time in the trailhead parking lot.
650b being a subtle difference…. Duh, marginal gains have been the norm for 10+ years in the high end race bikes. We can all thank Lance Armstrong for the $10k bikes that are truly only marginally better than a $4k.

Billy
Billy
10 years ago

@GeoLeo 3 grand isn’t expensive at all for a carbon all mountain bike. You can spend well over that on a frame alone if you wanted.

@Charles You say that 27.5″ being between 26″ and 29″ is nonsense, but then follow it up with the statement that 27.5″ is larger than 26″. Which is it? It’s certainly not larger than 29″. Which, it seems to me, would put it squarely between 26″ and 27.5″.

People wanted the rolling advantage of the bigger wheels without the sacrifices to geometry you have to make to fit 29″ wheels in. The companies listened and we’re seeing some of the most versatile, fun bikes hitting the market because of it.

anon
anon
9 years ago

Billy – 27.5 isn’t 27.5, that is what Charles and many others are mad about. Yes, it id between, but not halfway. Of course none of them are what they are supposed to be…

https://bikerumor.com/2012/06/06/whats-driving-the-650b-explosion-interviews-tech-breakdown-more/

Eric Y
Eric Y
9 years ago

If theres a problem with the graphics get the stealth model…sheesh!!!

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