Pivot

Mach 429SL Carbon 29 Race X01 Eagle Mountain Bike - 2018

You've been blasting through laps at the local XC trails, and as perfectly dialed as your hard tail is, you're ready for a bit of squish in your ride to soak up blows. Give yourself a little forgiveness from trail chatter with the Pivot's 2018 Mach 429SL Carbon 29 Race X01 Eagle Complete Mountain Bike. This race-ready ride springs into action with 100-millimeters of DW-link suspension to eat up the rocks and roots, while its wagon wheels power you through the miles earning KOM's left and right. The 2018 Mach 429SL carries on with the same geometry loved by XC speed demons, with the stretched out rear-axle that was upgraded last year to stiffen your wheel for snappier actuation, and the flexibility to swap your wheelset out for a plush 27.5+ hoop when you want a bit more forgiveness, and supple traction that sends you beyond the beaten path and dive into the backcountry.

To achieve this singletrack-to-backcountry versatility, the 429SL uses new-school racing geometry paired with supple and responsive DW-link suspension. Throwing these two features together results in a ride that has incredibly quick, nimble handing, with plush travel to soak up the rocks and roots along the way. In order to create this quick-handling platform, the 420SL uses a steep 70.3-degree head tube angle that keeps you forward for fast maneuvering in your attack position, paired with an equally-steep 72.9-degree seat tube angle that holds you centered in the cockpit for maximum power output. The bike uses a short top tube, and is paired with a longer XC-friendly stem length to keep your bike responding fast to every movement you make. This short and forward stance not only keeps you in a great XC-race position, but also lends to long-ride comfort for endurance racing or deep adventures into the backcountry.

The latest iteration of DW-link is paired with a Fox Float DPS Kashima coated shock that's been fine-tuned specifically for the 429SL. Its tune works to soak up square edge bumps without bobbing and squat, allowing maximum pedaling efficiency when you have long, punchy, and technical climbs. The way the travel works keeps your tires locked to the ground for constant traction enabling instant acceleration and fast power transfer. The Fox Float DPS shock offers settings that are designed to offer you a plush feel when heading downhill, with control over damping and firm handling when you need to punch up fast climbs. We aren't here to convince you that the 429SL's 100-millimeters of suspension will soak up every boulder you encounter, nor will we tell you it rides like a long-travel bike when its pointed downhill, but we will say this short-travel 29'er has a sense of adventure that goes beyond logic. It cushions blow bigger than we'd expect, which we'd attribute to a combination of its wider 12 x 142mm rear Boost spacing, DW-link's linear suspension that ramps through travel, and the tendency 29ers have to roll over rocks with little resistance.

The Mach 429 SL is made from Pivot's hollow-core carbon fiber, which is engineered with a layup designed for maximum structural strength, with minimal material use to create a lightweight bike that's stronger without excess weight. Backed with Pivot's new 10-year warranty, we think you can delve into the bike with confidence that it is tough enough to stand up to the hardest riding you throw at it.

The Mach 429 SL Carbon 29 Race X01 Eagle brings some pocket-consciousness to the build, without skimping on the huge gear range that Eagle has to offer. It compiles an assortment of GX Eagle and X01 Eagle components to give you snappy shifting, and a 50-tooth bailout cog that gives you relief when your climbs feel nearly vertical. It uses a Fox 34 Performance fork that offers 120mm of travel to match the rear shock, and when pairs with the Fox Float DPS in back you'll find it soaks up blows and smooths out any ride.