The Pivot Mach 5 is a quantum leap in trail bike technology. This is a bike that truly excels in all types of terrain. With 5.4 inches of bump devouring travel, the Mach 5 easily smooths everything in its path, while the DW-Link's "position sensitive anti-squat" technology ensures that there's no bob on the climbs or out of the corners. Even aggressive pedaling does not compress the suspension, making technical climbing a breeze.
The Mach 5's patented suspension delivers unbelievable performance whether the bump is small or large and our incredibly stiff linkage results in supremely precise handling in every situation. The Mach 5 redefines what you thought a trail bike could be.
Submitted by
Simon Huang
a Weekend Warrior
from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Date Reviewed: November 19, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Kiara Trail
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$5900.00
Purchased At:
KSh Kuala Lumpur
Strengths:
This Pivot 5 climb like a mountain goat with no sag or bob. It is even better when going downhill. Practically even out all obstacles. No need to choose particular lines, just roll over. Very stable & steady. Making you feel confident. Really enjoy riding it. The DW-Link is marvellous !. Very glad to own this "Iron- Horse"
Weaknesses:
Pretty heavy 30lbs, probably is my rim sets. Experience "chain-sucks" when the drive chain gets dirty with muds. The Pivots get squeaky over time. Periodical service solve the problem.
Similar Products Used:
Santa Cruz Nomad,
Bike Setup:
xt crank, front deraileur,back deraileur. Rockshock 140mm Revelation absorber, Thompson seat post & stem, Wtb saddle,SLX brake disc-brake sets and mavic rim extreme 721 series.
Bottom Line:
Proud to own this bike. Will recommend my friends to own them as well.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Senor StrongBad
a Weekend Warrior
from Spartanburg, SC, USA Date Reviewed: October 21, 2009
Favorite Trail:
South Side
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$5500.00
Purchased At:
Everywhere
Strengths:
Pedaling. Looks. fun factor. Fork. wheels. Stiffness. compliance.
Weaknesses:
Non so far.
Similar Products Used:
non
Bike Setup:
Blue frame. Rockshox revelation dual air 20mm axle. Crossmax sx wheels. Chris king inset headset. Thomson stem and seat post. XT disc brakes and Crankset. Sram X.0 shifters and rear derailliur. XTR front D. Kenda Nevegal 2.35 front and Small block 8 2.1 back. Ritchey WCS handlebars. Rocket SLT seat. Ergon grips. Time Atack Z pedals.
Bottom Line:
I wanted to have the best bike in all of South Carolina, so I went with a custome built Pivot Mach 5. I did all the research and did not scimp on anything. I feel I have made a wise choice. The bike is amazing. I highly recomend the revelation over the talas anyday. I really like the remote lock out feature and how quickly and often I am able to use it. The fork is a lot nicer then my fox and Marzocchi. This bike is as fun as a kona on the down hills and is as fast as a hardtail cannondale on the up hills. It is easy to steer and sticks its line beautifully. I have never had to flip the rp23's propedal lever and I have no trouble making it up the tuffest of climbs. I have been very impressed with its abilities to go up and down a trail with such ease. You can stand up and power away at anytime or you can stay seated and crank out the pedal strokes, it does not matter to this bike as it will keep moving forward with ease. I was going to get a Trek Fuel EX9 but kept reading that I should get a Pivot Mach 5 instead. So I test rode both of them and while the Trek is worth the money the Pivot blows me away. This is one bike that is worth saving up for. If you are looking at anything else, stop and save up a couple more bucks and get the Pivot, you will not be disapointed.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
epicmtb
a Cross Country Rider
from Granada Hills, CA Date Reviewed: October 1, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Sycamore Canyon
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
speedgoat.com
Strengths:
Quality build, inovative suspension design, simple profile, suspension is set and forget, firm yet fluid
Medium 2010 frame kit, XT drivetrain, 2010 Crossmax ST rims, Nevegal 2.35 UST tires, Elixer R brakes, Thompson seatpost, Easton EA70 Monkey Bar, Tioga MX Pro pedals.
Bottom Line:
I had a demo Mach 5 for a week and fell in love with the bike! Loved my Enduro S-works until then, but afterwards couldn't stop thinking about the Mach 5! Ordered from speedgoat exactly as I wanted. They are fantastic! Bike arrived perfect. Piddled around with the suspension before finally reading Pivot's instructions. After setting up using their guidelines (30% rear sag and 2 clicks off firmest rebound) the bike came to life! Better than I remembered from the demo. Bike jumps forward with every pedal stroke. No bob, yet fluid over rocky terrain. Slices and dices like a Ginsu knife! Point and shoot steering. I beg you, don't demo this bike unless you have the $$ to buy one. You won't be happy until you do!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
DAS
a Cross Country Rider
from Huntley, IL USA Date Reviewed: October 1, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Kettle Moraine
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Speedgoat
Strengths:
Frame stiffness; pedaling efficiency; small bump compliance; composure and stability at speed
I thought VPP was about as good as it could get for agressive XC and trail riding but I have been blown-away by the DW-link system on the Pivot. The frame is soooo stiff and solid. The sensation that the bike actually gets more composed the faster you ride it is true! I fly over rough terrain that I use to fear on other 5-inch bikes. There does not seem to be any loss of power when hammering up hills or out of slow turns. Unbelievably for all this efficiency and stiffness it soaks up small bumps like magic. Fantastic bike for epic trail rides, agressive XC riding or marathon racing.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
debodawg
a Cross Country Rider
from Milpitas, Calif Date Reviewed: September 20, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Purisma Giant Salamander
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$5000.00
Purchased At:
Tred Cambell, Calif
Strengths:
Excellent climbing and acceleration out of turns
uou can ride in a higher gear than with other bikes
no peddle bob, very nimble.
Weaknesses:
Not Cheap - Your stuck with factory bottom bracket and head bearings. unique rear derailleur hanger, every one wants to ride it.
Similar Products Used:
Ibis, Titus, Trek Ex9 Fuel
Bike Setup:
Sram shiffers XO and R drailleur, XTR Crank Front derailleur, Stans Rims 355, Chris King Hubs, Formula Oro brakes, And Turbo Gravity Dropper seat Post, Itallia SLR saddle. I built this up from a frame set i bought.
Bottom Line:
The DW link rocks. I road the Ibis and it flexed too much. THis bike is stiff, very fast. You find yourself hitting things you would have only dreamed of the week before. After your first ride your sold. It is very forgiving.
I'm short 5'7 170lbs. with this bike I can climb/ decend faster go over roots, ruts and rocks with ease. Excelerates like a hard tail with after burners. I knocked off 15 minutes off my lap times saratoga gap to russian ridge and back.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mingloid
a Cross Country Rider
from Singapore Date Reviewed: August 10, 2009
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Incredible engineering! Just look at the cutting edge innovations that Pivot DARED to push! Powers through rooty, rocky sections, downhill or up.
Weaknesses:
No bottle cage mounts on the small. High seat clamp on the medium.
Similar Products Used:
Santa Cruz Superlight, Turner Burner, Turner Flux (Horst Link).
My transition from 4" XC frames to the Mach 5 was ugly. Rode it as I would my XC bike and found it hard to get back on the seat (high BB) after bailing on technical sections. Also, the adrenalin rush from riding close to the limits was gone, as the Mach 5 smoothed out the trails.
After a couple of rides, I saw the light! Ride it fast, and the Mach 5 just powers through sections that I would have lost traction or bailed on my 4" bike. Ride faster than you normally would, and the adrenalin rush comes back, as the Mach 5 eats all you can dish out!
Great for the weekend 'races' with the guys and also for long rides and endurance races.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Don
a Racer
from Akron, OH USA Date Reviewed: August 1, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Vultures Knob
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
Stiff front to back, firm pedaling, outstanding handling. The faster you ride it the better it handles.
Weaknesses:
Demo bike so my stem, bar, etc choices would be different.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized enduro, Kona Coiler are my current bikes.
Bike Setup:
XT build with Float with the 15 mil axle
Bottom Line:
Rode the mach 5 about two hours in PA. That bike is so fast. It has a firm feel at the pedals, which a lot of people have heard about, but what was even better was the handling. So confident thru tight twisty, narrow tree trails. I found myself looking farther down the trail and relaxing. And this bike just wants to be ridden faster and faster. And the faster you ride it the better it handles. Their brochure says "it comes alive with speed" and that is so true. I also rode the Firebird and that thing feels like your floating above the trail. I was blasting over big rocks at speed that I never would have attempted on either of my bikes. And the Firebird has the same firm feel at the cranks.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
DaleTR
a Cross Country Rider
from Longmont, CO Date Reviewed: July 29, 2009
Favorite Trail:
too many
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$5000.00
Purchased At:
various
Strengths:
Rear Suspension & handling. Incredible climbing while seated with the rear suspension. able to easilly out-climb a well matched friend on his 4" race bike just from the bump absorption & ability to pedal seated. tight, quick handling for a 5.5" bike.
Weaknesses:
Bottle cage almost unusable, Front Deraillur mounting & adjustment in build (works great once set up...), cable rounting for front set of guides is VERY tight. NOT cheap, but what High end boutique bike is?
Similar Products Used:
Yeti 575, Titus moto Lite, Titus Racer-x, Rocky Mountain Element, GT duallie, Bontrager Race Lite
Bike Setup:
Talas 140, RP23, Crossmax SLR, X0 grip shift, XTR crank, Thomson/Ritchey, low rise Monkey lite XC bars, Schwable Racing Ralph 2.25. Built up weight = 25.9 lbs
Bottom Line:
Extremely happy, great, quick handling bike with excellent rear suspension function. small bumps disappear, big hits muted. Climbs extremely well seated, plush & "squishy" but accelerates well & feels efficient.
Descending, bike is FAR more capable than this rider. stable & well mannered, but quick enough to not require huge inputs. very little brake jack or feedback. Wish my skills matched the capability.. old age is keeping me from riding what I know I can. DO ride lines I never considered before, over & into stuff I never thought of at speed on previous bikes.
Does great on long backcountry slogs and races so well the Racer-X is for sale. a great "overall" bike. does it all VERY well.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bjorn W
a Weekend Warrior
from Portland Oregon USA Date Reviewed: April 16, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Macdonald Dunn Forest
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$4100.00
Purchased At:
Cyclepath
Strengths:
It climbs better than any bike I have ever ridden. There is very little bounce in the suspension when climbing, but I have more traction than I ever did with my old bike. I also really like that the particular frame I have was made in my town, Portland Oregon. I think that currently frames are not made in the US though.
Weaknesses:
The only thing I don't like is that I would like the seat to be higher when climbing, but in order to be able to throw my leg over and jump on I have to have it lower than I'd like. This is my first full suspension though and I think it might just be a common trait.
Similar Products Used:
Test rode full suspension Blur, Blur LT, and Specialized FSR.
Bike Setup:
Mach 5 with the standard XT setup listed on their website
Bottom Line:
I really like this bike and give it 5 Chili's all the way. I had a hard time justifying the price when I bought it but having had it for a year I think it was worth it. Also Cyclepath on MLK in Portland is a really great store to buy a bike from.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mcstumpy
a Cross Country Rider
from Merrimack, NH Date Reviewed: February 20, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Todays Ride
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$4200.00
Purchased At:
JRA in Medford MA
Strengths:
The Mach 5 is great at Climbing, smoothing out rock gardens, ripping downhill stuff, railing tight singletrack corners and just in general being a good bike.
Weaknesses:
After riding 3-5 days a week for over 6 months now I really can not come up with anything here. OK here is one after thinking long and hard, with my medium frame I cannot fit a large water bottle, not much of an issue for me I ride with a camelback but for some...
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Stumpy FSR Comp
Yeti 575
GT Zaskar
Bike Setup:
Medium Gunmetal Mach 5 Frame
Talas 140mm and RP23 wide open (30% very important)
XT Crank
XTR pods and derailleurs
XT wheels with Conti Mountain King 2.4 tubeless (Stans)
Thompson Stem 90mm with 10degree, and Thompson set back post
Easton Carbon high rise bar
XTR 970 pedals
Bottom Line:
On paper you can say there are better FS bikes out there. People say "Pivots are heavy" and "I hear they are not plush". To those folks I say demo one and find out for yourself what the Mach 5 is all about.
I have been riding for about 15 years now and I feel like I took a huge jump as a rider when I started riding this bike. I have more ability with this bike and it isn't just one thing that makes the bike good it is a combination of things.
DW_link suspension (with the RP23 set up at 30% sag) is a big part of the equation but its also balance and geometry as well. I made some adjustments on the cockpit to a high rise bar and a 10 degree stem and now this bike is just so solid and balanced. Once you get the fit down this thing just rolls over everything, just POINT AND PEDAL! It really is a great machine and if you are in the market for a high end FS All Mountain/XC bike at very least demo one.
For me I was not in the market for a new bike at all, I had just got my Specialized really dialed in and I took one for a couple of rides (Thank you Brian at JRA) when I took the demo back I ordered a Mach 5.
It will make you better, now I ride one of my other bikes and I can do things on them that I never tried before because the Pivot just gives you that confidence to try things. The Stumpy is 2lbs lighter but I ride the Pivot more because I am better on it, even on the ups.
Bottom Line.......Great bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
therock
a Downhiller
from Livermore Date Reviewed: January 23, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Pleasanton Ridge
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
The new Mach 5 Pivot really climbs like no other bike. The bike had very smooth pedal strokes with the new internal bottom bracket. The bike was very responsive through the single track trails and appeared to absorb all the bumps very well.
Weaknesses:
I am 6-2 and a large frame bike felt slightly cramped for me. The water bottle is very cramped with the rear shock in the way when you try to go for pro-pedal to normal. The pivot color options are rather plain if that is an important feature for you. The bike felt a little shakey on rocky decents. The bike is definately built more for trail and cross country riding.
Bike Setup:
Demo bike had Shimano XT equipment and Kenda tires
Bottom Line:
Great bike for trail or cross country riding. Anyone who wants a bike that turns quickly and climbs fast this is the bike. However, if going down rocky terrain is your thing more of the "all mountain" type of riding I would wait to see the Pivot Firebird. I hear the Pivot Firebird has 6 inch travel but climbs like the Mach 5. I would demo all these bikes before making the investment.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Velodude2112
a Cross Country Rider
from Gainesville, FL, USA Date Reviewed: January 21, 2009
Favorite Trail:
San Felasco / Santos
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Chain Reaction Bicyc
Strengths:
I am a shop owner and have had the good fortune to ride a good many bikes. However, the Mach 5 shines. The bike is extremely well balanced. My center of gravity is very well placed over the center of the bike making for a very predictable ride. The bike is extremely stiff laterally, but is very comfortable vertically. The bike is extremely efficient and pedals smoothly with no noticeable pedal input to the suspension. the bike corners like a rocket sled on rails. 15 mm through axle!!!
Weaknesses:
The frame is a bit heavy, but that is not noticeable while riding, it is only noticeable on the shop scale.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Stumpy S-Works 06 and 07, S-Works Enduro 07
Bike Setup:
Fox F140RLC 15mm through axle, DT Swiss EXC1750 Enduro Wheels white, XTR cranks, shifters, brakes, rear derailleur, XT front integrated derailleur, White FSA Seatpost, White Truvativ, stem and handlebar, Oury Lock-ons, Specialized Rival SL Saddle White, Speedplay Frog Stainless pedals, Specialized Purgatory 26x2.2 2bliss control tires. 26.5lbs as built. Could drop some weight in tires stem seat post and handle bar.
Bottom Line:
This bike rails the trails and is a competent climber. When things get technical and start heading downhill, get out of the way and let the bike roll, the Pivot Mach 5 begs to be pushed as hard as you can downhill!
I also just did a 50 mile eco-challenge on mostly single track, the bike is heavier than my race rig but I still felt fresh and ready to go at the end of the day.
So, for epic adventures and all mountain fun, this bike shines.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
wahusky
a Cross Country Rider
from Reno, NV Date Reviewed: January 10, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Black Canyon
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$4800.00
Purchased At:
Bicycle Bananas
Strengths:
Ride. Weight. Build quality.
Weaknesses:
Price, but is the case w/ any bike of this caliber. Not sold on the saddle. Magura SL's a little squishy
Similar Products Used:
Blur, Bullit, Superlight, Yeti 575, Scott Spark 10, Niner jet9, Specialized FSR-XC to name a few
Bike Setup:
Full XTR build
Bottom Line:
Love this bike.
The suspension vanishes beneath you. It just does it's job, w/o you noticing bob, impaired power transfer. You will find that you are traveling faster than you have before, with more control.
This bike climbs very well, even better than the Spark 10 in my opinion. It maintains its course, whereas the Scott is all over the place (expected given race geometry).
My medium, without pedals = 26# 2oz. (Mach 4 XT, large, weighed 26# 7oz)
An interesting side-note, I test rode a Mach 4 w/ XT build before purchasing. The XT brakes were more crisp than the Magura Marta SL's. The XT's were maybe even too abrupt. The Magura's feel almost soft, but this has improved with use.
Can't give 5 Chili value to anything costing >10x my first car...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
geogecko
a Cross Country Rider
from Oklahoma, USA Date Reviewed: January 10, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Turkey Mountain
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Oklahoma Velo Sports
Strengths:
DW-Link has to be the best strength.
Weaknesses:
Price, maybe? The cable holders on the top tube near the headset are very close to the weld. This makes for a sharp entry of the cables, which isn't a big deal, but people may want to consider replacing the plastic SIS end caps on their cables with aluminum ones, to keep them from being disfigured.
Similar Products Used:
No FS bikes, first one. Considered a Santa Cruz Heckler or Blur.
Bike Setup:
XTR all around, Carbon Syntace bars and post, Magura Marta SL's.
Bottom Line:
The Mach 5 is supposed to be geared towards All Mountain riders, but I think the XTR setup is more towards XC riding, which is probably 90% of what I do. I came from a 2004 Gary Fisher Tassajara, so it took me a while to realize exactly what I was riding with this new Pivot. About half way through my first ride, I was kind of expecting a little more out of it. I realized that I wasn't really paying attention to how the bike was handling, so decided to start looking. Once I realized sections of the trail I was going over where things I would have either avoided, walked, or crashed on, I finally noticed. This bike makes me ride better, and the situations that I find myself in that normally caused me to crash, I can now just power through with brute force, and magically make it through. It's almost as if I'm cheating. I have yet to fall of the bike.
I have the 2009 version, and the RP23 seems just perfect, following Fox's initial setup. I will probably tweak it some, but it seemed like it had the right amount of travel, and everything. I even had Pro Pedal turned off through my whole ride, and didn't feel like there was any annoying pedal bob.
I was thinking about giving it 4 chilis for the value, but I think with everything considered, it will be worth the cash. Like someone else said, the best is not cheap.
Oh, and for the person talking about the adjustment of the front derailleur, I thought I was screwed for trying to adjust it (wasn't adjusted correctly at the factory), but after a little thinking, it was actually easy. You can reach the front most screw by going between the chain rings, and the back most screw by going through one of the chain ring bolts (good thing they are hollow!). I was pretty ticked at first, thinking how could they design it this way, but that quickly turned into thinking these guys were genus.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
USMCTank
a Weekend Warrior
from Cary, NC Date Reviewed: November 1, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Beaver Dam, New Light, 286
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$3400.00
Purchased At:
Bought from my broth
Strengths:
5.5 travel, XT components are good, light 28 lbs, looks very nice and well made.
Weaknesses:
none yet
Similar Products Used:
Santa Cruz Blur LT, Specialized Rockhopper
Bike Setup:
All XT, Salsa, WTB Pure Seat, Lizard Lock ons
Bottom Line:
Point this bike and go, it hooks up really well and likes to fly. I took the small block 8 off the rear and run 2.35 nevagals fr/rear and traction is great. Bike climbs like a goat(DW works), XT brakes work well. XT shifters do good job. I dumped the grips it came with and put the Lizard Skin lock on's on. Red ano Salsa skewers and seat clamp all around. Love this bike
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bondseye
a Cross Country Rider
from Raleigh, North Carolina, USA Date Reviewed: October 14, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Brian Head, Gooseberry
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
Franks Cycles
Strengths:
DW Link, Dw Link, Dw Link.
Weaknesses:
Difficult to manage on steep, technical, loose climbs .
Similar Products Used:
Five spot (TNT and Horst), Blur LT, Flux Horst link, Intense 5.5, Truth.
Bike Setup:
fox Talas with the rest of Pivots lower end build.
Bottom Line:
This is a seriously fun bike that gets seriously intense in a hurry. It's hard to just cruise along. The bike demands that you push it, and rewards the effort with crisp DW Link power transfer. Steady climbs are a breeze, Down hill runs are hurricane fast. The bike handles better the faster you go.
At slower speeds it takes somewhat more concentration, but the trade off at mach 5 is worthwhile. It's a point and shoot bike which is great - the problem is you need to point. If your mind wanders at slower speeds the bike quickly wanders with you. Counter steering can be dramatic as the back end is easy to flip around. It nearly got me in trouble on a few occasions, but it was a blast in tight, technical terrain. This is a single track missile both in and out of turns. It's easy to cary speed if you have the courage to stay off the brakes.
Logs, rocks and other obstacles disappear. Rock gardens are easily mastered, G-outs are a cinch, this is an xc stiff feeling 5.5 rear suspension, but it seems to get the job done every time.
The only area on my local trail I had trouble with was a very steep, very loose climb that I master every time on my flux in the middle ring. I tried several techniques on the Mach 5 and found the only way to clean it was going old school with a slightly off the saddle granny gear spin being careful to find a balance between front and rear wheels. With my weight back or on the seat the front end wanders, conversely too much weight forward and the rear wheel breaks loose,skips, and spins.
On other less technical climbs I did more experimenting. I had heard you can climb a DW-Link while standing so I purposely went into a steep in far too high a gear, stood, and mashed right up without a hint of Bob, Jack, or even Fred for that matter. Try that on your Dad's suspension design.
Bottom line I'd recommend this bike to anyone who wants a fun, capable ride and enjoys traveling at the highest possible speed. It may even be borderline race ready if you build it light.
If you're a cruise slow with the wife kind of rider, or into endurance riding I'd suggest looking elsewhere.
Value 4 roasted fire pickles as it's pricey, but not bad for DW-Link.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
WaState
a Weekend Warrior
from Kirkland, WA Date Reviewed: September 14, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Barn Burner
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1750.00
Purchased At:
The Downhill Zone
Strengths:
Lateral stiffness, pedaling efficiency
Weaknesses:
Low front end, no room for coil shock
Similar Products Used:
Intense 5.5, Intense Uzzi SL, Ellsworth Moment, Santa Cruz Nomad, Santa Cruz Superlight, Santa Cruz Heckler, Ventana El Ciclon, Titus Switchblade, Titus Quasi-Moto, Ventana LaBruja
Bike Setup:
Rock Shox Lyrik, XTR cranks, XTR front derailleur, XO shifters and rear derailleur, Thomson post and stem, Industry Nine all mountain wheelset, Easton Monkeylite riser bar, Hope headset, Nevegal tires, XT disc brakes
Bottom Line:
Really nice bike. It does what they say it does. It pedals really well, better than any bike I've ridden and is laterally very stiff. It goes where you point it. With that being said, it's not for everyone. It is not for someone looking for a plush bike. The ride is more what I would term "controlled". Even though it seems odd, the rear suspension feels like the Moment. It's not harsh, but it certainly isn't what you'd call plush. it seems to use only as much travel as is necessary without pushing any knobs. You don't think you're using the travel, but when you look down at the shock, the travel ring is buried at full travel. Aggressive trail riders or dual slalom types would love this bike. It most certainly doesn't wallow in its travel.
This bike is what I call a 5.5 killer. I've owned an Intense 5.5 and this bike is far superior. It pedals better, has NO pedal feedback and is WAY stiffer. If you're thinking of a 5.5, don't do it. Get a Pivot.
The only real negatives are personal to me, not everyone. I would like the option of running a coil shock in the rear, but there isn't enough clearance with the top tube, so you're stuck with a small bodied air shock. In addition, the front end is very low. That's by design, but I don't personally like it. I threw on a Lyrik and high rise bar to offset the low front end. I know the low front end is great for climbing, but I prefer descending to climbing. Even with the Lyrik it still climbs great.
I won't go so far as to say it's the greatest bike ever made, but it's really nice. In the hands of the right rider, it might be the best bike on the market, but if you're looking for serious cush, look elsewhere.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
metelhead
a Weekend Warrior
from Portland Date Reviewed: September 4, 2008
Favorite Trail:
All!
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$4000.00
Strengths:
Suspension is absolutely amazing- there when you want and gone when you don't....Climbing is stunning- you just can't believe its grabbing-defies logic at times!And go fast downhill rock gardens nearly disappear- Honestly the only thing hold back the bike is the Fork you use- I have ridden so many full suspension bikes over the years but the Pivot DW is arms and hands above everything I have tried. Don't take my word for it- go try it for yourself.
Weaknesses:
If it was less expensive that would be great- but the best has a price! And you will get Much more than you pay for!
If it could be light Without sacrificing stiffness I'd take it...but I'm sitting at 26.75 lbs and have owned lighter just they just couldn't come close to the performance s0 the weight is right on with the Pivot in my book!
Similar Products Used:
You name it- I've owned it or ridden it- Obsessive MTB'er!
Most recently HAD a mojo and before that had Spyder, before that FSR and Blur- and before that Motolite.....on and on.
Bike Setup:
All the goodies- King, Xo, Fox, xt/xtr, avid and much more
Bottom Line:
The Price of admission is steep- the the perfomance is planetary- I have never been moved to write a review here on anything before this.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
scottyferrari
a Weekend Warrior
from Portland, Oregon Date Reviewed: July 22, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Phil's Trail (Bend)
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$4700.00
Purchased At:
Cycle Path Portland
Strengths:
Excellent suspension blend of compliance and stiffness, gorgeous welds, "It Just WORKS!"
Weaknesses:
Ignoring the capabilities, one could argue about price or weight--but really none.
Similar Products Used:
Titus Switchblade, Titus Motolite, Specialized Enduros
Bike Setup:
XT Crank, XT front der. + XTR shifter, SRAM X-9 rear der. + X-0 trigger, XT Brakes, DT240 wheels with Stans rims. Thompson post and stem, Monkeylite bar, Conti All Mountain tires, Talus fork, Time pedals (28 pounds)
Bottom Line:
(Background--I'm 46, 195 pounds, and have been riding off road since the late '80's. I like all cross country to all mountain riding--no jumps over 3 feet for me.) This is the best bike I have ever ridden. It replaced a 2006 Motolite that I could never quite get comfortable on. Riding this is like my first rides on a full suspension bike coming from a hardtail. Specifically, this suspension design (DW link) give good in the saddle pedalling stiffness (a good "platform"), even better out of of the saddle stiffness, yet shows incredible small and large bump compliance. I'm 5'11" and went with a large frame and it fits great. I do agree with a previous post that it lacks slightly in ultra-tight turning situations, but it gains in higher speed stability. This is splitting hairs, though. For the first time in years I can't wait until I can ride again (understand, I am always up for a ride--just now it is like waiting for Christmas morning).
One last point--I still have my Switchblade and love that bike as well. I also agree that people tend to post that their current bike is "da bomb" because they just laid down serious coin to get it. I'm trying in this review to ignore that--the bike is just that good.
Cycle Path was phenomenal to work with, and they kept switching out stems and seat posts until the fit was dialed.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
drx523
a Cross Country Rider
from Michigan Date Reviewed: July 18, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Pontiac Lake
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$4600.00
Purchased At:
Trails Edge
Strengths:
Rear suspension (DW-link), ability to pick and hold onto any line you can think of, descending, railing corners, quality of frame welds
Weaknesses:
Due to the 69 degree head tube angle it seems "only just good" at low speed super tight turns, but I don't think the bike is really designed for these types of trails.
Similar Products Used:
Upgraded from an older s-works epic
Bike Setup:
Fox Talas fork/RP23 shock, XT front derailleur, XTR BB, ritchey headset, Chris King wheelset with mavic xc 717 rims & salsa skewers, kenda nevegal 2.35 (front), kenda karma 2.2 (rear), race face next SL riser bar & evolve XC stem, Avid ultimate brakes (7" front, 6" rear), X-0 twist shifters, FSA afterburner crank, X-9 rear derailleur, thomson seatpost, WTB Laser SLT saddle
Bottom Line:
This bike is amazing! I love riding it. It gives me a lot more confidence while descending and the effortless suspension allows me to maintain more momentum on the trail then on the epic, which now feels twitchy by comparison. The bike floats over most trail obstacles, which makes me feel somewhat disconnected from the trail (especially considering that I first starting riding a fully rigid bike 16 years ago), but it still handles like its on rails, and the ability to carry so much more speed is addicting.
I haven't noticed any pedal bob from the rear suspension, but you will get some pedal induced action from the Talas. Definitely follow pivot's recommendations on setting up proper sag of the shock, and make sure to routinely run the fork wide open. I've found that if you run it with even slightly less sag, the bike feels almost ordinary, but with the recommended sag, the ride is magical.
I wasn't too excited about the build kits that come standard from Pivot, but I was able to work with my LBS to create my dream bike. Although its not cheap, the bike is still a great value. The bike weighs about 28 pounds fully built, but rides a lot like a lot lighter bike. At 5' 11" I also went with the large frame size, which fits me well.
I was also a speed racer fan as a little kid, and its cool to ride a bike named the mach 5.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mmihevc
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver, CO Date Reviewed: July 3, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Lair of the Bear and Three Sisters
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$5000.00
Purchased At:
Uno Bicycle Studio
Strengths:
I think sometimes people tend to rank their bikes extra high because they paid so much money for them, they feel like they must or they are admitting they wasted their money. I am going to try and be reasonable about this bike.
I haven't ridden a lot of bikes of this type, but I love riding this bike. It corners incredibly well and it rolls over rocks really well with the Talus fork. The anodized blue is beautiful with the red accents. With the narrower bottom bracket, the front derailleur shifts incredibly smoothly and quickly.
I was a big speed racer fan when I was a kid and I love the name. My 5 year old son thinks it is so sweet I have a bike called the Mach 5 and I have to admit, I do as well. I'll hold off on wearing the silk neck scarf though.
I named her Trixy because I didn't want to think about going out and riding Speed Racer all the time.
Weaknesses:
The Ritchie handle bar that comes with the XT setup is kind of a piece of junk. The top tube on the Mach 5 is much longer than my Santa Cruz Superlight I have been riding for years. I had to swap out the neck for a 90mm neck and carbon Salsa bars with a 10 degree rise. This made the position more comfortable and now I feel like I am riding the bike instead of it riding me.
Similar Products Used:
I've tried the Titus El Guapo and the Rocky Mountain Element and SXC. I felt like I was sitting up too high and leaning back on the Titus while the Rocky Mountains felt heavy for the price.
Mainly I have been riding a Superlight for the past 7 years. I really liked this bike because it was light and it fit me really well. But, the suspension in the Pivot is eons better and it is much much faster on the downhill.
Bike Setup:
I went with the straight XT kit, but I did the DT Swiss wheel upgrade. The DT Swiss wheels are so light and smooth. They are totally worth the extra money. I also swapped out the 40 lb Ritchie handle bar for the Carbon Salsa. I bought a new pair of the Egg Beaters which are my favorite pedals.
Bottom Line:
The Mach 5 is an incredible bike. I can stand on the pedals when I am climbing without losing momentum and the bike is just so smooth.
I dinged it one on value because it's not perfect. Besides call me old, but $5,000 is a lot of money for a bike. I know no one is out there getting rich off of these bikes and I didn't have to go out and get such a sweet machine but I'm embarrassed to tell my non biking friends how much my bike cost.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Evil Patrick
a Cross Country Rider
from Austin, TX Date Reviewed: June 18, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Too many great ones to pick a "fav"!
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Cycle Progression
Strengths:
The DW-Link (zero-bob from pedaling). Uber-stiff frame design. Good geometry. Cables well routed. Great bearing design. Great hardware design. Great front dérailleur set-up. Great bottom bracket design. Nice zero-stack headset.
Weaknesses:
Not as plush as a 4-bar. In my opinion, the rear wheel will lock up and skid under braking forces that on a 4-bar, would be easier to modulate. I'll get used to this and change my riding style to accommodate.
Similar Products Used:
I've never had a DW-link or similar design before this bike, so no "Similar Product Used"
Bike Setup:
Fox 36 Van, I9s w/ 2.5/2.4 F/R, XT/Sram mix, Thompson post and stem, Hopes
Bottom Line:
This thing rails! I was a bit concerned about putting the 36 Van on the front, but Alex at Cycle Progression (512) 447-7764 allowed me to take one of his showroom Pivots and swap my fork into it and test ride it prior to buying. I think the bike handles GREAT! Granted, I came from a Quasimoto that was even more choppered out by that 36, so the Pivot geometry settled it down a bit and it really carves the trails at high speed as opposed to the choppered Quasi that tended to have a mind of its own.
The Pivot isn't nearly as plush as the Quasi, but the trade-off is that it's much "snappier" and has better handling. The "snappy" is all DW and the handling is updated geometry.
This build came out at 30 lbs on the nose. I dropped 2 lbs from the Quasi with this frame swap.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Wood70
a Cross Country Rider
from Durango, CO Date Reviewed: June 17, 2008
Favorite Trail:
High Country Epics
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Cycle Progression
Strengths:
Solid responsive ride, great climber and smooth descender. Rails through corners and very stable at high speeds. Frame appears very well built, sturdy with no noticeable flex, durable paint and is just beautiful to look at.
Weaknesses:
none found and the bike is thoroughly broken in with 30+ rides.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized FSR
Gary Fisher Sugar 2+
Bike Setup:
Pivot Cycles XT package (Full Shimano XT, Tubeless XT wheels, Kenda Nevegal 2.35, Fox Talas RLC, Fox RP23)
Bottom Line:
Best full suspension bike I've ridden by far. Light weight five inch travel bike at 27 lbs with XT kit. Perfect choice for all day epics I love to do and plenty fun for shorter rides. The Mach 5 climbs great with no pedal bob and I never use the propedal lockout offroad. Suspension smooths out the bumps going up or down. Confidence inspiring descending on steep technical trails to max velocity single track. I've been riding mountain bikes for 20 years and it just gets better and better with the latest and greatest designs like the Pivot Mach 5. Get one!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ralph
a
from Lexington, SC Date Reviewed: May 29, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Klondike near Moab
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
I rented the Pivot 5 for 4 days in Moab, UT at Poison Spider Cycle shop at $60/day. Costing twice as much as my rental car, I thought the price was unreasonably high until I hit the first climb and descent on the Klondike trail outside of Moab. On the trails mixture of sand, slick rock, dirt and gravel this bike climbed, descended and handled better than any bike I've ridden. My standard mountain bike is a 2002 Titus Switchblade, which I thought was awesome until I tried the Pivot Mach 5. The handling of the Pivot feels like the bike becomes one with the rider. At 6'1", I rented a "large" and now I'm looking to buy my own. My wife (5'3", 125 lbs) rented a "small" and is just as impressed as I am.
I'm not sure of the rake and trail on the Pivot, but I sure like it better than my Titus Switchblade. The Switchblade's steering is very twitchy, but the Pivot's steering is as true as can be. Like I said, it felt like a natural extension of myself.
Weaknesses:
None that I could determine. Rear brake squealed a lot, but that can happen with any bike. I'm sure a minor adjustment would take out that squeal.
Similar Products Used:
Fully loaded 2002 Titus Switchblade (My regular mountain bike)
Bike Setup:
The bike shop set it up for me as I rented it, so I really don't know. I'm sure they used the default settings for my height (6'1") and weight (195 lbs).
Bottom Line:
No matter what level of rider you are, you've got to give this bike a try. The only trouble you'll find yourself in is after you hock your wife's jewelry to buy one. :) To see a few shots of mostly my wife riding on a mild trail in Moab, go to http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=vrider+moab for a look. I was enjoying riding so much that I could never stop to take pictures on the real technical trails, so these shots are on very mild trails at about 4 to 5,000 feet above sea level where I could steer with one hand and shoot with the other.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a Cross Country Rider
from Loveland, CO, USA Date Reviewed: May 18, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Ginny!
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$2500.00
Purchased At:
Peleton
Strengths:
First trail ride was this morning. First off, two disclaimers, the only full susp. bike I have spent real trail time on was my Epic which I owned previous to the Mach 5. Also, I built this from a frame kit so keep that in mind when comparing weight and such. That said, this bike is incredible. The DW link blows the Horst link away! Per Pivot's advice, I ran the rear with 30% sag and the platform switch off. What an awesome technical climber, single track carver and descender. The overall stability was one of the first things that jumped out at me. It's a comfortable bike to ride. I still have a long way to go with dialing in the fork and rear end but I think it will just be icing on the cake. As a side note, it's also a fantastic looking bike. I'm a bit glossy eyed by my first ride so I will try and remember to post again once the honeymoon is over.
Weaknesses:
There are only a few minor things that bug me. 1. The direct mount front deraileur shifts very well however, the two 3mm crews that mount it are very difficult to reach once the cranks are mounted. Not a big deal but if you did need to adjust deraileur height, it would require a bit more effort. 2. My seat post slips. May be the post and it's fixable. 3. I would love it to be a bit lighter. My build came in at just under 28.5lbs with pedals. Not bad but for a recovering weight weeny, it worthy of noting. 4. The sizing on the medium is a little on the big side. My preference would be a shorter seat tube with the same top tube. This is just my own thing and it may be based on more aesthetics than anything but I come from the small frame, long seat post school. The top tube length feels good however and the standover is good forward of the seat tube assembly. All of these issues are barely worthy of noting and the ride definitely drowns them out.
Similar Products Used:
This is really a first in this category. My Epic was a great bike but it was in a totally different realm.
Bike Setup:
Pivot Mach 5 - Medium. Fox TALAS 140 RLC. Avid Juicy 7 brakes, SRAM XO rear deraileur & 990 cassette. XT front Deraileur. SRAM X9 shifters. Easton carbon bar. Thomson x4 100mm x 0deg stem. Ritchey post, WTB saddle. Shimano 959 pedals. Rear wheel - DT 4.2 / Chris King. Front wheel - DT x1800. Tires - Maxxis Ignitor's 2.3 with Stans conversion.
Bottom Line:
I chose this bike to be an all around mountain bike. I went into this looking for something that was fast but very stable. In my opinion, this bike meets my needs very well. It definitely has the feel of the all day do it all bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Carmen
a Weekend Warrior
from Tempe, AZ, USA Date Reviewed: March 16, 2008
Favorite Trail:
National trail
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
South Mountain Cycles
Strengths:
Climbs amazingly well. Firm pedaling platform, but not harsh. Rounds out square edged bumps. No pedal bob even with propedal off. Descends like my FR bike only lighter. The bike seems to virtually disappear on the rough stuff. Fun to jump and tracks well. No brake jack.
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Titus motolite, Yeti 575, various others
Bike Setup:
07 marz Z1 RC2 ETA, mix of xtr/avid/sram. King/mavic wheels,Thompson stem and post, easton bar.
Bottom Line:
I waited 8 years to upgrade my motolite because in my experience there was nothing better out there, but it finally came. This bike is a blast to ride and loves the technical stuff. I was doing a lot of DH/FR to keep it interesting, but suddenly riding XC/AM is fun again! If you're looking for a light,do it all trail bike that does everything well, check out the Mach 5.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
sean murray
a Weekend Warrior
from Rio Verde, AZ Date Reviewed: February 18, 2008
Favorite Trail:
whichever is closest
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$3900.00
Purchased At:
focus cyclery
Strengths:
climbs like a mofo! can power thru just about anything and does it with ease.
Weaknesses:
no XL frame yet.
Similar Products Used:
ibis Mojo, turner 5-spot
Bike Setup:
x-9 build with Talas R fork.
Bottom Line:
I absolutely love this bike! The dw-link setup on this bike works as promised. With the mojo you have a plush jack of all trades bike, that really doesnt excel at one thing. With the Mach 5, you can bomb down rock gardens and rocket up-hill on climbs. When i say rocket, i mean it hauls arse. Doesnt carve as good as the mojo and not as light, but everything else it does alot better.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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