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They actually sell frame only Switchblades in EU for 3.500 EUR (incl. tax).

It may be another market/customer/target group and their connection to Germany (their website comes in English and German only and the e-bike was initially only intended for the EU market I understand), but I hardly know anyone in Germany who has a stock bike. Pretty much all my friends run heavy duty customized (given street prices for certain aftermarket parts are realistically ~60% off MSRP vs. U.S. domestic online shops advertise 20% off at Black Friday as the next slice of bread) or entire custom builds.

Also more generally speaking, I have the impression the average bike in EU is cheaper (AL selected over carbon etc.) and with similar specs a >6000 EUR basic built bike in the home turfs of YT, Canyon, Propain, Radon... may have a more challenging market position.

From what I've read here Pivot is just doing brick and mortar stores a favor. Nothing to be said against that.

However, IMO at that price point of bikes (generally speaking) complete builds should be offered in a VERY basic spec. - in other words full on frame, fork, shock - all the personalization and/or wear & tear and sooner-or-later replacement-items just making the bike a bike over a bunch of parts; ie. I couldn't care less about a >$100 carbon fiber handlebar that I'd replace anyways.
On this note, it is easier to sneak a monthly $200 spend by your s/o vs. one $10K break-the-bank event. *muharhar*
How is it a favor when the brick and mortar can order a frame? I wanted a SC TB3 frame, walked into my local LBS and ordered it.
 
Looks like a nice bike but the small is really a medium, us short people need to move along. I'd rather a company just state they are not going to make a small instead of listing a small that won't fit.
can't really see that ppl 5'4" cant ride this bike in a small. shortish toptube, shortish seattube, low standover shortish reach... should be perfect. The woman i live with rides a bike with similar geo, but with higher standover and longer seat tube. She is 5'6" and says she whould have gotten a size larger if she bought the same bike again. But for her the seat tube length was the limiting factor. A person 5'8" should probably choose the medium. What I can't understand is why they are holding on to the slack seat tube angle and still fairly long seat tube for the given size. But this bike is probably not made for me, but for someone else.
 
How is it a favor when the brick and mortar can order a frame? I wanted a SC TB3 frame, walked into my local LBS and ordered it.
Further up someone was talking about margins of complete builds vs frames (assuming that most folks finish shopping online) #metoo

With about a 30% profit on a 10K bike that is quite a bit more than on your 3K frame only. I am totally guilty on buying the big/warranty relevant stuff at LBS and the throwaway-don't-wanna-hazzle-with-warranties crap parts online too and would be interested in a test ride and possible frame swap if a frame only option for this one was available.

Btw., did not intend to start an OT LBS/online topic, but the different marketing approaches in different regions I find interesting.
 
can't really see that ppl 5'4" cant ride this bike in a small. shortish toptube, shortish seattube, low standover shortish reach... should be perfect. The woman i live with rides a bike with similar geo, but with higher standover and longer seat tube. She is 5'6" and says she whould have gotten a size larger if she bought the same bike again. But for her the seat tube length was the limiting factor. A person 5'8" should probably choose the medium. What I can't understand is why they are holding on to the slack seat tube angle and still fairly long seat tube for the given size. But this bike is probably not made for me, but for someone else.
With a 594 ETT that is really stretched out for someone 5'6" while seated. While standing it's a lot of bike to control unless you like to just smash into things. Someone who is 5'6" that likes a bike like this (I'm 5'6") would choose a medium anyway since 5'6" is typically the tweener size of between small and medium.

If you look at the Ibis Ripmo it is sized more for at least giving the option of nimble vs plow.
 
Further up someone was talking about margins of complete builds vs frames (assuming that most folks finish shopping online) #metoo

With about a 30% profit on a 10K bike that is quite a bit more than on your 3K frame only. I am totally guilty on buying the big/warranty relevant stuff at LBS and the throwaway-don't-wanna-hazzle-with-warranties crap parts online too and would be interested in a test ride and possible frame swap if a frame only option for this one was available.

Btw., did not intend to start an OT LBS/online topic, but the different marketing approaches in different regions I find interesting.
It's not a LBS vs online. It's does noting to help a lost sale. Maybe more people throw money around than I think, but if I'm shopping and have a bunch of high end parts I want to hang on a frame, I'm not buying a complete just to replace 95% of it.
 
It's easy to get frame only if you have a dope bike shop. My LBS orders the bike you want, sells you the frame and then just sells the parts off the frame. Boom...frame only option.
 
It's easy to get frame only if you have a dope bike shop. My LBS orders the bike you want, sells you the frame and then just sells the parts off the frame. Boom...frame only option.
The problem is the parts are such crap on these completes you'd probably only get $1000 back. Not to mention the cranks and rear hub are only compatible with like 1% of bikes.
 
The problem is the parts are such crap on these completes you'd probably only get $1000 back. Not to mention the cranks and rear hub are only compatible with like 1% of bikes.
Exactly I have parts I'd prefer to use. And wouldn't get 3k back from selling off everything. Nor do I want to take the time.
 
Exactly I have parts I'd prefer to use. And wouldn't get 3k back from selling off everything. Nor do I want to take the time.
I still want one of these really bad! I haven't ridden it, but I know it will climb well and just let you beast mode through the gnar. I had a lot of time on the fb27, loved it! But ultimately the wreckoning won out.
 
Coming from a Lenz Lunchbox I would have loved to put one of the 3 157mm rear wheels into the FB29 but there is no frame only option. I called Pivot and the Customer Service confirmed that they will not sell frame only anytime soon and they prob won't ever. Their reasoning is that someone may put the wrong size hub into it and damage the frame etc, this is total BS if you ask me. They just want to increase their margins with complete builds.
I had mentioned to Pivot CS that my build is nicer than their high-end build and I just needed to swap over the parts. I had tried to explain to them that a lot of people like to buy a frame and build it up or change over existing parts and they will lose some business. Apparently Pivot is so hot right now that they don't care about the small percentage of FB29, Switchblades, and 429 Trails that they won't sell in frame only option.

Weak Pivot, very weak..

-Nolan
 
Coming from a Lenz Lunchbox I would have loved to put one of the 3 157mm rear wheels into the FB29 but there is no frame only option. I called Pivot and the Customer Service confirmed that they will not sell frame only anytime soon and they prob won't ever. Their reasoning is that someone may put the wrong size hub into it and damage the frame etc, this is total BS if you ask me. They just want to increase their margins with complete builds.
I had mentioned to Pivot CS that my build is nicer than their high-end build and I just needed to swap over the parts. I had tried to explain to them that a lot of people like to buy a frame and build it up or change over existing parts and they will lose some business. Apparently Pivot is so hot right now that they don't care about the small percentage of FB29, Switchblades, and 429 Trails that they won't sell in frame only option.

Weak Pivot, very weak..

-Nolan
Fortunately for everyone who won't be purchasing a 2018 membership in Club Pivot, there are plenty of other excellent frames available, though not so many compatible with your existing wheels. :(
=sParty
 
The more I think about it the more pissed I am at Pivot. I heard the same thing about the super boost hub confusion when I called last week. If they are so worried about people not understanding their hub standard then use a more common standard! I have generally liked the pivots I have ridden and owned. But they are constantly doing the lame **** we hate about the industry and not helping customers. Not selling frame only just to force people into bikes shops for crap builds is disingenuous and not helping customers in 2018.

Another example is when they released a new Mach 6 in 2016 with the boost rear spacing so they could sell more bikes and parts, but they left the reach ridiculously short and proclaimed long reach is a fad, that a large with 414mm reach is ideal Enduro geometry. Then they proceeded to release bike after bike with modern reach. Even the small switchblade (also a 2016 bike) has a longer reach than the large ‘16 m6. All of those frame are so out of date they’re unsellable, 2 years later!

Another thing is their awful sticker jobs with the brands name written 50 times on a single frame... makes me think Cocalis has a tiny wiener and a big ego.

There are a lot more things to hate about Pivot. Like flexy rear ends, inability to run coil shocks (except for the $1200 one) and severely overpriced builds.
 
Fortunately for everyone who won't be purchasing a 2018 membership in Club Pivot, there are plenty of other excellent frames available, though not so many compatible with your existing wheels. :(
=sParty
Knolly would be happy to sell just the frame to fit his wheel set. At the moment they only have a short and mid travel option.
 
The more I think about it the more pissed I am at Pivot. I heard the same thing about the super boost hub confusion when I called last week. If they are so worried about people not understanding their hub standard then use a more common standard! I have generally liked the pivots I have ridden and owned. But they are constantly doing the lame **** we hate about the industry and not helping customers. Not selling frame only just to force people into bikes shops for crap builds is disingenuous and not helping customers in 2018.

Another example is when they released a new Mach 6 in 2016 with the boost rear spacing so they could sell more bikes and parts, but they left the reach ridiculously short and proclaimed long reach is a fad, that a large with 414mm reach is ideal Enduro geometry. Then they proceeded to release bike after bike with modern reach. Even the small switchblade (also a 2016 bike) has a longer reach than the large '16 m6. All of those frame are so out of date they're unsellable, 2 years later!

Another thing is their awful sticker jobs with the brands name written 50 times on a single frame... makes me think Cocalis has a tiny wiener and a big ego.

There are a lot more things to hate about Pivot. Like flexy rear ends and overpriced builds.
Yeah I've been told that about the hubs.. There isnt any way to mess up the frame of someone were to put a standard 157 hub in the frame. Which I think should have been standard a long time ago. Now with carbon and hydroforming. The chainstays can be shaped with a decent Q factor.
 
Knolly would be happy to sell just the frame to fit his wheel set. At the moment they only have a short and mid travel option.
Apparently Devinci buyers must tend to be smarter than Pivot buyers. Frame only Troy 29er with Super Boost DEVINCI
 
This is already on my radar. I'm thinking about getting the Troy and one of their short travel frames. And just deal with 2 bikes.
 
I think it's a rad bike, I'm just not that rad of a rider to justify this thing, truth be told.

Still I really dig it. To me, it's a perfect park bike.
 
Couple of things I have noticed when reading this thread. You can get a frame only, just have to know who to talk to. I will leave it at that. I don't think the 157mm superboost is a real issue. Now listen, I understand people like to bring their wheel sets over and i do as well. However, I find it easier to sell my old bikes with the sets and then just buy new. I also don't agree with the overpriced builds as compared to a niner or yeti or ibis. I think Pivot has some very aggressive price points and components. I would be naive to say that I don't ride Pivot exclusively and get my bikes discounted. I think those looking for a park bike who do not want to go the phoenix route, the firebird is the way to go. I have a 2018 Mach 6 that I built as a frame only setup for park and its an incredible ride. I'm likely to add a Firebird to my Mach 6 and 429SL because it is just an excellent bike. Someone mentioned above the DW link not being really what its cracked up to be. I will say this, if you do not set your suspension up correctly, your assertion would be correct. It will get hung up and want to eject you. At the same time, CVA and Masetro (just picking two others) will do the exact same thing so to each own.
 
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