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Pivot Switchblade

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#1,902 ·
NoahColorado said:
More Switchblade videos:



Continue to love this bike! Recently upped front travel to 160mm and it's even more beastly! Just received 2.6" Schwalbe rubber too, looking forward to mounting them up! In just over 6 weeks it's time to head to New Zealand for the Trans NZ Enduro! Weeeeeeeeee....

I'm due to post an updated build pic, I'll do so soon!
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How's that even rideable? Mary must have been such a badass! :)
 
#1,910 ·
Thimling said:
I would be concerned about any material that could not flex with the suspension. Unless you provide enough clearance so when it moves it does not bind in the pivot. How are you securing it?
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I'm going to zip tie it to the dw link arm. I let all the air out of the rear shock and simulated bottoming out to see if it would hit. It did slightly so I'm going to cut a little more. I don't like the concept of metal possibly touching the carbon so I have another idea that I will try today with rubber. I will post it when done.

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#1,911 ·
matrix311 said:
Agreed. I also live in Phoenix and with our crazy ultra rocky terrain the 29er wheels with 17mm cup us perfect. It lifts your behind up high and mighty and I rarely get any pedal strikes.

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I have the opposite feeling here. And I think this has to due more with the speed that I ride over my abilities on the bike. I have more fun on the 27.5+ setup on the Switchblade. My personal Switchblade is built with the 27.5+ and I love it. For my style of climbing, and my speed of descending, the 27.5+ provides the traction I'm looking for, and gives me the confidence to climb obstacles, and descend drops. I ride So Mo as my primary trails. When I ride from work, I ride Mormon, National - I love Javelina as well. When I ride from my home, I'm riding more DC trails which really are more XC than all mountain. I find that the 27.5+ I can make my own line, and I don't have to stick to the beaten path.
Though in the office at PIVOT, half of the Switchblade owners run the Plus, the other run 29'r. And it isn't based on speed of these riders. Our fastest rider in the office likes the Plus set up - though he has now switched to 29'r due to tire failures, I think he will come back to the Plus side soon.
 
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#1,912 ·
dan23 said:
I have the opposite feeling here. And I think this has to due more with the speed that I ride over my abilities on the bike. I have more fun on the 27.5+ setup on the Switchblade. My personal Switchblade is built with the 27.5+ and I love it. For my style of climbing, and my speed of descending, the 27.5+ provides the traction I'm looking for, and gives me the confidence to climb obstacles, and descend drops. I ride So Mo as my primary trails. When I ride from work, I ride Mormon, National - I love Javelina as well. When I ride from my home, I'm riding more DC trails which really are more XC than all mountain. I find that the 27.5+ I can make my own line, and I don't have to stick to the beaten path.
Though in the office at PIVOT, half of the Switchblade owners run the Plus, the other run 29'r. And it isn't based on speed of these riders. Our fastest rider in the office likes the Plus set up - though he has now switched to 29'r due to tire failures, I think he will come back to the Plus side soon.
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I will get plus size this year sometime. Wish I was going to St George with you and Adam, that should be a fun trip with the jeeps.

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#1,913 ·
Trying to decide between Switchblade and SB5.5c. Technical climbing/descending e.g. Moab, GJ, probably some enduro racing. Have scoured the forum posts and reviews but looking for additional perspective.

The SB5.5c looks to be the fastest enduro racing bike, how would the Switchblade 29er compare for racing?

Tested the Switchblade 27.5+ a couple times and had trouble keeping the front end down on steep climbs, which is confusing because it's purported to be among the best technical climbing bikes around. Maybe just a setup issue, but pretty sure that was with zero stack lower cup. How much would the SB5.5c give up on uber technical climbs?

Will be building from frame/fork, have all other components and front wheels (29, 27.5+) already. Would build both size rear wheels for the Switchblade of course.

This bike is intended to complement Fatillac (26 Fat and B fat, for snow and mixed conditions) and 29er hardtail race bike.

Thanks for any insights.
 
#1,914 ·
Can't comment on the Yeti as I have no experience on it, but I can't stress enough how perfect I think the Switchblade is for the areas you list (I live/ride there) and what you want to do with the bike.

I feel like I can climb anything on the Blade.

A video posted by noahsears (@noahsears) on Jan 1, 2017 at 6:08pm PST
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Also, the short chainstays are hilarious fun.
 
#1,916 ·
Was the bike one of our demo rigs? Those get switched from 29 to 27.5 pretty often so we just leave the 17mm cup in the frame.
PCT said:
Trying to decide between Switchblade and SB5.5c. Technical climbing/descending e.g. Moab, GJ, probably some enduro racing. Have scoured the forum posts and reviews but looking for additional perspective.

The SB5.5c looks to be the fastest enduro racing bike, how would the Switchblade 29er compare for racing?

Tested the Switchblade 27.5+ a couple times and had trouble keeping the front end down on steep climbs, which is confusing because it's purported to be among the best technical climbing bikes around. Maybe just a setup issue, but pretty sure that was with zero stack lower cup. How much would the SB5.5c give up on uber technical climbs?

Will be building from frame/fork, have all other components and front wheels (29, 27.5+) already. Would build both size rear wheels for the Switchblade of course.

This bike is intended to complement Fatillac (26 Fat and B fat, for snow and mixed conditions) and 29er hardtail race bike.

Thanks for any insights.
Click to expand...
 
#1,917 ·
One was from the demo fleet in Bentonville. The bike rode well there on the Back 40, but not a lot of steeps either. Another time was from a Fruita shop, lots of fun on Ribbon/Lunch Loops but the front was more difficult to keep down on steep climbs than usual.

Both were 27.5+, can't remember if the 17mm cup was installed either time (derp) but would imagine so or the bb would have been noticeably low and I would have had more pedal strikes. Maybe needed to adjust bar height.. General concensus is that the Switchblade is an excellent technical climber.

Will try to demo the 29er version, a riding buddy has a Large frame, although at 5'10.5" I thought the Medium fit well.
 
#1,919 ·
Estolworthy said:
I made this piece out of aluminum but I'm concerned about it striking the frame when the bike flexes.
Image


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The most effective way that I found to keep sand grains out of the lower linkage is a block of dishwashing sponge stuffed on top of the linkage. It compresses as the linkage moves and the mud dumped on top of it doesn't get into the links. Unfortunately, it is way ugly. :(
 
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