Pivot Mach 4 XT/SLX
While the Pivot Mach 4 may be known as a boutique level mountain bike, the price of the XT/SLX build kit is anything but. Despite being the cheapest ticket into Mach 4 land, you're still getting a Fox Float 120 fork up front, a slick 10 speed drivetrain and a gold Kashima RP23 BV rear shock, in fact you even get a choice on the wheelset - how cool is that!
The Pivot Mach 4 is by far the most popular Pivot model here in Australia. The Mach 4 is a 100mm XC purebred that has struck a chord with many XC and Enduro riders around the country. For the latest model, Pivot have taken their extremely efficient, extremely stiff and extremely desirable Mach 4 frame and turned up the dial even more. They have stripped 285 grams out of the frame while lowering the standover height across the board thanks to a curvy hydroformed top tube that eliminates some of the welding that was required on the older model. For 2012 the stout Tapered headtube remains, keeping the steering accurate and the front end of the bike solid, though Pivot Cycles have made the move to spec the complete bikes with a 120mm fork, instead of the 100mm travel fork used on 2011 models. Having seen many riders make the transition to the longer fork, it seems that riders are demanding a slightly more plush front end for stability in the rough stuff, at the slight expense of climbing. We would have to agree with Pivot, as the 120mm fork up front serves to improve the Mach 4's prowess off road with very little compromise. Of course if you're exclusively XC racing, you can still fit a 100mm fork for quicker handling, so the choice is yours.

The dw-link(R) suspension design is known the world over for its efficiency and responsive feel under load, but the guys at Pivot wanted more. Like every aspect of the Pivot designs they went down to the finest detail to deliver something that is way out on its own for 2012. Working closely with Fox Racing Shox the latest Pivot Mach 4 has a slighter flatter spring curve that is delivered via a shorter stroke custom tuned Fox RP23 Kashima shock. The shorter stroke means higher shock pressures which allows for a more usable range especially for those lighter riders out there. While many bikes out there require a heavy ProPedal and Boost Valve tune on their shocks to achieve pedal efficiency, the inherent anti-squat nature of the dw-link(R) design means that Pivot are able to spec an RP23 with a lighter compression tune that allows for a much plusher feel at no expense to pedal efficiency. The gold "Kashima Coat" on the rear Fox shock is a special finish designed to reduce friction compared to regular anodizing, which improves the shocks small bump sensitivity and rebound characteristics even further. The end result is smooth suspension action over bumps, yet a snappy response under power.