Pivot Mach 429 X9
The latest Mach 429 is a seriously good looking bike with its new curvy top tube and stout tapered head tube, and whether you choose the Anodized Black or Blue colour, it sure looks even better dressed with a 2x10 X9 groupset. Sure, SRAM X0 has it's carbon and bling, but if you're not into that sort of thing then you will get a lot of the same performance at a fraction of the cost with the dependable X9 drivetrain and brakeset. It doesn't hurt that this Weekend Warrior spec comes with air-sprung Fox Suspension front & rear and a custom DT Swiss wheelset that will make a much bigger difference out on the trail than a different derailleur or seatpost.
When Chris Cocalis from Pivot Cycles wanted to design a full suspension 29er mountain bike he first hit the streets talking to manufacturers, 29er experts and riders, while logging as many hours as he could on different designs so as to better understand the full story. Just about everyone understands the benefits of riding a 29er hardtail though if you don’t know, feel free to ask any staff member at My Mountain as we now sell more 29” hardtails than 26”. But when it comes to full suspension 29ers, bikes can start to become big and clumsy especially under rapid acceleration. It was with this in mind that the Pivot Mach 429 was designed to be the stiffest, most responsive, and fun 29er dual suspension mountain bike possible. A bike that when the pedals are stomped when coming out of a corner the bike and rider are catapulted forward towards the next section of smile-inducing singletrack.
For 2012, the Mach 429 has received some major updates to improve on what was already rated as one of the best 29er bikes on the market. Like the latest Mach 4 and 5.7's, the 429 receives a simpler hydroformed top tube that eliminates much of the welding that was required on the older model, whilst also increasing standover height for more clearance. The rear triangle has been sculpted and machined to remove any unnecessary material, and the addition of a 142x12 Thru-Axle has actually increased lateral stiffness to a level other brands can only dream of. Even the shapely new Tapered head tube has allowed Pivot to reduce a few grams while boosting front end strength. All of these frame refinements on the 2012 Mach 429 add up to drop over 250 grams in weight, which is a significant percentage from what is a super solid bike.
With all this talk of "hydroformed this", "tapered that", you've probably picked up that Pivot have a nutty obsession with frame stiffness, and if you find you have an uncanny ability to turn full suspension bikes into noodles, the short of it is that you are going to absolutely love the rigidity of a Pivot full suspension bike.
From Pivot Cycles:
"The original Mach 429 set the mtb world on fire as the best pedaling 29er full-suspension bike in existence. It received the MTBR.com award for best 29er and Mountain Bike Action readers picked it as the #1 choice for their next 29er. The combination of Pivot design and dw-link® suspension makes for a bike that accelerates, descends, climbs, and corners unlike any other 29er made- and now it just got better! The All New Mach 429 is both lighter and stiffer as a result of its revised rear triangle design, 1.5” tapered head tube, and a 142 X 12mm rear through axle design with post mount disc brake tabs. Plus, the frame lost over ½ pound in the process, resulting in the Mach 429 not only being the most efficient riding 29er full suspension frame in the world, but also one of the lightest!"
X9 build
SRAM have really unleashed their 2x10 fury in 2012, rolling it out across their entire lineup. This is good news, especially for those who understand the 2x10 story and want to get on board at a reasonable price. Step forward the Pivot Mach 429 in an X9 flavour at a very impressive $5k pricepoint. The Avid Elixir CR brakes have enough controllable power to give away some to your mates on standard disc brakes, and they mate nicely in the FSA cockpit alongside the snappy X9 trigger shifters. Of course most people will turn their attention towards the fitting of Fox suspension front & rear in the form of a Kashima RP23 rear shock and a Float 29er fork up front. With both dampers being air sprung, not only does it keep weight down but it also allows the rider to setup the suspension for their weight and riding style to get the most out of the Mach 429 frame. As both the front and rear wheels feature thru-axles, handling is nice and direct with minimal deflection on rough terrain. The X9 kit is a great performer and will help you rider faster, more technically and with bigger smiles than ever before.
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Fox Float 29 RL Fork with Tapered Steerer, QR15 Thru-Axle and 120mm travel
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Custom Valved Fox Float RP23 Kashima Boost Valve rear shock
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SRAM 2x10 X9 Drivetrain with X9 24/38 double crankset
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Avid Elixir CR hydraulic disc brakes
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FSA Comet 680mm wide alloy bar, OS150 stem and XC250 seatpost
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WTB Rocket V Saddle
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DT Swiss Custom 350 29er Wheelset
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Kenda Slant Six 29 x 2.2" Tyres
Sizing:
- Small: Suits riders between 5'6" - 5'10"
- Medium: Suits riders between 5'9" - 6'1"
- Large: Suits riders between 6'1" - 6'4"
- X Large: Suits riders between 6'3" - 6'6"
Frame Geometry:
|
|
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
H |
|
|
|
|
|
ST
CTOT |
TT |
HT |
HTA |
STA |
CNSTY |
BB |
STDOVER |
Stack |
Reach |
Wheel Base |
|
SMALL (120MM Fork) |
17.00 |
23.00 |
3.85 |
69 |
71.8 |
17.95 |
13.10 |
29.55 |
23.66 |
15.35 |
43.78 |
|
MEDIUM (120MM Fork) |
18.50 |
24.00 |
4.00 |
69.20 |
71.8 |
17.95 |
13.10 |
29.8 |
23.85 |
16.30 |
44.70 |
|
LARGE (120MM Fork) |
20.00 |
24.75 |
4.75 |
69.60 |
71.8 |
17.95 |
13.10 |
30.55 |
24.63 |
16.80 |
45.31 |
|
X-LARGE (120MM Fork) |
22.00 |
25.75 |
6.00 |
69.90 |
71.8 |
17.95 |
13.80 |
31.30 |
25.86 |
17.41 |
46.21
|
The
Pivot Mach 429 features:
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6061 Aluminum Alloy Main Frame
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One-piece 6061 Aluminum Alloy Rear Triangle
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One-piece Carbon upper link and one-piece Alloy lower link
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100mm rear wheel travel
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Custom valved Fox RP23 Kashima Boost Valve rear air shock
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Sealed bearings at each pivot point, with quad-row bearings used in the lower link
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Tapered head tube for stiffness
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Suited for 100-120mm travel forks
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92mm Wide Shimano XTR PressFit BB
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Front Derailleur Spec: Direct Mount E-Type
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142 x 12mm rear Thru-Axle
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Seat Post Diameter: 30.9mm
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Frame weight: 3000 grams (6.6lbs) with shock
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Sizes: Small, Medium, Large, X-Large
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Colours: Anodized Jet Black, Anodized Cobalt Blue
Pivot Cycles have designed their 29er full suspension bike from the ground up to revolutionise the 29er bike market!