{"id":49490,"date":"2023-05-23T09:01:43","date_gmt":"2023-05-23T07:01:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/?p=730699"},"modified":"2023-05-23T09:35:44","modified_gmt":"2023-05-23T07:35:44","slug":"new-pivot-mach-4-sl-flip-chips-provide-four-travel-options-with-unchanged-geometry","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/rss_feed\/new-pivot-mach-4-sl-flip-chips-provide-four-travel-options-with-unchanged-geometry\/","title":{"rendered":"New Pivot Mach 4 SL flip chips provide four travel options with unchanged geometry"},"content":{"rendered":"

Do-it-all XC bike sticks with press-fit bottom bracket and starts at $6,199 <\/p>

By Tom Marvin\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 23 May 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

Pivot has re-jigged its XC-race focused Mach 4 SL for 2023 with two versions of the bike, each offering a pair of travel options via a linkage-based flip chip.<\/p>\n

The race bike\u2019s lightest build option, the World Cup, comes with either 95 or 103mm of rear travel<\/a>, paired with 100mm forks. A more aggressively specced version comes with 106mm or 115mm travel, and 120mm forks.<\/p>\n

Broadly speaking, the lighter bike is aimed at marathon and less technical cross-country tracks. The longer-travel bike should be ideal for the those who tackle more technical XC racing<\/a>, or want a cross-country bike<\/a> for every-day riding.<\/p>\n

Pivot says its Mach 4 SL is the fun way to the top step of the podium.<\/p>\n

Pivot Mach 4 SL frame<\/h2>\n
\""Pivot\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
120mm of travel sits at the front of the non-World Cup models \u2013 those get 100mm.<\/span><\/figcaption> Matt Jones \/ BikeRadar<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Weight and efficiency were the key factors for Pivot when designing its latest XC bike. The brand used lessons learned from the development of its Les hardtail when it came to the layup of the carbon tubes, as well as the stiffness and flex properties to cut weight and improve ride feel.<\/p>\n

Weight, though, was the key consideration, with the brand claiming it has cut 300-400g from the previous-generation Mach 4 SL<\/a>, across the different sizes, without losing stiffness.<\/p>\n

This means a claimed frame weight of 1,660g (Small, no shock), and bikes built below 10.4kg (23lb).<\/p>\n

As well as working on the layups of the frame, other weight savings come at the rear triangle, where chainstay-mounted brakes mean weight can be shaved easily from the seatstays.<\/p>\n

Press-fit bottom brackets<\/a> are also employed. They might not garner many home mechanic fans (other than our own Simon von Bromley<\/a>), but Pivot claims the system, when built properly (it uses a completely carbon BB shell with no alloy frame inserts), gives impressive reliability, as well as being lighter.<\/p>\n

\""Pivot\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
No fancy headset routing here, we know many will appreciate this.<\/span><\/figcaption> Matt Jones \/ BikeRadar<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Carbon creation<\/h3>\n

Pivot uses a single flavour of carbon across all models of the Mach 4 SL, rather than employing a lower grade on cheaper models. This is done because the brand feels all its customers deserve to ride the higher-grade material.<\/p>\n

The frames are hand laid, and only employees with 10 years\u2019 experience are allowed to work on these top-flight framesets.<\/p>\n

Each frame\u2019s ride characteristics are tuned to match expected rider weights, while the rear suspension<\/a> is also valved differently on smaller bikes to give a more forgiving ride.<\/p>\n

Finishing touches<\/h3>\n

The Medium to XL frames have space for two water bottles<\/a>, with a triple set of bosses under the top tube enabling tuning of bottle placement. All frames have space for a 750ml bottle inside. There are also bosses under the down tube, so three bottles can be carried.<\/p>\n

\""Pivot\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
A bottle cage can be slung under the top tube.<\/span><\/figcaption> Matt Jones \/ BikeRadar<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Alternatively, tool cases (Pivot partners with Topeak<\/a> on these) or inner tubes can be held here. There\u2019s a carbon door under the down tube, which can be inverted, to nestle a tool case into the frame a touch.<\/p>\n

Cables run internally, with a Jagwire sheath employed to reduce cable rattle.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s room for (more rounded) 2.4in rubber at the back, and if you\u2019re a brute, you can run up to 38t chainrings.<\/p>\n

Pivot Mach 4 SL suspension<\/h2>\n
\""Pivot\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Twin co-rotating links join the front and rear triangles.<\/span><\/figcaption> Matt Jones \/ BikeRadar<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

While many brands are moving to flex-stay single-pivot designs<\/a> for their XC bikes, with lighter weight being easier to achieve, Pivot has stuck with its signature DW Link design on the Mach 4 SL.<\/p>\n

This sees solid front and rear triangles joined by two co-rotating 7000-series alloy links, pushing on a vertically mounted shock.<\/p>\n

This arrangement, with the shock siting parallel to the seat tube, keeps weight low and space free inside the front triangle. It also helps keep the front of the main triangle\u2019s stiffness characteristics more independent from the impact of suspension linkages, helping Pivot tune ride feel.<\/p>\n

\""Pivot\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
The TwistLoc adds compression damping to the rear shock (and fork on World Cup models).<\/span><\/figcaption> Matt Jones \/ BikeRadar<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The system is designed to give excellent pedalling characteristics, as well as keeping the suspension active under braking.<\/p>\n

World Cup bikes will come fitted with SRAM\u2019s TwistLoc gripshift-style compression adjust on the bar, offering three positions (Open, Medium, Firm) for the Fox forks<\/a> and shocks. The longer-travel bikes also get a TwistLoc, offering two positions (Open and Firm) for the shock only.<\/p>\n

Travel tech<\/h3>\n
\""Pivot\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
The top shock mount rotates, altering the bike\u2019s travel.<\/span><\/figcaption> Matt Jones \/ BikeRadar<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Pivot has integrated a flip chip into the rocker link to alter the travel of the bikes. Changing the position of the upper eyelet alters the leverage ratio on the shock, changing the travel available by 8-9mm. It doesn\u2019t impact on geometry, and while testing the bike Pivot suggested we didn\u2019t really need to alter shock pressures, either.<\/p>\n

Changing the travel alters how the suspension feels, with the shorter-travel option giving a tauter ride quality, while the longer option is more forgiving.<\/p>\n

Pivot will offer two strands of the model, with different travel, achieved by using either a 40mm or 45mm stroke shock. Builds on the bikes reflect the differences in travel.<\/p>\n

While some brands, such as Specialized on its Epic<\/a>, have reduced rear travel significantly, Pivot tested its bikes down to 90mm travel, but felt the efficiency gains weren\u2019t offset by the loss of capability here, and so settled on 95mm being the shortest-travel option (which can be boosted to 103mm).<\/p>\n

Other brands, such as Orbea and the Oiz<\/a>, have pushed travel on their XC bikes up to 120mm. Pivot\u2019s longest option is 115mm (which can be dropped to 106mm).<\/p>\n

Pivot believes it has made this generation of bike more efficient than the previous one, even when the older bikes were fitted with Fox\u2019s LiveValve automatic suspension lockout system.<\/p>\n

In fact, the new bikes aren\u2019t compatible with Fox\u2019s current LiveValve system<\/a>, though future developments of the technology may be employed down the line.<\/p>\n

Pivot Mach 4 SL geometry<\/h2>\n
\""Pivot\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
The rear brake nestles snugly in the rear triangle.<\/span><\/figcaption> Matt Jones \/ BikeRadar<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The bikes\u2019 geometry is modern, without being towards the edges of the bell-curve. There\u2019s nothing too exciting there, but the numbers are all solid.<\/p>\n

Geometry is obviously impacted by the fork travel, because both frame-travel options are built around the same frame.<\/p>\n

The bikes were designed in the shorter-travel (World Cup) configuration, and then tested with 100mm and 120mm forks. Tweaks were then made to ensure the longer-travel bikes rode as well as Pivot wanted.<\/p>\n

Effective seat angles were based around the average height for the frame size. The bikes are all shipped with 60mm stems.<\/p>\n

\""Pivot\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
A 7000-series aluminium rocker drives the shock.<\/span><\/figcaption> Matt Jones \/ BikeRadar<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Pivot Mach 4 SL World Cup geometry (100mm forks)<\/h3>\n
<\/colgroup>
\ufeff<\/th>XS<\/th>SM<\/th>MD<\/th>LG<\/th>XL<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Seat tube length <\/b>(C-T)<\/td>35.5<\/td>39.4<\/td>41.9<\/td>46<\/td>50.5<\/td> <\/tr>
Top tube length (Eff.)<\/b> (mm)<\/td>565<\/td>580<\/td>609<\/td>638<\/td>662<\/td> <\/tr>
Head tube length<\/b> (mm)<\/td>85<\/td>90<\/td>105<\/td>120<\/td>135<\/td> <\/tr>
Head tube angle <\/b>(degrees)<\/td>680<\/td>680<\/td>680<\/td>680<\/td>680<\/td> <\/tr>
Seat tube angle (Eff.) (degrees)<\/td>76<\/td>76<\/td>76<\/td>76<\/td>76<\/td> <\/tr>
Chainstay length <\/b>(mm)<\/td>432<\/td>432<\/td>432<\/td>432<\/td>432<\/td> <\/tr>
Bottom bracket height<\/b> (mm)<\/td>327<\/td>329<\/td>329<\/td>329<\/td>329<\/td> <\/tr>
Bottom bracket drop<\/b> (mm)<\/td>47<\/td>45<\/td>45<\/td>45<\/td>45<\/td> <\/tr>
Standover height<\/b> (mm)<\/td>637<\/td>644<\/td>672<\/td>668<\/td>698<\/td> <\/tr>
Wheelbase<\/b> (mm)<\/td>1,101<\/td>1,118<\/td>1,149<\/td>1,179<\/td>1,205<\/td> <\/tr>
Stack <\/b>(mm)<\/td>577<\/td>580<\/td>594<\/td>608<\/td>622<\/td> <\/tr>
Reach<\/b> (mm)<\/td>410<\/td>425<\/td>450<\/td>475<\/td>495<\/td> <\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>