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The bike travel remains at 120 mm and, like the previous version, motorcyclists can choose between running 29 “or 27.5” + wheels. If motorcyclists choose to roll with the smaller wheel, they will want to install a higher lower helmet cup to keep the bike’s geometry under control and the front end where it should be.
• Wheel size: 29 “/ 27.5+
• Rear stroke: 120mm
• 130-140mm fork
• Complete carbon frame
• 66 ° head angle (lower setting)
• Seat angle of 75 °
• 608 mm stack / 455 mm touch (average)
• 432 mm housings
• Weight: 27 lbs (Pro X01 version, medium size)
• Price: $ 5,599 – up to $ 12,499 ($ 8,499 tested)
www.pivotcycles.com
The new Trail 429 has more rest than before, yet offers enough space to fit a bottle of water inside the front triangle. There are five sizes, from XS to XL, with riders that fit XS up to 4 ’11 “and XL serve riders up to 6’7”.
All models are made of carbon and there are several different construction sets available at the Race, Team or Pro levels. Each level has the option of a Shimano or SRAM kit. Prices range from $ 5,599 for the Race XT version to $ 12,499 for the Team XX1 AXS Fox Live Valve version with Reynolds / Industry Nine carbon wheels.
Frame details
The Trail 429 carries a lot of updates seen elsewhere in the Pivot line and loses a good weight compared to the previous Trail 429, tilting the scale to 5.9 lbs, almost 3/4 lb lighter than before on a medium size. All frames are ready for Fox Live Valve, there is an internal cable routing and everyone gets a large bottle of water. There are also two screws on the bottom of the top tube that can hold an instrument, such as your own pivot or other accessories. There is an integrated protection of the frames on the housings and on the lower tube.
The 157+ Super Boost space stays in place, in line with Pivot’s other more aggressive bikes. Riders can fit a 29 x 2.6 “or 27.5 x 2.8” tire with free space. The pivot holds this distance firmly, claiming that it allows them to build a better and stiffer frame, with a greater distance of the rear tires, along with the increased rigidity of the wheel. BB is the PF92 that Pivot pioneered and, although there are detractors, in our experience it has proven to be completely reliable.
For the gearshift hanger, the Trail 429 uses the SRAM UDH, a welcome addition to all current frames. There is Live Valve compatibility on all frames, and although there is a port for the Di2 battery, there is no hole between the front triangle and the oscillating arm for Di2 routing. Riders can run the external wire, but not with the same integration that the other Pivot frames have.
All frames use a single layer of specific dimensions and tube diameters that correlate with the frame size. The pivot does this to maintain similar riding characteristics on bicycles, so that a tall rider has the same experience and sense of frame as a shorter rider. Looking at the piping, the large one has a diameter similar to Switchblade, while the medium and smaller frames clearly throw away part of the previous iteration of Trail 429.
Last but not least, it is also mentioned some applause that Pivot eliminated with the handlebar and the Pivloc clamping system and designed a new clamp that does not require cutting the carbon handlebar. The new “Phoenix Factory Lock-On Grip” is designed internally at Pivot. It is specifically left and right and has a conical core to fit perfectly on the bar. The ergonomic handle rotates from 30mm to 32mm and has a soft rubber compound that is designed to dampen vibrations.
Suspension
The Trail 429 rocker has been overturned, but the displacement volume remains the same at 120 mm. The shock is a metric style of the trunk, 165 mm long with a stroke of 45 mm. The suspension has become more progressive, and the shock is higher in its stroke, to keep the pedaling fast and to maintain the lower height of the BB to cause too many pedal strokes.
While Switchblade can be run with a coil shock, Trail 429 cannot; even if the shock has a separate bottom control, this does not provide sufficient frame progression, according to Pivot.
The bike is available with a DPS or DPX2 shock, depending on the construction. The most aggressive “Enduro” version uses the DPX2 coupled with a 140 mm Fox 36 fork compared to the standard version which has a 130 mm Float 34.
Geometry
The geometry is subjected to a steeper and weaker standard treatment, together with more coverage, although keep in mind that here we are still talking about a 120 mm bicycle. For a medium size, in the lower setting, the Trail 429 now has a 66 degree HTA (1.3 slacker), 75 degree STA (1 steeper), 455 mm (15 mm longer) and 432 mm (2 mm longer). long). Adding a 140 mm fork to the Enduro package will reduce that head angle by about 0.5 degrees.
The bike is capable of running 27.5 “wheels, with the addition of a lower helmet helmet, which slightly changes the numbers. Riders can also choose to run the bike in a” low “setting, which strengthens everything a bit more. much, using the flip chip The chip can be rotated by simply loosening the screws and rotating it, which means that there are no parts to lose the path.
Impressions of walking
I’ve only had the new Trail 429 for a few days now, but I’ve spent a considerable amount of time on the previous Trail 429 and I still have a Switchblade in my fleet that helps make comparisons.
The biggest payoff is the increased efficiency of the Trail 429 over the previous model. The older bike was effective in the grand scheme of things, but I found it a bit over-built, especially when it came down to the latest crop of shorter travel bike routes. The new bike is light, agile and fast. The low height is visible, and the suspension moves higher in the race and with a much longer life.
The bike is easy to navigate up and over messy pieces of the route while holding a line and stays planted when faced with an off-camber breakdown, the suspension remaining smooth and supple throughout the ride. At higher compressions, I struggled to find the bottom of the trip, which is not always the case with shorter travel bikes, which offer good traction at the upper end. The increased supplement, combined with increased progression, makes the new bike much more intuitive and easier to ride.
I will continue to ride my bike in the coming months, hopefully I will record several miles as spring arrives and the trails will thaw. My initial impressions of the Trail 429 or, as I started calling it, “mini-Switchblade” are positive and I look forward to seeing if this trend continues once I am able to test it properly. For many riders, the new Trail 429 will be a more versatile version of Switchblade, which is friendlier on ascents and easier to maneuver in tight spaces.