Pivot Mach 6 Carbon Mountain Bike Frame 2017

As it continues to roll through our doors in fits and starts, we've started to notice a common thread running throughout Pivot's 2017 line of trial and enduro bikes: the Phoenix. Pivot's DH firebird has proven to be something of a testing ground for suspension and geometry tweaks that are now finding their way into the rest of the Arizona based manufacturer's line, and the latest Mach 6 Carbon Mountain Bike Frame is no exception. Considering the praise heaped on its predecessor, it may seem surprising that the Mach 6 should be importing rather than exporting tech however, given the trend of enduro moving more toward wide, big, slack, DH type designs, the changes bring the Mach 6 in line with the oversized trends of today's all mountain rigs. These tweaks manifest primarily in the rear triangle, which is where the influence of the Phoenix surfaces most apparently. The double wishbone rear triangle is clearly carrying some DH DNA, and it's combined with an ambitious upper linkage design that's 40% wider and engages the frame with larger bearings. Pivot continues the elephantine trend to the rear axle with a new Boost 148mm standard. Boost 148 ushers the Mach 6 into the modern era of enduro, where the tech seems to always be straddling the present and the future, trail riding and DH. The cumulative effect of these changes is a claimed 150% increase in rear triangle stiffness, meaning that though the new Mach 6 leaves a wide, DH footprint it still climbs more like a four inch XC bike. The DW Link suspension design governing the Mach 6's six inches of travel also does its part to maintain a secure climbing hold on rocky trails. Its anti squat tendencies maintain a firm pedaling platform while cleaning terrain riddled cruxes or picking lines with abandon across trail furniture. That responsiveness is matched on the opposite end of travel with a square edge capacity that feels virtually bottomless, so time saved on the climbs isn't lost because of overly cautious...