User-friendly Pivot Trail 429 Pro Xt/xtr Best Choice [SetW6saR]

The Pivot Cycles Trail 429 Pro XT/XTR encompasses XC race bike pedalling efficiency and a re-worked dw-link™ that gives it a plushness that feels greater than the 120mm of travel, enabling it to extract the maximum performance.

Its Hollow Core full-carbon frame has been revamped to be 300g lighter than ever, with a slacker head angle and a longer reach for increased manoeuvrability and better handling. Beyond that, its geometry can be adjusted from racy to rowdy to give the Trail 429 legendary sharp handling and a bottomless suspension feel for peak performance.

The Fox Factory dw-link™ suspension, inspired by Pivot’s premiere downhill bike, promotes all-day comfort by combatting suspension bob at speed, without the need for undue damping, a measure that could affect the frame’s capacity to absorb trail chatter. As a result, you’ll be able to race down the trails with the perfect balance of pedalling efficiency and plush controlled travel.

Meanwhile, the flip chip can be used to adjust the bottom bracket height for compatibility with the type of tyre best matched to the terrain you usually tackle. The frame is set up for a wide, 29” tyre that will optimise your control downhill, but flipping the chip raises the bottom bracket to accommodate a mixed wheelset or 27.5” wheels, so that you’ll be able to climb and change direction more easily.

As the trails ebb and flow, the smooth ride will be enhanced by the high-end, tubeless ready, aluminium DT Swiss XM1700 wheelset. Shifting is taken care of by the high-quality Shimano XT M8100 12-speed groupset and XTR M9100 rear derailleur.

Benefiting from Super Boost Plus 157 spacing, originally pioneered by Pivot, allows for shorter chainstays, which are great for tight cornering, increased tyre clearance, a stiff frame and rigid Super Boost Plus hubs, with wider flanges that promote spoke tension and wheel stiffness. The Boost standard furthermore moves the drivetrain out 6mm, promoting better tyre clearance and mud shedding capabilities.

All of this adds up to a bike that offers the sharp handling and pedalling efficiency of a race bike, while optimising its progressive geometry for a plush ride that defies the numbers.