All-rounder: Pivot Trail 429

The trail bike from the US brand Pivot has been thoroughly overhauled to ensure a balance between propulsion and downhill safety. In addition to a longer reach (470-475 mm in size L) and a steering angle flattened to 66 degrees, the Americans have also put the carbon frame on a diet. The chassis is said to have shed 300 grams and is therefore within striking distance of a race bike frame. The latest version of the Trail 429 also relies on a rear triangle in DW-Link design.

Typical Pivot: As usual, the fork offers more travel than the rear shock. The customer can choose between a race setup with a 130 mm Fox 34 fork and shock without reservoir or a slightly more downhill orientated setup with a 140 mm Fox 36 fork and thicker shock. The geometry can be fine-tuned using a flipchip: 0.5 degrees difference in the steering angle and eleven millimetres in the bottom bracket height are thus possible.

The entry-level price of the Trail 429 with Shimano SLX/XT mix is 6099 euros and goes up to a dizzying 13799 euros. The top model then shifts wirelessly with Sram's AXS groupset and has electronic Fox Live Valve suspension. With five frame sizes, Pivot covers riders from 1.47 to two metres.

Info: www.pivotcycles.com