First ride: 2021 Pivot Trail 429

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The new Trail 429 has more range than before, while still offering plenty of room to store a water bottle inside the front triangle. There are five sizes, from XS to XL, with XS riders adjusted up to 4 ’11 “and XL service riders up to 6’7”.

All models are carbon and several building kits are available at 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 to $ 12,499 for the Team XX1 AXS Fox Live Valve with Reynolds / Industry Nine carbon wheels.

Frame details

The Trail 429 builds on many updates seen elsewhere in the Pivot line and loses a bit of weight compared to the previous Trail 429, tipping the scales at 5.9 lbs, almost 3/4 lbs less than the previous Trail 429. ‘previously on a medium size. All frames are Fox Live Valve ready, there is internal cable routing, and everyone gets a full-size water bottle. There are also two bolts on the bottom of the top tube that can hold a tool, such as the Pivot one, or other accessories. There is an integrated frame protector on the chainstays and down tube.

The 157+ Super Boost spacing stays in place, in line with Pivot’s other more aggressive bikes. Cyclists can fit a 29 x 2.6 “or 27.5 x 2.8” tire with clearance. Pivot is a firm believer in this spacing, saying it allows them to build a better, stiffer frame with more rear tire clearance, as well as increased wheel stiffness. The BB is the PF92 that Pivot pioneered, and although there are some detractors, in our experience it has proven to be completely reliable.

For the derailleur hanger, the Trail 429 uses SRAM’s UDH, a welcome addition to any frames at this point. There is Live Valve compatibility on all frames, and while there is a Di2 battery port, there is no hole between the front triangle and the swingarm for Di2 routing. Riders can run the cable outdoors, but not with the same integration as other Pivot frames.

All frames use a single, size-specific layer and tube diameters that match the size of the frame. Pivot does this to keep the similar riding characteristics on bikes so that a tall rider has the same frame experience and feel as a smaller rider. Looking at the tube, the large has a diameter similar to that of the Switchblade while the medium and small frames clearly lose weight compared to the previous iteration of the Trail 429.

Finally, it’s worth mentioning and applauding the fact that Pivot has done away with the Pivloc handlebar and grip system and designed a new grip that doesn’t require cutting your fancy carbon handlebars. The new “Phoenix Factory Lock-On Grip” is designed in-house at Pivot. It is specific to left and right and has a tapered core to fit the bar perfectly. The ergonomic handle tapers from 30mm to 32mm and has a soft rubber compound designed to dampen vibrations.

Suspension

The Trail 429’s toggle link has been reversed, but travel remains the same at 120mm. The shock absorber is a metric trunnion type, 165mm long with a 45mm stroke. The suspension has been made more progressive and the shock is higher in its stroke to keep pedaling crisp and to prevent the lower BB height from causing too many pedal strokes.

While the Switchblade can work with a coil shock, the Trail 429 cannot; even though the shock has a separate background control, that doesn’t provide enough progression for the frame, according to Pivot.

The bike is available with a DPS or DPX2 shock, depending on the construction. The more aggressive “Enduro” construction uses the DPX2 paired with a Fox 36 140mm fork compared to the standard construction which has a 130mm float 34.

Geometry
The geometry gets the standard stiffer, looser treatment with more reach, but keep in mind we’re still talking about a 120mm trail bike here. For a mid-size, in the lower setting, the Trail 429 now has 66-degree HTA (1.3 loose), 75-degree STA (1 steeper), 455mm reach (15mm more) and chainstays. 432 mm (2 mm more). Adding the 140mm fork to the Enduro package will reduce that head angle by about 0.5 degrees.

The bike is capable of rolling 27.5 “wheels with the addition of a lower helmet shell which changes the numbers slightly. Riders can also choose to run the bike in a” low “setting which accentuates a little more while using the flip chip The chip can be turned by simply loosening the bolts and spinning it, which means there is no part to lose by the trail side.

Hiking impressions
I’ve only had the new Trail 429 for a few days at this point, but I spent a lot of time on the previous Trail 429 and still have a Switchblade in the fleet which helps to make comparisons.

The biggest advantage is the increased efficiency of the Trail 429 compared to the previous model. The older bike was efficient in the grand scheme of things, but I found it a bit oversized, especially when faced with the latest crop of shorter trail bikes. The new bike is light, agile and fast. The reduced weight is noticeable and the suspension rises higher in its travel and with much more life.

The bike is easy to ride on messy trails while holding a line, and it stays planted when faced with an off-cam chunder, the suspension remaining smooth and supple throughout its journey. On larger compressions, I struggled to find the bottom of the stroke, which isn’t always the case on shorter touring bikes that provide good traction on the upper end. The increased flexibility coupled with more progression makes the new bike much more intuitive and easier to ride.

I will continue to ride my bike in the coming months, hope to cover more miles as spring rolls around and the trails thaw out. My first impressions of the Trail 429, or as I have started to call it, the “mini-Switchblade” are positive and I can’t wait to see if this trend continues once I am able to test it properly. . For many runners, the new Trail 429 will be a more versatile version of the Switchblade, more user-friendly on climbs and easier to maneuver in tight spaces.