Pivot up to date its tremendous XC race motorbike, the Mach 4 SL (up to now referred to as the Mach 429 SL), in 2023 (learn the total tech piece right here), ushering within the 3rd iteration of this distinctive off-road gadget. In a nutshell, the latest fashion is 300-400g lighter (relying on length) than the former model. It now features a turn chip to regulate rear shuttle quite. Giving riders 4 other shuttle choices, multi function body.
Pictures: Jordan Villella/BikeRumor.com
The Double Lifetime of Pivot’s Mach 4 SL
The Pivot Mach 4 SL is a race motorbike, but it surely’s additionally a pleasant cross-country gadget. The up to date geometry of the Mach 4 SL objectives to reach most hiking potency (it’s mountain cycling, in spite of everything) and a well-rounded dealing with profile. The motorbike appeals to the aspiring (and real-life) reliable mountain bikers of the sector and the leisure rider having a look to highest their pals at the native KOM.
XT Path 120mm
XTR International Cup 100mm
XX SL 120mm
Select Your Weapon
Pivot provides other builds that lean into the quite a lot of kinds of racing and using. There’s a International Cup quick shuttle construct for the ones in search of most velocity, with shuttle starting from 95mm to 103mm.
Photograph: Tyler Benedict
For the ones in search of extra trendy move nation (as lots of the international is), the Staff, Professional, and Experience stage construct get 106mm or 115mm of shuttle. Riders can make a selection 100 or 120mm fork shuttle for his or her Mach 4 SL adventure — additional dialing within the particular use for this shred gadget.
Pivot Mach 4 SL – Body Main points
Pivot’s Gen 3 Mach 4 SL showcases size-specific tuning for each body length. That implies Pivot employs distinctive carbon layups for every length to verify the steadiness of stiffness and compliance, it doesn’t matter what length you journey.
The motorbike’s aesthetics additionally inform a tale—its smaller-diameter tubing and extra compact entrance and rear triangles leave from the bulkier profiles observed on different Pivot mountain motorcycles.
Photograph: Tyler Benedict
Higher bottles! Each length suits a big water bottle in the principle triangle, whilst sizes M-XL can grasp two bottles. Pivot added two accent bosses underneath the downtube and 3 underneath the highest tube, giving riders quite a lot of equipment mounts or garage choices.
Why Flight Attendant?
In the event you’re going to unencumber a race motorbike, you wish to have to have the most recent and biggest to be had. At the moment, for many, that suggests Rock Shox Flight Attendant suspension. (You’ll be able to learn the tech main points of the brand new FA Right here). In a nutshell, the addition of Rock Shox Flight Attendant to the Pivot Mach 4 SL takes numerous cable litter clear of the cockpit and frees the rider from pondering… it’s additionally adjustable, programmable, quite heavier, and calls for extra batteries.
Alternatively, for some (maximum), this replace is value the additional charging, and we have a tendency to agree. It shall we the rider be aware of the path and function quite than suspension wishes. As for its impact at the Pivot Mach 4 SL, the Flight Attendant places a fantastic level at the motorbike’s efficiency in all cross-country wishes.
Geometry – Pivot Mach SL4
Pivot’s remodeled Mach 4 SL comes with two distinct fork choices—100mm or 120mm shuttle—every bringing notable geometry variations to the desk. Around the board, all fashions boast a slacker head attitude, steeper seat tube attitude, and longer achieve in comparison to the former era. Choosing the 120mm fork will get you a trail-ready 66.7° head attitude, whilst the 100mm model steepens issues as much as 68°. That additional steepness provides about 13mm of achieve, giving riders the power to fine-tune are compatible and dealing with relying on their personal tastes.
The seat tube attitude follows go well with, sitting at 74.7° with the 120mm fork and steepening to 76° with the 100mm spec. The chainstays, alternatively, keep constant around the board at 432mm, holding the rear finish snappy regardless of the construct.
Pivot’s sizing sport is on level, too, with the Mach 4 SL introduced in XS thru XL frames. Pivot says this five-size lineup covers riders from 4’10” to six’7″. That’s maximum, if now not all, of the mountain cycling international.
Complete evaluation journey Spec – Staff XX SL Eagle Transmission Flight Attendant Equipment
Wheel Dimension: 29″
Body: Mach 4 SL
Wheel Subject matter: Carbon
Sizes to be had: XS-XL, Medium examined
Weight: 25.5 lbs.
MSRP: $13,499
Suspension
Rear Surprise: Rock Shox SIDLuxe Final Flight Attendant
Fork: Rock Shox SID Final Flight Attendant 29″, 44mm offset, 120mm
Drivetrain
Rear Derailleur: Sram XX SL Eagle AXS 12-Pace
Cassette: Sram XX SL 1299, 10-52t
Shifter: Sram AXS Pod Final Controller
Crankset:
Sram XX SL Eagle Energy Meter DUB, 34t
Handlebar:
Phoenix Staff Carbon – 760mm
Stem: Phoenix Staff XC/Path – 40mm
Seatpost:
Rock Shox Reverb AXS: 125mm
Saddle: Phoenix WTB International Cup Volt Carbon, Medium Width
Wheels: Reynolds Blacklabel 309/289 XC with Business 9 Hydra hubs (30mm F / 28mm R) Hub Spacing: 15×110 F / 12×148 R
Tires:
Entrance: Maxxis Rekon 29″ x 2.4″, 3C TR, EXO, 120 TPI
Rear: Maxxis Rekon Race 29″ x 2.4″, TR, EXO, 120 TPI
Brakes: Sram Stage Final Stealth, 2-piston
Rotors:
Entrance: Sram Centerline CenterLock – 180mm
Rear: Sram Centerline CenterLock – 160mm
Chain: Sram XX SL Eagle, 12-Pace Flat Most sensible
Experience Overview: Pivot Mach 4 SL Flight Attendant
When the Pivot Mach 4 SL arrived, it used to be in a smaller field than anticipated. Once I began to unpack, I famous the whole lot used to be packed to perfection and up to now dialed in for my specifications. Since that is my first evaluation journey from Pivot, I didn’t know what to anticipate, however small main points just like the packing and a spotlight to element made me really feel looked after ahead of ever stepping foot at the Mach 4 SL.
Development and setup had been fast and pain-free. The whole thing went in combination with out a subject, and portions had been packed in some way that helped me waft although the construct simply. The SRAM AXS and Flight Attendant bits had been paired and labored properly. I added them to my SRAM AXS app and ensured the whole lot used to be operating the latest firmware. Past that, the motorbike used to be trail-ready from the field, all I had to do used to be set fork, surprise, and tire force.
At the trails
Sooner than I hit the paths, I arrange my suspension sag at 20% and let the Flight Attendant do its factor. Our evaluation Mach 4 SL got here with the 120mm SIDLuxe Final Flight Attendant, a fork with which I’m acquainted (no less than the non-FA model). After the primary journey (a perfect quick path exploratory one), I adjusted the prejudice quite however used to be rather dialed from the inventory setup. To be informed extra in regards to the Flight Attendant setup – I counsel this fundamental setup information from SRAM.
At the trails, the Flight Attendant shines. It’s now not as speedy to react as a cable-actuated lockout energy through a rider, but it surely doesn’t fail to remember (like me). The SidLuxe surprise has 3 modes, open, pedal, and locked. Having the suspension flow out and in of the pedal and entire open mode whilst going all out is one thing I particularly loved. I wouldn’t have carried out this on my XC motorbike with a 3-position cable lockout. I have a tendency to modify between totally locked and pedal, hardly totally open – that modified after extra rides at the Mach 4 SL with FA.
It used to be releasing to unfastened the a part of my mind that used to be interested by when to fasten out and when now not. I simply rode and listened for the little servo sounds of the lock and open (you do pay attention it), realizing my suspension used to be doing its factor, and all I had to concern about used to be the motorbike’s riding.
Maximal descending self belief
While you pair the Mach 4 SL up to date geometry with a 120mm fork, the rider will get a singular spice up of persuade. The geometry adjustments quite, and it’s extra laid again evidently. But when that interprets into a couple of seconds at the downhills, it’s value it. The quite upper role enabled me to push extra at the chunky path bits with nonetheless quite a lot of self belief within the motorbike’s hiking talent. The shorter-than-usual-for-me stem (I in most cases journey an 80mm/-12) performed into this, as did the 35mm clamp. This quite tweaked spec and spice up in stiffness paired properly with the Mach 4 SL unifying project to head speedy in any respect prices.
Climbs Neatly Too
The Mach 4 SL balanced ascent is first rate, accentuated through including a Rock Shox Flight Attendant. The geometry of the motorbike and the steeper seat tube attitude be offering a super perch to pedal onerous and really feel such as you’re over the ground bracket getting leverage. Whilst the suspension is biking out and in of locked and pedal. The rider will get the most efficient grip and talent to climb. As discussed above, if I had been on my motorbike, I might were locked out lots of the climb, most effective opening to pedal when it crested quite. However now, after using the Flight Attendant, I’m rethinking my way.
Skilled Spec
The whole thing (and I imply the whole lot) at the Pivot Mach 4 SL is professional-spec. There’s not anything in this motorbike {that a} reliable rider would want to replace. For me, the specifications had been proper on, and I couldn’t ask for extra (properly, OK… something). Off the bat, you may have an influence meter, SRAM XX Transmission moving, and SRAM Stage Final Stealth, 2-piston brakes.
The wheels are Pivot branded Reynolds Blacklabel 309/289 XC with Business 9 Hydra hubs. The edges are various, with a 30mm Entrance width and a 28mm Rear, and are available wrapped in Maxxis Rekon and Rekon Race tires, simply sufficient to race and get gnarly when wanted.
The one factor I might trade if pressed is the shifter buttons at the AXS Transmission. Regardless of how a lot I journey it, I lament for the times of the older paddle. I in finding the latest model too tightly tucked into bars, and it’s made much more notable with a lock-on grip – just like the grips integrated at the Mach 4 SL. This can be a not unusual grievance for a large number of riders at the new Transmission teams, so we wouldn’t be stunned to peer one thing new introduced quickly.
Nitpicking…
This can be a $13k motorbike, in spite of everything, so it’s honest to name out any factor regardless of how petty. What left me slightly bummed used to be that the Pivot wheel decals fell off of the Reynolds rims after a couple of washes. No longer the entire decals fell off, however only a few letters making the wheels say “Pivot.” If it used to be my motorbike, I may just see going decal-less and embracing the matte-black carbon glance.
So. Many. Batteries.
One important evil of SRAM transmission and Flight Attendant suspension is the selection of batteries. There are LOTS of batteries in this motorbike, and as somebody who frequently forgets to fee the whole lot… it frightens me quite.
At the Pivot Mach 4 SL, there are two SRAM AXS batteries for the suspension, one for the AXS dropper seatpost, and one for the SRAM AXS Transmission rear derailleur. There’s one CR2032 coin-type battery within the AXS shifter, one within the AXS dropper, and one within the AXS energy meter. That brings the entire selection of batteries at the motorbike to seven. Do you believe your self to fee, or have replacements available?
Would you race the Pivot Mach 4 SL with a Flight Attendant? This can be a dumb query since the solution is apparent: YES.
Is SRAM Flight Attendant the most efficient spec for the motorbike? In a really perfect international, I would really like to peer what a 100mm Flight Attendant spec would really feel like. However within the wake of contemporary XCO lessons and longer marathon-style races. That is the most efficient spec for the Mach 4 SL, so long as you’re a Rock Shox suspension fan. Those that are living the FOX existence will maximum certainly want to journey the 2 choices to resolve the most efficient one for them.
Ultimate Ideas
You’d suppose that reviewing a $13,500 race/marathon-focused mountain motorbike can be simple. In fact, it’s unbelievable and a laugh, and we might all love to have one in our storage.
However is it well worth the asking worth? Neatly, for that one, I might ask what’s maximum necessary to you as a rider. The Pivot Mach 4 SL body is a superb canvas for development a hell of a race motorbike. Digital suspension is more recent to the marketplace and is repeatedly being remodeled. I wouldn’t be stunned to peer new fashions once a year. I counsel this construct to any rider who likes to enjoy the most recent and biggest that the mountain motorbike international has to supply. You might be using as with reference to what the sector’s maximum outstanding reliable riders are the usage of. When you’ve got the method and wish to enjoy Pivot’s highest, that is it.
In the event you’re having a look to get probably the most bang in your dollar on a race motorbike whilst nonetheless with the ability to pay emerging race access charges… and keep within the Pivot ecosystem, I might say glance into the Mach 4 SL Staff and Professional model that makes use of the similar body, most effective with other parts.
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