trek top fuel vs pivot trail 429

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2023 Trek Top Fuel 9.9 XTR Vs Pivot Trail 429 Team XTR

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Hi all! I hope I can demo both bikes on Friday in a big demo event that many bike dealers will take part in. I don't have enough $$$ to afford any of these bikes, but I'm very curious about which would you choose. Both bikes have very similar specs: 120 mm of rear travel, Fox Factory DPS shock, 130 mm Fox 34 Factory GRIP 2 fork, Shimano XTR drivetrain & brakes, carbon frame, carbon wheels, and bar. One spec difference is the T429 DW-Link and another is a 4-piston brake on the T429 Vs a 2-piston on the TF. The TF is very light at only 24.7 lbs on Trek's website. As for the geo, both T429 size M and TF size ML have the same reach (460 mm) and STA (75.5°), but different STA (66.5° T429/65.5 TF) and 1 mm BB height difference. Both got excellent reviews and were crowned winners in their category/bike of the year (the Trak was tested as a 2022 model with a 120 mm fork travel, while the 2023 model has grown to 130 mm). So which bike would you choose? I know that the 2023 Trek is very new, but did anyone manage to ride both? Thanks, Mo.  

At $9500 list for the TF, I'd negotiate for a 20% discount for cash with 60% down at the time of order. Only a manager could do that. I'd only talk money with him. Realistically, I'd buy the Costco Intense 951 XC for $3000 on sale and upgrade the wheels and drivetrain for a lot less. That sale is over. 3500 normally. I'd absolutely go to the demo.  

I haven't ridden the T429, but own the new Top Fuel, and can say it might be my favorite mtb ever, with a great mix of plushness and pedaling snappiness. I'd never own the T429 with its superboost rear wheel spacing. I own several mtbs with regular old boost, and it's nice to have a spare wheel available if needed. Otherwise, it appears to be a stellar bike.  

Kosmo, did you own the 2020/21 Top Fuel too?  

I've ridden the trail 429 quite a bit (have about 300-400 miles on one...I also own a switchblade) and have just done some parking lot tests of the top fuel. The biggest difference that I was able to feel was the lower stack coupled with the 820 mm bars of the top fuel made me feel a little more hunched over. I felt a bit more centered in the bike on the trail 429. The t429 is a really fun poppy bike that corners and carries speed very well. I love the rear end on that thing. I really want to get the TF out for a proper demo as I liked the general feel and wanted to see what the lower stack would do on our trails. As far as weight is concerned, myself and the guys at the trek store think the 24.7 lbs is a type-o as last years TF 9.9 xtr is the exact same build as this years but some how, magically, the bike lost 1.2 lbs compared to last years (last years was 25.9). The only difference that we could see was colors on the frame (if there was a difference in the frame weight, then all the models would have a similar weight drop but none of the other models did they actually gained a few grams with going to the 130 on the front). Both frame + shock weights are roughly the same comparing the TF vs T429 so with similar builds, they'll be similar. I would love to hear what your thoughts are after the demo since I've been eyeing the TF for a while.  

mo6500 said: I demoed the 429 size L ride GX build (I'm M but L was the only size they had) and it handled great uphill but less on the DH sections and some rock gardens. It was better on the DH than the Ibis Ripley, noticeably more stable than the Ripley but almost heavy as my Fuel EX (140/130 mm F/R + Fox 36 up front). Click to expand...

I’m ready to sell my 2020 TF 9.9 & pull the trigger on a new one, but not sure if I should get the available 2022 (comes with Sid 120mm) or wait for the 23 that comes with the new 130mm pike With the charger 3. I could always swap forks, but Not sure I really need a 130mm fork anyway. Somehow I feel like I need to keep it with what the current spec is..  

STOKED on my 22 with a 130 Fox fork (though I never rode it with a 120). Previously owned a 20 TF that I "liked a lot". No comparison for me. Stiffer, pedals better, no weird twist-loc remote. don't give a darn about a half pound of frame weight. It's probably a plus for a 195 pound guy like me. Not a fan of the SID. Too many friends with bushing woes. Pike at least should be great, though there are maybe a few mixed messages about the plushness of the new damper? Gun to the head, Pike over SID every time on this bike.  

Slightly off topic.. what is going to replace the TF as a short travel xc bike? The Supercaliber can't be it, unless that grows as well.  

I rode both the bikes you mentioned along with several others at a demo event and went with the pivot, tad cheaper and I thought it was built better and it just felt better on the trail to me, totally subjective I know but these top end bikes are all so darn good nowadays it’s hard to pick with riding them, honestly you can’t go wrong with either but the pivot edged out the trek for me.  

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Pivot Trail 429

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Summary of Reviews

We have read all expert and user reviews on the Pivot Trail 429 . In summary, this is what cyclists think.

19 reasons to buy

• The Pivot Trail 429 is available in five sizes. The bike best fits riders 4’11” to 6’7”.
• The bike fits both 29” and 27.5” plus wheel and tire setups, making the bike very versatile.
• There are eight build options for the Pivot Trail 429, offering riders a choice of components that best meet their needs.
• The Pivot Trail 429 has room for a large water bottle in every size frame.
• The bike comes with a 10-year warranty.
• The bike is easy to maneuver with its short chainstay, through tight corners and up technical climbs.
• The long top tube provides riders with stability.
• The Pivot Trail 429 is an excellent climber with its DW-Link suspension offering riders 120mm of rear travel.
• The tight suspension offers riders efficient power transfer when pedaling.
• The bike is stiff and accelerates like a cross-country bike, according to experts.
• The carbon layup of the frame on the Pivot Trail 429 presents riders with a high-quality, durable frame.
• Experts raved that the suspension had just enough movement when climbing for the rider to maintain traction pedaling both seated and standing, without feeling like the bike bobbed.
• The rider’s position is centered and balanced, allowing the rider to distribute their weight forward or back, for greater control on climbs and descents.
• Experts found the bike descended well on a variety of trails,
• Pivot utilizes WTB PadLoc grips to prevent the grips from spinning while riding.
• The Super Boost Plus spacing in the rear creates great clearance on the bike.
• The bike has a straighter seat post than its competitors with the DW-Link suspension setup. This allows riders to run a longer dropper post.
• Experts found the bike responsive with its stiff and efficient componentry.
• The bike's Shimano XT modulated brakes provide excellent control and stopping power for riders on the Pivot Trail 429.

6 reasons not to buy

• Experts agreed the bike is not as forgiving as longer travel trail bikes.
• Precision is needed for technical descents to stay on track and in control while riding the Pivot Trail 429.
• The bike’s suspension is not very plush. The Pivot Trail 429’s suspension setup promotes speed over comfort.
• The bike does not support a front derailleur and is limited to a 1x setup.
• Grip choices are limited for the bike, due to the PadLoc compatibility of the handlebars.
• The Super Boost Plus spacing limits wheel choices on the Pivot Trail 429.

Bottom line

Expert reviews, the all-new 2019 pivot trail 429 takes on one of moab’s hardest rides.

Pivot’s advancements in frame technology, reduced costs for the consumer, greatly expanded size range, continued obsession with the little details, and recent move to a generous ten year warranty are all things that stand out on the new Trail 429.

Pivot Trail 429 Pro XT/STR Review

It’s a stunning, speedy machine for longer loops and (maybe with a beefier fork) perfect for just messing about in the woods too – as long as your wallet can handle the price.

Pivot Trail 429 Race XT 2019 Review

The Pivot Trail 429 is a zippy, xc minded, trail bike with very impressive climbing abilities.

Pivot Trail 429 PRO XT/XTR

There aren’t many bikes as well-balanced, as easy to ride, and terrain-dextrous as this one right here.

First Ride: The All-New Trail 429 From Pivot Cycles

This bike climbs incredibly well.

Pivot Trail 429 Review – Blurring the Lines Between XC and Trail Bike

If you are very much a cross-country type rider, you want to do longer rides, a fairly mellow pace, but every once in a while hit something a little bit bigger, I think this thing is awesome for that.

2020 Pivot Trail 429: Test Ride and Review: How Does It Compare to the Tallboy and Ripley?

Maybe just wait until Pivot updates the Trail 429 because this thing will be an absolute weapon if it has the same numbers as my Ripley or closer to the Tallboy.

2020 Pivot Trail 429 Review

It was just a super fun bike to ride in every, every situation. It climbed incredibly well. The power transfer was excellent. It was a light, very fun and lively bike when I was trail riding.

Mountain Biking on Vancouver Island – Test Riding the Pivot Trail 429 – Hartland Bike Park

I think this is a really good choice for someone who’s like more cross-countrier that enjoys having something capable for the challenging days.

2019 Pivot Trail 429 Review & Extended Test Ride

For 90% of the trails out there I ride, this is plenty of bike. It’s just really, really efficient and precise.

2019 Pivot Trail XTR 29 Demo Test Ride on Chimney Gulch Trail at Golden Bike Shop Bike Junkie

If you are looking for a great bike that can climb, this is something you should consider.

Pivot Trail 429: First Ride Review – Flow Mountain Bike

This bike is a thoroughly modern trail bike.

2019 Pivot 429 Trail Review

Bike feels noodley, squirrely, great suspension, efficient, hate the 34, feels weak, not confidence-inspiring, but it’s not a bad bike.

It’s a Festival..It’s a Demo – Demoing the Pivot Trail 429

The Trail 429 took some of the gnar a little better.

Review: 2019 Pivot Trail 429 – A Little Bit of Travel, A Whole Lot of Fun.

The Trail 429 is the bike I’ve been grabbing when I’m not sure where I’ll end up, I’ve never felt all that overwhelmed in the techgnar, or underpowered on faster trails.

Tested: Pivot Trail 429

The Pivot Trail 429’s breadth of capability for cross-country through to enduro – makes it the ideal one bike to rule all the mountain bike trails.

Pivot Trail 429 First Ride

The Pivot Trail 429 is the revamped version of Pivot’s sweet spot trail bike with enough travel to go fast and play.

Riding Moab – On Pivot Cycles New Trail Bikes

Overall our initial impression of the Trail 429 was that it’s a capable trail machine designed to blast up climbs and rip down descents.

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Pivot Trail 429 Review | A premium trail ripper with big bike ambition

The not-so-minor details.

Pivot Trail 429 Team XTR

Jet Black Products

https://www.jetblackproducts.com/

$13,499 AUD

- Beautifully crafted carbon chassis - Wheelsize, fork & ride height adaptability - Incredible technical pedalling performance - Masterfully controlled for a 120mm trail bike - Sag guide is so simple, but bloody brilliant! - Light & whippy Reynolds wheels

- Rattly cable port - Rattly brake pads - Super Boost may be a turnoff for some

Wil reviews the new Pivot Trail 429

Standing proud as one of the most important and commercially successful models for Pivot Cycles, the Trail 429 is the Arizona brand’s versatile go-fast trail bike. Flanked by the Mach 4 SL (Pivot’s 100mm XC race bike) and Switchblade (the 142mm All Mountain bike), the Trail 429 splits the difference with 120mm of rear wheel travel and a 130-140mm fork. That puts it in the ring with other short travel rippers like the Santa Cruz Tallboy, Ibis Ripley, Norco Optic and Specialized Stumpjumper.

The Trail 429 is the freshest faced of the lot however, having just received a radical redesign with an updated suspension design, a brand new carbon fibre chassis, revamped geometry, and a little extra versatility thrown in for good measure. How do all the new changes play out on the trail? We’ve been riding the new bike for the past few weeks to find out.

Watch our video review of the new Pivot Trail 429 here!

Pivot Trail 429 overview

The very first Trail 429 (the bicycle formally known as the Mach 429 Trail) was launched all the way back in 2015. It was Pivot’s biggest 29er at the time, featuring a gargantuan 116mm of rear wheel travel and a 130mm fork. It was also the first Pivot to utilise Boost hub spacing and offer 27.5+ compatibility. I fondly recall riding the Mach 429 Trail for the first time, where its efficient suspension, taut chassis and playful handling stood out amongst many other 29ers of its era.

The Trail 429 then got its first big update in 2018. Rear travel was lifted slightly to 120mm, the back end went to Super Boost hub spacing, and consequently the chainstay length was snugged right in. It got a bit burlier and a bit longer up front, and Pivot even started offering an ‘Enduro’ build with a Fox 36 fork and DPX2 shock. The added versatility and improved aesthetics meant it quickly found its way onto our most-wanted list, and it’s been a thoroughly popular bike for Pivot ever since.

And that brings us to this bike here – the 3rd generation Trail 429. Pivot’s newest, and most refined mountain bike to date.

Lighter, sleeker, more compact

Undergoing its biggest overhaul yet, the 3rd generation Trail 429 joins Pivot’s new wave alongside the latest Mach 6, Switchblade and Mach 4 SL. No longer does the shock mount underneath the top tube, instead it’s now positioned vertically in front of the seat tube. By switching to a trunnion shock mount, Pivot has been able to package the same stroke into a more space-efficient package. There’s more standover clearance, long-stroke dropper compatibility, and the option to fit a large-sized water bottle on all frame sizes.

The low-slung top tube gives way to a near straight line from the head tube to rear axle. Pivots have historically been known for prioritising function above all else, often at the expense of form. That is not the case with the new Trail 429. This bike is most pleasing to the eye.

Frame construction is still a carbon-only affair, though Pivot has switched to more expensive, higher-modulus fibres to help reduce weight. Around 300g has been shaved off the entire chassis, impressive given it is considerably longer than the old Trail 429. Claimed weight is now just 2.7kg. That’s for the frame with a Fox Float DPS shock and hardware.

Rear suspension is controlled by a dw-link suspension design. The two links are manufactured from cold-forged 7000-series alloy, with machined pockets housing large diameter Enduro MAX bearings. With the exception of the trunnion bearing mount, all the main pivot bearings share the same size.

Pivot Trail 429 geometry

Pivot has carried through the dual-wheelsize versatility of the original model, but steps it up a notch with the addition of a two-position flip chip in the upper rocker pivot. Bikes will come from the factory in the ‘Lower’ setting, though flipping this chip into the ‘Low’ position will lift the BB by 6mm and steepen the angles by 0.5°.

Complete bikes can be had with a 130mm fork (Race build) or a 140mm fork (Enduro build). 29in wheels come as standard on all bikes, though the frame is 27.5+ compatible, and with the Super Boost back end there’s huge tyre clearance – you can fit up to a 29×2.6in or 27.5×2.8in tyre in the rear. For those embracing the trend of the moment, the Trail 429 can even be setup in a mullet configuration with a standard 27.5in rear wheel.

With the new frame, Pivot has updated the Trail 429’s geometry with most of the changes you’d expect. The head angle is over a degree slacker, and the seat tube angle is a bit steeper. The biggest change however is the increased top tube length. On our Medium test bike, reach has grown from 439mm to a whopping 455mm. In essence, each frame has basically gone up a size in terms of reach. That’s a hefty change and it’s quite noticeable too – more on that in a bit.

Pivot Trail 429 price & specs

With Race builds, Enduro builds, Live Valve and carbon wheel upgrade options, there’s a total of 20 different configurations for the Trail 429. Yes,  twenty ! Prices start at $8,499 AUD for the Race XT build, and go all the way up to $18,999 AUD for the Team XX1 AXS Live build that has all the batteries.

Pivot will offer the Trail 429 in five sizes in both Metallic Silver and Pacific Blue colour options. Worth noting is that Pivot manufactures just the single carbon frame. So unlike Specialized, Santa Cruz and Yeti for example, you’re getting the same quality of carbon fibre regardless of which spec level you choose.

The bike that Pivot sent us to test is the top-level Team XTR option in the Race trim with a 130mm Fox 34 and Float DPS shock. The same build can be had in the Enduro option with a 140mm Fox 36 and DPX2 shock for an extra $500. And if you’re a fan of automated suspension, Pivot also offers a Live Valve upgrade for $1500.

Pivot Trail 429 Team XTR Specs

• Frame | Hollow Core Carbon Fibre, dw-link Suspension Design, 120mm Travel
• Fork | Fox 34 Float, Factory Series, FIT4 Damper, 51mm Offset, 130mm Travel
• Shock | Fox Float DPS, Factory Series, 165x45mm
• Hubs | Industry Nine Hydra, 110x15mm Front & 157x12mm Super Boost Rear
• Rims | Reynolds Blacklabel 309/289 Carbon, Inner Width: 30mm Front & 28mm Rear
• Tyres | Maxxis Dissector EXO 3C Maxx Terra 2.4WT Front & Rear
• Drivetrain | Shimano XTR M9100 1×12 w/Race Face Next R 32T Crankset & 10-51T Cassette
• Brakes | Shimano XTR M9120 4-Piston w/180mm CenterLock Rotors
• Bar | Phoenix Low Rise Carbon, 20mm Rise, 780mm Wide
• Stem |  Phoenix Enduro Trail, 45mm Long
• Grips |  Phoenix Factory Lock-On
• Seatpost | Fox Transfer Factory, 31.6mm Diameter, Travel: 100mm (XS), 125mm (S), 150mm (M), 175mm (L), 200mm (XL)
• Saddle | WTB Volt Pro
• Sizes Available | X-Small, Small, Medium, Large & X-Large
• Confirmed Weight | 12.4kg
• RRP | $13,499 AUD

Pivot Trail 429 sizing & fit

As with previous generations, I’ve been riding a Medium size in the new Trail 429 to suit my 175cm height. This is a noticeably bigger bike though – the 455mm reach is long for a Medium, and while the seat tube angle is steeper, it’s not as near-vertical as we’ve seen from some other brands. That means your weight is spread out quite comfortably and evenly across the cockpit. However, I’d recommend a cautious approach to anyone who typically likes to upsize.

With the lower slung top tube, Pivot has also lobbed some length off of the seat tube. The tube itself is straight with no kinks or bends, maximising dropper post insertion depth. Our test bike has a 150mm Fox Transfer as standard, but I could easily bump up to 175mm if I wanted.

To rein in the long front centre, Pivot specs the Trail 429 with a 45mm stem. Along with the 780mm bars and wider Q-factor from the Super Boost crankset, you’re delivered a riding position that feels purposeful and efficient like an XC bike, albeit with the footprint and stability of a bigger travel trail bike.

Suspension & tyre setup

Setting up the suspension on the Trail 429 is an absolute doddle thanks to the clip-on sag guide. Seriously, why can’t more brands do this?

For my 68kg riding weight, I aired up the Float DPS shock to 160psi, which lined up the O-ring with the blue line at sag. This is recommended for a slightly firmer and sportier ride quality. If you’re after plusher performance though, set your sag on the red line.

Pivot has fitted the largest 0.95³ volume spacer inside the rear shock, which gives the Trail 429 a very progressive and supported feel out of the box. This is likely to suit a lot of riders, though less aggressive folks who aren’t able to access full travel will want to look at downsizing to a smaller volume spacer. Once sag was dialled in, I set rebound one click faster than halfway (8/14 clicks), and left the low-speed compression adjuster in the most open position.

The setup guide for the Fox 34 is similarly effective, and it proved to be more accurate than my encounters with the current 36. I setup the fork with 70psi and three volume spacers inside the air spring, set rebound a click faster than halfway (11/20 clicks) and added five clicks of low-speed compression damping from the most open setting.

As for rubber, the Trail 429 comes with 2.4in Maxxis Dissectors front and rear. According to my vernier callipers, the tread on the Dissector measures up at 2.45in wide, while the casing is a touch narrower at 2.35in wide. The rear tyre is a bee’s dick narrower due to the slightly skinnier 28mm rim width. On the note of tyres, it’s nice to see Pivot sending the Trail 429 ready to go tubeless, with several bottles of Stan’s NoTubes sealant included with the bike. Once setup tubeless, I inflated the tyres to 21psi in the front and 24psi in the back.

Confirmed weight for our Medium sized test bike without pedals? A very impressive 12.4kg.

Go-fast pedalling

Setting out on the commute to the trails aboard the Trail 429, there is a detectable amount of movement at the rear shock while cruising. The combination of the progressive leverage rate, high volume air can and trunnion bearing mount means the rear suspension is quite supple and active off the top. If you’re just plodding along without paying too much attention to your pedal stroke, you’ll see the rocker link gently oscillate in rhythm with your weight shifts.

This can be a little deceiving though, because you don’t actually waste a lot of energy while pedalling on the Trail 429. It’s only the very first portion of the travel that’s ultra sensitive, with a firm mid-stroke platform engaging around the sag point. Of course you can mitigate this small amount of movement via the shock’s three-position compression lever. The Firm mode isn’t a full lockout, but it’ll tighten up things sufficiently for the bitumen and smoother fireroad sections.

Push more forcefully through the pedals however, and the Trail 429 quickly stands to attention. You can feel the links clench under chain torque, propelling the whole bike forward with the sort of get-up-and-go enthusiasm that you’d expect from the Mach 4 SL race bike. Even with the rear shock in the fully open position (which is where I left it), the back end feels energetic and sprightly whenever you’re on the gas.

Aiding acceleration, the lightweight Reynolds wheels spin up quickly thanks to the low-profile, asymmetric carbon rims, bladed spokes and super-buzzy Industry Nine Torch freehub (690 engagement points – yikes!). Weighing in at just 1,540g on the workshop scales, the Black Label 309/289 XC wheelset is whippy and well-tuned, and a fabulous match for the Trail 429.

The Dissectors rumble along reasonably well given their weight (957-965g confirmed), and they’re noticeably quicker than an equivalent Minion. However, mile-hungry riders may wish to fit some faster-rolling rubber, at least on the rear. Perhaps a Rekon or even a Rekon Race, to help add a little more zip to the Trail 429’s stride.

The chassis itself must also take some credit for the bike’s pert pedalling performance. Pivot has gone to some lengths to reduce lateral deflection through the back end of the Trail 429, with the sturdy one-piece swingarm braced by the stout alloy links, large bearings and pivot junctions. As well as minimising a wagging tail, it also helps to keep all of those moving parts in sync with each other, reducing side loading on the rear shock.

Speeding through the chunder

While there’s plenty of enthusiasm on smoother trails, the rougher and more technical the terrain, the better the Trail 429’s pedalling performance gets. Even when the rear wheel is constantly being driven into square-edge rocks, it never seems to get hung up. There’s less jolting through the frame, and I found I could stay seated a lot more as a result.

And this is the real magic of the dw-link suspension. The way it calmly separates your pedals from what the rear shock is doing, its ability to keep feedback to a minimum, is dead brilliant. Maintaining momentum through flat or uphill rock gardens becomes less pain and more pleasure.

The uninterrupted pedalling performance is also enhanced by the Trail 429’s relatively tall ride height. With a distinct lack of suspension wallow, there’s a generous degree of ground clearance for scaling rock-laden climbs. On top of that, the BB itself also sits fairly high. I measured the static BB height at 338mm, which is a fraction lower than what Pivot quotes in its geometry chart. Still, it is a touch taller than the Optic (337mm) & Ripley (335mm), and it’s notably higher than the Stumpjumper (333mm) and Tallboy (332mm).

Bear in mind that all of those numbers are quoted in the lowest geometry positions. Which makes Pivots use of the terms ‘Low’ and ‘Lower’ to describe the two geometry positions a little misleading, and unnecessarily confusing.

Still, the tall ride height does make it unlikely to stall out during the crux of an awkward tech climb. Even in the Lower geometry position, pedal strikes were very much a non-issue on my local test loops. And when I did come across a sniper rock that had target-locked onto my cranks, the near-instantaneous hub engagement meant I could quickly ratchet at the pedals to avoid collision, while keeping the rear wheel churning up and over the mess in front of me. Certainly on those 50/50 climbing sections, the Trail 429’s impeccable pedalling performance and stable suspension meant my odds of achieving a clean run were drastically improved.

Enhanced stability

There are no doubts that the Trail 429’s steady demeanour on rough, undulating singletrack extends through to faster-paced descending. The newly endowed front centre provides a solid footprint on the trail, promoting notably greater high-speed stability than its predecessor. Despite this being a sub-13kg trail bike, it takes quite a lot to get knocked around on the Trail 429.

Bump control is also fabulous given there is ‘only’ 120mm of travel out back. While it doesn’t hover like the longer travel Switchblade, the rear suspension absorbs a wide range of impacts effectively and efficiently, and it recovers with a cat-like reflex on rapid-fire stutter bumps. The rising rate sees support increase deeper into the travel, allowing the Trail 429 to moderate its travel well. Despite some horrendously ungracious hucks-to-flat, I’m still yet to bottom it out completely. That kind of progression in a short travel package is impressive – this ain’t a bike that surrenders its travel willy-nilly.

The Fox 34 fork is equally impressive up front, but having ridden the GRIP2 version of the same fork, I must admit that I missed its buttery-plush performance here. The 4-way adjustable GRIP2 damper offers greater high-speed poise, and it’s even more sensitive than the FIT4 damper. However, it is heavier, more expensive, more involved to setup and tune, and it also misses out on a lockout. For those reasons, I can see why Pivot has spec’d the FIT4 fork on the Race builds. And chances are that riders who value a plusher setup for more technical riding will naturally gravitate towards the Enduro build, which comes with the bigger 36 GRIP2 fork and DPX2 shock.

It’s still mighty poppy

With all that extra length up front, I was initially concerned the new Trail 429 would be a more docile bike compared to the old version. I needn’t have worried though, because there is still a generous dollop of pop and playfulness here.

With its low weight and responsive carbon chassis, the Trail 429 is an easy bike to flick about on twisty singletrack. Another big contributing factor is the predictable suspension behaviour. Since the rear shock never seems to get bogged down, weight distribution on the front wheel is consistent. And with the low-slung top tube and roomy cockpit, you can easily shift your weight around when required.

As with a lot of modern trail bikes, you do have to more actively ride the front wheel though, since it sticks out quite a bit further ahead. All that extra stability doesn’t come for free after all, and the lazier or more tired you are, the greater your chances of understeering around tighter corners. For those coming from the old Trail 429, you’ll need a few rides to recalibrate your dynamic riding position, particularly on flatter singletrack.

Carve-able cornering

Within those first rides, you soon learn to anticipate corners and lean the bike just a little bit harder. The 51mm fork offset provides a light steering feel to help initiate turns to begin with, and the short 432mm rear centre length facilitates quick changes of direction. However, it’s the stiff back end that ensures the rear wheel isn’t found wandering off line though high-speed turns.

While it’s hard for me to say how much of an effect it has, the Super Boost hub does afford a wider spoke bracing angle, which (in theory) elevates lateral wheel rigidity. Either way, the back end of the Trail 429 feels snappy, and there is a strong path of communication from the grips through to the rear axle. Along with the supportive suspension, you can really drive the back wheel hard to square off sharper turns.

When pushed to the limits of surface grip through a dusty high-speed berm, the Maxxis Dissectors engage a nice, controllable drift. These are an excellent choice for the Trail 429, with a good balance of rolling speed and cornering traction that straddles the difference between a Rekon and a Minion DHF. They’re sturdier and more dependable than a Forekaster, with excellent traction on our local rocky, hardpack trails.

The slightly rounded, mohican tread profile means they also put up very little resistance when being leaned side to side. However, the gaping channel between the centre tread and cornering blocks means there is a slightly unnerving traction gap that is somewhat reminiscent of the old High Roller. If you can commit to tipping the bike over though, the robust cornering blocks will provide a steady hold on most trails. They are less predictable on natural off-piste trails though, where deeper ruts and loose rocks start to overwhelm their capabilities. For those kinds of conditions, I’d be tempted to throw a Minion DHR II on the front.

Multiple personalities

Speaking of handling, it’s worth noting that riders choosing the Enduro build will encounter a slightly different experience on the trail. In addition to the DPX2 shock, the Enduro build also pumps up the fork to a 140mm travel Fox 36 with a shorter 44mm offset. As well as providing a tougher feel to the front of the bike with access to more grip and sensitivity, the taller fork will slacken the head angle out to 65.5°, and the shorter offset will also further stabilise the Trail 429’s high-speed steering. For riders wanting maximum capability out of a short travel package, the Enduro build will be worth investigating.

Along with the ability to fit 27.5+ wheels or even go Full Mullet™, there’s certainly a lot of in-built versatility for tuning the Trail 429 to your riding style and conditions. That said, the Super Boost spacing does mean wheel swapping will require a little more consideration. I was going to try out a lighter set of wheels and tyres on our test bike, before I realised that the 157mm dropouts wouldn’t accept my regular Boost wheels. Dang! Pivot clearly believes in the Super Boost standard though, and nearly all major wheel and crankset manufacturers are offering options to suit, so it’s less of a deal than it was back in 2016 with the original Switchblade.

While I couldn’t change wheels, I did make use of the geometry flip chip during testing. The Trail 429 is shipped in the Lower position, though all you need is a 6mm hex key to adjust the geometry on the side of the trail. Flipping that chip into the higher of the two positions steepens the head and seat angles by half a degree, and lifts the BB by 6mm. I measured the static BB height at 344mm off the floor.

Only on the steepest of descending trails was I wishing for that Lower geometry position.

The difference in ride quality is subtle, but appreciable. More bodyweight is shifted onto your hands, the seated climbing position feels both more comfortable and more powerful, and there’s even greater ground clearance for scaling lumpy singletrack. Most importantly though, the steering is a lick more assertive. Because your weight is naturally pushed forward in the high geometry position, the Trail 429 doesn’t require such a concerted weight shift over the front tyre to keep it sticking. For longer distance trail rides with plenty of undulating terrain, I actually found the high geometry position to be my favoured setup. The head angle is still sufficiently slack at 66.5°, and there’s still a tonne of stability from the supportive suspension and long front centre. Only on the steepest of descending trails was I wishing for that Lower geometry position.

Given the Trail 429’s low weight and efficient pedalling performance, it certainly makes for a speedy endurance machine, especially when setup in the higher geometry position. On that note, it turns out that the frame can even be setup with a 120mm fork, which would open up the option of fitting a lighter weight 34 Step-Cast or a RockShox SID. Along with some faster-rolling tyres, the Trail 429 could make for an exceptionally capable long distance XC bike.

Component highs & lows

Having put a little over 300km of riding into our test bike so far, I’ve had plenty of time to get accompanied with the meat and potatoes of the Trail 429. And as you’d expect for a mountain bike that sells for well over ten grand, it’s a very high quality package. Still, it hasn’t been totally immune from any issues.

While the Cable Port system is neat and easy to work on, the head tube port for the dropper post cable isn’t quite snug enough. This means the cable is free to retract and bounce around inside the downtube. Some electrical tape around the cable where it’s clamped at the port sorted this out, but we’d rather it wasn’t sloppy to begin with.

Speaking of rattles, no surprises that Shimano’s finned brake pads make the usual racket down at the four-piston callipers. When the pads wear out, replace them with non-finned pads for a better chance at true trail serenity. Otherwise the XTR Trail brakes have been absolutely spot-on, with huge controllable power. It’s also nice to see a 180mm direct mount for the rear brake too, which is very tidy alongside the bolt-up axle.

Shift quality has also been top-notch, though I haven’t found the Race Face chainring to be as smooth in dirty conditions compared to a Shimano DCE+ chainring. On longer and dustier trail rides, when a rumbling sensation would develop through the pedals, I had to squirt the chainring with my water bottle to quieten it back down. More regular chain cleaning and lubrication is required to keep it running quiet.

The carbon crank arms are beautiful though, and with the 30mm alloy axle, the Next R crankset is quite light at a confirmed 527g with the 32T chainring. However, you won’t find a matching Race Face bottom bracket. Instead, Pivot specs the Trail 429 with a custom Enduro bottom bracket that features deeper cups, double row Enduro MAX bearings, and external rubber seals.

There are plenty of other neat details to be found throughout, including the chain-silencing 3D chainstay protector, the option to fit Pivot’s Tool Dock system, and a large port underneath the downtube for accessing the internal cabling. I also dig the fabulous lock-on grips, which taper from 30mm on the inside to 32mm at the ends, while also having a little more rubber facing your palms to improve vibration damping.

Fox’s 1x dropper lever is also brilliant, with a light action and a nicely machined paddle for your thumb. It also sits quite a bit further below the grips, making it a cleaner and easier target to hit compared to the Shimano dropper lever that’s been coming on a load of our test bikes recently. The post itself has been brilliant, with a similarly light action, a fast return speed and a low stack height for the amount of drop on offer.

Pivot Trail 429 vs Specialized Stumpjumper

Out of the Trail 429’s closest competitors, the Specialized Stumpjumper is the one that I’ve spent the most time on, having recently tested the new Stumpjumper Pro .

The Stumpy is slightly longer-legged, with 10mm more travel at both ends. Despite this, and the fact that it has SWAT storage, the frame is around 500g lighter than the Trail 429, with a claimed weight of 2.28kg. This is primarily achieved by a simpler single pivot suspension layout, which utilises flex through the carbon seatstays instead of a conventional pivot.

With Specialized being the bigger mass-produced brand, and the fact that it also produces an alloy frame, the Stumpjumper is by far the more accessible option of the two bikes, with prices starting at $3,200 AUD for the base model. Once you’re into carbon territory however, the pricing isn’t actually all that different alongside the smaller, more boutique Trail 429.

The Stumpjumper Pro we tested has a list price of $12,700 AUD, so it’s pretty close to the Trail 429 Team XTR. It also gets Fox Factory Series suspension, and specs a SRAM X01 drivetrain with G2 RSC brakes. You get carbon Roval wheels, but they’re quite a bit heavier than the Reynolds wheels on the Trail 429, and the tyres are more aggro too. The complete bike weight shows this, with the Stumpjumper Pro coming in at 12.84kg – almost half a kilo heavier.

Geometry isn’t too far different between the two bikes. The rear centre length is the same, and the reach measurements for the Medium/S3 size are within 5mm of each other. The Stumpy’s head angle is a degree slacker, the seat tube is a degree steeper, and the BB also sits a bit lower to the ground. On paper at least, it’s slightly edgier, and it’s also available in a broader size range. However, the Trail 429 does offer considerably better standover clearance, particularly in the smaller sizes – something that shorter riders will want to take note of.

Having ridden both bikes on the same test loops, there’s no denying that the Trail 429 is the better pedalling bike of the two. The dw-link suspension possesses enviable natural efficiency, whereas the Stumpjumper is much more reliant on the rear shock’s low-speed compression damping to stabilise it against pedal-induced bobbing. The firmer mid-stroke on the Trail 429 also sees less squat on the climbs, so while the static seat angle is slacker, it doesn’t feel that way in real life.

There is a more lively feel to the Stumpjumper though, which likely comes down to the slender chassis and plusher suspension performance. There’s more activity through the rear suspension’s mid-stroke, which delivers a smooth feel and it generates superb traction on choppy trails. The GRIP2 fork is also plusher and more responsive, keeping the front tyre connected with the trail more of the time. I did find I clipped pedals more frequently on the Stumpjumper due to its active suspension and low-hanging BB, and it wasn’t totally uncommon to hit full bottom-out on the shock either. Aggro types will want to consider tuning the shock with volume spacers to get the support that they need.

In comparison, the Trail 429 offers a tighter and more progressive feel straight out of the box. Despite having less travel, there’s excellent support and big-hit control. Bolstering that sensation is the Trail 429’s solid chassis – a direct result of the well-braced swingarm, chunky links and big bearings. It might not be quite as plush as the Stumpjumper, and the geometry might not be quite as trendy on paper, but the high quality chassis and finely-tuned suspension design give it a remarkable level of control and versatility for what is a lightweight and stupendously efficient trail bike.

Flow’s Verdict

The new Trail 429 isn’t just the best looking iteration yet, it’s also the highest performing trail bike to have worn the Pivot Cycles logo.

By reworking the shock layout, Pivot’s engineers have been able to improve packaging on the new Trail 429 chassis, while also improving its dynamic performance on the trail. The progressive suspension provides excellent mid-stroke control and bottom-out support, giving the Trail 429 a level head even when you’re batting well above your weight.

It also delivers impeccable pedal efficiency, and the Trail 429’s ability to hold and build speed over rocky, undulating terrain is for sure one of its most impressive traits. It also doesn’t hurt that the new frame design cuts a thoroughly pleasing silhouette, and its ability to adapt to different wheelsizes and forks bolsters its range of appeal further.

However, there’s no getting around that it’s a pricey bit of kit. Of course you are getting a beautifully engineered chassis with a near un-upgradeable build kit, and the overall package does compare quite favourably to equivalent top-end Treks and Specializeds. It’s also arguably better value than comparably boutique offerings from Santa Cruz and Ibis.

Certainly if you’re on the hunt for a premium lightweight trail bike, and you place a strong emphasis on pedal efficiency and technical trail proficiency, the Trail 429 is one of the most versatile and well-balanced 120mm travel bikes out there right now.

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2022 Trek Top Fuel

Wheel Size:

• XS: 27.5’’
• S–XXL: 29’’

Travel: 120 mm rear / 120 mm front

Material: Aluminum and Carbon versions available

• Aluminum frame w/ Fox DPS Performance shock : $2,300 USD / $2,900 CAD
• Carbon frame w/ Fox DPS Factory shock: $3,700 USD / $4,600 CAD
• Complete bikes $2,600 to $11,000 USD / $3,450 to $14,650 CAD; see below for details

When Trek first launched the Top Fuel in 2004, it was a dedicated XC race bike, and it stayed in that camp through several subsequent generations. In 2019, Trek nudged the Top Fuel a bit closer to the Trail category since the Supercaliber took over as their XC race full-suspension bike, but with just 115 mm of rear travel and XC-oriented geometry, that Top Fuel didn’t stray too far from its roots.

However, the all-new 2022 Top Fuel looks to add a big dose of Trail-bike capability, and features a bunch of interesting design details, too.

The overall layout of the Top Fuel hasn’t changed much from the prior iteration. It still uses Trek’s ABP suspension layout (a four-bar arrangement with a pivot concentric to the rear axle) with a vertically-oriented shock, and it’s still available in both aluminum and carbon versions. Both feature threaded bottom bracket shells, internal cable routing, and a storage port in the downtube. A water bottle does fit inside the front triangle on all sizes, but Trek says the XS is limited to a 15-oz one, and the Small can only accommodate a 20-oz bottle.

Both frame versions also feature Trek’s Knock Block 2.0 steering limiter, which has now increased the turning range to 72 degrees. Trek originally introduced the system to allow for a bigger downtube that would interfere with the fork crown if the bars got turned too far, but the new Top Fuel has no such limitation. Similar to the latest Trek Slash , the Knock Block system carries over on the Top Fuel to protect the cables from getting yanked on in a crash, but it can be removed if desired. There’s also ample rubber protection on the chainstay, seatstay, and downtube. A flip chip (Trek calls it a “Mino Link”) toggles between two geometry positions, which we’ll outline in more detail below.

Fit & Geometry

One of the most exciting details about the Top Fuel is that it’s offered in a whopping seven different frame sizes, ranging from XS through XXL, with a M/L snuck in the middle. This means that there’s both an especially wide range of sizes available, and that the jumps between sizes are a little tighter than average in the middle part of the range. And like we just saw from Rocky Mountain on their new Element — a bike that is squarely in competition with the new Top Fuel — the XS size Top Fuel gets 27.5’’ wheels, while the rest of the range rolls on 29’’ ones. That makes a lot of sense, for all the same reasons that we talked about in our First Look of the Element — shorter riders generally have less butt-to-tire clearance, and a shorter front wheel and fork makes it a lot easier for shorter folks to appropriately weight the front wheel, too.

The Top Fuel’s headtube angle sits at 66° in all sizes, and that’s paired with a 76° effective seat tube angle and 435 mm chainstays across the board. Reach ranges from a very short 400 mm to 520 mm across the size range. Interestingly, instead of doing neat 20 mm jumps between each size, Trek opted for a 30 mm jump between the Small to Medium, then tightened things to 15 mm between the Medium to M/L and the M/L to Large (the M/L frame’s reach clocks in at 465 mm). All those numbers are stated in the low position with the stock 120mm-travel fork; the high position steepens things by 0.4°, and Trek also condones running a 130mm-travel fork, which slackens both angles by 0.5°. For reference, here’s the full geometry chart:

There’s a huge range of geometry in modern ~120mm-travel bikes, from heavily XC-derived models to quite aggressive options (usually spec’d with a longer-travel fork), and the new Top Fuel sits somewhere in the middle of that range. Given how Trek has talked about the bike, that makes a lot of sense — this is supposed to be a bike for people who want a very sprightly, efficient bike with a solid dose of downhill capability for when things get rougher, and the Top Fuel slots in neatly there. It’s notably similar to the Transition Spur and Pivot Trail 429 , and just a touch less aggressive than the brand new Rocky Mountain Element and Guerrilla Gravity Trail Pistol — all strong contenders in this category.

Trek offers the Top Fuel in nine different builds, with prices ranging from $2,600 to $11,000, and there’s a great range of SRAM and Shimano options across a big spectrum of price points. And bonus points to Trek for sticking to Shimano on the least expensive few options — as we’ve discussed several times this past year , SRAM’s mid-to-high-end options work great, but Shimano has a clear advantage on the more budget-oriented end of the spectrum.

For reference, the complete build options are as follows:

• Fork: RockShox Recon Silver RL
• Shock: X-Fusion Pro 2
• Drivetrain: Shimano Deore
• Crankset: Shimano MT512
• Brakes: Shimano MT200
• Wheels: Bontrager Alloy
• Dropper Post: TransX
• Fork: RockShox Recon Gold 130 mm
• Shock: Fox DPS Performance
• Drivetrain: Shimano SLX shifter / XT derailleur / Deore cassette
• Crankset: Shimano Deore
• Brakes: Shimano MT4100
• Wheels: Bontrager Line Comp 30
• Fork: RockShox SID
• Shock: Fox Float DPS Performance
• Drivetrain: Shimano XT w/ SLX cassette
• Brakes: Shimano M6100
• Fork: Fox 34 Rhythm
• Drivetrain: Shimano XT w / SLX cassette
• Fork: RockShox SID Select+
• Shock: RockShox Deluxe Ultimate
• Drivetrain: Shimano XT
• Crankset: Shimano XT
• Brakes: Shimano XT 4-piston
• Wheels: Bontrager Line Elite 30 Carbon
• Dropper Post: Bontrager Line Elite
• Drivetrain: SRAM GX
• Crankset: SRAM GX
• Brakes: SRAM G2 RS
• Drivetrain: SRAM GX AXS
• Fork: Fox 34 Factory Step Cast
• Shock: Fox Float DPS Factory
• Drivetrain: Shimano XTR
• Crankset: e*Thirteen TRS Race
• Brakes: Shimano XTR 2-piston
• Wheels: Bontrager Line Pro 30 Carbon
• Fork: RockShox SID Ultimate
• Drivetrain: SRAM XX1 AXS
• Crankset: SRAM XX1
• Brakes: SRAM G2 Ultimate
• Dropper Post: RockShox Reverb AXS

Some Questions / Things We’re Curious About

(1) On paper, the Top Fuel looks like it’ll slot in somewhere between the most XC-derived 120mm-travel bikes and the most aggressive options in the class, but does that prove true on the trail?

(2) As shorter-travel Trail bikes get more and more capable, should more people who’d previously be shopping in a longer-travel category be looking at these sorts of options, including the Top Fuel?

Bottom Line (For Now)

Trek looks to have done a great job of modernizing their longstanding Top Fuel model, and in turn, bridging the gap between the Supercaliper XC race bike and the Fuel EX Trail offering. We’re hoping to get on one to see how it stacks up in a rapidly-growing field of contenders in that space, and will have a full review to come if we can make it happen.

2 comments on “2022 Trek Top Fuel”

Looks like a good all round option for up and down performance. I’d like to try it with a 130 mm fork in the high setting.

I have the 2022 Fuel EX7, I’m a xc type rider and do about one 50 mile ride per week on this bike. I went with the EX model because I like having the extra travel, however I wish I would have gotten the EX8 XT model and then just changed out the wheels and shifting for Sram GX 12 speed. The NX Sram has the DUB crankset and bottom bracket and there’s no thread together bottom bracket for this setup and the NX cassette is a boat anchor. So far I’ve put on lighter tires, seat post, and cassette and having a much lighter wheelset built for it now. I thought I would have been using the shock leavers but I just leave those full open 99% of the time these bikes handle great.

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The Pivot Trail 429 Is a Wonder

It can go anywhere and shred (almost) any trail

The Takeaway: the 120/130mm trail category is filled with great bikes—the Trail 429 might be the best.

• 5.9 lb. frame with shock—300 grams lighter than the previous generation
• Updated geometry with flip-chip: longer reach, top tube, and wheelbase; steeper seat tube angle; slacker head tube angle
• Revised suspension layout with vertical shock
• Rear suspension more sensitive from the top, more progressive at the end
• 14 builds priced $5,599 to $12,499
• Enduro build option with 140mm Fox 36 fork and DPX2 shock
• Large water bottle fits inside the front triangle on all sizes

Price: $8,899 (Team XTR as tested) Weight: 27.2 lb. (Medium)

Meet the new, third-generation, Pivot Trail 429. This is the company’s 120/130mm (rear/front) trail bike, which happens to be Pivot’s best-selling model. According to Chris Cocalis, Pivot’s president, “For what mountain biking is for most people, the 120mm bike is the bike that does it all for them.”

A bike like this carries a lot of expectations: It has to climb almost like an XC bike, yet descend almost like an enduro bike. It has to have handling that balances low-speed accuracy with high-speed stability. And the suspension needs to pedal efficiently and flow down demanding descents.

If the new Trail 429 can meet that group’s average, it will be an amazing bike. If it exceeds the completion, it will be something truly special.

Pivot Trail 429 Ride Impressions

For my last ride on the new Trail 429 before I wrote this review, I went over to Moab and did the HyMasa/Captain Ahab loop. This is a cornucopia of rock slab and chunk with numerous technical uphill moves, plenty of alternate lines on the descent, and many punchy bits. The kind of trails that challenge your skills on the climb and challenge your fitness on the descent.

Frankly, a 120/130mm bike with pinner wheels and a Fox 34 and on the front wouldn’t be my first choice for this loop: I’d prefer to be on something like Pivot’s 142mm Switchblade. But that’s also why it was a good final test for the Trail 429.

At this point, most mountain bikers know that a light 29er with DW-Link suspension climbs well. But I’m still going to repeat it: the Trail 429 climbs great. Power transfer is crisp, and there’s no perceptible bob. The 429’s suspension traces the ground well and offers excellent traction. This bike is brilliant at punching up short rocky pitches where the bike’s weight, stiffness, efficient pedaling manners, and sensitive suspension work together to slingshot you up and over.

As the trail turns steeper and you transfer your weight further rearward, the Trail 429’s rear suspension stays high in the travel, eliminating wallow and keeping the front wheel tracking accurately. The DW platform also provides a good floor to push off when you need to pop up and over obstacles.

I am certain there are riders who will look at the 75.0/75.5 degree seat angle and think it’s not steep enough. I’d counter that it is plenty steep for most of us: Because the Trail 429 has a good platform and doesn’t settle too deep into its travel on uphills like on some other bikes, it doesn’t need a crazy seat angle to keep you over the pedals on climbs.

With the updated top tube lengths and reach, the Trail 429 is a rangy bike that provides a comfortably stretched out cockpit for long climbs. But that also means that you'll need to be judicious about pressing down the front end when steering while seated. The long-ish wheelbase also means the new Trail 429 doesn’t dance through tight terrain at low speeds like the previous generation, which had a 20mm shorter wheelbase. But it’s at least on par with its direct competition, and perhaps a little better because the 429 Trail is so crisp and light.

Turning downhill, Pivot’s Trail 429 is precise and balanced. It’s surprisingly composed when pounding through chunk, with impressive overall stiffness given the XC wheels and light frame. I expected more shuddering and deflection as I worked my way down Ahab, but the bike tracked true and felt reassuringly robust.

Like other good bikes with this amount of travel, rough terrain becomes easier once you pick up enough speed to skip over the top of bumps—when you do that, the bike feels fast. Though sensitive off its very top, the rear suspension ramps quickly giving it a firm and snappy feel overall.

Pivot ships the Float DPS-equipped bikes with Fox's largest air volume spacer (0.95 cubic inch). On Ahab, I used full travel but never felt the bike bottom, which is exactly what I want. However for mellower trails with fewer drops and less chunk—the kind of stuff I'd typically ride on a bike like this—I’d drop down a volume spacer size, which will also make the suspension feel a little plusher overall.

The Trail 429’s long rider compartment and somewhat low BB provided a balanced position, and the low top tube provided clearance to throw the bike around as needed. The steering is sharp and accurate, and the front end is stable but not overly so—perfect for a bike that’s built for long climbs and railing flatter trails as much as it’s intended to descend.

New Shock Mounts and Other Frame Updates

The most obvious change to the new Trail 429 is the move from horizontal shock orientation to vertical shock. This makes the bike look like either a bigger version of Pivot’s Mach 4 SL cross country bike or a smaller version of the amazing Switchblade —either way, there’s clearly some shared design language. According to Pivot, the new shock orientation allows for a more compact frame, improves the fitment of Fox’s Live Valve system , and improves standover clearance.

Suspension tinkering goes beyond shock orientation. In an email, Pivot’s president Chris Cocalis said, “It’s a more progressive bike, but also a bit plusher off the top so that you get better small bump compliance.” The pedaling performance also got honed, “When you get out of the saddle and have to crank like you’re on an XC bike, it cranks like you’re on an XC bike.” Though you can fit a coil-over shock on the new Trail 429, Cocalis emphatically states the 429 Trail’s suspension is tuned specifically for an air shock.

Pivot cut 300 grams from the previous frame, making the claimed frame weight (with shock) 5.9 pounds—almost identical to the weight of the 100mm Mach 4 SL XC bike. A light frame is a good way to make a light bike: my review bike with the Team XTR build came in right about 27 pounds. Note this is the lightest build, so all other versions will be heavier. The company also tweaks frame stiffness for each frame size.

In addition to the traditional water bottle mounting point on top of the downtube (all sizes fit a large bottle inside the frame), there is one mount point under the top tube, one under the BB shell, and one under the downtube. The mount under the BB shell has a recess to accommodate Pivot’s Phoenix Dock system mounting plate. The plate also serves as the hatch to access the inside of the frame to aid dropper-housing routing.

Other details to note: The bike has Super Boost Plus 157 rear hub spacing, press-fit 92 BB shell, ISCG05 tabs, and clearance for 29 x 2.6-inch tires.

Pivot Trail 429 Geometry Changes

Guess what? The new Trail 429 has a slacker head tube angle, steeper seat tube angle, longer reach, and longer wheelbase than its predecessor. I know—shocking. The reach and top tube length changes are the most dramatic: a size medium’s reach increases 21mm, while the top tube length increases a bit more than 13mm. The new bike also gets a two-position flip-chip—“low” and “lower”—that alters head and seat angles 0.5 degrees and changes BB height +/- 7 millimeters.

My geometry table shows how the geometry changes from the previous to the new generation of Trail 429, and how it compares to some of its competitors. As you can see, you can almost throw a blanket over the new Trail 429’s geometry, and that of its biggest competitors—the Evil Following, Santa Cruz Tallboy, and the Ibis Ripley.

Like the previous generation, this bike is cleared to run a plus setup with 27.5 wheels and up to 2.8-inch tires (on 40mm inner-width rims). With the 27.5+ wheel setup, the company recommends you run the bike in the higher “low” setting and install Pivot’s plus-17mm lower headset cup to prevent the BB from sitting too low. The bike is also cleared for a mullet set up with a smaller rear wheel: Pivot recommends the “low” setting for this as well.

Pivot Trail 429 Build Kits

Pivot team xx1 axs.

The 429 comes in 14 different builds with prices starting at $5,599. It’s not an overwhelming as it sounds: There are three build buckets—Race, Pro, Team and each has several options.

All three build buckets have a Shimano and SRAM drivetrain and brake option. Race builds have a Shimano SLX/XT blend ($5,599) or SRAM X01/GX blend with Guide brakes($5,899). Pro builds consist of a Shimano XT/XTR blend ($6,699) or a SRAM X01 drivetrain with G2 brakes($7,199). Team builds use Shimano XTR ($8,899) or SRAM XX1 AXS with G2 brakes ($10,399).

Pro and Team builds have three suspension options. These are suspension only changes—the rest of the build kit remains the same. The standard option—shared with the Race builds—is a Fox Float 34 fork with Float DPS shock (Race builds get Performance-series parts, all other builds get Factory stuff).

If you want more capable suspension, the Pro Enduro ($6,999, $7,499) and Team Enduro ($9,199, $10,699) builds have a 140mm Fox Float 36 GRIP2 fork with Float DPX2 piggyback shock.

And if you want next-level suspension you step up to the Pro Live ($8,799, $9,299) and Team Live ($10,999, $12,499), which have Fox’s electronically controlled Live Valve suspension.

Pro builds have an additional upgrade option not offered by Race or Team: For $1,300 riders can upgrade the stock DT-Swiss XM1700 wheels to a wheelset with Reynolds Blacklabel 309/289 carbon rims and Industry Nine hubs (Hydra rear). This 1,470 grams (ish) wheelset is standard on the Team builds.

Regardless of build, all bikes have Fox suspension, 1x12 drivetrain, four-piston brakes, dropper post (travels: XS-100mm, SM-125mm, MD-150mm, LG-175mm, XL-200mm), Pivot lock-on grips, Pivot handlebar (780mm), Pivot stem WTB Volt saddle, and Maxxis Dissector 2.4-inch (WT, TR, 3C, EXO, Maxxterra) tires front and rear.

How the 429 Compares to the Best Trail Bikes

The new Trail 429 lands in a very competitive field that contains some of my favorite mountain bikes. It goes head to head with the likes of the Evil Following, Santa Cruz Tallboy, and Ibis Ripley. They’re all amazing bikes with genre-muddling capabilities. They’re similar in many ways, yet each has a distinct feel.

For reasons of personal preference, some of which I can’t yet fully explain rationally, I love the Evil a little more than the others. But when I set aside personal preference and look at these bikes objectively, the Trail 429’s overall performance makes it the best choice for most riders. It is very light, climbs fast, and descends with aplomb. The other bikes do also, but the Pivot raises the bar for overall performance—particularly climbing and on rolling trails—without any tradeoff on the descents. It’s sharp and precise when it needs to be, playful and forgiving when you want it to be. This bike is a wonder.

A gear editor for his entire career, Matt’s journey to becoming a leading cycling tech journalist started in 1995, and he’s been at it ever since; likely riding more cycling equipment than anyone on the planet along the way. Previous to his time with Bicycling , Matt worked in bike shops as a service manager, mechanic, and sales person. Based in Durango, Colorado, he enjoys riding and testing any and all kinds of bikes, so you’re just as likely to see him on a road bike dressed in Lycra at a Tuesday night worlds ride as you are to find him dressed in a full face helmet and pads riding a bike park on an enduro bike. He doesn’t race often, but he’s game for anything; having entered road races, criteriums, trials competitions, dual slalom, downhill races, enduros, stage races, short track, time trials, and gran fondos. Next up on his to-do list: a multi day bikepacking trip, and an e-bike race. 

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Buying A New Bike – Full Review – '22 Pivot 429 Trail

New bike?  Yup, good day!  Yet, both the path and result have things to think about.  From the perspective of an engineer who does work in the bicycle industry, this is a review of both the bike, a Pivot 429 Trail, and the journey.

This is the journey, including the purchase experience, decisions, and rough spots on the way.  It is also a review of the Pivot 429 Trail, as a bike, from a technical customer perspective, written both for interested potential customers, and for the bicycle industry.  The joy of a new bike is more than just the bike, it's the experience.

Starting The New Bike Journey

Truly, buying a new bike is a super personal endeavor, so I won't bore you with search details.  It will suffice to say, after a lot of reading, reviews, and talking, I settled on 2 main Mountain Bike choices to try.

My top picks are the Trek Top Fuel and the Pivot Mach 4.  The Trek because of so many raving reviews.  The Pivot because I rented one, for 6 beautiful hours hammering the desert rocks.  What can I say . . . I was loving every minute.  The Mach 4 is a great bike.

The Purchase Experience

Every bike shop has a personality.  I recommend finding one that values knowledge, and minimizes sales pitch.  Find a salesperson that is not afraid to talk up brands they don't carry, and is honest about disadvantages of the bikes you are discussing.  (That's really rare.)  Fortunately, I have built friendships with a few bike shop owners, and they treat me with that kind of respect.

Yes, respect.  If a salesperson lies, misleads, or pushes, then they don't respect you.  Move on.  But, I diverge.

I looked high and low for the 2 bikes of choice.  With pandemic pressures , it is hard.  I found a super high-end Pivot Mach 4 (in Denver), but I didn't want that much.  (Live valve and all the extras are cool, but very expensive.)

One day I walked into a local bike shop and found an XL version of the Trek Top Fuel.  That's a little big for me, but a quick ride would certainly tell if it was still top of the list!

Wow, I was impressed.  Trek did a good job with the Top Fuel.

I found another, size M, at a different shop when traveling, but it is a little small.  Oh well.

I went back to see the Trek Top Fuel XL, and what did my wondering eyes behold?  A Pivot 429 Trail, size L, sitting lonely in the back corner.  I guess it was ordered for someone, but after a super long wait, they didn't want it!  Such great luck!  It's not the Mach 4 I was looking for, but it is so much like the Pivot 429 I just retired.

Trek Top Fuel v. Pivot Trail 429

Of course, you can't be too serious testing a bike at the shop, but I did ride them both for an urban assault.  Stairs, big landscape rocks, curbs, neighborhood streets, a little dirt, etc..  I like the look of the Trek better, and I loved the performance of both.

It was a hard decision, but I finally chose on the Pivot Trail 429.  Perhaps familiarity and right size of the Pivot won me over?  Though I really like the Trek Top Fuel, the Pivot checks that one more "it fit better" box.   Even if it is more expensive.

My wife says I need to look at cost per use.  I rode the previous Pivot 429 for 10 years — about 21,000 miles — dozens of epic trips — at least one week in Moab each year.  So many great memories.  I wonder how many smiles?

Yup, I got my money's worth, so Chris earned a strong second look.

Review Of The Purchase Experience

The bike shop, Ascent Cycling in Colorado Springs, is wonderful.  They answered questions, called for needed info, fiddled with adjustments, and gave me space to choose.  I'm super happy with Ascent and that part of the purchase experience.

I'd love to say the whole purchase was perfect and smooth.  It was not.  Because I broke the previous Pivot 429, I requested a "Broken Fame" discount.  The shop owner was happy to request it from Pivot.

At the time, we were paying on some huge medical bills, so I didn't have money to buy new.  Since I couldn't replace the part, I decided to try a fix.

The fix looks tacky, but it worked, for 3 more years and another 6,000 or so brutal miles.  Well, the frame also cracked in more places, and unfortunately, I can't repair those.

Now Fast Forward

The monster medical bills are now paid, and I've saved my extra pennies, so I'm ready to buy.  However, this time Pivot denied the discount.  After offering it previously, they denied it now.  That was a huge turn-off for both me and the bike shop owner.

I almost walked away.  Not because I don't like the bike, but because it feels like really poor customer care.

After a bit, I decided I was not going to let their repugnance spoil the experience, so I went to buy it anyway.

The shop owner was also miffed at Pivot, so he gave me a big discount of his own.  He thought it was quite rude of Pivot to not stand behind their policies and previous offers.  Chalk-up one Very High Mark for Patrick at Ascent Cycling (that's a super stand-up thing to do).  Oh, and one Black Mark for Pivot.  I'll be less vocal in praise for Pivot in the future.

(As a side note, I will not buy Specialized.  I like their products, but dislike their actions, so I refuse to support them with dollars.  I won't buy Specialized bikes, tires, shoes, helmets, etc..  Pay attention companies!  Customers care about how they are treated, and how you deal with the world.  Enough said.)

Personalizing The Pivot 429

The bike is here!  Now it's time to make it perfect.  Yup, customizing is also a big part of the fun with a new bike.  So, what did I change?

First, a Wrap.

I demand a lot from my bikes, and I tend to keep them for a long time.  So, a professional bike wrap is the first order of business.  After speaking with several people about DIY wraps, I decided to go professional.

Change the Saddle.

Trim the Bars.

Next, fitting., what to do about the 1-by.

1X is great for many people, and for that I say "Awesome!"  But, making it the only option is short-sighted.

Of course, the new Pivot Trail 429 only comes as a 1X, and they offer no way to improve it.  It comes with a 32T ring, and say max size is 34T.  That is pretty ridiculous.

Add Cable Liners.

At purchase the bike was kind of noisy.  Riding around even the urban assault there was something rattling.  The internally routed cables are the culprit.  The bike shop said they'd fix that, so they installed some foam housing liners to damp the noise.  Now it's quiet.

Get Rid of the Dropper.

Crank modifications..

I really like Pivot Trail 429.  It rides like a dream.  While the 1-by issue is not yet resolved, stay tuned.  I am a bicycle drivetrain engineer , so I'm working on a cool solution to correct that too.

Pivot Trail 429 - Loves and Disappointments

I could go on for a long time with what I love about this bike.  It rides super well, and is very predictable.  It is also quite forgiving of little bobbles.  The function is so smooth and (now) quiet.  Build quality is great.  There is a lot to love.

While I really like the old 429, I think this new Pivot is overall a great step up.  I really like it.

Bikes are very personal - what we like, what we don't, how it fits, riding style, etc..  That said, the Pivot Trail 429 fits me (after the adjustments) very well.  I feel totally comfortable on it, even for day long rides.  After a week in Moab, riding many of the big ones (full WE, full Mag 7, etc.), I have found a new best friend.

Because the bike performs so well, it makes the disappointments stand out all the more stark.  The items below may feel like a bash, or that I don't like the bike, but that is an erroneous impression.  Yes, I'm passionate about making things work well, and I've made a career in engineering details.  I will admit that one of my OCD's is system performance, perhaps summed up in this post about quality and cars .

Anyway, there is probably room for the bicycle industry to learn in the following "disappointments" because some of them are head slappers.

Pivot 429 Weight

A real surprise for me was the weight of the new Pivot Trail 429.  My old bike, (also a Pivot 429), 10 years old, aluminum, with extra parts like a bell, extra water bottle cage, GPS, seat bag, chunks of material for repair, etc..  The new carbon bike with nothing extra is 1.1 lbs heavier!  We're not talking a few grams here, it's pounds.

In the bicycle world, with 10 years of development and improvement, that's piggy.

As a comparison, the old bike has a lighter drivetrain (the old triple is lighter than the new 1X).  The dropper is a lead weight.  Tires on the new bike are slightly bigger (2.4 v. 2.25), so that's something.  A little larger fork.  Humph.  10 years of new technology and we're getting heavier?

Again, it's a disappointment as I was expecting the XTR build to be lighter, not heavier.  Fortunately, after the changes, it did lighten up some.  Now it is lighter (a little) than the old bike, but I'm still surprised.

The Crank ??

This one was not obvious at first, but it's probably the biggest disappointment of all.  Modifications of the Race Face crank were required because someone didn't do their homework.

The problem with the crank is really a compound issue.  First, Pivot has increased the width to the BB area - for wider tires, stiffness and Boost.  It culminates with a significant increase in Q-Factor.  Well, my knees don't like the wide pedal stance, so I guess I ride a little duck-toed.  That in itself is not such a problem, nor is the wide Q-factor, or strange crank-arm - by themselves.  However, add them together, plus a sharp edge, and it's a problem.

I tore open my ankle on the edge about 2 weeks after getting the bike, in an awkward techy bobble.  After, I tore it open again, twice, in the 2 weeks leading up to the Moab trip (even with bandages), and again on the trip.  I bandaged it super well for support, but by this time it was so painful, even touching it made me queasy.

OK, I accept responsibility for continuing to ride with the sore ankle, but this design is terrible.

Problem Enumeration

Crank arm shape is the first contributor.  Q-Factor is the second.   Take a look a this crank arm comparison.  The left one is the old Pivot 429, and it has a 'swoop' for ankle clearance.  The crank on the right is on the new Pivot Trail 429.  Not only is the BB wider, the straightening and thickening of the crank arm creates an environment for contact.

Should we look at more crank arms?  In the image below we see even the non-drive crank arm of the new Pivot Trail 429 has good ankle clearance - #1 below.  Why not the drive side?

Why is there more ankle clearance with 3 chainrings than with one?

Sharp Corner

If shape is not bad enough, the edge of the crank (where ankle contact occurs) has an abrupt edge.  While it does look nice with an edgy feel, it is certainly a User Interface faux pas.  To fix it, I filed the crank arm edge to a radius.  It doesn't take much to soften contact.  The sharp edge is now gone, and it won't tear the skin on my ankle again.

After 3 weeks of continual re-injury, it was so sore I had to ride a different bike.

Perhaps I should have looked closer much earlier.  I thought I had hit my ankle on the chainring because of the way it cut the skin.  Hard to believe I was twisting enough in the pedals to hit the chain, but it certainly tore the skin.  It was not until later when examining the bike I found the crank arm issue.  When I felt the edge, I understood the culprit.

I have loved Race Face cranks in the past.  I have them on many of my bikes.  This is obviously not characteristic of the quality I have come to know from Race Face, so I hope they read this and make changes.  Maybe educate their new crank engineer and get him riding what he's designing 😉

As a side note, I don't really like the wide Q-Factor of the bike.  I understand why Pivot did it, and I can't argue with some of the benefits for width, but Q-factor is not a bright spot of the design.  Obviously, not a show stopper, but also not a highlight.

And, the wide Q-Factor of the Pivot 429 contributes to the ankle and crank problem above.

Even now, after 4 months, riding hundreds of miles, it still feels awkward when I first get on.  Perhaps there is a better balance in the trades for Q-Factor?

Chubby 1X Rear Shifting

I understand the limitations with big steps in rear shifting for 1X.  As much as I want to love it (because there isn't much choice (see below)), the rear shifting is not as good for the new 12-speed as with the old 10-speed.  I guess I expected more from XTR.

After a lot of fiddling, it's a little better, but still not as good as the old 10-speed.

Please don't misunderstand.  It's great by many standards.  It works as it should, and it's not objectionable.  Yet, I'm an engineer, and I have done a fair amount of engineering for bicycle drivetrains, so I notice little things.  This problem is totally from the bigger steps of this massive cassette.  Again, a point where technology is not improving.

Gear Choice — 36T Chainring

Continuing the drivetrain theme, gear choice was a big hassle.  The bike came with a 32T chainring.  I had bikes with 32T, and they are a frustration to me.  No problem, I thought, I'll just change it.  Ah, but the dealer told me I can't use anything larger than 34T on the Pivot 429 Trail, or it will void the warranty.  — What???

Again, I ride to the rides.  It's free bike time, and it saves gas, carbon emission, wear-n-tear, and pollution.  I like to train on the way, which usually includes roads and paved trails.  Spinning out while training is a huge frustration.

Anyway, I contacted Pivot and asked about ring sizes.  They said I could fit a 36T ring with 5mm offset.  Whew, the voided warranty story is untrue.  That's good.

Oh, but finding one . . . Wolftooth has 36T rings for Race Face cinch, but not for 12-speed.  I could not find one.  Well, that's easy enough — Buy the 36T ring and an 11-speed chain.  Works perfect.

Note :  Shimano wants us to believe the 12-speed cassette and derailleur are not compatible, but that is nonsense.  The difference is 0.2 mm which is about 2 hairs width.  In an environment of dirt, dust and grime, the tolerance will handle much more than this difference.  So, 11-speed chain on 12-speed gears, and it works perfect.  Yes, on the XTR 12-speed kit.

I would actually argue that the 11-speed chain improved the chubby 1X rear shifting, just a little.  I don't know about all bikes, but on this Pivot 429, it is good.

Rant About 1-By

I did not go in blind.  The whole industry has become drunk on the Kool-Aid, so there are no good offerings for those that use a mountain bike for more.

You can't buy a good bike with front shifters, so you have to compromise on range.  I've had 1X's in the past, and didn't like them.  Spin-out going down, and/or grunt going up — your choice.  1X is great for many, but not for all.  Since I frequently ride to the ride in a hilly area, 1X doesn't work well for me.  (My old Pivot 429 is a triple - special order - and I still love it.)

Sure, I know.  Many people don't know how to adjust front derailleurs.  However, that's not because it can't be done.  It just takes a few minutes to learn.

It's also because companies like SRAM couldn't make a good front shift and spent millions convincing the world that the 1950's were better.  They sell 1X like it's a new invention, but it predates anything that shifts.

Unfortunately, the fallacies supporting 1X don't hold water.  They said it would be lighter.  It's not.  They said it would be simpler.  It is, sort of.  They said it would not sacrifice riding, but it does, immensely.  A ring that works well for streets doesn't work for steep trails, and vise-versa.  They went from 42 to 50 to 52 on the cassette trying to get it right, but still not.  With bigger and bigger shifting steps.  Now it's a dinner plate, much bigger than mountain front rings ever got.

They brag 500% or 520% range as if that's great.  Hey, I have 640% on my retiring Pivot 429.  And, new 1X components are a lot more expensive because they are bigger and more complex - cassettes and derailleurs especially.  Cassettes, because of complexity in trying to keep the weight down.  They are monsters.

Don't drink the Kool-Aid, because the justifications are so misleading.  It's like listening to politicians.

IMHO, there are too many sacrifices when an industry decides all customers are too dumb to figure it out.  I don't dis anyone's choice to ride 1X - just like I don't criticize single-speed.  It works for them, and I think diversity and choices are good.  Why then is it wrong to want the option for more range?  To say they ' can't ' is only an admission of purposeful intellectual poverty.

A few years ago I won a couple races simply because I had the ability to pedal down the hill.  I was not the best rider, I just had the range.  My triple gave me a huge advantage in that situation.  It's not just about riding in town.

I'll leave it there.  I'm working on a way to shift this Pivot 429 trail, which they will probably claim violates the warranty, but seriously, if they can't figure out . . . .

Dropper Seatpost

At the risk of being lambasted for my opinion . . . I think droppers are a waste of time.  Some time ago, the editors of one site claimed the dropper was the best tech improvement on the bike (or something like that).  They rated it #1.  I fell off the chair laughing.

While I've heard many people talk about how great a dropper is, I don't see the joy.  I've ridden bikes with them many times and don't find a purpose.  This time, I decided to really give it a go.  After riding it for a couple months, on plenty techy stuff, I still disagree.  It's just bolt-on courage - like a thumb and a blanket.

I don't consider myself a great rider, but I don't shy away from much.  There are things I won't ride (like the snotch).  I also don't fly much (big air jumps), so maybe I'm just not good enough to appreciate it.  Anyway, I love the big rides too, like Goldbar Rim, the WE, and Monarch, yet still I find very little value in a dropper.

I'd much rather have the performance improvements of a front derailleur than the faux courage of a dropper.  So, off it came.

1.5 lbs of extra dropper post baggage gone, and the bike rides better.  On the Pivot 429 it now also gives another water bottle spot for medium length rides without needing a backpack.  Sweet.

Onward! With The Pivot 429

Again, I love the bike.  Please don't be distracted too much by the rants above.

Pivot has done a great job with the Trail 429 overall.  I think anyone in the market for a good do-it-all trail bike should give it a try.  While I fully understand no one bike is right for everyone, and we all like different geometry and preferences, I'm impressed enough with the Pivot 429 to recommend it.

Yes, there are some disappointments, but most are easy to change.  Customizing is part of the fun with a new bike, so make it yours.  When the fit is perfect, there is nothing quite like it.  And, that goes for any bike that meets your sweet spot.

One comment on “Buying A New Bike – Full Review – '22 Pivot 429 Trail”

Interesting take on the technological improvements. I mistakenly searched "pivot 429" instead of "pivot TRAIL 429" and it led me here. As a fellow engineer, your disappointment over weight, 1X drivetrains, and droppers seems interesting. Inside I want to make assumptions about the type of rider you are, but you know what they say about assumptions. If you ever desire to have a discourse about the direction of mtb technology, I'd love to chat!

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Tested: Pivot Trail 429 Mountain Bike

A genre-defining trail bike is now even more versatile—and even more fun

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One of my regular mountain biking partners is my friend Bryan. Someone recently asked him, “What kind of mountain biker are you?” He responded, “I’m a trail rider.” Another person replied, “Aren’t all mountain bikers trail riders?”

Sure, in the most literal sense, we all ride trails. But I knew what Bryan meant. He’s a strong and skilled rider, but he doesn’t race. He doesn’t mind pedaling, but for him it’s all about the downhills. He rides for exercise but more than that, he rides for fun: he loves taking every side hit and bunnyhopping roots and rocks. Bryan can appreciate the easy flow of XC-style trails but he’s not an XC rider; he likes gnarly and technical descents but he’s not an enduro-bro. He enjoys the bike park but is not a park rat. He’s a well-rounded mountain biker—a trail rider. (He’s also a talented photographer who shot the images accompanying this piece.)

I explain this so that you understand what I mean when I say that Pivot’s Trail 429 is a mountain bike for trail riders; for riders like Bryan. With 120 millimeters of rear wheel travel, a 130-millimeter- to 140-millimeter-travel fork, 29-inch wheels, and modern, progressive geometry, the Trail 429 falls squarely into the versatile short-travel trail 29er category that serves this type of rider so well and includes models like the Santa Cruz Tallboy , Yeti SB115 , and Ibis Ripley . But even among its peers, the Trail 429 is particularly well-matched to the fun-loving soul rider.

The Trail 429 is Pivot’s most popular model, and one of the OGs in its class; a bike that shaped the short-travel 29er category as we know it today. Several years ago, what was then called the Mach 429 Trail was among the early wave of 29ers to combine the light weight, nimble handling, and lively suspension of a short-travel bike with slacker geometry that enabled it to punch above its weight on downhills. In recent years, progressions in geometry have made these bikes even more capable on descents and garnered this category the nickname “downcountry” (a combination of downhill and cross-country). 

Pivot launched this current version of the Trail 429 in February, the first update to the bike in four years. The geometry changes are fairly standard fare for modern mountain bikes: a longer reach and slightly slacker head tube enable the bike to descend more aggressively, and a steeper seat tube angle improves pedaling efficiency. A new flip chip allows the bike to switch between two geometry configurations: going from the “low” (for racier and quicker handling) to “lower” (more relaxed) position decreases the bottom bracket height by 0.7 centimeters, slackens the head angle from 66.5 to 66 degrees, and slackens the seat tube angle from 75.5 to 75 degrees.  

Pivot also improved the suspension, making it more active in the initial part of the stroke for better small-bump compliance (which translates to a generally plusher ride), and a more progressive ramp that makes the bike harder to bottom out on big hits. Another way of putting it, from Pivot president Chris Cocalis: “It takes higher forces to move the shocker further into its travel.” A new trunnion-mounted shock helps keep weight low on the frame for better handling, and the bike is also compatible with Fox’s new Live valve electronically controlled suspension system (which you can read more about in our recent review of Giant’s Trance X trail bike ). The Trail 429 comes in multiple builds, including Live builds, but my test bike came outfitted with the XO1 Pro build with a traditional Fox Factory Float DPS2 shock and Fox 34 130-millimeter-travel fork. The Enduro builds feature a burlier 140-millimeter-travel Fox 136 fork.

The new Trail 429 also lost a fair amount of weight. The chassis (frame and rear triangle) is about 300 grams, or 0.66 pounds, lighter in this rendition, thanks to the use of more high-modulus carbon (carbon with a high stiffness-to-weight ratio) in the frame and a more compact frame overall. Size-specific carbon layups—i.e., an extra-small has a different “carbon recipe,” as Cocalis puts it, than an extra-large—also shave unnecessary weight for smaller frame sizes, but more importantly, target similar stiffness and handling across the size run. My size small tester, in the XO1 Pro build with Reynolds carbon wheels ($9,049), weighed just under 28 pounds. But Pivot says its lightest build can get down to 26.5 pounds in a size medium. On the subject of size, Pivot wins major points, too, for  making this 29er in an extra-small , serving riders down to 4’11”.

How It Rode

Over three months, I rode the Trail 429 as my main driver on a variety of terrain ranging from smooth, buffed-out XC-style singletrack to loose, fast, and rough enduro-style trails. I rode it on the slower speed, ledgy desert trails in Fruita, Colorado (including the big droppy rolls of Horsetooth Bench); on tech and flow trails in Sedona, Arizona; on high-speed chunky descents on Colorado’s Front Range; and on long, alpine straightaways on the Colorado Trail. The verdict: It’s some of the most fun I’ve had on a trail bike.

The Trail 429’s poppy and lively dw-link suspension, coupled with its slack but compact-feeling frame, combine for a bike that is wonderfully maneuverable and rewards a playful riding style—another tester aptly described this bike as “jibby.” The front end is light and easy to loft, the back end a joy to flick around, and the bike is buoyant off of bumps and jumps. The Trail 429 encourages the rider to hit little hip jumps alongside the trail, manual over rollers, and gap roots and small rock gardens. As my other tester put it, “This bike turns every trail into a pump track.”  

As with all the dw-link bikes I’ve ridden, the Trail 429 performs exceptionally well throughout its travel. Riders who prize uphill efficiency will be pleased with the solid pedaling platform. The bike responds to power input with a direct feel, with no detectable bobbing, and I found myself pedaling out of the saddle more to experience its snappy acceleration. Between this and the light weight, the Trail 429 is the bike I’d reach for all summer long for all-day, high-alpine adventures filled with big climbs. On descents, I rarely felt held back, either: even rolling off two-foot ledges or landing poorly off of tabletop jumps and hucks to flat, this 120-millimeter-travel bike never bottomed out or felt like it hit its limit. Riding down rough, fast, and chunky terrain, I picked smoother lines than I would on the 130-millimeter-travel 29er I usually ride, but it didn’t feel slower—the Trail 429 was so well-composed in these hectic situations that I hit a PR on an enduro-style trail I typically ride on my longer-travel bike. (I rode the bike primarily in the Lower geometry configuration.) Where I did have to place the bike instead of plow, it felt as if I made up for it in quicker handling: in bermed turns as well as flat corners, the Trail 429’s maneuverability showed up in how easily and accurately the bike responded to subtle weight shifts and steering from the hips. All of this made this bike an unbridled joy to ride. Whether or not I was actually going faster than I would on my bigger bike, I was having more fun. 

Thinking back on the varied terrain that I rode the Trail 429 on over the past three months, I guess I’d also say I’m a trail rider. I enjoy everything from flowy XC-style rides to ripping descents with puckery technical sections, and this bike shined in all of these situations. The one exception: I also often do lift-assisted days at the bike park during the summer, and no lighter weight 120-millimeter-travel bike is the ideal tool for that scenario. But if I didn’t, this would easily be my choice for a one-bike quiver. (If you like the characteristics described above but want one do-it-all bike that you can, frankly, pilot a bit more carelessly down gnarly downhills, you might instead look to Pivot’s 135-millimeter-travel Switchblade .) 

There are better bikes for anyone looking to race a specific discipline, or to spend many days in the bike park. But if your goal is all-around trail riding, fun-having, and adventure-seeking, the Trail 429 is a bike that will expedite you straight to a flow state on almost any given ride. 

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Pivot Trail 429 V3 Review

It seems like the ability to get rowdy on trails no longer hinges on owning a longer travel big rig. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing like a plush ride you can take to the bike park and plough down any trail feeling like the next EWS star. However, there’s style of riding that’s emerging in the techy pedal parks of Aotearoa that requires a bike with a lot more versatility – a bike that rides fast uphill as well as downhill. Whether you love or loath the term ‘down-country’, it’s quickly becoming a big deal, with many riders finding it offers the ideal sweet spot and provides plenty of big grins with a little less risk.

So when Pivot sent us their new genre-bending Trail 429 I was curious to see how it fitted into the down-country spectrum. Straight out of the box, one thing was obvious about its DNA: this lightweight 130mm front, 120mm rear whippet was going to encourage aggressive descending. 

The other noticeable change on the third-gen 429 is Pivot’s completely revised shock mounting position. It has transitioning from a horizontal configuration to a vertical trunnion mount, which has allowed them to drop the standover height. This has optimised the space for longer dropper posts, and in turn, created more room in the front triangle for on-bike storage and allowed for a flip-chip to be integrated in the linkage. 

The 429’s geometry oozes more of that descent-loving DNA. My medium test bike blended the combination of a short 394mm seat tube, (which allows you to dump the 150mm Fox Transfer dropper down really low), a long 460mm reach (forcing your weight forward and down), and a slackened 66-degree head angle. Together, this puts you firmly in the attack position especially in steep terrain. But how does this translate to normal trail riding? Well, you feel like you’re positioned ‘in’ the 429 not ‘on’ it, so when speeds are high and the terrain gets a little sketchy, the 429’s geometry really starts to shine.

Like anything new and different the Pivot’s long reach did take some getting used to, especially in corners, but I found that the combination of a short back end (430mm chainstays) and stiff super-boost rear wheel helped to counteract the long front. After a few sunset rides I bonded seamlessly with the 429 and it started to feel very normal. 

The 429’s flip-chip promotes versatility and ensures riders can have even more say about how they want their bike to adhere to their preferred style of riding. The two settings are low and lower; on the surface the options seem classed as ‘racy’ and ‘rowdy’, but it could also be used to run a mullet setup for you want to get the best of both wheel-size worlds. 

To ensure I got the most fun from the Pivot, I rode with the ‘lower’ flip-chip setting for most of the test, mainly because I felt it suited the bike better and I’m not chasing any Strava fame. If I was, I’d only be gunning for fast downs on the 429 as I feel the bike’s capabilities do favour descending over really rapid ascending. That said, it’s no slouch uphill or on the flats, but the grins really start emerging on descents. 

The Pivot’s capabilities on the downs are only the start. For me, it was all about versatility; during the week I could have the Pivot set up for getting the most out of the techy local trails, but come Friday night, I could flip the chip, dial in the suspension, change a tyre or two, and suddenly the 429 wouldn’t feel out of place at a weekend XC or marathon event. Sure, it’s not an elite XC race bike, but the beauty of the Pivot is that it minimises the amount of bikes you need to buy, learn to ride, service and insure. As modern as the Pivot is, its fundamental idea is very old. Own one bike, ride it everywhere, have heaps of fun. 

The Trail 429 family is offered in both Shimano and SRAM builds, so you can spec your bike with your favourite kit from the two big players. Pivot’s base build sits at $10k, but there are options all the way up to their Team AXS Live Valve model that sits at a casual $20k. Browsing over the spec sheets of the 429 family, it’s hard to fault any of the builds and there’s certainly something to suit everyone. 

One option that caught my eye was the Enduro model. It’s built around the same chassis, but comes with a 140mm travel Fox 36 fork (an additional 10mm) and a Fox DPX2 shock. These tweaks also make it half a degree slacker (65.5°). Having experienced the aggressive ride feel of the standard model, I’m unsure if the Enduro would even fall into the down-country category; it’s really pushing the boundaries or potentially creating a whole new genre of bikes.

My test bike came with the Pro X01 build that utilises SRAM’s faultless X01 Eagle drivetrain and a combo of Fox’s Factory 34 and Float DPS suspension. The braking department featured SRAM’s G2 RSC. With a lot of down-country bikes coming specced with two-pot brakes, it was nice to see these four-piston stoppers, which, again, is a testament to the bike’s DNA. The G2’s initial bite felt very gentle, which isn’t my personal preference, but this can certainly favour wet and slippery conditions where you really don’t want sensitive brakes locking up.

Although I couldn’t fault the DT Swiss wheelset, I found the Maxxis Dissector tyres to be an interesting choice. The Dissector features a tightly-packed centre knob arrangement coupled with big side knobs. These tyres do favour more committed riders who lean the bike over enough to bridge the dead space between the centre and side knobs. This may suit some riders, like downhill pro Troy Brosnan, who worked with Maxxis to design the Dissector, but I’d be inclined to run something more evenly spaced, especially up front. 

Maybe I’m overthinking this, but the combination of the Maxxis rubber, aggressive geometry and four-pot stoppers all feel like Pivot isn’t trying to make a point as much as an exclamation to ‘just commit’! Lean it over and punch it through the rough, all while holding off on the brakes. If this is what Pivot is aiming for, then I completely concur—for a 120mm travel bike, the 429 is a whole lot more ‘down’ than ‘country’. 

All-in-all Pivot has done an amazing job with the 429. The bike feels stealth-like with its progressive geometry and quiet DT Swiss 350 hubs. Pivot even managed to shave 300 grams off the frame alone with this latest version, creating a 12.4kg bike that feels sturdy in the rough, yet still capable of spending all day pedalling from the valley floor to above the treeline. 

Of course XC bikes destroy climbs and enduro rigs chew up technical downs, but if you’re the type of rider who likes to push hard on the trail and charge uphill as fast as you can, then a truly versatile bike like the 429 should be on your list for the coming season. 

www.pivotcycles.co.nz

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Pivot Trail 429 Review: Is It Right for Your Needs?

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Pivot Bikes is a popular brand known for the production of high-quality mountain bikes . Pivot Trail 429 model was initially known as Trail 429 . Despite it being a mainstay in the high-end, it has also been a short-travel trail bike on the market for a while.

The model features a 120mm travel with a DW-Link at its core. It’s meant to combine the high efficiency for an XC race when the going gets steep and rough. It also has a higher level of capability. So, how does Pivot manage to do that in comparison to the competitors in the market?

Table of Contents

Pivot Trail 429 Review

After thorough research of interviews with trail bike enthusiasts, we compiled the following information on Pivot Trail 429. If you are looking for a trail bike that will meet your needs, this model is a great choice! Let’s get started!

Trail 429 features a carbon frame with a DW-Link, and 120mm rear travel. With this particular bike, you can ride with confidence anywhere you wish. Whether it’s a 24-hour race course all the way to untamed high alpine singletrack, this is the best Pivot trail bike.

Pivot ranks Trail 429 as a highly efficient bike. It beats the latest models such as Mach 6 and Switchblade . The shock is vertically oriented with the overall lines with a similar design to the newer models.

The bike is available in 5 sizes which range from extra-small to extra-large. This enables Pivot to cover riders from 4’11” to 6’7” tall. It also features PF92 press-fit, bottom brackets, and 157 mm Super Boost rear hub spacing.

To make the cable routing simple, it comes with internally fitted bolt-on-ports. Though they haven’t skimped on features, Pivot has shaved 300g off the weight of its medium frame.

DW-Link Suspension

The bike comes with a rubber chainstay, downtube, and seat stay guards. It features a room for water bottles inside the front triangle and underneath the downtube. The rear brake mount is designed to fit a 180 mm rotor directly. Note that there are no small rotors.

The rear suspension is more progressive, although not good enough to be used as a coil shock. Even though the model is designed for air shocks only, there are other limited options in this category. This constraint should, however, not trouble riders looking to run a coil shock.

Trail 429 has a tire clearance of 27.5 x 2.8”, which is a smaller-diameter tire compared to a 29 x 2.4”. Riders who want to experiment with 27.5” + tires have to keep the bottom bracket height up a bit because the bike features a 17 mm tall headset cup.

The taller cup is meant to be run with 27.5” + tires, while the standard zero-stack cup is meant to be run with 29” wheels. However, riders can mix and match as desired.

If you want to experience a unique build, you are lucky. Trail 429 features numerous different builds which are on offer. Unfortunately, most of them lie on the high-end. A frame with RaceFace Next R carbon cranks and a Fox DPS Factory rear shock will set you back $4000 or more. This option is great if you prefer to build your bike.

The builds boil down to 3 tiers, namely the Pro, Race, and Team. All these have Shimano and SRAM options. Both Team and Pro levels, get enduro options that swap in a Fox 36 Grip 2 fork and140 mm travel.

Live valve versions use DPS shocks, 130 mm of travel, and a Fox 34 fork. Take note they still maintain the electronically controlled Fox damper. The Pro builds get the option to upgrade to Reynolds carbon wheel for an extra $1,300 or more.

Fit and Geometry

Pivot Trail 429 comes with a geometry that is in line with norms for the modern, short-travel. It comes with a flip-chip in the lower position, which slackens the head tube angle by 0.5 degrees (from 66.5° to 66.0°). Additionally, the bike shortens the reach by 5 mm and lowers the bottom bracket by 7 mm.

You should note that the stated numbers are for the standard builds only. The taller fork is responsible for the enduro option, as it slackens the head and seat tube angles by 0.5°. On the other hand, the bottom bracket raises slightly, at the same time shortening the reach.

The lower geometry position for Trail 429 is similar to the transition spur. Generally speaking, we can say the model is a progressive 120/120 mm travel bike. What makes the bike different from the others is the bottom bracket height. The spur comes with a substantial difference of 8 mm more than the bottom bracket drop.

The Ibis Ripley and Pivot trail bikes are both interesting comparisons. They feature DW-Link, carbon fiber, and quite similar geometry numbers. Just like the Spur, the Ripley comes with a slightly steeper seat tube angle than the trail bike. However, the Ripley has a similar 432 mm chainstay, 66.5° headtube angle, and also the same reach figures.

Pivot built Trail 429 to feature a sensible set of geometry choices. It’s difficult to design a bike that can be lined up for both marathon XC races and enduro spec builds with a Fox 36. However, Pivot went ahead and did the impossible.

Recently, they have laid out plans for a middle ground that should be quite versatile. Therefore, we’re looking forward to getting information to ensure we learn more about it.

• Light, responsive, and capable climber
• It is a fun trail bike because of its agile handling
• Well balanced suspension for climbing and descending
• Available in 5 different sizes
• It features eight build options
• Expensive, even at the entry-level builds
• No aluminum options

Pivot Trail 429 Buying Guide

Why should you buy a trail bike? Well, the model is competent enough to ride on almost all terrains. You can ride anywhere, from bike park flow trails to all-day yomps. A trail bike should be the first thing to cross your mind if you want to try out the mountain biking world.

The most important part of any mountain bike is the frame. Unfortunately, not all of them come with a common blueprint. Before we touch on wheel sizes, remember that travel can range from 110 mm to 140 mm.

Unluckily, other bikes might be compromised since it’s a matter of buying the one that best suits the terrains you ride on often. Therefore, a short travel whippet would be your first pick if you ride a lot of trail centers. That said, a 140 mm trailer might be ideal for a biker who loves to ride on natural terrain.

Both sizing and geometry are incredibly important as they act as the determining factors for determining if a bike can shine or not. You’ll be on to a great start if you get this right and select the right size. Buying from a brick-and-mortar bike shop has an advantage. You get the chance to test ride your bike of choice before purchasing.

For the geometry, there are no hard and fast rules. Although, expect a head angle of 66 – 68 degrees, a bottom bracket that is a shade higher, and a wheelbase slightly shorter compared to enduro bikes. Modern trail bikes are built around wide bars and short stems to compensate for the long reach.

Luckily, in case you find it difficult to find a bike with perfect geometry, you shouldn’t worry. Nowadays, most trail bikes come with adjustable settings. They feature both high and low settings to offer you options for easier uphill and downhill riding . Some systems, like Canyon’s Shapeshifter, even allow geometry changes on the fly.

Consider checking the warranty on the frame. It’s an expensive part of the bike. It would be wise to have it covered for more than a year or two.

Trail bikes don’t require the hard-hitting suspension fitted in enduro bikes. They only need to be composed and controlled by excellent damping.

A trail bike features 110 – 150 mm of travel. Asymmetrical travel runs a lot on modern bikes. The forks have greater travel than the shock and frame.

Additionally, it’s a tough call between Fox 34 and Rockshox Pike. The good thing is neither will leave you short-changed. There are different versions for various wheel sizes and amounts of travel. You won’t notice significant performance variation as long as the internals are the same.

With a trail bike, you don’t require an ultra-hard-hitting shock. This is because progression isn’t necessary. It’s uncommon to see the piggyback reservoir. Instead, the most available is a traditional style shock. It’s likely to be air (not coil) as it is more adjustable and lighter.

Though Rockshox and Fox are at the top, there are also other competent brands. They include Manitou, X-fusion, and Bos.

If you are looking for something with a good range of adjustments, it’s good to understand that most shocks feature appropriate tunes to the frame’s design. A thorough design and development process plays a big role in the creation of a high-performance bike.

For any bike category, trail bikes have the widest variety of wheels on offer. 650b has dominated the market for a while. However, the introduction of Boost and currently Super Boost hub spacing has made 29ers viable again. The 27.5″ wheels offer better maneuverability, while the 29ers offer superior ground-covering abilities and float over small holes.

Lately, plus-size bikes have flooded the market. They fit on large volume tires featuring a width of 3 inches on wheels and a 27.5” diameter. The models are best for beginners and intermediates because of their superior grip and cushioning.

Compared to enduro bikes, trail tires are lighter but durable enough to handle all-day riding rigors. To avoid dragging, they are a bit narrower (at about 2.3”).

Modern trail bikes feature 2 or 4 standard brake kits. They also feature lightweight piston hydraulic disk brakes. These are powerful, reliable, and they have good control modulation. Rotor sizes are 180 mm with a larger size upfront. We highly rank the new MT5 from Magura, but Hope, Shimano, and SRAM are the favorites.

For gears, there is debate and options between 1X and 2X drivetrains. High-end bikes are migrating from 2X. For easier uphill climbing, a lot of consumers prefer having the security of the extra low gears. The bikes come with ten or 11-speed cassettes at the back. However, for the first time, the new SRAM Eagle has introduced a 12 speed cassette.

As it does for both downhill and enduro models, the bike industry is finally catching on to the idea that the short stem combo also works well with trail versions. Modern trailers come with long reaches. As a result, they are fitted with a short stem to compensate.

Dropper Post

You should fit a dropper post if you are riding a trail bike. Initially, bikers used to cope without them. Keep in mind when you ride one with it, there won’t be turning back.

Pedals are more of a personal preference. When they are clipped in, they offer you a mechanical advantage. It’s because you’ll have better-pedaling efficiency. There is no point in forcing yourself to ride them if they make your riding experience uncomfortable.

Where to Buy a Trail Bike

When buying a trail bike, you have two main options. You can decide to shop online or go to a local bike shop.

The chance of testing a bike before you buy is the biggest advantage of purchasing from a local bike shop. You get the opportunity to test ride your preferred choice on local trails and experience how it feels for a small fee.

Note that it’s not easy to understand a bike from geometry charts and spec sheets alone. A riding experience is the best, and it’s priceless!  

In case you have any warranty issues and you purchased your bike from a local bike dealer, you can easily seek help. If you make an online purchase, you’ll probably save some pennies. Remember, you won’t be able to resolve any issues easily in case of a claim.

Pivot Trail 429 Alternatives

If you don’t find this bike to be your best option, feel free to look at the alternatives provided. They are the best options, according to reviews and testimonials from biking fans.

Yeti Cycles SB130 C2 GX Eagle

Yeti Bikes is famous for the production of high-quality bikes. SB 130 comes with carbon fiber frames and 150 mm front and 130 mm rear suspensions. Additionally, they have 29 x 2.5-inch tires in the front and 2.3” in the rear.

The model falls perfectly into the heart of the trail category. Apart from 150 mm front and 130 mm rear travel, the bike comes with plush suspension and progressive geometry. This means it’s planted and composed, making it ready to tackle any technical trail.  

Unfortunately, it’s not too advanced for lighter terrain. Its impeccable build makes it one of the best-looking bikes around. Notably, it’s an efficient climber which features a very playful and light personality that’s a ton of fun on both smooth and flowy sections.

Yetis’ are great value and SB130 is no exception. Their price is quite close to competitors like Ibis Ripmo and Stumpjumper. The premium price comes with extras such as a crash replacement warranty and a lifetime guarantee against defects. Due to its do-it-all nature, Yeti earns the top spot for Pivot Trail 429 alternative.

• It features premium construction
• Superb on both up and downhill performance
• It comes with a progressive geometry
• 29” wheels
• Available in 4 different sizes
• BB92 bottom bracket and 130 mm frame travel
• Not budget-friendly
• Not ideal for descents

Ibis Ripmo V2 SLX

Are you looking for a trail bike best for rough terrains? Look no further than the Ibis Ripmo V2 SLX because it won’t shortchange you. It comes with 29 x 2.5-inch tires, 147 mm rear and 160 mm front suspensions, together with a carbon fiber frame.

Do you want a cushier ride for absorbing big hits, or do you live in an area like the Pacific Northwest? Do your local trails have rough and steep terrain? If yes, then the Ibis latest Ripmo is the best ride for you.

The model is more advanced compared to Yeti since it features an extra 10 mm of travel at the front and 14 mm at the rear. It also features a slacker head angle along with Maxxis Assegai tires. The do-everything performance makes it a favorite among trail riders.

The DW-Link suspension and steep seat tube enable Ripmo V2 SLX to surpass riders’ expectations. The quality Shimano SLX carbon frame groupset helps keep weight in check.  

Ripmo is overkill for flatter and less technical trails because of combining 29-inch wheels and a lot of travel. It ensures both ends of the trail category are well covered. The lighter and snappier model is our top choice among travel options.  

• It features 29 x 2.5-inch tires
• A quality Shimano carbon frame
• DW-Link suspension
• Lightweight
• Enduro-ready downhill performance
• Not best for uphill

Specialized Turbo Level Comp

If you are looking for the best e-mountain trail bike, worry not. Specialized Turbo Level Comp is a great option. It features 29 x 2.6-inch front and 2.3-inch rear wheels, 160 mm front, and 150 mm rear suspensions together with an aluminum frame.

In North America, Specialized has been at the forefront of electric mountain bikes. This model is a “leading all-mountain bike design.” It allows the rider to quickly check the battery’s status. The mission control app allows for easy customization of performance.

The latest version is at the top of the list, among the overall fast-growing and competitive field of e-mountain bikes. Price is the only hindrance for people looking to purchase a high-quality e-bike. The good thing about this bike is that it can take you almost anywhere you want.

• It comes with a motor and a long-lasting battery
• It features 29 x 2.6-inch front and 2.3-inch rear wheels
• Aluminum frame
• It features a mission control app for easy customization of performance
• Easy to operate
• Not lightweight

Pivot Trail 429 FAQs

Answer: We recommend that you visit your local Pivot dealer to ensure the best sizing. Refer to our geometry chart to check your measurements to get a professional fit. We can provide a rough guideline: • Small : 5’4” – 5’9” • X-Small : 4’11” – 5’4” • Medium : 5’8” – 5’11” • Large : 5’10” – 6’2” • X-Large : 6’2”+

Answer: Yes, it is. Pivot is among the most authentic and desirable brands available on the mountain biking market. They are made by passionate high-performance engineers. That said, competition and new technologies are traits that govern it making a great choice.

Answer: The model’s frame, together with the shock, come in at 5.9 lbs. This is 300 grams lighter than the previous version. Our Pro XT or XTR build comes in at an impressive 26.5 lbs.

Answer: Their frames are produced in Taiwan. Take note all the other tools, inclusive of the hydroforming molds, are made in the United States. They are then finally shipped to Taiwan for assembly.

Bottom Line

For a professional biker, any Pivot trail bike is a worthy investment. Take note the Pivot Trail 429 model offers you everything you may need in a trail bike. In case it doesn’t meet all your needs, check our alternatives. You are guaranteed you won’t miss an option.

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Based on frame geometry and build specs.

A bike with lower gearing will be easier to ride up steep hills, while a higher top end means it will pedal faster down hills.

Hei Hei CR/DL

Trail 429 Pro X01

Top Fuel 9.8 XT

(descending)

Based on build material and quality level of the frame, fork, wheelset, groupset, suspension system, and more.

Pivot Trail 429 Pro XT/XTR review

• Guy Kesteven
• March 3, 2023

The range-topping Pivot Trail 429 Pro XT/XTR offers a polished, comfortable ride with impressive climbing ability.

Product Overview

Overall rating:, pivot trail 429 pro xt/xtr.

• Ultra smooth, grippy and comfortable
• Short on suspension, support and aggression

Manufacturer:

Price as reviewed:.

Boasting low weight and impressive climbing efficiency, the Pivot Trail 429 Pro XT/XTR is a 110/130mm 29er built for trail riding. This is the top-spec model, which features Fox Live Valve system and carbon handlebars.

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Need to know:

• 110mm frame travel, 130mm front
• 29er wheels
• Asymmetric inserts give ‘Low’ and ‘Lower’ ride height adjustments
• 157mm Superboost axle spacing
• Pivot signature grips and carbon bar
• Fox Live Valve system

157mm Superboost axle spacing increases tyre clearance while maintaining a short back end

Even though the Pivot Trail 429 was launched just over two years ago, features like the SuperBoost 157mm rear axle spacing and battery mounts for Fox’s Live Valve automatic suspension feel like they’re from a different era.

The 157mm hub spacing allows for a 29×2.6in or 27.5×2.8in tyre compatibility, while keeping the chainstay length short and you can also use the Live Valve mounts for Pivot’s range of Topeak collaboration tools when running regular suspension, which helps offsets the lack of internal storage. Features from the future then? Only time will tell.

Pivot’s Hollow Core carbon fibre frame has an impressively low claimed weight of 2.7kg for a medium with shock, and the layups are size specific, so everyone gets the same ride vibe. Lots of rubber protection and individual cable/hose inserts keep the ride very quiet, apart from the standard Shimano XT brake pads rattle.

So overall the Trail 429 is a really clean, meticulously engineered bike. Unlike Yeti and Santa Cruz the warranty only covers manufacturing defects though and while there’s a rubber flap to stop crap getting crunched between the lower link and the frame, it’s a serious mud collection point. That – like the press fit bottom bracket – matters on a bike that’s likely to see a lot of miles.

Pivot has employed Dave Weagle’s DW-link suspension for years, and the Trail 429 squeezes an extra volume Fox Float DPS shock between the two signature short links. To make set up easier, the shock comes with a neat clip on sag metre. Handy, given how much time we’d end up fettling with the rear suspension.

The problem? With the correct sag the bike bottomed too easily so maybe a smaller volume air-can would be the easiest fix.

Cue spending a lot of time with a bag of spacers and all sorts of pressure setting. A long winded process that revealed the best end stroke performance came from running zero spacers and 7.5% sag.

Now, that’s a long way from the blue and red ‘optimal zone’ of the sag metre, and unsurprisingly kills most of the suppleness and comfort. It also lifts the bike up in its travel, which activates the precarious cornering feel of the high bottom bracket which is normally hidden in the sag. The high BB is further compounded by the fact that while Pivot claims 120mm of travel, we only achieved 110mm of vertical wheel travel when measured.

The top spec Trail 429 comes with Fox’s Live Valve system which could override the ultra plush baseline suspension character.

On the plus side, the shock is trunnion mounted and all of the pivot bearings are in the linkages for simple replacement. But again, that’s not covered under warranty, like the Santa Cruz or Yeti.

We had no such concerns up front though, where the 130mm travel Fox 34 GRIP 2 fork proved once again that it’s the best controlled, most consistent lightweight trail fork around.

Pivot gets extra points for matching the Kashima coated Factory spec suspension with a similarly gilded 200mm Fox Transfer post. An XTR derailleur combined with the XT shifter and cassette is equally slick, even if noticeably slower to shift than SRAM AXS wireless. The DT Swiss wheels are very durable with a great ride feel too, while the Maxxis Dissector tyres are a suitably ‘fast but just grippy enough’ balance for a 120mm travel bike.

Clock the alloy RaceFace Aeffect crank however, and it’s clear that when compared to the specification on the Yeti and Santa Cruz, you’re getting poorer value for money with the Pivot.

Asymmetric inserts give ‘Low’ and ‘Lower’ ride height adjustments but in reality the bottom bracket height is ‘High’ or ‘Higher”

Performance

It should be clear that we spent more time trying to dial in the suspension performance on the Pivot than the other two bikes combined. Not because it’s lacking in any significant way, but because we couldn’t find the same ‘superpower’ vibe that we got from the Yeti and the Santa Cruz, which is what we expect from a short-travel trail bike that’s this expensive.

The closest we got to the rocket ship feel is that the Trail 429 is an exceptional technical climber. Thanks to immaculate frame alignments, big bearings in the linkages and a generous shock stroke, the rear suspension is super supple. Combine that with a very neutral pedalling feel that lets the back wheel track brilliantly over ruts, roots, and step ups without sucking up power or getting hooked up and the Pivot flys up anything, if you have the legs and lungs to keep the pedals moving. It’s also where you could argue that the sky high BB is an advantage.

Flip the geometry chips into the ‘low’ position and pedal strikes aren’t an issue as 343mm bb height it’s still tall. As a result, whenever we needed to go up the nadgery way, or just fancied attacking a rocky section on a climb, the Pivot finessed its way up with minimum drama. The 66º head angle, 76º seat angle and the fluid Fox fork all help with that too. At 13.26kg (29.23lb) the Pivot Trail 429 is the heaviest bike on test, but with the lightest claimed frame weight you have the potential to build a proper summit hunter with lighter wheels and faster tyres.

Pivot’s signature grips and carbon bar are comfortable and very well proportioned

The fluidity of the rear suspension meant the only time the Pivot felt really peppy on smoother climbs was when we flicked the compression lever across on the shock, or were running minimal amounts of sag. We were doing that because while Pivot claim that the new suspension set up has increased progression the opposite seemed true on the trail. With the shock O-ring regularly nudged right to the end of the gold Fox shock, even on minor drops and compressions.

As such, we presumed the large volume air can would have no spacers inside, so we cracked it open to add some. Turns out the Trail 429 comes with the largest possible 0.95in spacer as standard, so we screwed it back up and tried running less sag. Even at 18% it still blew through its travel with ease, and lacked the mid-stroke support needed to pop and push out of corners.

That meant we actually returned to the original set up to get the best aspects of what the 110mm back end could give us. And to be fair, it’s a good holistic match because the front end of the Pivot frame has a similarly forgiving feel.

This is great from a comfort point of view, but doesn’t add confidence when you start pushing hard. Switching bars and adding compression to the fork made it clear that the cause was primarily frame flex, not the components.

So while Pivot offers a version of the 429 with a 36 fork and burlier build, it doesn’t seem best placed to capitalise on that. If you wanted to make the most of that rear tyre clearance with big fat low pressure rubber it would be a good way to honour Pivot’s Arizona roots and tweak the geometry.

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Pivot’s Trail 429 is a very polished, ultra comfortable ride that will suit less aggressive riders or technical climb fanatics well. But the overly plush rear suspension and tall ride height really undermine its ability to ride fast and aggressively. Depending on your perspective, frame features like 157 Boost hub spacing and Live Valve compatibility seem dated or maybe Pivot was first to the party? Either way, the components are well matched to its mission, and while the Fox Factory kit is a definite highlight, overall the Pivot Trail 429 has got the lowest value spec when compared to the Yeti SB120 T-Series T1 or Santa Cruz Tallboy CC X01 AXS RSV it was tested against.