New Pivot Firebird - First Ride Report on this Aggressive 165mm Enduro Bike

The previous Pivot Firebird was (and is) one of our favorite enduro bikes on the market, but Pivot Cycles has never been one to follow the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” mentality. Instead, they dove head-first into a complete redesign of one of their flagship bike offerings. The all-new Firebird has always changed with the needs of the market and their pro riders, and the latest iteration sees a firm and pointed shift towards Enduro racing. In short, Pivot set out to make a purpose-built bike to win EWS races.

The Firebird has always been Pivot’s no holds barred enduro race slayer, and this current generation takes that to the “nth” degree. It doesn’t take a keen eye to notice that there have been some major changes to the bike, with a completely redesigned rear suspension setup, linkage and overall frame. The new design offers the same DW-link suspension we’ve come to love, but with a vertical shock layout. This gives more room for a water bottle cage up front (a major complaint about the outgoing model) and offered Pivot the opportunity to fine tune the kinematics even further. The new Firebird sports 165mm of rear suspension travel, with a longer lower link and even larger emphasis on rearward axle path during the suspension stroke. Pivot backs that suspension design with aggressive geo numbers to go downhill as fast as possible, and more importantly geo numbers that are catered to the frame size. The bike comes standard with 29” wheels and 8” brake rotors on both ends with a 170mm suspension fork, signaling its aggressive intentions. Offered exclusively in Pivot’s Hollow Core carbon construction, this is a mountain bike serious about going fast.

Pivot offers three basic build levels for the Firebird under the Race, Pro and Team names, with price and parts spec ascending in that order. Within those levels are several other sub choices centered around the wheel material and suspension. Pivot offers a SRAM and Shimano model at every build level, as well as options for coil and air rear shocks. They also offer a Fox Live Valve setup for riders wanting to get the absolute most out of the bike. No matter what your budget and parts preference there is likely a Firebird to match. While it may seem small, this is a huge feature as you aren’t forced into a particular build level to get the shock type, or the brake/drivetrain brand you like. It’s something we’d love to see from more bike manufactures moving forward as you’re often forced up or down a build level if you have a preference between Shimano and SRAM.

Parts spec on our tester is top notch as one would expect for a price tag closing in on $10,000. Thankfully that same attention to detail is present through the whole line up, with Pivot prioritizing the important bits of gear like the suspension. They also don’t skimp on the details like their easy internal cable routing, universal derailleur hangers, and massive tire clearance on the rear triangle. It’s clear that the build line up is selected by people that know their bikes, and not a penny-pinching board room looking to maximize margin at all costs. Like the rest of their bikes, the new Pivot Firebird makes no apologies for its pedigree.

The new Pivot Firebird rewards wide open, aggressive riding. The DW link suspension pedals exceptionally well, yet still swallows rocks and roots. While many brands use flashy marketing to make up for lack luster suspension kinematics, Pivot lets the bike do the talking. The frame is stiff and snappy in corners, and the suspension is able to float through square-edge rocks and ledges effortlessly.

This new bike picks up where the outgoing Firebird left off, offering exceptional riding performance. I am very much looking forward to getting more bike park and off-piste laps for some proper vertical on this bike in the coming months. These days there’s less and less use for downhill rigs, and the Pivot Firebird makes a stronger case for that than ever! Stay tuned for a full review, but so far, we’re impressed with this purpose-built enduro race machine.

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