As you probably know, we reviewed the Pivot Mach 5.7 earlier in the year and based on those rides and that review, we bought into the brand, including demo bikes. We have sold a fair few Pivot Mach 5.7s in 2011 (all of them in anodized black come to think of it!) and there are a couple knocking about in the Ochils on a regular basis. I think what those customers mention overall (and those who have tried the bike) is how well the bike climbs. It really does flatter you on the climbs and yet is super-plush on the descents. It is truly insane how the bike hardly bobs at all while climbing and yet is so utterly smooth when you need it to be.
The Propedal lever is basically surplus to requirements (I still use it as habit when I’m trying to get up the road climb from Logie Kirk onto Dumyat) because of the DW Link and the design of the bike. Lots of people will tell you how amazing a single pivot is, but personally, I just don’t see the point. Yes, I know it might hurt me a little more when I have to change the pivot bearings but I really don’t care – if I’m buying a bike as expensive as this, I am truly unconcerned about an extra cost every now and then (and besides, our demo bike has taken a kicking and it’s still as good as ever – no funny noises, no hassle, even the Press Fit Bottom Bracket is still surviving, which my cynical self is very surprised at!).
So this is a big comment and we have not tried every single bike so far but this is my favourite bike I have ever ridden. A Pronghorn 150 climbs slightly better but the hassle even trying to get the hangers for them, its geometry and my fear for it dying on me puts me right off that bike. Turn the Pivot Mach 5.7 round after losing ten seconds to the guy on the Pronghorn and point it downhill however, and I would really struggle to find a better beast for the travel. Where it has excelled for me is on all the trails nearby – a fantastic mix of singletrack, dropoffs, rocky technical sections and those supersteep natural, soggy climbs we all love. It doesn’t get any better than this for the money. If you don’t want to shell out the significant amount of money on a Pivot Mach 5.7, either save up some more or simple get a Lapierre Zesty 214, 314 or 514. They are close enough if you have £1800 – £2800 rather than £3K+.
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