2009 Pivot 429

Most companies that decide to offer 29ers usually start off with a hardtail or fully rigid bike. Pivot, however, decided to come out with a FS 29er using the dw-link suspension design called Pivot 429. The Pivot 429 has 100mm of travel in the rear and optimized for a 100mm travel front suspension fork.

dw-link rear suspension

head tube/seat tube/top tube junction

Tire clearance to chainstays.

Tire clearance to “seat tube” which is further behind on the prototype and will be moved forward in the production bike

Quick word on tire clearance to where the seat tube normally connects to the bottom bracket: This area is replaced by a plate shown in the picture above, but the plate was welded at an incorrect spot. It should be pushed forward on the bike which will provide more clearance for bigger tread tires to fit. The prototype 429 I rode had Kenda SB8 and the tire on this photo shoot had WTB Exiwolfs 2.3.

Rear suspension close-up

Rear dropouts & brake mounts

Chris Cocalis and his vintage 1989 Fox gloves holding the stout rear linkage

Chris & Me doing the interview. Very cool dude

Frameset MSRP: $2199

For those interested, the geometry numbers for the Pivot 429 (can be enlarged)

By the way once RL is done editing (he’s the video master here) we’ll be loading up a video of Chris Cocalis president of Pivot. He’ll be discussing the Pivot 429, something you’ve got to see. Check back here for that and later on I’ll have my impressions of my ride on the 429. Let’s just say its fun, fast & smile inducing. 🙂

Click here for Pivot cycles website.