Sport And Biking Talk: 2018 Pivot Mach 4 goes Boost

Thursday, June 22, 2017

2018 Pivot Mach 4 goes Boost

The Mach 4 all dressed up in XC mode. Weight for this build is around 22 lbs.

The Mach 4 is one of those bikes that’s difficult to categorize. With 115mm of suspension on tap, it looks the part of an XC race bike, yet it rolls on 27.5” wheels. What that package delivers is up to you. With a few modifications to the parts mix, the Mach 4 can be raced at the Olympic level (and has), or built into a razor sharp trail bike.

If you prefer to get shralpy, the trail spec is where it’s at. Regardless of build choice, you will have to bring your own dropper.

To showcase that potential, Pivot is offering the Mach 4 with two different build types. For the XC racer, they’ve outfitted the frame with a 100mm Fox Stepcast fork, flat bars, and Ikon tires. On the other end of the spectrum is the trail build, which ships with a 130mm fork, short stems, and proper 2.35” tires.

The Stepcast fork from Fox is one of the lightest on the market.

Last year, the bike came equipped with a 120mm fork and longish stem. By reducing front travel on the XC build, Pivot has steepened the head angle by roughly one degree, lowered the BB a smidge, and steepened the seat tube angle. On the trail side, that 10mm bump in fork travel slackens the bike out a smidge.

The updated Mach 4 now has clearance for up to a 2.6” tire. Here it is pictured with a 2.2” Maxxis Icon.

If you’re already on a Mach 4, you can achieve these ride handling characteristics with aftermarket components. What you’ll miss is the updated front and rear triangles. For 2017, the Mach 4 goes Boost. The geometry remains virtually unchanged (minus spec changes), but the all new rear triangle is said to be stiffer, offer better heel clearance, and clearance for up to a 2.6” tire.

The updated front triangle features new cable routing options. It carries over the Di2 access port and a secondary water bottle mounting location.

The front triangle has also been reworked. Pivot has retained FD and Di2 compatibility, but they’ve introduced new cable routing covers to simplify install and maintenance. The new port system utilizes a hinged cap which locks into a lip inside the frame. As the cap is tightened down, it clamps the cable to the frame. This locks everything into place to prevent rattling, without requiring an additional foam insert. A large port at the bottom of the downtube makes it easy to shove cables through or insert a Di2 battery.

Chris Cocalis, Pivot Founder/President/CEO stands a shade under 6 foot. Here he is with the XS version of the Mach 4. #Chrisforscale.

Pivot doesn’t believe in building women’s specific geometries. Instead, they offer frames that fit riders all the way down to 4’10. To maintain the same ride feel across all frame sizes, they often adjust the seat and head tube angles slightly to keep reach numbers proportionate and maintain a similar wheelbase. If you do want a more women’s specific tune, Pivot will change the crank length and swap in a Deva saddle. They also offer a frame with lavender accents.

Click here to view the embedded video.

If you’re currently on a Mach 4, should you upgrade? If you really want to run bigger tires or desire added stiffness, it might be worth it. Most riders probably won’t notice the difference. Overall, the frame geometry and suspension tune remain virtually unchanged.

Quick Facts

115mm travel dw-link® suspension with race and trail tuning*
27.5″ wheels
Fits tires up to 2.6”
Available in either trail-oriented or XC racing-focused complete bike builds
Boost 148mm rear hub spacing
XS, S, M, L & L(long) sizing, with our X-small featuring the lowest stand-over clearance of any 27.5″ suspension bike made
Full length internal cable routing, and Shimano Di2 compatible with Pivot’s exclusive cable port system
Dropper post compatible with internal routing
Enduro Max cartridge bearings
Custom tuned Fox Float DPS Kashima rear shock
Frame weight from 5.1lbs (2.3kg)
Complete bike weights starting under 22lbs (10kg)
2 sets of bottle cage mounts
Ultra-quiet, low durometer rubberized frame protection