Pivot Firebird - Such a dumb idea I must try it

Well, I said it. Nobody could tell me much about it so I had an opportunity...and took it. I've purchased myself a Pivot Firebird. Stupid overkill for me and probably dumb for a guy of my advanced age and capabilities. Picked it up at SpokeX in Temecula - a great shop that I highly recommend and they build some very impressive wheels. Tell Hunter I sent you!

I've done one 15 mile xc-ish ride with about 2000 ft of climbing with some awesome kids from the NICA race team. It hurt, but not because of the bike. The Steele kids are stinking fast and we began the ride in Agua Dulce when it was 88º out and ended at 99º. I did a little dialing in, but otherwise the bike felt as efficient as a Ripmo and at least as good as a Switchblade. New sizing is spot on since the medium has been up-sized and fits me perfectly. I hope the make the same changes (geo/sizing) to the Switchblade and I really wish they'd drop the SuperBoost, but I'll live with it. The bike pedals very well and rides like a normal trail bike! Impressed so far.

For the record, it's a 2022 Firebird, Sunrise color way, Medium, Team build, and weighs 31lbs 7oz as it sits with pedals. I plan to swap the 38 fork for a 36 which should bring the weight down to just under 31lbs. Not light, but not terrible either.

More to come and feel free to DM me with any questions.

 

Next up I'll likely sell my near new Yeti SB130 Lunch Ride with RideWrap and X2 if anyone is interested.

 

Pretty bike - but don't trade the fork to save 7 ounces. Let the bike be what it is. You won't notice the difference. You didn't buy it to be a svelte climber, so let the big dog eat!

 

I wold leave it alone, but I have yet to ride a Fox 38 I like so far. I find them all harsh and difficult to tune effectively. Maybe they are too stiff. I have a Fox 36 that I just love and find a more comfortable fork in the chunk and chunder and that has a side benefit of being a little lighter too.

 

Ahhhh, that makes sense. I have had a fork that was too stiff laterally (Magura Thor) and couldn't ever get it plush. My experience with Fox in general is that they are difficult to get the small bump compliance that I feel a modern fork should offer. I needed a Luftkappe to achieve the expected plushness.

 

Love those colors! Very reminiscent of afternoons in southern AZ.

Several years ago I fell in love with the 27.5 Firebird - I had never ridden anything like it up or downhill. But Pivot redesigned it as a 29er, and it changed. Multiple attempts to get it to do the DH things the way I wanted it to failed, and I went another direction bike-wise. (I believe that was '19-'21 models, with the horizontal shock mount.) I haven't had a chance to try the newer version, with the vertical shock position...I'm very curious how it feels.

@AKAKTM When you can, post up more ride impressions, especially if you can include comparisons to other bikes you've ridden.

 

Send it out to have it revalved. Any fork with proper valves will be better than anything out of the box.

 

My shock and fork are at Fluid Focus in Vista as we type. Super deluxe ultimate and Zen ultimate +. Full service and dropping the oil weight . We shall see. Hoping to pick it up tomorrow.

 

Fork and shock are sooooooo much better. Actually running much more rebound than I would have thought but smoothed out the chunder.

 

Nice bike!
I am old and overbiked (51 and banshee rune V2). Shy away from some of the heavier stuff I used to ride but still figure i need all the help from the bike I can get to stay unbroken. Dont care about climbing speed -but bike pedals fine anyway
Zero F's given!