Awesome video with the drone and first person footage. I have a Mach 5.5 and I love it for anything that I have to climb to up to. I use my burlier full enduro bike if I'm shuttling or going to the bike park, but for everything else this size is my go to. I'm not looking to upgrade yet but it's good to know that 27.5 with 160-140 travel lives on with Pivot.
Great video Ryan. Def keen on hearing about the mullet, so liked the fact that you knew the viewers would be asking the question 😀. I'd go with a 140mm front 29er given the choice. A side note (not mentioned in the vid) - it is interesting that the Shadowcat weight is closer to the Mach 4SL compared to the Trail 429. I was pretty keen on the T429 but now thinking the Shadowcat could be way to go (for my needs).
Thanks Dean, appreciate it! Haha yeah the mullet is always a hot topic. 140mm would be the ticket for that setup for sure! At the time of the video I didn't have any details on geometry and weight but good idea, I should weigh the bikes next time. I love my T429 and it gets the most use out of all my bikes. I also have the Switchblade so that is my longer travel bike when I want to get a little more rowdy. I think either way you go, you'll love the bikes. Thanks again for watching!
Like how you ride and review. Amazing Trails you have there! Just did my first ride on the new Shadowcat today. This is the first time owning an MTB with the longer wheelbase and slacker front. It really rolls over stuff a lot faster than my 2016 Santa Cruz 5010. (both 27.5 bikes) but the Santa Cruz is shorter and steeper front wheel. Also first bike I've had with 4 piston XT brakes, Wow,. combine that with the faster front end and I can go downhill much faster and still feel under control. Thanks for the great video. I like how you really ride the bike and put on a good show riding!
Thanks again Charles! Glad to hear you're getting on well with the Shadowcat. I'm sure the geometry alone has been a great upgrade for you as these bikes have updated a lot in the past 5-6 years. Thanks for checking out my video and for the comments. Appreciate it. Enjoy the new bike, I'm stoked for you! 🤜🤛
Hey! really dug the review. love that you did it on Pivot's home trails (they're mine, too, but the way). I enjoyed the way you used the drone with the 1st person camera angles. Niiiice. The drone seems to give a better idea of how steep a trail actually is, the 'Go Pro effect' of flattening out steep terrain is not there and we see a better representation of the trail. Looks like a sweet bike- I'm looking for one for my wife. I love that it's a lower weight and love that it's got the 27.5" size. I've thought the same way about the 27.5" for years as you. My wife's only 5'2" so this is probably the route we'll go. We'll see. Thanks, again.
Hey thanks for checking out my video! The Skydio2 does a great job of capturing some unique perspectives. Completely agree, the GoPro does a great job of flattening steep terrain. It really is a great all around bike that can do a bit of everything. At 5'2" she'll get along with this bike well especially with that low standover. Thanks again and all the best with that bike selection 🤜🤛
I am fortunate enough to have a 27.5 trance and a trail 429 v2. love em both and yes I am glad I kept mt 27.5 still really like riding it. there is definitely a place for 27.5. I'm 5'10" and really like 27.5 for it traits. for very chunky terrain 29er is nice but 27.5 is more nimble and both have strengths and weakness. I like having both and will continue to ride 27.5 inspite of current trends.
Just talked with Pivot a couple days ago at the Sedona 2022 MTB Fest and they said when ran in a mullet configuration that the fork should change to a 140mm fork to keep the geometry as originally intended.
Hey thanks for checking out the video. They did reach out to me and let me know after I'd released the video. Unfortunately I didn't have the correct fork to make it happen but wanted to test the theory. The bike rides amazing as is in its 27.5 configuration. Thanks again!
Nice review! You definitely picked the right trails to get some first ride impressions. West Bursera and Eliminator are a couple of my favorites from when I used to live on the west side of SOMO. I rode a Mach 5.5 for a long weekend a few years back, and ever since, I've been waiting for an update with a bit longer reach and steeper seat angle. I am also very happy that it has a rear axle that is 148 rather than 157 given how invested I am in 148 hubs. I am in the market for a new bike and up until the release of the Shadowcat there were other bikes higher on the list, but now this has jumped near the top. Really hope I can throw a leg over one here soon. I'm definitely interested in running it mullet or MX. Did you use a 160 mm fork? I see on Pivot's website they recommend going down to 130 mm fork if running it mullet. I think I would want a longer travel fork than 130 so I was wondering if you noticed a big change in how the bike handled if you rode it with a 160 mm fork. Thanks for the video. Great GoPro shots, drone shots, and riding as always!
Thanks Erick! I was wondering why I hadn't seen you around the west side recently. Interesting to see you would go the mullet setup, I know it's popular for sure. I tried it out with my Switchblade fork which at the time I thought was probably 10mm too long. Unfortunately, I didn't do any long riding including climbing on that fork to see if it became hard to keep the front wheel on the ground but I suspect a 140mm fork would work well. Not sure why you would go 130mm front with a 140mm rear travel but they are the experts. Hope you are doing well and enjoying your new local trails!
@@corlessryan Thanks for the response. Up in Flagstaff now. Trails are snow covered but I've been going to Sedona to ride every weekend since mid December. If I pull the trigger on one, then I'd likely keep it 27.5 front and rear as I agree, I wouldn't want to go down to a 130 mm fork, which would have to be 34 if I stuck with Fox. And I'm not interested in buying a new bike and voiding the warranty.
I actually think this would be a great option! You have an awesome skills park there for the jumps plus on some of those tight technical trails this would be very nimble. It's also super light which is great in Sedona as it's a lot of punchy climbs.
I'm surprised there's no grip 2 on the pivot which are always designed as precise and dialed in machines... That said, capability wise, I'm guessing the switchblade felt a little more confidence in the chunky stuff?
Yeah I think I saw a similar question popup on Pinkbike. Someone had mentioned the bike wasn't designed for those longer descents requiring more oil volume etc... I'm sure there was a reason but they also added additional bottle mounting bosses so you could put a piggyback shock in there with plenty of bottle room. The Switchblade is definitely more forgiving on line choice. The Shadowcat was extremely precise and nimble where as the Blade had a lot more plowability potential.
@@corlessryan interesting... Almost has the looks and intent of an aggressive down country bike, with more travel. With 160 in the front I'd hope you could tackle all the rough stuff with no problem, otherwise the switchblade seems a better all- arounder than this and they could have used a 140pike or 150 fox 36. Just an interesting bike. Thanks for the first look
We chose to stick with a Fit4 damper over a Grip2 for ease of setup and reduced weight. The Grip2 is amazing and rides incredibly well when setup properly. But getting to the ideal setting can take a lot more time than the simplified Fit4. And in this application, the Fit4 offers plenty of performance. Good news is that if you want a Grip2 on your Shadowcat, you can considering buying and installing that damper for an instant upgrade to the performance of the bike.
@@corlessryan The bike, and in this case specifically the frame, is capable of handling long and gnarly descents just like the Trail 429 and Switchblade, within reason of course. We chose to go with a DPS inline shock to save weight and keep setup simple. The Shadowcat is designed to accept a piggy-back shock like the Float X or X2, but they would add more weight and more complexity to the bike than we wanted to offer riders out of the box. The added water bottle mounts on the downtube allow you to mount a bottle cage as low as possible while still clearing the shock.
@@pivotcyclesusa I agree with what you are saying, but again you guys aren't one to design a bike without including the full adjustability and capabilities that are available to your riders from the get go. And the bike is already light so a few grams added isn't turning this thing into a boat anchor. The grip 2 is the best part of fox suspension on the 36. Just an observation from me.
I think it climbed on par with my Switchblade. I felt the BB was a little lower but I haven't checked if that is correct. I own the Trail 429 but not the Enduro build. That bike climbs amazing and I think it's more spritely and playful than the Shadowcat but definitely not as capable. In general it climbed great for a 160/140mm bike and much better than other bikes I've ridden in that category.
I actually never weigh my bikes but I believe the Shadowcat is on par with the Trail429 which is super light. The shock felt fine but I'm sure if you were smashing down long descents you may look to upgrade it.
I have the Large Shadowcat ProXT build Alloy wheels and It's 29.4lbs with pedals and a bottle cage. So I'm guessing it's under 29lbs without pedals (but now sure how you would ride without pedals) lol
@@trentvlak I always generally run a fender on my fork but only one time on the rear of an older style Pivot that seemed to get stones in the linkages. The new design doesn't allow debris in which is good but I don't think a 2.5 and fender would be an issue for clearance. 👍
Everyone WHO IS interested in this one and IS in a Budget, try to get a used LAST Clay (Fr 150-160, R 140mm travel, 65.4degree HA). very light and high Quality Al trail frame which can ne converted via Link to the 160mm Coal.very progressive But potent rear.still Poppy but can ne used aß Mini Enduro as Well. Suited For bin vol Air shocks and Coil shocks as well
Awesome video with the drone and first person footage. I have a Mach 5.5 and I love it for anything that I have to climb to up to. I use my burlier full enduro bike if I'm shuttling or going to the bike park, but for everything else this size is my go to. I'm not looking to upgrade yet but it's good to know that 27.5 with 160-140 travel lives on with Pivot.
I WAS SURPRISED HOW YOU HANDLE THE BIKE WHEN YOU GO DOWN SO FAST YOU ARE THE COOLEST AND THE DRONE DOES ITS WORK VERY GOOD... GREETINGS....
Hey thanks so much! Appreciate the comment and greetings to you wherever you are in the world!
Great video Ryan. Def keen on hearing about the mullet, so liked the fact that you knew the viewers would be asking the question 😀. I'd go with a 140mm front 29er given the choice. A side note (not mentioned in the vid) - it is interesting that the Shadowcat weight is closer to the Mach 4SL compared to the Trail 429. I was pretty keen on the T429 but now thinking the Shadowcat could be way to go (for my needs).
Thanks Dean, appreciate it! Haha yeah the mullet is always a hot topic. 140mm would be the ticket for that setup for sure! At the time of the video I didn't have any details on geometry and weight but good idea, I should weigh the bikes next time. I love my T429 and it gets the most use out of all my bikes. I also have the Switchblade so that is my longer travel bike when I want to get a little more rowdy. I think either way you go, you'll love the bikes. Thanks again for watching!
Like how you ride and review. Amazing Trails you have there! Just did my first ride on the new Shadowcat today. This is the first time owning an MTB with the longer wheelbase and slacker front. It really rolls over stuff a lot faster than my 2016 Santa Cruz 5010. (both 27.5 bikes) but the Santa Cruz is shorter and steeper front wheel. Also first bike I've had with 4 piston XT brakes, Wow,. combine that with the faster front end and I can go downhill much faster and still feel under control. Thanks for the great video. I like how you really ride the bike and put on a good show riding!
Thanks again Charles! Glad to hear you're getting on well with the Shadowcat. I'm sure the geometry alone has been a great upgrade for you as these bikes have updated a lot in the past 5-6 years. Thanks for checking out my video and for the comments. Appreciate it. Enjoy the new bike, I'm stoked for you! 🤜🤛
Hey! really dug the review. love that you did it on Pivot's home trails (they're mine, too, but the way). I enjoyed the way you used the drone with the 1st person camera angles. Niiiice. The drone seems to give a better idea of how steep a trail actually is, the 'Go Pro effect' of flattening out steep terrain is not there and we see a better representation of the trail. Looks like a sweet bike- I'm looking for one for my wife. I love that it's a lower weight and love that it's got the 27.5" size. I've thought the same way about the 27.5" for years as you. My wife's only 5'2" so this is probably the route we'll go. We'll see. Thanks, again.
Hey thanks for checking out my video! The Skydio2 does a great job of capturing some unique perspectives. Completely agree, the GoPro does a great job of flattening steep terrain. It really is a great all around bike that can do a bit of everything. At 5'2" she'll get along with this bike well especially with that low standover. Thanks again and all the best with that bike selection 🤜🤛
Great review. Thanks for all the hard work Ryan.
Thanks! I just do this for the love of creating videos. The comments make it worth it. Thanks for watching. 🤜🤛
I am fortunate enough to have a 27.5 trance and a trail 429 v2. love em both and yes I am glad I kept mt 27.5 still really like riding it. there is definitely a place for 27.5. I'm 5'10" and really like 27.5 for it traits. for very chunky terrain 29er is nice but 27.5 is more nimble and both have strengths and weakness. I like having both and will continue to ride 27.5 inspite of current trends.
Very true! There's a place for both. Thanks for watching.
Just talked with Pivot a couple days ago at the Sedona 2022 MTB Fest and they said when ran in a mullet configuration that the fork should change to a 140mm fork to keep the geometry as originally intended.
Hey thanks for checking out the video. They did reach out to me and let me know after I'd released the video. Unfortunately I didn't have the correct fork to make it happen but wanted to test the theory. The bike rides amazing as is in its 27.5 configuration. Thanks again!
Nice review! You definitely picked the right trails to get some first ride impressions. West Bursera and Eliminator are a couple of my favorites from when I used to live on the west side of SOMO. I rode a Mach 5.5 for a long weekend a few years back, and ever since, I've been waiting for an update with a bit longer reach and steeper seat angle. I am also very happy that it has a rear axle that is 148 rather than 157 given how invested I am in 148 hubs. I am in the market for a new bike and up until the release of the Shadowcat there were other bikes higher on the list, but now this has jumped near the top. Really hope I can throw a leg over one here soon. I'm definitely interested in running it mullet or MX. Did you use a 160 mm fork? I see on Pivot's website they recommend going down to 130 mm fork if running it mullet. I think I would want a longer travel fork than 130 so I was wondering if you noticed a big change in how the bike handled if you rode it with a 160 mm fork. Thanks for the video. Great GoPro shots, drone shots, and riding as always!
Thanks Erick! I was wondering why I hadn't seen you around the west side recently. Interesting to see you would go the mullet setup, I know it's popular for sure. I tried it out with my Switchblade fork which at the time I thought was probably 10mm too long. Unfortunately, I didn't do any long riding including climbing on that fork to see if it became hard to keep the front wheel on the ground but I suspect a 140mm fork would work well. Not sure why you would go 130mm front with a 140mm rear travel but they are the experts. Hope you are doing well and enjoying your new local trails!
@@corlessryan Thanks for the response. Up in Flagstaff now. Trails are snow covered but I've been going to Sedona to ride every weekend since mid December. If I pull the trigger on one, then I'd likely keep it 27.5 front and rear as I agree, I wouldn't want to go down to a 130 mm fork, which would have to be 34 if I stuck with Fox. And I'm not interested in buying a new bike and voiding the warranty.
Great review, what is your height and which size are you riding on this CAT?
How do you think this would do at Sedona?
I actually think this would be a great option! You have an awesome skills park there for the jumps plus on some of those tight technical trails this would be very nimble. It's also super light which is great in Sedona as it's a lot of punchy climbs.
I'm surprised there's no grip 2 on the pivot which are always designed as precise and dialed in machines... That said, capability wise, I'm guessing the switchblade felt a little more confidence in the chunky stuff?
Yeah I think I saw a similar question popup on Pinkbike. Someone had mentioned the bike wasn't designed for those longer descents requiring more oil volume etc... I'm sure there was a reason but they also added additional bottle mounting bosses so you could put a piggyback shock in there with plenty of bottle room. The Switchblade is definitely more forgiving on line choice. The Shadowcat was extremely precise and nimble where as the Blade had a lot more plowability potential.
@@corlessryan interesting... Almost has the looks and intent of an aggressive down country bike, with more travel. With 160 in the front I'd hope you could tackle all the rough stuff with no problem, otherwise the switchblade seems a better all- arounder than this and they could have used a 140pike or 150 fox 36. Just an interesting bike. Thanks for the first look
We chose to stick with a Fit4 damper over a Grip2 for ease of setup and reduced weight. The Grip2 is amazing and rides incredibly well when setup properly. But getting to the ideal setting can take a lot more time than the simplified Fit4. And in this application, the Fit4 offers plenty of performance. Good news is that if you want a Grip2 on your Shadowcat, you can considering buying and installing that damper for an instant upgrade to the performance of the bike.
@@corlessryan The bike, and in this case specifically the frame, is capable of handling long and gnarly descents just like the Trail 429 and Switchblade, within reason of course. We chose to go with a DPS inline shock to save weight and keep setup simple. The Shadowcat is designed to accept a piggy-back shock like the Float X or X2, but they would add more weight and more complexity to the bike than we wanted to offer riders out of the box. The added water bottle mounts on the downtube allow you to mount a bottle cage as low as possible while still clearing the shock.
@@pivotcyclesusa I agree with what you are saying, but again you guys aren't one to design a bike without including the full adjustability and capabilities that are available to your riders from the get go. And the bike is already light so a few grams added isn't turning this thing into a boat anchor. The grip 2 is the best part of fox suspension on the 36. Just an observation from me.
How does it do in technical climbs compared to the 429 Enduro or the Switchblade?
I think it climbed on par with my Switchblade. I felt the BB was a little lower but I haven't checked if that is correct. I own the Trail 429 but not the Enduro build. That bike climbs amazing and I think it's more spritely and playful than the Shadowcat but definitely not as capable. In general it climbed great for a 160/140mm bike and much better than other bikes I've ridden in that category.
@@corlessryan Thanks, appreciate it.
Whats the measured weight? Seems like that shock was too wimpy for that trail
I actually never weigh my bikes but I believe the Shadowcat is on par with the Trail429 which is super light. The shock felt fine but I'm sure if you were smashing down long descents you may look to upgrade it.
I have the Large Shadowcat ProXT build Alloy wheels and It's 29.4lbs with pedals and a bottle cage. So I'm guessing it's under 29lbs without pedals (but now sure how you would ride without pedals) lol
@@currentsupply Thanks Charles! How are you finding the bike so far?
How is the rear tire clearance?
Without measuring it looked pretty standard. Are you looking to put Plus tires on it? or just ride in a lot of mud?
@@corlessryan Probably run a 2.5 with a fender.
@@trentvlak I always generally run a fender on my fork but only one time on the rear of an older style Pivot that seemed to get stones in the linkages. The new design doesn't allow debris in which is good but I don't think a 2.5 and fender would be an issue for clearance. 👍
I cant say ive ridden alot of modern 29ers . The ones i have ridden i didnt really enjoy . Its a shame that the industry has gone full 29er
Yeah perhaps it will change and more 27.5s will become available. Last thing we need is a new size haha
Everyone WHO IS interested in this one and IS in a Budget, try to get a used LAST Clay (Fr 150-160, R 140mm travel, 65.4degree HA). very light and high Quality Al trail frame which can ne converted via Link to the 160mm Coal.very progressive But potent rear.still Poppy but can ne used aß Mini Enduro as Well. Suited For bin vol Air shocks and Coil shocks as well
Yeah !! 29er suck!!!
Haha I know plenty of people out there prefer the 27.5!