Here’s a nice new bike from Pivot. The Mach 5.5 is 140mm rear and 160mm front. We ain’t ridden it yet but we’ve hammered the shit out of it stablemate the Firebird and raced it – so maybe hang fire on hitting the big red button on this until the Firebird review drops next week, because it’s the same weight but with more travel. And we rate it. Highly.
For now here’s some photos and a video of the Mach 5.5, we can’t wait to get on it. Pivot are well and truly on the move.
Here’s all the marketing stuff folks……
(You can also find it on Pivot’s website here)
Mach 5.5 Carbon Features. 140mm dw-link™ rear suspension with Pivot’s mid-travel specific linkage design
The New Mach 5.5 Carbon builds on the legacy of our renowned Mach 5.7 Carbon as the quintessential trail bike. With 140mm of dw-link™ rear travel, it sticks to and claws up just about anything, with unparalleled pedaling efficiency. On descents, the Mach 5.5 Carbon’s incredible square edge bump performance and 160mm travel Fox 36 fork enables you to conquer terrain that makes other bikes cower. It’s a bike that inspires you to climb while looking forward to the descents and that begs you to push your limits while putting a smile on your face.
FRAME DESIGN
There are several things that make the new Mach 5.5 Carbon truly exceptional. We’ve evolved our mid-travel link design, by utilizing the same rear shock pivot cartridge bearing design found in our longer travel clevis designs (such as the Firebird and Phoenix), to give the Mach 5.5 Carbon the unmatched small bump compliance and traction that Pivot is known for in a lighter weight and more compact design.
When engineering the ultimate trail bike chassis, weight matters. The Mach 5.5 Carbon matches Mach 6 Carbon durability while achieving Mach 429 SL Carbon weights and the perfect balance of frame stiffness and ride feel that Pivot frames are known for. The frame’s carbon structure features our proprietary hollow core internal molding process combined with a highly optimized lay-up design, utilizing lighter weight, high modulus materials that save up to a pound (.45kg) over other trail/enduro bike designs. The Mach 5.5 Carbon is available as a complete bike, with builds weighing under 27lbs (12.2kg) complete with dropper, and with frame weights as low as 5.2lbs(2.35kg).
TRAIL GEOMETRY
The geometry of the Mach 5.5 Carbon is tuned to support its well-rounded trail bike personality – the optimized long and low geometry with a 66.5-degree head angle provides high-speed stability, contributing to its amazing descending capabilities. Combined with short 430mm chainstays and relatively steep 73.5-degree seat angle, it absolutely crushes the steepest of climbs. The Mach 5.5 Carbon’s overall balanced geometry makes it the ultimate trail bike weapon.
We’ve taken this ultimate trail bike idea one step further by combining it with Maxxis’ new Wide Trail 2.6” Minion DHF/Rekon tire combination mounted on 35mm wide rims for maximum control and maximum fun in a wide variety of conditions. This wider 2.6” tire option gives you incredible traction and rollover advantages with nearly the speed of a full on enduro race tire set up. The Mach 5.5 Carbon can run any 27.5 tire combination, from 2.1-2.6, so your options are nearly unlimited.
ALL THE RIGHT DETAILS
Featured on the Mach 5.5 Carbon is Pivot’s ultra-clean, removable front derailleur mount. For riders that want to run two chainrings, this precisely engineered mount offers the best shifting performance you can get, utilizing Shimano’s new side-swing front derailleur system. For those who love the simple functionality of 1x systems, the removable front derailleur mount offers an incredibly sleek, clean installation with almost no evidence of the un-needed hardware.
The Mach 5.5 Carbon offers full Di2 electronic integration and easy, clean internal routing of shifters, brakes and droppers via the Pivot Cable Port system.
Other essential details include ultra-quiet, low durometer, rubberized frame protection in all the key places, 180mm rear post mount disc brake, and Enduro Max cartridge bearings throughout.
The Mach 5.5 Carbon is available in five sizes to fit riders from 4’11” to 6’7”+ from XS to XL. Every size clears a full size water bottle inside the front triangle.
PERFECT BUILDS FROM PIVOT
Pivot complete bikes are more than the sum of their parts – every single component is selected to give you the best experience on the trail:
Tyres: For each of our bikes, we include the best version of every Maxxis tire model for each application – choosing rubber compounds, tubeless and sidewall technologies that are perfect for your specific Pivot.
Cockpit: Custom designed Phoenix Components work as a system to enhance cockpit comfort and control on every Pivot bike. To learn more about how these components enhance the quality of your ride, see here.
Wheels: Pivot bikes include the best wheel technologies available. DT wheels include the 36-tooth Star Ratchet hubs for immediate engagement off the line and the friendliest, most reliable tubeless system in the sport, with easy setup and inflation. Reynolds Carbon wheels feature industry leading composite materials and proprietary resins that give Reynolds rims the perfect balance of stiffness and ride-feel. Combined with the nearly instantaneous engagement and jewelry-like finish of the Industry Nine hubs and Reynolds’ new lifetime warranty, these Pivot-exclusive 36mm Reynolds wheels are the ultimate wheel upgrade for your new Mach 5.5 Carbon.
Saddle: Pivot bikes feature WTB saddles that are specially made with the best, most durable, memory foam and feature a special hidden cutout for long ride comfort.
We take quality and workmanship seriously at Pivot, and know that the details are what make a great rider experience. Every Pivot Cycles frame undergoes a 28-step assembly and quality control check to ensure that every ride on the Mach 5.5 Carbon exceeds your expectations.
FAQ
Which size bike should I purchase?
To ensure the best sizing, we recommend that you visit your local Pivot dealer to get a professional fit and refer to our geometry chart to check your measurements. We can, however, provide a rough guideline to get you started. These recommendations are based on our experience, athlete preference and customer feedback:
X-Small: 4’11” – 5’4″
Small: 5’4″ – 5’8″
Medium: 5’8″ – 5’11”
Large: 5’11” – 6’3′
X-Large: 6’2″ +
We suggest that you pick your Mach 5.5 Carbon size based on your riding style. The Mach 5.5 Carbon features trail bike long and low geometry with both shorter seat tube and head tube measurements per size – this geometry means that most riders can go up or down a size and should base their choice on riding-style, reach and stem length preferences. Be sure to also consult our dropper post fit guide when making your selection. You can always reach out to us on Live Chat for additional guidance.
What dropper post length should I use on my Mach 5.5 Carbon?
The Mach 5.5 Carbon features a low stand-over height and short seat tubes to allow the use of longer travel dropper posts and/or more flexibility for a wider range of rider sizes.
There are some limitations that each dropper post can accommodate for each frame size based on the individual rider’s saddle height, so it is important to check fit before choosing the travel and model of dropper post for your Mach 5.5 Carbon. Use the linked guide to find the right post for your bike:
http://www.pivotcycles.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Mach55Carbon-Dropper-Fit-Guide.pdf
How do I set the sag on my Mach 5.5 Carbon?
We make it easy to get the best ride out of your Pivot bike with a simple sag indicator already installed on your bike, and this follow-along video featuring our own Bernard Kerr: https://vimeo.com/pivotcycles/sag
Can I run a water bottle on the Mach 5.5 Carbon?
Yes, the Mach 5.5 Carbon features 2 sets of bottle mounts on the Small to X-Large frame sizes. One mount is on the top of the down tube and the other bottle mount is underneath the down tube. Every size clears a full size water bottle inside the front triangle.
What hub/wheel spacing does the Mach 5.5 Carbon use?
The Mach 5.5 Carbon uses the Boost 148mm X 12mm hub/wheel spacing. This is a hub design with wider flanges so you cannot take a current 135mm, 142mm, 150mm, or 157mm hub and change end caps to convert an existing hub.
What is the thread pitch on the rear axle?
Pivot uses a 1.5 thread pitch on the rear thru axle. You can order one through our online store here:
http://www.pivotcycles.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=60&product_id=132
This is also the same thread pitch and axle length as the Shimano Boost 148mm X 12mm through axle so most Shimano compatible axle should work as well if you somehow manage to lose your Pivot or DT Swiss rear axle and need something compatible to keep you going.
What size seatpost does the Mach 5.5 Carbon use?
The Mach 5.5 Carbon frame uses a 30.9mm seatpost.
What size seat clamp does the Mach 5.5 Carbon use?
The Mach 5.5 Carbon frame uses a 34.9mm or 35mm (as some manufacturers call it) seatpost clamp.
Can I mount a chain guide on my Mach 5.5 Carbon?
Yes. The Mach 5.5 Carbon features ISCG05 mounts on the frame. Most upper guides on the market will fit and you can either use the ISCG05 mounts or some of the more compact versions that attach to an E-Type front derailleur mount. For full upper and lower guides, we recommend the MRP AMG for the Mach 5.5 Carbon.
What front derailleur does the Mach 5.5 Carbon use?
The Mach 5.5 Carbon uses an e-type Shimano side-swing style front derailleur only. Shimano produces the new e-type side-swing front derailleur in Deore and SLX for 10 speed drivetrains and XT and XTR for 11 speed drivetrains.
What travel fork can I use on my Mach 5.5 Carbon?
The Mach 5.5 Carbon was designed for either a 150mm or 160mm fork. The maximum travel length that can be used on the Mach 5.5 Carbon is 160mm travel.
What is the fork offset on the Mach 5.5 Carbon?
The fork offset on the Mach 5.5 Carbon is 51mm.
How wide of a tire can I run on the Mach 5.5 Carbon?
The Mach 5.5 Carbon can run 27.5” tires up to 2.6” inches.
How large of a rotor will fit on the Mach 5.5 Carbon?
The Mach 5.5 Carbon was designed for a 180mm rotor and features a 180mm post mount design so you cannot fit a 160mm rotor on the Mach 5.5 Carbon.
What type of rear brake adapter do I need?
No brake adapter is needed for a 180mm rotor. However, many manufacturers make adapters for larger rotor sizes, in which case you would need a 180mm direct mount/post to post adapter.
What cranks will the Mach 5.5 Carbon accept?
The Mach 5.5 Carbon will accept all cranks designed for the BOOST system and compatible with a press fit 92mm bottom bracket. BOOST system means that the rear hub spacing is 148mm and the chain-rings have been shifted out approximately 3mm from where a tradition crank designed for a 142mm rear hub would be so that the chainrings will line up properly with the new position of the cassette on the 148mm rear hub.
Can I run non-Boost™ cranks on my Mach 5.5 Carbon?
In some cases you can run a conventional non-BOOST 1X or 2X crank. The Race Face NEXT 1X and other Cinch system 1X cranks are dual compatible between standard 142mm and 148mm Boost rear ends. Some smaller chainring combination 1X (30 and 32T) Shimano XT and XTR 11 will also work. In some cases 2X standard cranks may also work with 24/34, 26/36 and 22/36 combinations. Shimano’s new 11 Speed XTR and XT standard cranks feature both 24/34 and 26/36 chainring options which work perfectly with the Mach 5.5 Carbon frame as Shimano’s chainline dimensions already tend to run wider than others in the market. There may be other 2X non- boost cranks available that will work although it is dependent on specific chainline and chainring size. If the chainline is not out far enough, the front derailleur clearance may be tight when shifting into the small ring as the front derailleur mount on the Mach 5.5 Carbon is also shifted outwards to accommodate the BOOST design.
Additionally, you cannot run cranks designed specifically with a narrower Q Factor such as XTR Race 158mm Q factor crank and the SRAM XX1 156Q crank (In fact, for any SRAM 1X cranks, you need to run their specific BOOST version of the crank).
What is the narrowest Q factor crank that the Mach 5.5 Carbon will accept?
The Mach 5.5 Carbon will accept cranks with a standard Q factor measurement as low as 163mm. You cannot run cranks designed specifically with a narrower Q Factor such as XTR Race 158mm Q factor crank and the SRAM XX1 156Q crank
What bottom bracket is used on the Mach 5.5 Carbon?
The Mach 5.5 Carbon uses a Press Fit 92mm BB. Some bottom bracket manufacturers may refer to it as BB92 of PF92 as well. Every crank manufacture offers Press Fit 92mm BB options.
What is the eye-to- eye shock length and stroke length on the Mach 5.5 Carbon?
The eye-to- eye shock length is 7.875 inches (200mm) and the stroke length is 2 inches (50.8mm).
If I want to run a different brand of shock on my Mach 5.5 Carbon, what else do I need to know?
The Mach 5.5 Carbon shock uses M8 through bolt hardware on the front and no hardware on the rear. Shock spacer dimensions are 36mm wide front. On the rear of the shock, the spacer hardware and bushing will need to be removed as the rocker mounts directly to the shock body. Some shocks may have a different spec then the Fox shock (that the Mach 5.5 Carbon is designed for) and may not fit properly. Also, as we cannot test every shock on the market, riders assume some risk if they choose a shock that does not fit properly or is not tuned correctly for the bike. The frame is designed around a large volume air can. We run medium compression valving and medium rebound damping.
Can I run a Cane Creek Double Barrel Air shock on my Mach 5.5 Carbon?
Yes, as long as you order the correct eyelet size (15mm eyelet).
Can I put a coil-over shock on my Mach 5.5 Carbon?
You cannot run a coil-over on your Mach 5.5 Carbon! The Mach 5.5 Carbon was designed to work with the progressiveness of an air spring. A coil-over shock (even one with separate bottoming control) does not offer the progressive spring curve that the Mach 5.5 Carbon requires. Running a coil-over shock on the Mach 5.5 Carbon will result in hard bottoming and damage to the frame.
What are the torque specs?
A detailed PDF of the torque specs can be found under the “Tech Specs” tab.
Dream pairing. High spec DH and trail bike for the price of a boutique custom build?
