When asked what to buy, I tell everyone get a bike that’ll run both wheel sizes: 27 and 29. My personal bikes do that: road and mountain, but in an increasingly homogenized marketplace, marketers gotta make some distinctions so here we have the Pivot Firebird 29. And, in their words
The Firebird 29’s big wheels gobble up miles with ease, roll right over the gnar and add insane levels of traction to the mix. But this is no monster truck. The Firebird 29 is a lightweight enduro machine that boasts a poppy, lively feel long-travel 29ers have never possessed. Until now.
The best part…it’ll run 27.5 too, with a flip-chip.
Available in sandstorm with orange highlights or steel blue with yellow accents, the Firebird 29 features
- Bomber—yet ultra light—full carbon frame featuring leading edge carbon fiber materials and Pivot’s proprietary molding technology
- 162mm of supple-yet-efficient dw-link™ suspension
- Equipped with burly, 44mm offset 170mm-travel Fox 36 FIT Grip2 Factory and Performance Series forks
- Ultra-adjustable Fox Float X2 (metric) and DPX2 rear shock options
- Long-and-low geometry for a confident, stable stance Short, 431mm (16.96”) chainstays make easy work of the tightest trails
- Adjustable geometry with a flip-chip upper link mount and lower headset cup
- Compatible with both 29 and 27.5+ wheelsizes without compromise thanks to the adjustable geometry
- Fits tires up to 29×2.6” or 27.5×2.8” wide
- 12 x 157mm Super Boost Plus rear spacing adds stiffness and control
- Hassle-free, full-length, internal cable routing
- Fits riders between 5’4″ and 6’7″
- 10-year warranty
While I may roll my eyes at the over-the-top marketing language, I’m sure it’s what many fans of Pivot have been waiting for and they can order the Firebird 29 in 8 different configs, ranging in price from $5 to 8K.
If anyone is going to get the geo dialed for a long travel 29r, it’s Pivot. For another take on the Firebird 29, see this article from my friends at Bike Mag who wrote
…A sure-fire way to help a bike with going uphill fast is to make a light bike. In the long-travel 29er market, this has proven to be tough. Nonetheless, Pivot gave it a shot, and complete bikes start at 29.7 pounds. A sub-30 pound, 160-millimeter 29er is impressive.
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