Pivot has been in the electric mountain bike game since 2017 when it released the Shuttle. In 2022, it joined the growing number of companies offering lightweight eMTBs with slightly lower power with the Shuttle SL.
The Shuttle SL provides 132mm DW-Link suspension at the rear, with 140mm or 150mm travel forks up front. The carbon frame houses a Fazua Ride 60 motor as well as a 430Wh battery.
The Shuttle news quickly follows the release of Trek’s Fuel EXe and bikes like the Orbea Rise and Specialized’s SL versions of its numerous eMTB offerings.
Pivot decided it wanted to deviate from the script of most eMTB manufacturers by offering a bike it says focuses on trail riding dynamics, with low weight, refined suspension, crisp handling and claimed game-changing performance.
As such, at the top end of the build options, the Team WC model is under 16.5kg – very light for a bike of this type.
Pivot believes it has kept the Shuttle SL as close to an unassisted bike as possible when it comes to handling. Pivot cycles
Pivot Shuttle SL battery and motor details
Pivot turned to Fazua to power the Shuttle SL, with the brand’s Ride 60 motor providing the propulsion.
The bike is relatively compact and weighs just under 2 kg. It delivers up to 60Nm of torque, 10Nm more than the Trek motor and the same as the tuned Shimano motor in the Orbea Rise.
A rotary crank hides the miniature Fazua Ride 60 motor. Pivot cycles
It’s paired with a 430Wh battery integrated (and non-replaceable) low down in the bike’s down tube. This is higher capacity than the batteries found in Trek, Orbea and Specialized bikes.
The bike effectively disengages from the cranks when turned off, which Pivot and Fazua say makes for a quiet, drag-free ride.
On the bar, Fazua’s Ring Control offers riding mode control and walking assistance in a very compact package. It’s paired with an LED Hub built into the bike’s top tube that displays battery level and riding mode, while communicating with your phone or GPS via an ANT+ interface and offering a USB-C port for charging electronic devices.
Information about battery level and power mode is displayed here.
Pivot cycles
The LED display pops up, revealing a charging port.
Pivot cycles
The system offers three riding modes (Breeze, River and Rocket), each of which can be customized with the Fazua app. The ultimate Rocket mode even includes a Boost feature that will temporarily push out 450W of assistance.
Pivot Shuttle SL frame and suspension details
The Shuttle SL frame is constructed from proprietary carbon fiber, although details on the material used are scarce.
As we see on all of Pivot’s full-suspension bikes, the DW-Link (named after suspension engineer Dave Wiggle) is used to control 132mm of travel. This is a virtual pivot point design where the front and rear triangles are connected by a pair of co-rotating links near the main frame triangle.
Dave Weagle’s DW-Link suspension controls the rear end. Pivot cycles
Pivot says the suspension kinematics (how the suspension works and feels) gives plush compliance, efficient pedaling and plenty of pop. At the same time, there is enough progression for control on bigger hits.
The DW-Link suspension is said to have “position-sensitive anti-squat” that “eliminates” pedaling during high efforts. It is also designed to improve traction and should not sacrifice braking or suspension feel.
Rubberized protection gives you peace of mind against stone impacts. Pivot cycles
The shock sits vertically in the frame, which Pivot claims allows for a more compact frame design while still allowing for full-size bottles and a decent stand height.
Cables run internally as you’d expect, while there’s built-in chain shock protection and a downtube bumper. The battery charging port is located low on the belly side of the down tube.
The charging port is located on the side of the down tube. Pivot cycles
Pivot Shuttle SL geometry
The shape of the bike is decidedly modern, with fairly slack corners and a longer reach and wheelbase for a bike with this level of travel.
The Pivot Shuttle SL is one of the newer types of lighter eMTBs. Pivot cycles
There are two BB height options, low and high, allowing you to slightly change the shape of the bike. Low BB settings are shown below, but raising the BB adds 0.4 degrees to the head and seat angles and gives an extra 4mm of reach.
Seat tube angles get steeper with bigger frames, while chainstay lengths also get longer on bigger bikes. This is to better distribute the taller rider’s center of mass between the wheels.
Pivot Shuttle SL specification and price
Four models will be available for purchase. The top-priced Team WC is equipped with lighter-weight components, achieving a claimed weight of under 16.5kg, and includes an e-bike-ready Fox 34 fork. The other models get a larger Fox 36 fork.
150mm (or 140mm on the Team World Cup model) forks sit up front on a 132mm frame. Pivot cycles
Pivot Shuttle SL Ride SLX/XT
- Fox Performance E-Tuned 36 150mm fork
- Fox Performance Float X shock
- Drive Shimano SLX / XT
- Shimano SLX 4-piston brakes with Galfer 203/180mm rotors
- DT Swiss M1900 rims
- Maxxis Dissector 29×2.4WT 3C MaxxTerra EXO front and rear
- £8,500 / $8,299 / €8,999
Pivot Shuttle SL Pro X01
- Fox Factory E-Tuned 36 150mm fork
- Fox Factory Float X shock
- SRAM X01 drivetrain
- Shimano XT 4-piston brakes with Galfer 203/180mm rotors
- DT Swiss XM1700 rims
- Maxxis Dissector 29×2.4WT 3C MaxxTerra EXO front and rear
- £10,500 / $9,999 / €10,499
Pivot Shuttle SL Team XTR
- Fox Factory E-Tuned 36 150mm fork
- Fox Factory Float X shock
- Shimano XTR drivetrain
- Shimano XTR 4-piston brakes with Galfer 203/180mm rotors
- Reynolds Blacklabel 309/289 rims
- Maxxis Dissector 29×2.4WT 3C MaxxTerra EXO front and rear
- £12,000 / $11,599 / €11,999
Pivot Shuttle SL Team World Cup
- Fox Factory E-Tuned 34 140mm fork
- Fox Factory Float X shock
- Shimano XTR drivetrain
- Shimano XTR 4-piston brakes with Galfer 180mm rotors
- Reynolds Blacklabel 309/289 rims
- Maxxis Rekon 29×2.4WT 3C MaxxTerra EXO front and rear
- £12,500 / $11,999 / €12,599
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