New Pivot Switchblade | Flip Your Chip And Choose From 29 Configurations!

Pivot Cycles reveals the new Pivot Switchblade – “a bike with extraordinary versatility and category bending capability that redefines performance across every type of trail.“

As you might expect, it comes with longer reach, a slacker head angle and steeper seat angle. The new Switchblade’s seat tube is straightened to allow for longer travel dropper posts in a more compact frame design. And the adjustable flip chip from the Firebird wings its way over to the Switchblade to give adjustable geometry, optimising it for for 29”, 27.5+ or 27.5”/29” reverse mullet setups. Made with a new lighter, Pivot Hollow Core Carbon the frame has room for a large water bottle in all sizes.

“The original Switchblade was ahead of its time and one of our most popular models because of its incredible technical capability with unmatched all-round versatility,” says Pivot Cycles President and CEO, Chris Cocalis. “This new Switchblade has big shoes to fill, especially as one of our most anticipated bikes, but honestly, it exceeds even my expectations out on the trail. It’s even more capable and adaptable but still retains that all-around performance that makes it incredibly fun to ride everywhere.”

There’s a new vertical shock layout design with a more aggressive rising rate which Pivot says result in making 142mm of travel suppler off the top of the stroke, offering more support in the middle and giving it huck-to-flat bottoming control at the end. There’s a new piston and valving tune on the FOX DPX2 that delivers greater sensitivity and traction, coil shock compatibility and full Fox Live Valve integration.

The Switchblade will be available five sizes from XS to XL, in two colours, and – in the USA – a mind boggling 29 different configurations. Nope, that’s not a typo. That’s what it says in the press release. UK customers will have a few key options to choose from, but if you’re patient you can wait for a special order. Check out the Upgrade Bikes website for the current UK offering and prices.

Framesets aren’t available yet, so you’ll have to wait a bit if you want to go for your own bespoke build as it’ll be complete bikes only to begin with. These range from £5,700 for the Race XT model to £10,900 for the full mega-kerbling Team Issue Fox Live option.

Hannah Dobson

Managing Editor

I came to Singletrack having decided there must be more to life than meetings. I like all bikes, but especially unusual ones. More than bikes, I like what bikes do. I think that they link people and places; that cycling creates a connection between us and our environment; bikes create communities; deliver freedom; bring joy; and improve fitness. They're environmentally friendly and create friendly environments. I try to write about all these things in the hope that others might discover the joy of bikes too.

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