The original Pivot Shuttle was a European-only model, or, at least, that was the plan. But then U.S. dealers caught wind of it and started ordering it. And then it was on. That model was designed to handle both 29er and 27.5+ wheel sizes and meant as an all-mountain crusher. Now, it gets a slight redesign, upgraded suspension, and goes full-on as a 29er.
Well, OK, it will still fit 27.5+ wheels and tires, but it’s optimized around big 29×2.5/2.4 tires and gets a longer travel 160mm fork with shorter 44 offset. The goal was to make it an enduro monster, yet keep it as one of the lightest Class I e-Mountain Bikes available anywhere.
Suspension tune was tweaked to make it easier to pop the front end up, even when you’re not pedaling. With the DW-Link, which this and all of their full suspension bikes use, the anti-squat really only works well when you’re pedaling. Or, more precisely, when you’re applying pressure to the pedals like you would when you’re trying to wheelie or pop the front end up and over something. So, to keep the Shuttle from really sagging into travel when you compress the rear to bounce the bike back up, they increased the compression damping a bit to offer more support.
They use the Super Boost rear axle standard, which gives them the ability to use a standard rim rather than a heavier eMTB-specific rims from DT Swiss because the extra lateral stiffness of the wider Super Boost hubs and, thus, spoke triangulation, makes the wheels more than strong enough.
Why move to a 29er focus? Because as much traction as you have with 27.5+ tires, when you start getting really aggressive on the downhills, the “plus” tires would end up squirming and, often times, getting damaged, and not providing the most secure, fast ride possible. And Pivot is all about providing the best possible ride, so they’re spec’ing it with beefier 29×2.5 Maxxis EXO tires with aggressive tread. But, if you really want to, you could put 27.5+ wheel and tires on it.
And, because the fork is longer now and it raises the BB slightly, if you really, really wanted to, you could even put a regular 27.5” wheel and tire on the back and run it with mixed wheel sizes. But, Pivot founder Chris Cocalis says the 29er setup is going to be the best, fastest setup for 95% of riding conditions. So, what’s the other 5%? Really loose climbs where the extra traction of a 27.5+ tire would help you keep traction going uphill over marbles.
They switched to mechanical Shimano shifting, which they say was because the Di2 shifter levers were confusing people at the demo events, which meant people weren’t fully enjoying the bike and seeing its benefits. That, and if you wrecked and ripped the shift wire out of the rear derailleur (or worse, tore the wire itself), the mode switch and all e-bike functionality stopped working because it was all integrated. So, with a mechanical system everything works the way you want it to for the e-stuff, and shifting works in a more familiar manner. Also, which they did not say, Shimano appears to be quietly moving away from Di2 on the mountain bike side for now, which no specific hints at what might replace the wired system.
Technical Features
The battery is still integrated as a structural part of the frame, but they reduced the number of bolts holding it into place. The main 8 bolts are still there, but the two extra ones that required a little finagling are gone, replaced with a quick release system. Worth noting: You can’t fly with the battery, carry-on or checked.
The speed sensor is moved further back, which lets them use a more integrated design and put the magnet on the Shimano brake rotors.
Price for the XTR model increases a bit because it gets the new XTR 12-speed group and Fox Factory level suspension with Kashima coats, putting it at $10,499. That’s with the e8000 STEPS motor system.
But, there’s now a new XT model for $7,899 that uses the e7000 motor system. But even they admit you can barely tell the difference between the two on the trail.
Geo falls between the Switchblade and Firebird, and it’s got really short chainstays…for an e-bike. They tested shorter stays, but the extra torque and power ended up making it too easy to unintentionally wheelie.
Why the full-range cassette with a 51-tooth big cog on the cassette? Because it lets you stay in a lower power mode and still get up all the climbs, which saves battery power so your rides can last longer. And, they’re putting a big 34-tooth chainring on the front, so motor or no, you’ll probably appreciate the bailout gear.
Lastly, the Shuttle gets upgraded to the Fox Float DPX2 rear shock, which helps it handle the extra weight and all that aggressive riding the bigger tires and fork are gonna let you get away with.
Available now at key dealers, and ready to order if you’re local shop ain’t stocking it. Worth noting, for every Shuttle they sell, Pivot donates a portion of it to advocate for more trail access and helping People For Bikes and IMBA develop the right kind of programs that inform landowners on the pros and cons. They say, most of the time, it’s simply a matter of explaining the differences between Classes I, II and III bikes and how non-throttled Class I e-mountain bikes (which top out at 20mph of assist) are a generally safe bet. So far, they’ve helped open up several states and tons of trails to access to e-Bikes.
