27.5 ain't dead: Pivot Shadowcat trail rocket in the test

MTB / TEST: The Pivot Shadowcat takes unusual paths: “Only” 27,5 inch wheels, 140 mm travel at the rear, but 160 mm at the front. It is designed as an agile trail bike with downhill qualities. You can find out whether this calculation works in our test.

Pivot Shadowcat: Trail bike for rough terrain

The shadow cat from Arizona comes across as a potential jack of all trades: trail bike, fun bike and mini enduro in one. And these days on “small” 27,5 inch wheels? A brave move by Pivot - it's pleasing to realize that in addition to the eternal high-speed chase for seconds on huge log trucks, there is also playful biking. But that doesn't have to mean that major compromises have to be made in terms of speed. By the way, it's not just the concept that's bold, but also the bright pink paintwork. If you like it more subtle, you can also find a blue-grey as an alternative.
According to Pivot, the Shadowcat is a playful trail bike that is still very fast and should perform both uphill and downhill. It appears as the successor to the Mach 5.5 and is intended to equip its driver for every adventure. The carbon frame is extremely light - according to Pivot, it should only weigh slightly more than the in-house CC frame of the Mach 4 SL.

Data and features of the Pivot Shadowcat

• Application: Trail, all-mountain, enduro
• Frame material: Carbon
• Suspension travel: 160mm front, 140mm rear
• wheel size: 27,5"
• models: 3 basic models with configuration options (Ride, Pro, Team)
• Price: 6.599 € to 12.999 €
• Our test model: Shadowcat Team XTR, size MD, €10.999

equipment

In terms of equipment, there are three basic models - namely Ride, Pro and Team – which can be equipped with either Shimano or Sram components using the online configurator. Buyers enjoy a lot of flexibility here. Our test model is the Pivot Shadowcat Team XTR. As the name suggests, you can find the noble Shimano XTR group on the bike here. The four-piston brakes are powerful and have proven their quality many times. Only the 180 mm brake disc on the front wheel causes surprise in the editorial team. We would have expected a 203 mm disc here. With the Fox Factory chassis you can also find functional high-end components here - a Fox Factory 36 with 160 mm of travel is installed. The Fox Fasctory DPS shock provides 140 mm of travel. However, only the FIT4 cartridge is installed - it only has three fixed pressure level settings. This may not be enough for some professionals. The vario support – Fox Transfer Factory – comes on our test bike in size MD with 175 mm stroke, as well as in size LG.
Newmen's Crabon wheelset is lightweight and helps keep the weight of the bike down. When it comes to tires, Pivot uses the Maxxis Dissector at the front and rear - a good choice between acceptable rolling resistance and grip.

Built-in components

Geometrie

You almost forget that the Shadowcat is actually a trail bike - in terms of geometry there is not much that is missing from modern enduro geometries. Only the steering angle is a little steeper at 65,8 degrees than on most enduros. The latter, in conjunction with the short chainstays, gives the Shadow Cat its agility and maneuverability. Thanks to the steep seat angle of 76 degrees, the bike climbs very well despite the short chainstays. However, the seating position is sporty and somewhat stretched due to the rather low front. Thanks to frame size XS and deep top tube, even very short people can find a suitable bike in the Shadowcat - Pivot specifies 147 cm as the minimum size.

Test: The Pivot Shadowcat on the trail

To test the Pivot Shadowcat, we rode various alpine trails. These cover a wide range: Flowing single trails with natural jumps and features, blocked sections as well as narrow and winding sequences. There was also some fun in the park.

Driving characteristics uphill

Endless propulsion, the front wheel sticks to the ground - no, we're not talking about a light XC bike here, but rather a trail bike for rough terrain. The Pivot Shadowcat performs very well uphill. Thanks to the low weight, the stretched seating position and the steep seat angle, the bike climbs excellently. This also allows the driver to put a lot of force on the pedals. The bike accelerates very well and moves effortlessly. The only disadvantage is the deep bottom bracket when climbing trails; the crank can come into contact with obstacles here and there.

Driving characteristics downhill

The Pivot Shadowcat can fully develop its potential downwards. The low weight and short chainstays are also noticeable here. The bike is agile and goes quickly around tight corners - of course also due to the small 27,5 inch wheels. In addition, the rear triangle does its job reliably and unobtrusively. Despite the limited adjustability of the compression stage, it reliably swallows small and larger obstacles and you could think that it is superior to the suspension fork here and there. Root carpets are ironed beautifully smooth with the “only” 140 mm travel. The Shadowcat is only inferior to modern 29er bikes on really rough terrain, but with an active riding style it can be moved playfully on completely new lines. In general, every nook and cranny invites you to play and move around - you can jump around like a cat as much as you can.
The downhill fun is hardly spoiled - but a softer rubber compound on the front wheel could increase it even further by providing more grip. It is also noticeable that the front wheel would benefit from a larger 203 mm brake disc for better control. The saddle height on the descent is a subject that can be debated. For our test riders, who also like to ride in very technical terrain, a vario support with more travel would make sense. Because the freedom of movement on the Shadowcat gained through the deep top tube is somewhat wasted due to the low stroke.

Pivot on the web

www.pivotcycles.com