Pivot Shuttle SL Pro X01 – in our “Best Light-eMTB of 2023” group test

Looks like a Pivot! Despite being the Arizona-based brand’s first Light-eMTB, and one of the first bikes to use the new FAZUA Ride 60 motor system, the Shuttle SL Pro preserves the distinctive silhouette of a Pivot. We pitted the Shuttle SL Pro against the 7 hottest Light-eMTBs of the season.

Straight away, the Shuttle SL fits perfectly into Pivot’s portfolio. The straight top tube merges seamlessly into the seat stay and links the vertically-mounted shock with Pivot’s distinctive DW-Link rear end. As usual, a Phoenix head badge stands proud of the head tube. The € 10,999 Shuttle SL combines 150/132 mm of travel at the front and rear, respectively – only 2 mm more rear travel than SCOTT’s downcountry bike, the Lumen. That being said, the 18.7 kg Shuttle SL was developed specifically for trail riding.

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best Light-E-MTB 2023 – 8 bikes in review

The Light-eMTB Pivot Shuttle SL Pro 2022 in detail

Pivot combine the new FAZUA Ride 60 motor with a 430 Wh battery and LED HUB display, which is integrated into the top tube and features a practical USB-C port. Five LEDs show the charge status in 20% increments and change colour to show the current support mode. However, the LEDs are difficult to read in direct sunlight, making it hard to distinguish between the support modes. The down tube of the Shuttle SL is slightly beefier than most bikes on test, which is partly due to the shape of the FAZUA battery – despite Pivot using a permanently integrated battery, which saves weight and requires less installation space. However, this approach also has its drawbacks. For starters, it doesn’t allow you to remove the battery for external charging and, secondly, it prevents you from embarking on longer adventures, because you can’t replace it with a fully charged spare mid-ride. A ribbed plastic protector covers the entire length of the chainstay top and bottom, preventing paint chips and ensuring a quiet ride.

The spec of the Light-eMTB Pivot Shuttle SL Pro 2023

The spec of our Pivot Shuttle SL Pro test bike is different from the production bike. While the latter comes equipped with a SRAM X01 drivetrain, our test bike features a mixed Shimano drivetrain with XTR and XT components. Shimano also supply the XT four-piston brakes, which are paired with a 203 mm rotor at the front and 180 mm disc at the rear. That being said, such a potent trail eMTB really calls for a big 200 mm rotor front and rear. For the suspension, Pivot rely on a high-end FOX 36 Factory GRIP2 fork and matching FLOAT X Factory shock, which features a small external sag indicator for easier setup. FOX also supply the 175 mm Transfer Factory dropper post. The Shuttle SL rolls on a NEWMEN EVOLUTION SL A.30 alloy wheelset with MAXXIS DISSECTOR tires, which might be a good match for the rocky Arizona desert, but struggle to generate traction in loamier conditions, where tires with a more aggressive profile, like Minions DHF/DHR II, are a far better option. Moreover, the stock tires feature the paper-thin EXO casing and hard MaxxTerra rubber compound. In a nutshell, we’d recommend upgrading the tires to a model with a more aggressive profile and softer rubber compound, like MAXXIS’ MaxxGrip, to improve traction. While you’re at it, we suggest upgrading to a more robust casing too, like MAXXIS EXO+, or DoubleDown if you like to get rowdy on the trail.

Tuning Tips: Front tire with softer rubber compound | Tires with more aggressive profile and tougher casing

The geometry of the Light-eMTB Pivot Shuttle SL Pro 2023

At 432 mm, the Shuttle SL has the shortest seat tube in the entire test field. Although the 478 mm reach in size L is on the short side, the long 175 mm dropper post can be fully inserted into the frame, ensuring plenty of freedom of movement on the bike. A flip chip in the seat stay pivot allows you to drop the bottom bracket from 27 mm to 21 mm, slacken the seat and head angles by half a degree (from 76°to 76.5° and 65° to 65.5°, respectively), alter the reach and stack by 4 mm, and at the same time increase the chainstay length by 2 mm. Needless to say, we rode the bike mainly in the low setting. Moreover, Pivot adapt the chainstay length to the respective frame size to ensure consistent handling across all sizes – awesome!

The Light-eMTB Pivot Shuttle SL Pro 2023 on the trail

On the way to the trailhead, the Shuttle lives up to its name, pushing you to the top of the mountain more eagerly than any other FAZUA bike in this test thanks to the excellent combination of the efficient DW-Link rear suspension and the 60 Nm motor. On top of that, the comfortable pedalling position makes sure that it’s the battery that decides how far you’ll be riding, not your backside. On steep and technical climbs, the Shuttle’s rear suspension generates plenty of traction and doesn’t sink into its travel, even when the saddle is fully extended. That being said, you still have to actively weight the front wheel to keep it tracking and the Pivot lifts you off the saddle every time you ride over a larger step.

The Pivot Shuttle SL Pro is stiff and direct, which makes it crazy fast, especially on flatter, flowing trails.

As soon as you point its nose downhill, the Pivot integrates you nicely between its wheels, with the weight evenly distributed between the front and rear. The Shuttle SL is playfully nimble and implements steering input with clinical precision, ensuring super direct handling. As a result, it can be rather demanding to control, requiring an experienced rider who knows how to handle the direct feedback, especially when riding at the limit. However, if you know what you’re doing, the Shuttle SL Pro is brutally fast and outrageously potent. Compared to the good-natured Trek, however, it’s far less beginner friendly. Put simply, the Shuttle SL is super stiff, conveying a real BMX-race feeling when pumping through rollers and berms. In the right hands, it transforms every trail into a playground, inviting you to pop off ledges and pump through the trail to generate speed. At the same time, it generates a decent amount of traction and provides enough reserves to bail you on botched landings – on board the Shuttle SL Pro, you almost forget you’re sitting on just 132 mm travel.

The Pivot Shuttle SL Pro is stiff and direct, which makes it crazy fast, especially on flatter, flowing trails.

Conclusion

Feels like a Pivot! The Shuttle SL Pro is a thoroughbred Pivot, both in looks and handling. It’s one of the best climbers in our test, with the DW-Link rear suspension working extremely efficiently and generating plenty of traction. Downhill, the Shuttle SL Pro provides huge amounts of support and good reserves, making you feel as if you have more than 132 mm of travel on tap. In combination with the precise handling, this makes the Pivot one brutally fast yet demanding trail ripper.

Tops

• Very efficient uphill
• Feels as if it has more travel
• Extremely precise

Flops

• Battery can’t be removed
• Tires don’t do justice to the potential of the bike
• Handling can be demanding

You can find out more about at pivotcycles.com

The test field

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best Light-E-MTB 2023 – 8 models in review

All bikes in test: Focus Jam² SL 9.9 2023 (Click for review) | Forestal Siryon Diode (Click for review) | Haibike LYKE CF SE (Click for review) | Orbea Rise M-LTD (Click for review) | Pivot Shuttle SL Pro X01 | SCOTT Lumen eRIDE 900 SL (Click for review) | SIMPLON Rapcon Pmax TQ (Click for review) | Trek Fuel EXe 9.9 XX1 AXS (Click for review)