News - September 15, 2018

Pivot Shuttle Ebike Review

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtQ5tnFDxjc

What is it

The Shuttle is Pivot’s attempt at creating the best EMtb that has ever existed. It is a no-holds-barred assault into a ride quality and weight that has not been seen before in this class.

With an open canvas, Chris Cocalis chose a carbon frame with 140mm of travel designed around the Shimano Steps E8000 motor. It is based on the excellent Mach 5.5 as it sports 140mm of DW-Link rear travel and 150mm front rolling on 27.5 Plus 2.8 tires. The Shuttle has the best components available giving it a weight of 46 lbs and a price of $10k.

Pivot Shuttle climbs rocks with enthusiasm

Pros

first-rate ride quality with short stays
nicely balanced suspension
lateral stiffness
climbing prowess and with suspension not sagging
46 lb weight
Shimano system and its ample torque
build and craftsmanship
new, ideal geometry
no drag motor
long dropper post allowed

Cons

$10k price with no lower options
difficult to replace battery mid-ride
Shimano system and its quirks
Starts shutting off at 18mph in higher boost modes
Too much shifting gears and motor modes
Dropper location is forced to be over the bar

Pivot Shuttle with specially made DT wheels

The ebike scene?

The last three years have seen a dramatic shift in ebike use around the world as riders have come to see its benefits and overcome some of its downsides. Europe has seen a dramatic shift in usage and sales as well over 30% of mountain bike sales now (over $2k) has shifted to ebikes. In the US, it remains a controversial topic but the landscape is clearly changing as folks are test-riding ebikes and starting to purchase them.

As many as 60% in the US now plan to purchase an ebike in their lifetime.

The Pivot Shuttle and most ebikes are in the Class 1 category ebike with 250 watts of pedal assist power. In the SF Bay Area, three of our local trail networks were legalized to eBikes this year and we’re happy to report that not much happened in terms of conflict. Riders and other users seem to be getting along normally with more participation from new cyclists.

Pivot is firmly committed to riding ebikes only where they are allowed. And they are working with trail groups and land managers to educate and promote the responsible use of ebikes.

Integrated Battery

Shimano internal E-8000 internal batteries are big and heavy, up to 25% bigger than their external ones of the same 500wh capacity. Thus for the Shuttle, Pivot chose to use the external battery but hid it in downtube for aesthetics and frame stiffness concerns. What they came up with is a remarkable engineering feat with switch and charging ports that are sealed yet accessible. The frame is slick with an elegantly tapered frame. There are no accommodations for a water bottle though and changing batteries is more involved, taking about 10 minutes.

Pivot Shuttle motor is the Shiman E-8000 with 70nm of torqu

Shimano Motor

We think the Shimano motor is one of the best and most usable systems today. It has the ideal, most usable torque outputs in the market. Climbing is always manageable at any cadence on even the steepest hills. The motor is one of the smallest on the market with a narrow Q-Factor allowing no-compromise frame design. Its great strength is it doesn’t interfere too much with pedaling and assists it quite well.

But it has its quirks. With the Di2, the system will not shift unless the motor is turned on. And every time it’s turned on, one cannot touch the pedals at all since it’s calibrating the torque sensors. The motor mode selector takes the place of the front shifter and thus takes up left, under-bar dropper lever space. The motor engages and disengages to assist and that is quite noticeable as it kicks in, especially in higher boost modes. Shutting off assist at the 20mph limit is very seamless but it does start to occur at 18mph.

Pivot Shuttle carving through rocks

The Shimano display is nice and tiny and centrally located by the stem. We only wish that the system can be turned on right there. Instead, the rider has to feel around under the battery and press a discrete button.

The battery indicator is a 5-bar display and that is a very limited system. With two bars left, for example, the rider cannot tell if the system as 21% or 40% battery charge left. More resolution would have been very useful here.

Pivot Shuttle weighs less than most at 46.3 lbs without pedals

Components and quality

Pivot chose some of the best components to make this the top dog int he emtb world. Shimano 4-piston brakes, Fox Transfer, Maxxis tires, Fox suspension are the notables.

The internal cable routing is flawless appearance and performance. Watertight and rattle free performance keep these electrical components safe from harm and out of mind.

Pivot Shuttle battery is in a special hatch

Key Features

Cranks: Shimano E8000 Drive Unit , BT-E8010 500Wh battery w/FC-E8050 Hollowtech crankset and 34T chainring – 170mm
Shock: FOX Float Performance Elite DPX2
Fork: FOX 36 Performance Elite 29/27.5+ 150mm 110QR
Brakes: XT M8020 4-piston
Shifter: XT Di2
Wheels: DT Swiss/PIVOT Custom EB1550 40mm eMTB specific design
Tires: Maxxis Minion DHF 27.5″+ x 2.8″ TR (front), Maxxis Rekon 27.5″+ x 2.8″ TR Silk-Shield (rear)
Weight: 46 lbs
Price: $9999

Pivot Shuttle battery is integrated in downtube

Mtbr’s Take

It just rides so well, like no ebike before it. There are many, many moments where one forgets it’s an ebike as it descends and carves singletrack just as a good mountain bike. And sometimes, there are even moments where it seems to perform better non-ebikes because the weight plants the Plus tires firmly into rough terrain.

When it’s time to climb or traverse home, one is pleasantly reminded that it is an ebike because the suffering is adjustable. If your experience is like ours though, you’ll end up riding more, maybe a lot more. It’s that good.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 4 Flamin' Chili Peppers
Price: $9999
More Info: https://www.pivotcycles.com/en/bike-shuttle-1