Suvacrew mentioned that he wanted to hear about the Pivot Mach 429 and on Thursday I got a chance to talk to a Pivot rep about the newest addition to the Mach lineup. The Pivot 429 has been on the scene for about a year now and there haven’t been any major changes outside of new colors and paint options – which means Pivot got this FS 29er right the first time.
The Pivot naming system is pretty easy to wrap your head around: the Mach 4 gets 4-inches of travel while the Mach 5 rocks 5″. The Mach 429 is a 29er with 4-inches of rear travel and is currently the only 29er Pivot sells. I asked if we can expect a Mach 529 anytime soon and the rep I spoke with didn’t think so. Of course there’s some argument about how well the geometry will work for 5″+ rear travel 29ers and the fact is there still aren’t many on the market today.
For 2010 the Mach 429 will be offered in 3 annodized colors (red, black, and white) and a painted version in blue and white. The cool thing is that all the Mach 429 parts are compatible with the other Mach bikes so you can purchase the Pivot “lunchbox” to trick out your linkages, headset, etc. in one of several color combinations. The Mach 429 comes configured your choice of with several component groups including the new SRAM XX (but expect to pay big $$ for this one).
The Mach 429 also sports the signature Pivot curved seat tube and although I didn’t get a chance to test ride one it looks like a pretty agile bike. Like the other Mach bikes, the 429 makes use of a patented DW-link which many riders prefer (minimal pedal bob, great climbing traction, and a smooth vertical path).
