HOW IT’S MADE
PIVOT PHOENIX DH BIKE
SIX BARS OF BEAUTY AND SPEED
Photos by Jens Staudt
At this point, Pivot’s Phoenix prototype DH bike is far from news as its unique and eye-capturing looks have sparked interest from fans every time it sees the light of day. While the lugged, Made in USA proto frames may not be groundbreaking news at this point, they look so good that we just wanted an excuse to share some pictures of what may be one of the most beautiful DH bikes of all time. Last year we saw some early iterations of the Pivot Phoenix DH bike and drooled over them in the secret R&D lab of Pivot Cycles HQ. Just recently, we were back in Tempe, Arizona visiting Pivot Cycles to learn about and ride the newly released Switchblade. While there, we were given access to the R&D Lab once again, but this time they let us in to watch the assembly of their latest and likely final, iteration of the new Phoenix DH bike. Compared to the last prototype we saw; this version of Pivot Phoenix looks a bit more complex but equally beautiful, and fast! The current frame sports a mid-high pivot six-bar DW-Link suspension design, with a dual chain and pulley wheel design that proved to be faster in timed race runs under Pivot Factory Racing team’s test athletes.
During our time talking with Pivot CEO Chris Cocalis, we learned that Bernard Kerr – Pivot Factory Racing’s lead racer – was so confident in the new bike, he was practically begging for permission to race the early prototype over the last generation Phoenix. His timed runs on test trails were seconds faster after just a single day aboard the bike! This is no small difference when you consider that a World Cup podium can have several racers in the same second. So, while much of the secret sauce that went into this bike must still remain a secret, there’s still a bit of fun we can share about the new Phoenix.
Each frame takes about three to four weeks to build. From placing raw blocks of aluminum in the CNC machine to gluing and pressing tubes into finished lugs, it is a time and labor intensive project that requires a lot of focus.
Rather than using a traditional pulley wheel design, Pivot and Dave Weagle co-developed a system that uses a larger upper sprocket with a smaller front chainring. The design runs drag-free, improves clearance and gives better chain wrap.
The system uses two separate chains that turn around the main, high pivot. The outer chain drive drives the cassette, while the inboard pulley takes drive from the chainring at the crank. A benefit of this design is that it heavily reduces pedal kickback, increasing speed and reducing rider fatigue on the most grueling downhills.
Despite the differences in appearance and manufacturing techniques between the lugged prototypes and a full monocoque carbon frame, differences are said to be around 2 to 3%. The goal was to get the lugged and carbon prototype frames to feel as close to the current production bikes as possible.
The Pivot Phoenix uses a modified DW6 (Dave Weagle 6-Bar) design with a flex stay.
Once the adhesive is applied, every second counts. All hands are on deck making for a smooth and streamlined process of pressing the tubes into the lugs.
We look forward to seeing the Phoenix in action under more racers in 2024. The bike has already been making big waves and had some impressive results, so we’re certain that once this bike heads off to production it will be a highly desired DH bike. We hope that day isn’t too far, because we can’t wait to put some laps on the new Pivot Phoenix, even if it’s not one of these beautiful lugged beauties.
Special thank you to Chris Cocalis and the Pivot Cycles crew for the inside look from their R&D Department.
LEAVE A COMMENT, WIN FREE SWAG!
Want to win some free schwag? Leave a comment and vote up the most thoughtful comments and each month we’ll pick a winner. The person with the smartest and most helpful replies will earn some sweet new gear. Join the Pack and get the latest news and read the latest reviews on the top mountain and electric mountain bikes.