2024 eMTB SHOOTOUT

PIVOT SHUTTLE LT TEAM XTR REVIEW

PLAYFUL PREMIUM EMTB PINNER

Photos by Max Rhulen & Dusten Ryen
Video by Brian Niles / Treeline Cinematic

The Pivot Shuttle LT is a bike we’ve spent a lot of time on in the past year. Between our 2023 eMTB Shootout in which it picked up an award for its versatility and our eMTB Destinations Tour, it’s safe to say we know and enjoy this eMTB a lot. However, the eBike market moves fast, so we were interested to see how the upgraded Shimano EP801-equipped Shuttle LT would fare against 13 of the hottest electric mountain bikes on the market. It’s safe to say this Pivot is still a sweet rig, but check out this review and the Finale round table to see where it shines and how it stacks up.

2024 EMTB SHOOTOUT SERIES – The Pivot Shuttle LT Team XTR was one of 14 eBikes that our staff thoroughly tested with absolute objectivity in mind. From different types of riders to terrain, our goal is to present the best and most honest information possible to help you make your best decision. Of course, we’d love to thank Fox Racing and Schwalbe Tires for being invaluable partners to this series and making it happen and to Howler Bike Park for hosting us for our testing.

QUICK HITS

• 160mm DW-Link Suspension
• Shimano EP801 Motor
• 756Wh Darfon Battery
• 2-Pos Geometry Flip Chip

Price: $7,499 – $10,499

WE DIG

WE DON’T

ABOUT THE PIVOT SHUTTLE LT TEAM XTR

FRAME AND FEATURES | The Shuttle LT is Pivot’s aggressive Enduro eMTB, with a 160mm DW-Link rear end and 170mm fork to suspend its pair of 29” wheels. The frame is manufactured from Carbon Fiber with Pivot’s proprietary molding technology to deliver an impressive strength to weight ratio.

As a premium brand, Pivot packs the Shuttle LT frame with all of the features you may expect. There’s a two-position geometry adjusting flip chip to tailor the geometry between a high and low position to suit the trails on the menu of the day. The front triangle has ample space for a large water bottle, and there’s mounts on the top tube for their Tool Dock system. The Pivot Cable Port System facilitates clean and rattle-free internal cable routing. Lastly protection is added to the chain and seat stays, downtube and lower shock linkage to keep damage to a minimum.

DRIVE UNIT AND ELECTRONICS | Pivot updated the Shuttle LT to utilize the latest Shimano EP801 drive unit, which produces 85Nm Torque and up to 600W peak power for its 2.7kg mass. Powering this is an internal, removable 756Wh Darfon battery – the largest in this year’s shootout – which offers good range for big days out.

The Shimano system is not the cleanest in terms of integration these days, but Pivot does a good job at making it as clean as possible. There’s a custom power button integrated in the top tube with a USB-C port to charge small items like your phone or lights. Shimano’s EM800 display on the bar center, and the two-toggle remote next to the left grip. Pivot’s motor cover on the downtube bolts on solidly, fending off damage and shielding the motor to make a notable reduction to noise transmitted while riding.

The Shimano system can be tuned to rider preference using their E-Tube app. Shimano allows two profiles to be set up independently for quick toggling on-the-fly. Within each of these profiles, the user can customize three to 15 power modes for their ideal setup of simplicity or micro-tunability.

GEOMETRY | The Shuttle LT’s geometry is well-rounded for a general enduro eBike. There are no figures that are particularly extreme, but the chainstays are relatively short and the stack is fairly high. We opted to test the size Medium after plenty of time on both Medium and Large sizes, to deliver a slightly more playful and agile ride, though the Large offers a comfortable geometry for our 5’10”-6’2” test crew also.

BUILD SPECS | Pivot is currently offering the Shuttle LT in a choice of three build specs, from the $7,499 Ride XT/SLX spec to the $10,499 Team Di2. We tested the mid-level, $9,999 Team XTR spec to squeeze under our $10k price cap. For this price, you get a build that leaves very little to be desired.

Fox provides a Factory level 170mm 38 fork and Float X shock with eMTB tunes, as well as their Transfer dropper. Though this shock is not the burliest out there, it feels exceptionally plush and controlled on the DW-Link rear end.

The shifter, derailleur and brakes are Shimano XTR as the build spec name might suggest, with XT cassette and alloy cranks. The brakes stop on a 223mm front and 203mm rear rotor, dealing with heat on long descents exceptionally well. There’s a Pivot Carbon bar mounted to their alloy stem, and a WTB saddle tuned to each size.

Rounding out this high quality build spec are the DT Swiss HX1501 Hybrid wheels, which are wrapped in a Maxxis Assegai EXO+ tire pairing as standard. However, we replaced these with the same Schwalbe control tires as the other bikes in this shootout. Thanks to a pair of 2.4” wide Schwalbe Magic Marys with Super Gravity casing and Addix Soft rubber, we obtained a dependable and consistent testing platform to allow for easy comparison across the test field.

With these Schwalbe tires mounted, the Pivot Shuttle LT Team XTR weighed in at a reasonable 51.3lbs (23.3kg).

THE DIRT – RIDING THE PIVOT SHUTTLE LT

SETUP | The Pivot Shuttle LT is not a tricky bike to set up, with a fairly wide window of sag providing solid performance. Aiding the setup process is the very neat sag indicator on the Fox rear shock, which lets you quickly get sag set to the right spot and ready to hit the trails.

ELECTRONICS AND INTEGRATION | The Shimano EP801 system has fallen behind a little in terms of overall integration, with its wired display and controller adding clutter to the cockpit. However, Pivot manages the Shimano system well on the Shuttle LT, integrating the motor neatly into the frame beneath the cover. The top tube power button is a neat solution, with the extra functionality of the USB-C port much appreciated to keep gadgets topped up on longer rides. We’ve had issues with this button becoming sticky in the past, but it’s never prevented the system from functioning correctly.

Having spent many hours on a Shimano EP8-equipped Pivot Shuttle LT in the past, the upgrade to the EP801 with its extra 20% of Peak Power is much appreciated. Now matching the Bosch system in terms of power, it levels the playing field on the steepest portions of climb and makes the Shuttle LT even more of a rocket ship. Still, the Bosch system feels to have the edge for all-out sprints uphill, but some of the crew prefers the slightly more natural and controlled feeling of Shimano’s drive unit, so the choice is no longer so clear.

Using the Shimano E-Tube app, we were able to easily turn the power of the BOOST most up to the maximum in order to obtain a level playing field with the 13 other bikes in this group test. With the 756Wh battery, the Pivot offers excellent range, though we felt that it sometimes didn’t quite offer the range we’d expected from the biggest battery of the test on paper.

CLIMBING | The Shuttle LT is a solid climber. The suspension platform balanced efficiency and comfort very well, and the geometry put our test crew in a good spot. The shorter chainstays than the likes of the Orbea Wild meant that on the steepest portions of climb, it could be a little harder to manage, but this had merits in other places. For the longest days in the saddle or the most technical climbs, we wouldn’t shy away from Pivot’s Enduro eMTB.

DESCENDING | The Shuttle LT is a bike that our whole crew could hop on and enjoy consistently. Whether it was a super gnarly downhill trail or a mellower groomed descent, the Shuttle LT’s blend of capability and playful nature left us wishing for little else.

The suspension platform on Pivot’s enduro eBike was highly sensitive, with plentiful pop to give a very lively feeling ride. This helped to reduce the feeling of weight below its already reasonable 51.3lbs, and added welcome versatility for mellower trail sections. With the comfort and agility that the Shuttle LT offered, it made for a great machine to ride on days where we weren’t looking to push the limits quite as much, or in terrain where most other Enduro eMTBs felt uninspiring and sluggish.

Where the Shuttle LT fell a little behind some was in its support and stability when we were pushing hard on the fastest and roughest sections of trail. Even still, we wouldn’t hesitate to grab the Pivot for an E-Enduro race or to try and set a hot lap down a downhill stage, but there’s other bikes like the Orbea or Canyon that we’d expect to come out on top when being pushed to the absolute limits.

The overall package that Pivot has put together for their $9,999 Team XTR build is excellent, with a high-quality frame adorned in top level spec to leave us without any wishes to make changes. After one battery adjustment, it ran quietly and smoothly and stood up to all of the abuse amicably.

FINISH AND VALUE | While the $9,999 price tag of the Pivot Shuttle LT Team XTR is by no means a small amount of money, we felt as if it was a fair price for the level of quality and delivered and the spec fitted. Aside from the extra wiring of the Shimano eBike system, the finish quality is exceptional in typical Pivot fashion, and it’s a bike that we’d be extra-proud to show up to a trailhead with.

The Wolf’s Last Word

The most well-rounded Enduro eMTB on the market from last year received a drive unit update to improve its performance even further. Thanks to this, it’s safe to say the Pivot Shuttle LT is still an exceptional all-rounder eBike, and the price tag feels half-reasonable given the high level spec and overall feeling of quality.

WHO’S IT FOR?

For riders who can afford it, the Pivot Shuttle LT Team XTR is a bike that’s likely to please most riders. While it may not be the absolutely most capable eBike out there for racers looking to push as hard as possible on the roughest of trails, it still holds its own while making for a fun and playful time everywhere else. 

Price: $9,999 (Team XTR)
Weight: 51.3lbs (23.3kg)
Website: Pivotcycles.com

SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR 2024 eMTB SHOOTOUT SPONSORS

Without their support, we would not be able to make this series possible.

FOX RACING

SCHWALBE TIRES

HOWLER BIKE PARK