New eMTB inspired by Pivot's Firebird enduro bike

This competition is now closed

Pivot unveiled its first electric mountain bike in 2017 with the launch of the Shuttle (now labelled the Shuttle AM), before bolstering its ranks with the lightweight Shuttle SL in August this year. Now the brand has unleashed the long-travel Shuttle LT as part of its eMTB line-up.

This addition to the range takes inspiration from Pivot’s non-motorised enduro bike, the Firebird. Sharing a similar profile, the pedal-assisted Shuttle LT wears a 170mm fork and gets 160mm of travel in the rear. The frame cradles a Shimano battery and EP8 motor.

The Pivot engineering team claims the Shuttle LT is race-ready but capable of every-day riding. “We really pulled out all the stops with the Shuttle LT. This bike has the heart for enduro racing and is still the bike you’ll want to ride every day,” says Chris Cocalis, Pivot founder and CEO.

The carbon fibre frame gives an impressive claimed weight of 22.5kg (49.8lb) in the Team XTR trim. It’s available in four sizes, small to extra-large, and two colourways, ‘Bass Boat Tri-Tone Blue’ or ‘Northern Lights Green’.

All Pivot full-suspension bikes use the DW-Link suspension platform (named after the suspension engineer Dave Weagle) to control the 160mm of travel.

The shock sits vertically in the frame for a compact frame design, allowing a decent standover height and a full-sized water bottle to be accommodated.

Although only available with a Fox Float X air shock, the Shuttle LT is coil-shock compatible.

You’ll also find ‘Super Boost’ 152x12mm rear-axle spacing, first introduced on the Pivot Switchblade, to reportedly bolster rear-wheel stiffness.

This eMTB shares the popular Shimano EP8 motor with its smaller-travel stablemate, the Shuttle AM. However, the battery size in this new bike increases from 726Wh to 756Wh. In addition, it’s slung lower in the down tube, aiding removal and enhancing the handling, according to Pivot.

The charging port sits on the non-driveside of the seat tube above the motor. The system is customisable via Shimano’s E-Tube app to suit your local trails and range preferences.

Because this bike mirrors the capabilities of the Firebird, you can expect plenty of room, with a long reach, slack head angle for attacking steep technical descents and an extended chainstay length to provide stability at speed.

The flip chip comes installed from the factory in the low setting and gives riders a 64-degree head angle. Changing it to the high setting steepens it by half-a-degree, adds 0.5mm to the bottom bracket height and pushes the reach out by a few millimetres.

The Shuttle LT can be run as a mullet bike. Swapping for the mixed-wheel setup will slacken the head angle and drop the bottom bracket, calling for the flip chip in the high position.

The Pivot Shuttle SL will be available in two variations at launch: the Ride SLX/XT and flagship Team XTR.

The Team XTR comes with a Shimano XTR/XT drivetrain and brakes, while the Kashima-shod Fox Factory 38 fork and Fox Factory Float X shock take care of the suspension duties.

As the name suggests, the second-tier Ride SLX/XT also utilises Shimano kit to cover both going and stopping, with the Fox suspension components coming from the less expensive Performance range.

Dean Hersey is a gravel and mountain bike writer based in Dorset, England. Having travelled the world by bike, Dean has ridden everything from XC to downhill, bikepacking and cyclocross. He's written, and tested bikes and products, for BikeRadar, bikeperfect.com, Singletrack and Grit CX.

Try 3 issues of Cycling Plus magazine for just £5! 

Plus, get a pair of Lusso socks 

Save 25% off the shop price + get G-Form pro-X3 Knee Guards, worth £64.99!

Sign up to receive our newsletter!

Thanks! You've been subscribed to our newsletter.

Already have an account with us? Sign in to manage your newsletter preferences

Would you like to receive offers, updates and events from BikeRadar and its publisher Our Media Ltd (an Immediate Group Company)?

Save 25% off the shop price + get G- Form Pro-X3 Knee Guards, worth £64.99!

SUMMER SALE | Try 3 issues of Cycling Plus magazine for £5 + Get a pair of Lusso cycling socks!