First Look: 2013 Pivot Mach 429 Carbon

With 100mm of rear travel and some snappy handling characteristics, the Mach 429 Carbon is geared towards the cross-country and trail crowd.

Two years were dedicated to the testing and design of the carbon version. Compared to the aluminum version, the carbon frame has shorter chainstays (17.65 from 17.95-inches), a lower bottom bracket (13 from 13.1-inches), and improved standover.

Pivot says their revised dw-link suspension design with position-sensitive anti-squat makes for a 29er that pedals, accelerates and handles like a 26-inch bike. Kashima-coated Fox CTD suspension keeps things active and easily adjustable front and rear.

Also new for 2013 is the addition of ISCG 05 tabs surrounding the PF92 bottom bracket. The bike is equipped with a direct mount front derailleur.

The head angle measures 69.3-degrees when equipped with a 120mm fork, just 0.1-degrees steeper than a medium aluminum Mach 429. A tapered headtube helps stiffen things up front.

A 142x12mm rear axle keeps the rear end snappy.

160mm post mount brakes add to the frame's stiffness.

Internal shift cable routing and dropper mounts clean the overall appearance up nicely.

To protect all that carbon, a rubberized leather chainstay, inner seat stay, and down tube protector help with impact resistance and quiet the bike.

Pivot developed their exclusive hollow box, high-compression internal molding technology when they came up with the Carbon Mach 5.7.

The Mach 429 Carbon will be available in green, black/blue, and black/red color schemes in a variety of build kits. Check out www.pivotcycles.com for more details.