All

Good feedback. I had a Sentinel v1, and loved how it handled but didn't like the lack of progressivity. The newer Transitions have addressed that. I'm the same height as the test group (5'8") and currently riding a mullet setup (Megatrail), and it just handles better all around for me than a full 29. Hence the interest in waiting for a carbon Patrol rather than getting a Spire/Sentinel now. I'd add that I ran my GG as a Gnarvana for a few months, and agree with the assessment that it needs a lot of body movement to turn it, but...

We'd still peg the Spire as an all-rounder as-is. It was right in the mix for sure. Perhaps comparing it to the Sentinal is more accurate. Riders wanting to get out there all day but find the Sentinal a little short in the legs will be pumped on the Spire.

I went through that sequence with my 2021 Enduro, it came with a gnardog plus one spacer and it was harsh. Pulling the dog out was too little, 2 spacers was a little soft still and just the dog was starting to get harsh again. Trying out a Jade X now which seems to have promise but it’s still early days.

I don't agree with your SD assessment. I had a coil SD on a 2021 Demo and the thing was just lifeless and harsh as well. Sure, it was the base model with just LSC and rebound, but even fully open it just felt "non active" and really didn't like to move. I don't know what kind of IFP pressure they are using, but even with the spring off it offered tons of resistance to movement. I replaced it with an Ohlins and it is worlds better, like how you expect a coil shock to feel on a DH bike...

I've tried a number of different shock configurations on a number of different bikes. The idea that the Super Deluxe is somehow a bad air shock is a bit of a misnomer. What the Super Deluxe does lack is the tunability of a Float X2, but in outright performance, I'd say its right up there with the best of them. ...but don't listen to me. A number of RockShox athletes have won a whole bunch of WC/EWS races on the (air) shock (eg: Hill, Pierron, Moir) Obviously on the coil front, you've got Loris, Reece, Brosnon etc - Dcamp can...

Of the shocks that have come through our testing offices this past year, few have been as impressive as that DHX2 coil. No doubt it would make the Spire a more supple rig. The 38 is every bit as good as the Zeb, and vice versa. It's purely subjective with those two. It just merited mentioned the preference of our crew.

I see they are turbine r's and not next's,my bad! Still a much better and lower weight option than the one's on the Spire. Do you think the Spire would have performed better with Coil/X2 ? I never rode a bike where the superdeluxe was very good. Also,very interested to know how the Zeb is better than the 38 for some of the reviewrs,can you elaborate on this ? Thx

Funny you mention the bars on the Orbea. Two of our testers found them too stiff and would ditch them. The Orbea also has alloy wheels, not carbon. Lastly, the Zeb is an amazing fork and again, preferable to some in the crew. The only bike with the carbon bar/wheels/cranks/38 combo is the Banshee.

Stoked to see the return of Vital Test Sessions! Do you feel like the Spire would be more well rounded with a coil? I've been considering a hypothetical carbon version of the new Patrol vs. the Rallon, and am assuming a lot of the suspension characteristics of the Spire will carry over to the Patrol.

Or even an X2. Pinkbike said it wasn't as easy to get a good setup with Rockshox. Mine has the X2 and the rear end feels great, but I can't compare to these others

Do you think its a linkage design problem or a damper problem? Would it be less harsh with an X2 or a coil?

The only place it could have gone is to #1, we loved the Spire. I tested and owned a Scout on these same trails with an air shock. That platform was somehow not as harsh.

Curious if a coil on the Spire would have ranked it a bit higher.

Any chances you could add measured weights? I saw that flash on the screen a few times on the video.

The individual reviews have the sizes but I will update this overview page to reflect that. You got it, they were all mediums (size 2 in the case of GG)

Can you list the sizes you tested? I'm assuming they are mediums.

Sharp-looking ride! I wonder if there's just that much more material in the frame with Pivot's size-specific layup? Thanks for chiming in and sharing.

I posted my build on my bike checks so you can see. On one of the other sites , one owner says his Large coil with DD tires is 37lbs...

Nice! Even though we didn't agree on everything, there's no doubt the Firebird can send. Sounds like you have two components that we pointed out as this bike needing: shorter stem and wider bars. I'd be curious what other ways your bike is set up such that it weighs so much more than our coil build?

I've been riding the Firebird for the last month and I have a completely different experience from you guys. I own a size Large with X2 rear and 38 front 780 bars and 40mm stem so bit different 😅 bike has lots of pop very stable even more so then my previous sb150 the main issues I found with the Firebird is the cable routing,bike rattles like a beat up home depot cart. The other thing is weight, my large bike carbon everything weighs almost 35lbs!!!