TESTED: The new Pivot Shuttle AM Pro - the electric Switchblade
Pivot Cycles have overhauled their Shuttle AM. It's got more travel, a new shock layout, updated geometry and the Bosch Smart System power plant.
Photographer: Matt Jones
In August Pivot released the all-new Shuttle AM, updating the middle flavour of their Shuttle e-bike range. The Shuttle has been in Pivot's range since 2017, and it has always been well-regarded as a light, full power eMTB. Last year we saw the launch of the Fazua Ride60 supported 130mm Pivot Shuttle SL, and the Shimano EP8 supported 160mm travel Pivot Shuttle LT. The new Shuttle AM is a Bosch Smart System supported 29er with 160mm front and 148mm rear travel, via a DW link suspension platform. This replaces the current 140mm travel Shimano EP8 supported Pivot Shuttle AM, which we have reviewed previously. The new Shuttle AM brings a lot of Pivot's latest design features to the popular eMTB travel category, with benefits to riders on overall weight, fit, handling, and on bike performance.
Tester: Mike Blewitt
Riding Experience: Enough hours to be in the front of the AMB bus.
Generally Rides: Factor Lando XC, Trek Fuel EX
Height: 178cm
Weight: 72kg
Bike Test Track: Crested Butte, Colorado
First Impressions
The new Shuttle AM brings more travel to this model, and for all intents and purposes you can think of it as a Pivot Switchblade with a motor. And that's by design, as Pivot state that it suits the Switchblade rider who wants an e-bike. In the same logic the Pivot Shuttle SL is an electrified Trail 429, and the Shuttle LT is an electric Firebird.
As with the Switchblade, the Shuttle AM can take 27 Plus wheels and tyres and you can opt to set it up as a mullet as well. There's a flip chip to run the bike in the high or low position, and Pivot state that you aren't limited to using the bike only in the high position with a mullet setup, which is the case with some brands.
Compared to the outgoing Shuttle AM, Pivot made the frame much more svelte with a built in battery, while also moving to a vertical shock orientation. This helps make the frame lighter, and allows Pivot more flexibility with standover height and geometry. As such the geometry has been updated while giving the bike a small bump in travel from 140mm to 148mm. There's now room for a full sized water bottle in the mainframe, which can also hold the Bosch PowerMore 250Wh range extender. The Shuttle AM comes in four different frame sizes from small to extra large.
On the large Pivot Shuttle AM I tested, the bike had a 476mm reach, with 64.1 degree head angle and 76.4 degree effective seat angle – this is all in the low setting. In the high setting everything gets steeper by 0.4 degrees and the reach goes to 480mm. Chain stay length is 444mm on all sizes, thanks to the DW-link system. Pivot spec a 44mm offset Fox 36 fork, with a Fox Float X on the back. The rear shock has the exact same tune as a the shock on the Switchblade, and the frame is coil compatible as well. The rear end has super boost 157mm spacing, to help create short chain stays for an e-bike, and give greater stiffness.
The frame runs fully internal routing, and it's super neat especially with the use of T-type group sets on the Team and Pro models. Pivot also use a magnet under the valve on the rear wheel, with the speed sensor for the Bosch motor in the frame, meaning there is no extra cable going to a typical magnet on the rotor with a speed sensor at the drop out.
Pivot also use the Bosch wireless remote for a very clean cockpit. You can even remove the remote and use the System Controller in the top tube for an ultra tidy setup! The Bosch battery is fully internal, and not removable without dropping the motor out. There's a charge port on the non-drive side above the motor, and this is where the range extender would plug in. The frame can take either the 750Wh battery, or the 625Wh, thanks to the mounting point that can be moved.
Models and build kits
Pivot have three models in the Shuttle AM range, all based on the same full-carbon frame. They all use 165mm cranks on the Bosch motors, with the same wireless remote.
The Pivot Shuttle AM Team – $23999
The top model is the Shuttle AM Team, with SRAM XX Transmission, Shimano XTR 4-piston brakes, Fox Factory suspension and dropper, and the new DT Swiss carbon Hybrid eMTB wheels and Praxis carbon cranks.
And perhaps most importantly, the Bosch Performance CX Race motor and 750Wh battery. This motor has a Magnesium body to cut weight and improve cooling. In Race mode, this motor gives 400% support of your input, compared to 340% on the CX motor.
The extended boost function also runs on longer, allowing a little more support once you have stopped pedalling. This model sells for $23999 and has limited availability globally, thanks to the Race motor – each brand has a limit of 500 motors. We'll only have a handful available in Australia, by special order. So get in quick!
Pivot Shuttle AM Pro – $17999
The Shuttle AM Pro is what I tested. It has a SRAM XO Transmission group set, Shimano XT 4-piston brakes, Fox Factory Suspension and dropper, and DT Swiss alloy Hybrid wheels and Praxis alloy cranks.
It uses the Bosch Smart System and 750Wh battery. This bike sells for $17999.
Pivot Shuttle AM Ride – $13999
The Shuttle AM Ride has a Shimano SLX/XT build kit, Fox Performance Elite suspension and dropper, and the same Bosch Performance CX motor, however with a 625Wh battery.
You could upgrade to a 750Wh battery, but it would be easier to use the RideMore range extender, and have the lighter weight setup for the rest of the time. This bike sells for $13999.
The Bosch Smart System
This is the first bike from Pivot to use a Bosch system, the Bosch Performance CX and Race motors both have 85Nm of torque, and you can tune the motor to your needs with the Bosch Flow App. With recent updates earlier this year, you can now tune all 4 modes on the CX motor, and there are tuning options for the Race motor as well. Pivot actually recommend getting used to the Race motor before unleashing Race mode's peak support.
While plenty of systems offer 85Nm, or more, of torque, Bosch really are class leaders in how the motor works with your riding. The dynamic modes of TOUR+ and EMTB really do work intuitively with how you pedal, with assistance felt within just a few degrees of a crank rotation. Above the speed limit of assistance Bosch also has a very smooth taper off, not a sudden stop like some systems.
With the use of the wireless mode selector the latest Bosch cockpit is worlds apart from their older head units. There is also a system controller in the top tube. You use this to turn the system on, and the coloured LEDs indicate battery life, with the coloured backing showing the mode you are in. You can even use this to select modes and get ride of the mode selector on the bar if needed.
On the trail
With the new Shuttle AM Pivot have now got one of the most complete eMTB ranges on the market, covering lightweight mid-power bikes with the Shuttle SL, trail and all-mountain riding with the Shuttle AM and the long travel option with the Shuttle LT. But the Shuttle AM is likely to be the most versatile of the bunch, and best suited for those wanting a do-it-all eMTB with a full-power system.
I did two long, classic rides in Crested Butte, Colorado on the new Pivot Shuttle AM. These rides were typified by long climbs on both double track and singletrack, plus long, winding descents along with faster and more technical descents as well. One of the gems of US riding is the amount of trails to ride, and they're typically multi use: being open to motor bikes, mountain bikes and hikers. So they're old trails and well used – not the buff purpose-built trails we often have here in Australia. And in this environment, the importance of an eMTB that pedals well and still has suspension that works is essential. You may have the power, but traction and handling is paramount on backcountry rides.
The DW-link on Pivot bikes means that the bike can use all of its travel when pedalling – it doesn't firm up with the chain tension, it remains efficient and effective. At first it felt like the Shuttle AM was wallowing around in its travel, but the reality was the suspension was working more effectively than just about any other system I had used while climbing. Given the steep chutes we were pedalling up in eMTB, Turbo or Race mode – proper suspension action was a big part of this.
Kudos to Pivot for getting the clearance and geometry spot on with the Shuttle AM. Lots of the narrower singletrack and steep climbs took a little more body language to pedal up than your typical Australian climbing trail, and with more standover height and updated geometry to keep the rider nicely centred, the handling is exactly what you would expect from a modern trail or all-mountain bike. Sure, you could sit and spin up a firetrail with powerful assistance, but the Shuttle AM really comes alive when tackling steep climbing trails. It encourages you to find your limits and that of the bike as well.
On the descents, I didn't find the limits of the Shuttle AM. The plush stroke of the Float X kept the back end settled, and the Fox 36 kept the front tracking and riding even in the rougher trails hidden under the dry alpine dust. The Shuttle AM is so capable, that I was left wondering where the Shuttle LT fits. While that model does have 12mm more travel and a longer travel fork – surely a slightly longer fork and a coil shock could morph the Shuttle AM into that realm? Well – maybe it could, but the Shuttle AM isn't as raked out, and so in the steepest trails the LT will still have its place, and the AM will also be more versatile on the trails that don't just take the fall line down steep mountains.
Like on any high end bike, you will be rewarded for spending the time to get the suspension just right. I made some minor adjustments between the two all-day rides and it made a big difference to my comfort on the Shuttle AM at speed. Thankfully, the Fox suspension allowed for the fine-tuning I was after. In terms of parts, this is the second e-bike I have used with SRAM's Transmission group set, and again I was thoroughly impressed with the shifting security, even under high load. Pivot spec Shimano brakes on their bikes, and the XT 4 piston brakes were superb. I really liked the comfort of Pivot's own carbon bar and lock on grips – these seem like small details but the bar feel was exceptional.
In terms of tyres, some riders may want something burlier than the EXO+ casing on the Maxxis tyres, but that is likely something to work out with your dealer. They wrapped around DT Swiss Hybrid wheels, which are overbuilt to meet the demands of eMTBs. That covers hub strength, rim design, spoke choice and even a Hybrid specific Star Ratchet.
What really stood out for me was how well the Shuttle AM handled the long climbs that an all-mountain bike will need to cover. In a way, the shuttle name is ironic as this bike does far more than just shuttle you up a hill like a Troopy with a bike rack. The DW-link suspension, Bosch CX system and bike's handling allows you to tackle proper singletrack climbs to access long and wild descents. If I would have tried to do the loops we did at the launch on a regular bike, I would have been on my knees on some of the climbs, given their altitude and gradients. But the Shuttle AM really helped eat them up, even if I did still have a couple more dabs than I wanted. And as noted, it put me in an ideal drivers seat for the descent, tackling long descents blind with no issues.
Our take
Pivot have reimagined their core all-mountain e-bike, with the DNA of the popular Switchblade, and the design architecture of their current range. The updates to the frame design and handling bring the Shuttle AM to the fore of trail and all-mountain ride response, and I think Pivot have found the perfect partner with Bosch for the assistance. The Shuttle AM is a premium e-bike in the Australian market, but given how refined the build kit, spec sheet and ride quality are, I think it's an exceptional bike for riders looking to tackle hard climbing trails and big adventures, to then really let loose on the descents. Some may find the lack of removable battery an issue for flying to destination trails, but I feel that is a very small part of the market who may be inconvenienced.
Full Specs
Pivot Shuttle AM Pro – $17999
Weight 22.8kg (as tested)
From pivotcycles.com.au
Available Sizes S, M, L (tested), XL
Frame Material Carbon fiber
Fork Fox Factory 36 eMTB, GRIP2, 44mm offset, 160mm
Shock Fox Factory Float X, 148mm
Motor Bosch Performance CX Smart System
Battery Bosch PowerTube 750Wh
Controller Bosch wireless remote
Shifter SRAM AXS Pod controller
Derailleur SRAM AXS XO T-type 12sp
Crank Praxis alloy eMTB, 165mm, 34t
Chain SRAM XO T-type, 12sp
Cassette SRAM XO 1295 Eagle, 10-52t, 12sp
Wheel set DT Swiss Hybrid HX1501, 30mm internal, Boost/SuperBoost
Tyres F: Maxxis DHF 29 x 2.5” WT TR 3C EXO+
R: Maxxis DHR II 29 x 2.4” WT TR 3C EXO+
Brakes Shimano Deore XT 4-piston, 203mm rotors
Stem Phoenix Team Enduro/Trail
Handlebars Phoenix Race Low Carbon Riser Bar
Seatpost Fox Transfer Factory 175mm
Saddle Phoenix WTB Volt Pro (Med)
