TESTED: 2023 Pivot Shuttle LT e-bike

The Shuttle has long been Pivot's powered offering, with two iterations already on the dirt around the world. I tested both of them, first the 27.5" Pivot Shuttle in 2019, and then the updated Pivot Shuttle on 29er wheels with the Shimano EP8 motor in 2021. The Pivot Shuttle was known for having a light frame, helping eMTBs get to the 20kg mark. Very recently we saw the arrival of the Pivot Shuttle SL or Super Light which utilises the all new Fazua Rise 60 and weights in at a scant 16.5kgs whilst packing a 430Wh battery and whopping 60Nm of torque on tap. These figures are paired with 132mm of DW-Link travel out back and a 150mm fork means it sits it amongst many hard hitting trail bikes without a motor, but when it launched it did make me wonder is there room for a bigger sibling in the line up?

We'd heard rumour something was in the works, like a Pivot Firebird but with a motor. An E-Bird? Bird-E?

Introducing the Pivot Shuttle LT

As you guessed, we met Pivot at the base of the Rockies in Salida Colorado to meet the team behind Pivot's biggest powered child yet, a powered Firebird if you will. The Pivot Shuttle LT is an EWS-E race machine with the same attention to detail we know and love. As the name suggests the Pivot Shuttle LT has 160mm of rear wheel travel and is paired with a 170mm fork. Pivot have systematically reworked their model range with design changes and suspension lay out updates, and the Pivot Shuttle LT is no different. The frame design has moved to the vertical shock layout and Pivot also tweaked kinematics the kinematics of the DW-Link suspension.

The bikes are designed around 34t chain rings, although you can fit a 38t if you like. The Shuttle LT is a 29er with clearance for 2.5" Maxxis tyres. Pivot are happy for you to set it up as a mullet, just use the high flip chip setting and a 27.5 x 2.6" tyre. Pivot use a 157mm Super Boost Plus rear spacing which is said to be 30% stiffer than Boost – perfect for an eMTB.

Quick Facts on the Pivot Shuttle LT

• 29er enduro e-bike with 170/160mm travel
• You can carry a water bottle!
• Increased standover, plus an accessory mount
• Shimano EP8 system with 756Wh Darfon battery
• Adjustable geometry and mullet compatible
• Super boost 157mm rear end and 31.6mm dropper post

“When our Engineering team set out to grow the Shuttle family, we used the Firebird as inspiration for the new long travel Shuttle. The LT is not only an incredibly capable descender, but also a highly versatile all-arounder. This new bike empowers riders to explore up and down and maintains an extreme advantage in the most technical terrain. Our proprietary carbon molding, ride tuning, and dw-link suspension allowed us to build phenomenal performance characteristics into our long travel eMTB.” says Chris Cocalis, founder and CEO of Pivot. “You’ll instantly recognize the balanced and planted feel you expect from a Pivot, yet without giving up the ‘pop’ we’ve bred into all our EWS-inspired bikes. 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.”

It all sounded pretty promising, and I was super keen to hit the Colorado trails on the new e-rig.

Initial Impressions

The Pivot Shuttle LT is an electrified Class 1 EWS-E race bike by design, with a familiar well-balanced Pivot trail feel that always impresses me that riders of all levels can enjoy and benefit from, the Shuttle LT positions itself at the top of the list in terms of range, build/ride quality and importantly durability and serviceability.

The huge 756Wh Darfon battery (3.9kg) is housed low down In the down tube thanks to the slight reposition of the Shimano EP8 motor (2.6kg). By rotating the motor upwards Pivot can keep the centralised mass low in all sizes while retaining an incredibly low standover height. Pivot have sought out Shimano certification for the Darfon batteries, an expense and process they are proud of carrying out as it gives the consumer access to Shimano’s global support network and means service claims can be handled directly by Shimano with spares kept in stock. Darfon also makes the power button situated on the toptube, but unlike the Shimano button used previously, it has an intergrated USB-C port for trickle charging a front light or navigation device or mobile phone, a nice touch for the big mountain adventures this bike is capable of.

Having tested a size large Firebird recently, I opted for a Medium test based on Chris Cocalis’ recommendation. Pivot's owner has suggested that with the new vertical shock layout and low standover, riders may wish to “size down” with the recent growth of bikes length. I normally ride a 465mm reach and the size Mediums 468mm reach and 1257mm wheelbase makes it the perfect choice for my 178cm frame.

The angles on the Pivot Shuttle LT are right on the money. A 64 degree head angle isn't outlandish and an effective seat tube angle of 76.5 degrees make the LT a comfortable blend of trail rideability and adept on those long and arduous climbs. The 170mm fork has a 44mm offset, and Pivot state you can run a 180mm fork if you like.

There is a flip chip, which is part of what PIvot have done with all their frame updates. As you can see above, the flip chip makes about half a degree of difference for the head and seat angle. The low setting is also a bit longer as well. The high setting has more pedal clearance, so it's really about tuning the bike for the trails you ride.

Thankfully, Pivot have chosen to include a 223mm Galfer rotor up front and a 203mm rotor out back with Shimano 4 piston brakes to manage the stopping duties on the runaway train that ebikes can be. I have found the stock Shimano Icetech rotors in 203mm just couldn’t deal with the heat and it’s a welcomed addition.

On The Trail

Our test bikes were setup by the team from Pivot, Jim from FOX and Sean and the crew from Absolute Bikes Salida, positions dialed, suspension set and a quick zip about to ensure we were ready to hit the Rockies on the Shuttle LTs.

We set off from Monarch Crest starting around 3450m for some alpine adventures starting out up a mix of fireroad pinches and undulating traversing singletracks. Underfoot it was extremely evident the DW-Link suspension was efficient and free from bobbing under load. The Shuttle LT remained high in its travel and free to move when hitting the many rocks on the trail. The 29 inch wheel and 160mm of rear wheel travel combined with the dialed kinematics make climbing very pleasant.

Bike goes up

Pivot have specced the Shuttle LT with Shimano 160mm cranks and this really frees up the rider's ability to keep the cranks turning through technical ascents and ensure loss of forward momentum is kept to an absolute minimum. As the trail we were riding was a shared trail for hikers, motorcycles and bikes the trail was worn in and I was glad Pivot had gone with 160mm cranks, it really does make a difference to clearance in conditions like this.

The wide and beautifully machined alloy linkage allows the 205 x 65mm Trunnion mounted Fox Float X to have a light and very open tune and feel. Pivot do have a coil shock on some models, and recommend the Fox DHX2. Given the rising rate of the suspension kinematics, Pivot reckon the Shuttle LT works well with a coil. That said, the ride with the Float X is unhindered and I found that Pivot have done an excellent job working with Fox on the custom tune for the Shuttle LT, it remains very responsive and remains sensitive on rough loose terrain and extremely well on bigger hits. 

Speaking of bigger hits, we rode some very loose chunder close to the top of Monarch Crest and struck the skid plate hard on a tumbling loose rock rolling down the trail, an inspection at the next stop showed a scuff on the hard rubber and no visible damage to the skid plate itself. The skid plate doubles as the access door for battery removal and sits just below the chainring providing the ultimate protection and reason the LT does not have nor require ISCG chain device mounts.

 

Bike goes down.

Dropping further into Green Creek valley the trail got super rocky with plenty of exposed roots and in parts was eroded away from water and motor cycle use, the Shuttle LT tracked nicely and maintained momentum over the rough. I decided to ride flats and was surprised how composed the bike was. I was not getting blown off the pedals due to the low amounts of pedal kickback and this highlights how well the DW-Link suspension platform descends and remains stable at speed.

The low standover (69cm for our size medium test bike) made manoeuvring this 22.5kg hard hitting long travel Shuttle LT pretty easy, partially due to the choice of the Fox Float X and its poppy characteristics and partially due to how direct the bike feels and responds to input. When compared to its predecessor, the stays and the linkage feel noticeably stiffer laterally, the Super Boost Plus rear end and DT Swiss HX1501 Hybrid alloy wheel set are the right choice for the Shuttle LT.

While initially I was trying to negotiate the rock gardens blind, launching into them was what the ride ended up becoming as our guide and local Absolute Bikes good Guy Parker started pulling away from us. The Shuttle LT just mows down sections of trail and hits loose turns with high levels of grip: I was super impressed with how agile this bike is.

Our take

My time on the Pivot Shuttle LT may have been brief and issue free but it was easy to see the level of detail in the design and build. of the LT. Simple things like the cable management system dubbed the “Beaver Tongue” which when the battery is installed presses upward and firmly holds all cables, hydro lines and wiring in place. At the same time, this leaves the down tube fully accessible to mechanics when removed and is so much faster and neater than conventional systems the industry uses. It is silent in all conditions and seemly unfazed by anything we threw at it, the Pivot Shuttle LT is a bike that has clearly been designed by riders and skilled mechanics.

Pivot Shuttle LT bikes in Australia

In Australia we have two models that will be available, the Shuttle LT Ride for $17499 and the Shuttle LT Team for $20999.

The Shuttle LT Ride has a Shimano Deore/SLX/XT group set with DT Swiss H1900 wheels. A Fox 38 Performance Fork is paired with a Fox Float X Performance shock.

The Shuttle LT Team has a Shimano XT and XTR build kit, with DT Swiss HX1501 wheels, a Fox Factory 38 GRIP 2 fork, Factory Float X Shock and Factory dropper – plus a carbon riser bar.

Ryan had the Shuttle LT Team on test in Colorado. You can get all the details on the bikesfrom Pivot Cycles Australia, or drop in to your local Pivot dealer.