Pivot Shadowcat Team XTR Carbon Wheel Mountain Bike

Light, agile, fast, and fun, the Pivot Shadowcat is here to remind us just how awesome 27. 5-inch wheels can be. There's no better option when we want a spirited trail bike that lets us get crafty with line choices, and Pivot really lets the wheel size shine by pairing it with an ultra-lightweight carbon frame and perfectly-tuned suspension. Though the Shadowcat has a full 140mm of rear travel and a 160mm fork, its impressively low frame weight and efficient DW-Link suspension make it a faster climber than many of the 120mm bikes we've ridden. Simply put, we can't think of a better replacement for the Mach 5. 5 than this gem of a trail bike that descends with bravado yet rivals the speed of a cross-country bike. The Shadowcat's agile feel and intuitive handling can be credited to Pivot's expertise in carbon frame design and suspension kinematics. Thanks to an unwavering dedication to evolving their frames, the Shadowcat is one of Pivot's lightest trail bikes to date, weighing less than their Trail 429 and a mere 45 grams more than their featherweight Mach 4SL. That's a seriously impressive feat for a bike with this much suspension travel. As for kinematics, we've always been impressed by the DW-Link platform, but the latest generation is simply the best to date, offering great all-around performance with no weaknesses to be found.