5 Reasons You Should Buy The Pivot Cycles Switchblade! (Pivot Switchblade Review)

The Pivot Cycles Switchblade is hands down one of the most versatile mountain bikes I have ever tested! I have had the fortune of riding many mountain bikes over the years. From super lightweight XC bikes to full on enduro rippers, mountain bikes just keep getting better year after year! As someone who spends so much time testing bikes, I often get asked what bike people should buy. My answer is always, “it depends on you and your riding style and you have to be honest with yourself”. 

That second part of that advice about honesty seems self explanatory, however I am always surprised when I run into riders on bikes that are appropriate for only 5-10% of their riding. For me, I know I love the steep technical downhill’s but there is only so much risk I am willing to take. I know I don’t want to hit 20 foot drops and pro jumplines are above my head, but I still want the super steep chunk that gives you just enough of the pucker sensation for that awesome post-ride adrenaline rush! I also love to climb and oftentimes will turn down shuttles knowing the rewarding feeling of pedaling myself to the top of the mountain is what I am after! This is where the Pivot Switchblade enters the chat! 

The Pivot Switchblade is a do everything enduro bike by Pivot Cycles that features 142mm of rear travel and 160mm of travel up front! It features a relatively conservative geo with a head angle of 65.2 degrees. It also has Pivot’s classic DW-Link suspension design and sits right in the middle of their bike lineup. Above it is its bigger sibling, the Pivot Firebird with 165mm of rear travel, and below it sits its little sibling the Pivot Trailcat LT with 135mm of rear travel. 

So why is the Pivot Switchblade the perfect bike for me and why do I think it is perfect for you? 

Here are 5 reasons why the Switchblade won me over: 

1. Insane Climber: Pivot has always been known to make great climbing bikes! The Switchblade is no different here, it pedals amazingly well both in and out of the saddle. We are not just talking about “survive to the top of the climb” here. In fact I would say the Switchblade makes me want to get out of the saddle and push it on climb sections. The suspension has a way of tightening up when you put the power down, giving you this XC efficiency feel to it, without having to turn the lock out on! Have some tech coming up? Slow the pace down and the suspension opens up giving you all of the tech traction you could want. It really is the best of both worlds and climbing on the Switchblade continues to impress me! 

   
   

2. Super Cable Downhill: Once again, even though I love to climb, I also love to go down hill! And with downhills, the steeper the better for me and the Switchblade absolutely crushes it here! The Pivot Switchblade feels both controlled as well as capable due to an awesome combo of high stack height and slightly longer reach. Combine this with a slightly more conservative head angle and you get switchblade-like precision (see what I did there) through your line choice downhill. When things get techy, the slightly longer reach and stiffer frame profile give you the confidence you need to roll over chunk! The bike never feels overbearing but at the same time you always have the conference to try the “spicy line” and feel good knowing you are on the right tool for the job! 

   
   

3. Very Playful: The other thing I love about the Pivot Cycles Switchblade is how playful it is! With a short rear end, higher stack height, and a DW Link suspension platform, the Switchblade has this insane playful pop you want from your mountain bike! Constantly I find myself hoping out of corners and off of the slightest feature in the trail, putting a huge smile on my face. The nimbleness also becomes very apparent when maneuvering steep tech as you are able to throw the rear end of the bike exactly where you need it, helping clean tight switchbacks! The best way to describe the playful nature of the Switchblade is it feels like you are a kid again, just having an insane amount of fun on two wheels! 

   
   

4. It’s simple: The Switchblade lacks internal frame storage, chainstay adjustments or shock progression settings and that is perfect for me! I like my personal bikes a bit on the simpler side, where there are fewer things to question. Pivot bikes are already so silent given their high attention to QC, however no internal frame storage helps keep things even quieter without a misplaced C02 cartridge in the frame. The lines of the bike also look very clean and overall I feel like the geo and shock characteristics are so perfect that no adjustment is needed! 

5. It’s the perfect mountain bike: To me the perfect mountain bike circles back to the aspect of being honest with yourself. What is mountain biking to you and where will you be riding? And for me, the perfect mountain bike is one that I can take on all day pedals and still have a blast on the downhills, and the Pivot Switchblade does just that! It climbs amazingly and descends awesome making it one of the best bikes I have ever tested. To me personally, it its the perfect mountain bike! 

So thank you Pivot Cycles for making one of my favorite bikes ever and I look forward to taking it on even more adventures! 

Check out the Pivot Cycles Switchblade here: https://global.pivotcycles.com/bikes/switchblade