Should You Buy the 2025 Pivot Cycles Shuttle AM? (First Impression Review)

It is not much of a secret that I am a bit of a Pivot fan boy. The bikes themselves have always catered really well to my riding style.I love techy downhills and long days in the saddle, and with South Mountain as their back yard, the folks over at Pivot Cycles love both of those too! So it is no surprise that one of my favorite e-bike platforms over my time of testing has been from Pivot and the new Shuttle AM is no different! 

When I first saw the new Pivot Shuttle AM, my first impressions were “oh wow there is RockShox suspension on there”. Pivot, known for their close relationship to Fox, has very rarely strayed away from speccing Fox suspension, outside of the Flight attendant builds of the Mach 4SL. This changes with the Shuttle AM, where a majority of their builds have RockShox Suspension. There is also a brand new Bosch Race motor on the Pro builds and a few other subtle changes that we will talk about in a bit. 

So what is the Pivot Shuttle AM? It is their mid travel ebike that is very similar to the Switchblade but in e-bike form. With 150mm of rear travel, a 160mm of front travel, a classic DW Link Suspension platform, plus a Bosch Race motor (on my test build, some builds have the Performance CX) and 800wh battery, the new Shuttle AM brings all of the power to a snappy mid travel platform! 

So how does the Pivot Shuttle AM ride and should you buy one? We are still working on a long term review so stay tuned for that but here are my top 5 first impressions and things I love most so far! 

1. Most Playful Full Power Ebike: So far the Pivot Shuttle AM has been one of the most playful full power ebikes I have tested. A lot of this is coming from the geo. The Shuttle AM has a tall stack height and short chainstays, the perfect combo here to really be able to throw the bike around and jump off of everything! The playfulness of the Shuttle at times felt almost similar to my Firebird which has been very fun to compare too! That classic DW link suspension platform also helps here, the pop the bike has in and out of corners is pretty insane! Pair this with a 64 deg head angle and you get a ton of confidence in a fun package!

   
   

   

2. Very Refined Design Feel: You can tell Pivot has had a lot of time to figure e-bikes out and it shows with the Shuttle AM. Small subtle things like a magnetic closing port where the charger goes as well as airflow to the battery and motor are all things they have clearly refined over the years. The geo also feels very well balanced while still achieving that Pivot feel to it (playful yet capable) and it is awesome seeing that trait is not lost on their e-bike platform!

3. RockShox and Ebikes: I have been doing a substantial amount of suspension testing this summer / fall and it has been pretty clear to me that the biggest difference right now on the Fox 38 vs RockShox ZEB is that the ZEB has a much more soft / plush feel to it overall, where the Fox 38 retains a much more supported / “race” element to it. On the ebike platform with more weight, I have come to really appreciate RockShox suspension here as it feels like it helps with the heavier compressions. I have actually also felt this with XC bikes where the RockShox SID adds a bit of a softer element to the stiffness of XC bikes which compliments them well. I think the RockShox builds were a great touch and a good indication that Pivot really is looking to go with whatever parts make the best bike possible! 

   
   

4. The Kiox Display: Bosch new Kiox 400C display is pretty rad and comes on the Pro and Team builds! The colors are awesome and it has a very modern element to it. I like the addition of being able to charge your phone via a USB port if it was dying on the trails. The modes are also very clear and I like the data displayed in regards to ride stats and battery percentages. 

5. Bosch Race Motor: The build I am currently testing features the new Bosch Race motor and this has quickly become one of my preferred motors! It has a very refined element to it ride wise, and it feels somewhat smoother than the previous iteration (and also the Performance CX). I also love the E-MTB+ mode which adapts well to my input. The Race mode is an awesome addition as well, and the ability of the bike to keep putting out a little bit of power after I am done pedaling helps with punchy climbs, where you are timing the pedal strokes and trying to avoid pedal strikes while still wanting some power. 

So far my time on the Pivot Shuttle AM has been awesome. The colors are great and it is clear that Pivot continues to want to make their bikes better with every iteration! I look forward to spending more time on the Shuttle AM and comparing it to a few other bikes we have in for testing! 

-Mo Awesome