JAMES’S PIVOT FIREBIRD PRO
MONTH 5: The Firebird’s Fox Float X2 shock has a climb switch, but does it need it?
£8,200 • 29in • saddleback.co.uk
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Pivot heralds the Firebird’s Dw-link suspension as the ultimate for pedalling efficiency, thanks mainly to its increased anti-squat characteristics (how the suspension reacts to accelerations). So if this is the case, why has Pivot specified a climb switch-equipped Fox X2 shock? Surely, if the efficiency is so good, it shouldn’t need a lockout, right?
So I put it to the test. I rode the same climb and trail/descent back-to-back, flipping from locked to open to see if it made any difference. What I discovered was that the Firebird ascends technical climbs far more efficiently in the open setting than when locked; the suspension can be felt clawing into the ground, finding traction in situations where you would normally be wheel-spinning. Locking the shock out creates the feeling that the bike is skimming the surface with a slight disconnect from the trail. It’s also noticeable that it gets hooked up on square-edged obstacles far more often. Something that’s accentuated when your power transfer is more irregular.
On non-technical climbs, the lockout lever can indeed make the big Bird fly uphill. Still, given the nature of the terrain it feels comfortable on (read steep hills), you’re more than likely trying to limit energy loss and spinning in an easy gear anyway – and in those situations the efficiency of the Dwlink suspension is really highlighted.
On typical steep descents, as you would expect, when locked, the back end skips away from you far more, giving the bike a more nervous, less planted ride. However, I found some advantage in using the locked-shock position on singletrack trails lacking in gradient or bumps, when pace trumps all. Here it provides an increased feeling of efficiency and helps to load the fork, increasing front-end grip as it keeps the back end running higher. An additional bonus being that it livens up tamer trails.
So does the Firebird need the lockout? Well, there are applications where it works in your favour. However, I rarely give it a second thought, which is exactly how it should be.
WHY IT’S HERE It’s a red-hot race bike