Pivot’s all-new Firebird enduro bike has had an overhaul, with a new frame, tweaked geometry and suspension, and loads of adjustability. Alex Evans has ridden the bike ahead of its release and you’ll find his initial impressions below.

The new Firebird feels impressively accurate on wild, rough terrain exuding a visceral, fun-to-ride vibe.

Tipping the scales at 15.58kg (large, without pedals), this 165mm-rear, 170mm-front travel rig is as light as some trail bikes, but has the appetite for bumps and high speeds of the best enduro bikes.

Its full carbon fibre frame now sports down tube storage, tweaked geometry – read longer, lower, slacker – that’s got three points of adjustment, and re-worked DW-Link suspension kinematics.

Each frame size has been tuned for its intended rider’s weight, so a shorter or smaller person riding the extra-small bike will get the same feel as a bigger person on the extra-large, according to Pivot.

Thanks to the multiple flip chips, it’s compatible with both 29in wheels and mixed-wheel setups (29in front, 27.5in rear). It can also run SRAM’s Transmission with its UDH-compatible driveside dropout.

In true Pivot style, prices start at £7,000 / $6,499 / €6,999 for the Firebird Ride SLX / XT and rise to a whopping £12,300 / $14,199 / €13,699 for the range-topping Firebird Team XX Eagle Transmission Neo. Wow.

Pivot Firebird Pro XT/XTR initial ride impressions – Alex Evans

Uphill, the Firebird has got a classic enduro bike winch-and-plummet riding position.

Your weight is focused through your sit bones and the bar stands tall. This helps reduce hand and shoulder fatigue, creating a relaxed cruise to the trailhead.

It’s comfortable and chilled-out rather than fast and aggressive, which is perfect for efficient fireroad or doubletrack winches on your favourite enduro laps.

The floating pivot point DW-Link suspension is characteristically taut on the gas, barely bobbing as you spin the cranks. Few of your legs’ watts are lost to unwanted movement.

However, responding dutifully and smoothly, the rear suspension moves freely to absorb the ground’s imperfections, even on rubbly fire roads.

At 15.58kg, it’s impressively light, offering up climbing performance that’s closer to a trail bike than the 165mm enduro monster it is.

Descending

Switch to descending – the bike’s bread and butter – and it’s impressively accurate over the roughest, fastest terrain.

Changing direction, cutting lines or hammering over the chop feels visceral, engaging and hyper-connected; you sense every compression and bump on the trail.

There’s a constant to-and-fro between rider and bike – inputs and outputs are matched in intensity and frequency.

But the more energy you put in, the more you get out; pump and push into the terrain and the bike accelerates with an addictive predictability.

Hammer the lip of a take-off and be prepared to boost skywards.

The frame’s taut carbon construction and super-progressive suspension combine to create a fun, high-paced ride.

It’s not a plough bike by any means, and will suit proactive rather than passive riders most.

But far from being harsh, the rear end feels free and willing to absorb bumps, as long as you’re in control. Slip into a lazy style and it can be unforgiving.

Dip your shoulder commandingly into a turn and the bike follows dutifully.

Linking up successive radii feels inspiring, and if you can muster the courage to pump the apex, you’ll generate free speed as you carve your way down the hill.

First impressions reveal the Pivot is best suited to riders who attack the trail, rather than ones who want to cruise down it. In this respect, it’s a true racer’s enduro bike.

Pivot Firebird details and specifications

Proprietary Ride Tuning

The new full-carbon frame features Proprietary Ride Tuning, which is Pivot’s way of saying that each frame size has been developed to deliver the same ride characteristics.

Pivot says it has conducted independent strength and weight analysis for each frame to achieve consistent performance metrics.

Custom-tuned carbon fibre is used in the make-up to scale stiffness through the size range.

The brand says the bike fits riders from 4ft 11in to 6ft 5in+ across the XS to XL size range.

All the adjustability

The bike features an array of adjustability, with Pivot’s Swinger Dropout System featuring on the rear end.

The system enables you to adjust the rear center by 8mm, while keeping the bike compatible with SRAM’s Transmission derailleurs in either setting.

Unlike other solutions, this is done by replacing the driveside dropout, as well as moving a flip chip on the non-driveside.

Pivot has given the bike another flip chip in the linkage that allows for ‘high’ and ‘low’ geometry settings for more or less aggressive riding.

This flip chip also gives you the option of running a mullet, 27.5in rear wheel.

But wait, there’s another flip chip to change the suspension progression, that’s compatible with both air and coil shocks.

Toolshed

The new frame now features Pivot’s Toolshed down tube storage system, enabling you to take spares, tools or food with you.

Pivot includes two bags with the Firebird that enable you to keep belongings together when stored in the Toolbox, keeping rattling to a minimum.

Alongside the Toolshed, Pivot has partnered with Topeak for its integrated Dock Tool System, which keeps a multitool handy in either the top tube or BB area of the bike.

More protection

The Firebird has been given full down tube protection to fend off loose rocks, as well as a tailgate pad should you be throwing your bike in the back of a pick-up.

There are also new cable ports, which allow for two cables (or hoses) to be run on either side of the head tube. These are said to make cable routing a lot easier.

Pivot Firebird spec and price

Pivot Firebird Ride SLX/XT

• Fork: Fox Performance 38, 170mm
• Shock: Fox Factory Float X2
• Drivetrain: Shimano SLX/XT
• Brakes: Shimano SLX M7120 4-piston
• Wheels: DT Swiss M1900
• Tyres: Continental Kyrptotal
• Price: £7,000 / $6,499 / €7,200

Pivot Firebird Pro XT/XTR

• Fork: Fox Factory 38, 170mm
• Shock: Fox Factory Float X2
• Drivetrain: Shimano XT/XTR
• Brakes: Shimano XT M8120 4-piston
• Wheels: DT Swiss XM1700
• Tyres: Continental Kyrptotal
• Price: £8,300 / $7,799 / €8,600

Pivot Firebird Pro X0

• Fork: Fox Factory 38, 170mm
• Shock: Fox Factory Float X2
• Drivetrain: SRAM X0 Eagle Transmission
• Brakes: SRAM Maven Silver 4-piston
• Wheels: DT Swiss XM1700
• Tyres: Continental Kyrptotal
• Price: £9,200 / $8,699 / €9,500

Pivot Firebird Team XX

• Fork: Fox Factory 38, 170mm
• Shock: Fox Factory Float X2
• Drivetrain: SRAM XX Eagle Transmission
• Brakes: SRAM Maven Ultimate 4-piston
• Wheels: Reynolds Blacklabel Enduro Pro
• Tyres: Continental Kyrptotal
• Price: £11,700 / $11,499 / €12,300

Name: Sharon Byun  

Hometown: Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, USA, currently living in Gainesville, FL, USA 

How did you get into cycling? I guess you could say I’m a bit of a late bloomer. I started competing in triathlon at age 43 in 2012 as a way to cross-train to manage running injuries. That was the first time I raced on a road bike and then eventually a TT bike. Prior to that, I had done some recreational mountain biking but it had been about 15 years since I had ridden. 

How many years have you been racing on Zwift? My first official Zwift race was in November 2023! I had no idea what I was doing at the time. When I started, I was at Level 10, Cat E with zero races and didn’t have many options in my garage. So I did a few races to get assigned to a category and build a ZwiftPower profile. It took me about a year to get a Tron bike, and I was so excited that day. That felt like a HUGE milestone accomplishment. I’ve since done 96 “races” (some of which are just group recon rides or organized training events and practice TTTs), am now Level 57 and have managed to move from Cat C to Cat A, although I bounce back and forth between A and B and really consider myself to be a Cat B rider.

Are you part of a Virtual team? I joined the Level Racing Team thanks to Elyse Gallegos who introduced me to the team. She was incredibly helpful in getting me onboarded and racing on Zwift. She connected me to our team Captain Mim Taylor and Richy Howell who runs our sprint training sessions and is DS for many of our races among many other team responsibilities. Pam Schamber coordinates our weekly TTT sessions. Lisa Hopkins has been instrumental in helping to create more women’s race opportunities and encouraging us all to race in women’s events. I also race on a ladder racing team captained by Scott Farrow. I absolutely love the Level team. Everyone is so encouraging and welcoming and hilarious. I love being part of a team that has so many strong riders yet they are humble and don’t take themselves too seriously.

What do you love most about racing? Definitely the team camaraderie. It’s so strange to feel connected to people who I have only interacted with in a virtual format yet I feel as if I know them IRL. I’ve been so happy to get other women and friends who I’ve trained and raced with IRL to join Level as well as connect with women from other teams. It’s been fun to send and receive messages of “well done” after a race with people from other teams. 

What is your favourite style of race (e.g. points, scratch, iTT, TTT, Chase, duathlon)? My favorite is definitely TTT because that is the format that makes racing feel the most like a team effort. Surely we also race as a team in other formats but there is something about a TTT that makes me find that extra gear to push myself for the team. My second favorite is a scratch race mainly because I don’t have the sprinting or climbing legs to ever be FAL or FTS to earn any intermediate points for the team. I also really enjoy ladder racing on a mixed team with the men.

What is your favourite Zwift women’s race series? So far, I have mostly raced in the women’s league in ZRL, but I did do the Warrior Games Tour de Boudicca at the beginning of this year which was loads of fun, and I have also done one Mini Race Series, and a couple of FRR events. 

What is your most memorable racing experience, inside or outside or BOTH? My very favorite Zwift racing experience so far has been the Women’s EMEA-E Central A1 Triple Flat Loops TTT race 4 during round 2 of ZRL. Our team of mixed Cat A and B riders surprised a lot of people to come away with 3rd place. As for outside, all of my racing IRL has been in triathlon. I have many favorite race experiences including Ironman Alaska, the 70.3 World Championships in St. George, UT, Escape from Alcatraz, and also competing in age group World Triathlon Championships in short course draft legal racing and mixed team relays over the years.

What is your favourite food to eat post race? Immediately post-race or workout typically I have a scoop of protein powder and creatine in almond milk in a shaker bottle. I eat a pretty healthy predominantly plant-based diet so maybe some veggies with tofu or tempeh, lentils and/or beans over rice or farro or quinoa. I also love sweet potatoes and avocados. 

What advice would you give to a woman entering her first Zwift race? There is a very steep learning curve, so don’t worry about feeling like you don’t know anything in the beginning or don’t have the fastest bike or wheels. You will catch on very quickly! I actually got DQ’d in my very first race because I raced Cat C and I guess I was able to push myself just above the Cat C limit into B. Racing on Zwift has made me a stronger rider in terms of power, and you will get stronger also! Most importantly, you get the chance to race with and interact with a like-minded and fun group of people! 

Any upcoming race you are looking forward to? So far on my 2025 calendar, I’m racing IRL at the iconic Wildflower Triathlon in May and World Triathlon Age Group Championships in Wollongong, Australia in October. Of course, I’m looking forward to racing on Zwift with the Level Team. 

Where can people follow your racing adventures? I don’t have a social media account strictly dedicated to racing, but I am on Strava and Instagram @sbyun9.