Wheel Size: 29’’ (27.5’’ rear wheel compatible)
Suspension Travel:
- Frame: 120 mm
- Fork: 140 mm
Geometry Highlights:
- Sizes Offered: XS, S, M, L, XL
- Headtube Angle: 65.8° (Low), 66.3° (High)
- Reach (size Medium): 465 mm (Low), 470 mm (High)
- Chainstay Length (size Medium): 431 mm (Low), 429 mm (High)
- Frame Material: Carbon fiber
Price: Complete bikes starting at $5,999 USD (see below for build details)
Wheel Size: 29’’ (27.5’’ rear wheel compatible)
Suspension Travel:
- Frame: 135 mm
- Fork: 150 mm
Geometry Highlights:
- Sizes Offered: XS, S, M, L, XL
- Headtube Angle: 65.3° (Low), 65.6° (High)
- Reach (size Medium): 460 mm (Low), 465 mm (High)
- Chainstay Length (size Medium): 431 mm (Low), 430 mm (High)
- Frame Material: Carbon fiber
Price: Complete bikes starting at $6,199 USD (see below for build details)
Intro
The Trail 429 platform hadn’t seen an update in a few years, and now it’s officially been put out to pasture. Instead of a refresh, Pivot went for more of a reinvention — and the new Trailcat SL and Trailcat LT are the result. With 120 mm of rear travel and 135 mm of rear travel, respectively, both Trailcat models share the same frame, but tackle different slices of the broad Trail bike segment.
We’ve spent time on — and been fans of — both the 27.5’’–wheeled Pivot Shadowcat and its 29’’ sibling, the Pivot Trail 429. Those two were a bit different in personality, largely down to the now–uncommon 27.5’’ wheel size on the Shadowcat lending an extra hint of playfulness and agility, but both were quite sporty and engaging on a wide variety of trails.
Our experiences with those two bikes have us eager to see what the Trailcat may offer, and while we have one headed our way for review, let’s first dig into the initial details the Pivot has shared about these two new additions to their lineup.
The Frame
Despite their differences in frame travel and geometry, the Trailcat SL and LT actually share the same exact frame, albeit with some tweaks. The front triangle, rear triangle, and lower link are the same; differences in the geometry and suspension numbers are down to different upper links being used, along with a flippable lower shock mount and different required shock lengths.
The Trailcat SL is the shorter travel option, with 120 mm of rear travel matched to a 140 mm travel fork. That shorter travel option uses a 165 mm eye-to-eye shock with a 45 mm stroke length. The longer-travel Trailcat LT bumps to 135 mm of rear travel and a 150 mm fork, with a 185 mm eye-to-eye, 55 mm stroke shock. Both still use Pivot’s familiar DW-Link suspension layout, which we’ve found to offer impressive pedaling efficiency in most implementations. While the Trailcat SL sits closer to Cross Country bikes in its travel, the Trailcat LT is still more middle-of-the-road rather than on the Enduro-adjacent side of the Trail spectrum. Its geometry backs up that conclusion, but more on that in a minute.
Outside of travel and geometry differences, all other features of the new Trailcat frame platform are common between the two models. First, Pivot has added in-frame storage that they call “Toolshed,” which uses a rotating aluminum latch to open the plastic door. The door itself has some nice touches, like an internal magnet that holds onto quick links for chain repairs, a strap loop, and two storage bags.
In addition to the internal storage, Pivot also offers their Dock Tool System collaboration with Topeak, which can be purchased separately and moves tool storage to the accessory mounts under the top tube.
Pivot’s notably easy-to-use flip chip design has made its way to the Trailcat too, positioned at the pivot point between the rear triangle and upper rocker link. Captive hardware means that there’s nothing to drop when making adjustments between the High and Low settings. While the Trailcat SL and LT both come set up with 29’’ wheels across sizes, Pivot says that both will accommodate a 27.5’’ rear wheel if the owner so desires, provided that the High flip chip position is used.
Other details include a new cable port design that allows two hoses to be routed through the same port, making routing a bit easier thanks to larger openings. There are also internal cable clips attached to the Toolshed insert in the downtube to prevent rattling. Offered only in carbon fiber, Pivot also says that the Trailcat frames have slightly different carbon layups in each size to tune stiffness to different average rider weights.
On a final note, Pivot continues with their Super Boost rear hub spacing, which means a 157 mm hub width is required. Pivot is one of only a few manufacturers still using that standard, which makes sourcing rear wheels a bit more challenging than with the more ubiquitous 148 mm Boost standard.
Fit & Geometry
Both models of the Trailcat are available in five sizes, ranging from XS to XL. As mentioned above, the different upper links, shock lengths, and shock mount positions that allow for the 15 mm travel variance between the SL and LT also lead to some differences in geometry between the two models. We’ll walk through the geometry numbers for each model below:
Trailcat SL
Unsurprisingly, the shorter-travel Trailcat SL gets slightly pointier geometry than the longer-travel LT. Starting in the Low setting, the Trailcat SL gets a 65.8° headtube angle, mated to a not-too-steep 76° (size Medium) that should allow for a comfortable pedaling position for covering miles on the flatter trails that the Trailcat SL will likely be used on. Reach on a size Medium is 465 mm, with a 625 mm stack and roomy 629 mm effective top tube length. Chainstay length does vary across sizes, but only slightly — the XS–Medium sizes all sit at 431 mm, while the Large moves to 432 mm, and the XL measures at 434 mm.
The flip chip varies the headtube angle by a modest 0.5°, along with minor tweaks to just about every other geometry figure. The headtube angle rises to 66.3°, the seat tube angle steepens to 76.4° on the size Medium, and the Medium’s reach grows to 470 mm too. The size Medium’s stack also shrinks slightly to 621 mm, and chainstay lengths fall by 2 mm for each size, dropping to 429 mm for XS through Medium.
Overall, those numbers seem on-point for a short-travel Trail bike, even if it’s not quite as slack as some other options hitting the market. The reach lengths are approximately average, but the top tube lengths in particular are rather stretched out. Mated to the rather short chainstays, that could mean that the Trailcat SL prefers a more forward riding position, but we’ll have to ride it and see.
The full geometry chart is as follows:
Trailcat LT
The Trailcat LT sees slightly slacker geometry in some respects, which is expected, but also doesn’t stray too far from the SL model’s numbers. In Low, the LT gets a 65.3° head tube angle and a slightly slacker-than-average 75.6° seat tube angle for a size Medium. The reach is 460 mm, the stack is 629 mm, and the effective top tube is still quite long at 631 mm. Chainstays again vary, with the XS–Medium sizes measuring 431 mm, and the Large and XL measuring 433 mm and 435 mm, respectively.
The flip chip has a smaller 0.3° influence on the head tube angle with the Trailcat LT, with the High setting creating a 65.6° head tube angle matched to a 76° seat tube angle. Reach and stack both shrink to 465 mm and 625 mm for a Medium, respectively, and the chainstays tighten up very slightly by 1-2 mm depending on the size.
If anything, the Trailcat LT seems a bit more conservative than expected in some respects for a bike sporting 135 mm of rear travel and 150 mm up front. For some folks, that may be highly appealing, but based on numbers alone that may suggest that the Trailcat LT feels more sharp handling and precise, rather than more planted and stable like some other mid-travel Trail bikes have become.
The full geometry chart is as follows:
The Builds
Trailcat SL
Pivot has generally offered an impressively broad range of builds, and that continues here — though I would not say that the associated price tags will appeal to value-minded shoppers.
The base model build, the Ride SLX/XT, starts at $5,999 USD and gets a mix of SLX and XT drivetrain parts from Shimano, SLX 4-piston brakes, DT Swiss M1900 wheels, and Fox Performance-level suspension in the form of a 34 Grip fork and Float rear shock. There is also a Ride GX Eagle Transmission build that adds $800 in cost but moves to GX Eagle Transmission electronic shifting and SRAM DB8 brakes. The same Shimano and SRAM duality continues for the Pro tier of builds, which get Fox 34 Factory Grip X2 forks and Float Factory shocks, the choice of an XT/XTR drivetrain or XO Eagle Transmission, and upgraded brakes and wheels. The Pro level builds stick with DT Swiss wheels (the XM1700, specifically) but offer an upgrade option to the Reynolds Blacklabel 309/289 XC. Team-level builds keep the Fox Factory suspension but get nicer drivetrains and come stock with those Reynolds Blacklabel 309/289 wheels, while also getting incremental upgrades in some finishing components. Maxxis tires are used across all builds, though oddly with a DHR II EXO+ front tire and a lighter-duty EXO casing on the Dissector rear tire.
Remarkably, Pivot has opted to put SRAM Mavens on both the Pro XO Eagle Transmission and Team XX Eagle Transmission builds, making the Trailcat SL the lightest-duty bike I’ve seen to come with the brutally powerful Maven brakes. Those big stoppers are mated to 180 mm rotors, too, which I speculate could be overkill for many riders looking for a lightweight Trail bike. I’m typically a big brake evangelist, but on a 120 mm rear travel bike with relatively conservative geometry, Codes feel like the more appropriate choice.
On a final note, folks keen on electronic suspension will be pleased to find Fox Live Valve Neo as an option on the Pro and Team level builds for both SRAM or Shimano-equipped options. Opting for the Neo build kit gets you Fox’s Factory Float X Neo Live Valve shock and Transfer Neo seatpost, but it will cost buyers a pretty penny — an extra $2,000 USD over the non-Neo builds, to be exact. That brings the range-topping Team XX Eagle Transmission Neo build to an eye-popping $13,099 asking price.
The full set of builds is below:
- Drivetrain: Shimano SLX M7100 / XT M8100
- Brakes: Shimano SLX M7120 4-piston (180 mm rotors)
- Fork: Fox 34 Performance Grip (140 mm)
- Shock: Fox Float Performance
- Wheels: DT Swiss M1900
- Dropper Post: SDG Tellis (XS: 105-125 mm, S: 130-150, M: 150-170 mm), E13 Vario (L–XL: 180-210 mm)
- Drivetrain: SRAM GX Eagle Transmission
- Brakes: SRAM DB8 4-piston (180 mm rotors)
- Fork: Fox 34 Performance Grip (140 mm)
- Shock: Fox Float Performance
- Wheels: DT Swiss M1900
- Dropper Post: SDG Tellis (XS: 105-125 mm, S: 130-150, M: 150-170 mm), E13 Vario (L–XL: 180-210 mm)
- Drivetrain: Shimano XT M8100 / XTR M9100
- Brakes: Shimano XT M8120 4-piston (180 mm rotors)
- Fork: Fox 34 Factory Grip X2 (140 mm)
- Shock: Fox Float Factory
- Wheels: DT Swiss XM1700
- Dropper Post: Fox Transfer Factory (XS: 95-120 mm, S: 125-150, M: 155-180 mm, L–XL: 185-210 mm)
Optional wheel upgrade to Reynolds Blacklabel 309/289 XC rims with Industry Nine Hydra hubs (+$1,200 USD)
Optional suspension upgrade to Fox Float X Live Valve Neo and Fox Transfer Neo seatpost (+$2,000)
- Drivetrain: SRAM XO Eagle Transmission
- Brakes: SRAM Maven Silver 4-piston (180 mm rotors)
- Fork: Fox 34 Factory Grip X2 (140 mm)
- Shock: Fox Float Factory
- Wheels: DT Swiss XM1700
- Dropper Post: Fox Transfer Factory (XS: 95-120 mm, S: 125-150, M: 155-180 mm, L–XL: 185-210 mm)
Optional wheel upgrade to Reynolds Blacklabel 309/289 XC rims with Industry Nine Hydra hubs (+$1,200 USD)
Optional suspension upgrade to Fox Float X Live Valve Neo and Fox Transfer Neo seatpost (+$2,000)
- Drivetrain: Shimano XTR M9100
- Brakes: Shimano XTR M9120 4-piston (180 mm rotors)
- Fork: Fox 34 Factory Grip X2 (140 mm)
- Shock: Fox Float Factory
- Wheels: Reynolds Blacklabel 309/289 XC rims w/ Industry Nine Hydra hubs
- Dropper Post: Fox Transfer Factory (XS: 95-120 mm, S: 125-150, M: 155-180 mm, L–XL: 185-210 mm)
Optional suspension upgrade to Fox Float X Live Valve Neo and Fox Transfer Neo seatpost (+$2,000)
- Drivetrain: SRAM XX Eagle Transmission
- Brakes: SRAM Maven Ultimate 4-piston (180 mm rotors)
- Fork: Fox 34 Factory Grip X2 (140 mm)
- Shock: Fox Float Factory
- Wheels: Reynolds Blacklabel 309/289 XC rims w/ Industry Nine Hydra hubs
- Dropper Post: RockShox Reverb AXS (XS: 100 mm, S: 125, M–L: 150 mm, XL: 170 mm)
Optional suspension upgrade to Fox Float X Live Valve Neo and Fox Transfer Neo seatpost (+$2,000)
Trailcat LT
Many of the same build highlights of the Trailcat SL come through when we move to the Trailcat LT, though with some slight tweaks to suit the LT’s more aggressive intentions. First off, the fork and shock both get bumped to the burlier Fox 36 and Float X. While the SRAM-equipped Ride, Pro, and Team builds still feature SRAM brakes with 180 mm rotors, all Shimano-equipped builds get a 203 mm front rotor. We’d love to see the SRAM DB8-equipped Ride SLX/XT get the bigger front rotor, too.
The only other difference to call out is that the Team builds get bumped from the lighter-duty Reynolds Blacklabel 309/289 XC wheels to the wider and slightly burlier Blacklabel 329 Trail Pro.
Highlights from each available model’s builds are as follows:
- Drivetrain: Shimano SLX M7100 / XT M8100
- Brakes: Shimano SLX M7120 4-piston (203 mm front / 180 mm rear rotors)
- Fork: Fox 36 Performance Grip (150 mm)
- Shock: Fox Float X Performance
- Wheels: DT Swiss M1900
- Dropper Post: SDG Tellis (XS: 105-125 mm, S: 130-150, M: 150-170 mm), E13 Vario (L–XL: 180-210 mm)
- Drivetrain: SRAM GX Eagle Transmission
- Brakes: SRAM DB8 4-piston (180 mm rotors)
- Fork: Fox 36 Performance Grip (150 mm)
- Shock: Fox Float X Performance
- Wheels: DT Swiss M1900
- Dropper Post: SDG Tellis (XS: 105-125 mm, S: 130-150, M: 150-170 mm), E13 Vario (L–XL: 180-210 mm)
- Drivetrain: Shimano XT M8100 / XTR M9100
- Brakes: Shimano XT M8120 4-piston (203 mm front / 180 mm rear rotors)
- Fork: Fox 36 Factory Grip X2 (150 mm)
- Shock: Fox Float X Factory
- Wheels: DT Swiss XM1700
- Dropper Post: Fox Transfer Factory (XS: 95-120 mm, S: 125-150, M: 155-180 mm, L–XL: 185-210 mm)
Optional wheel upgrade to Reynolds Blacklabel 329 Trail Pro rims with Industry Nine Hydra hubs (+$1,200 USD)
Optional suspension upgrade to Fox Float X Live Valve Neo and Fox Transfer Neo seatpost (+$2,000)
- Drivetrain: SRAM XO Eagle Transmission
- Brakes: SRAM Maven Silver 4-piston (180 mm rotors)
- Fork: Fox 36 Factory Grip X2 (150 mm)
- Shock: Fox Float X Factory
- Wheels: DT Swiss XM1700
- Dropper Post: Fox Transfer Factory (XS: 95-120 mm, S: 125-150, M: 155-180 mm, L–XL: 185-210 mm)
Optional wheel upgrade to Reynolds Blacklabel 329 Trail Pro rims with Industry Nine Hydra hubs (+$1,200 USD)
Optional suspension upgrade to Fox Float X Live Valve Neo and Fox Transfer Neo seatpost (+$2,000)
- Drivetrain: Shimano XTR M9100
- Brakes: Shimano XTR M9120 4-piston (203 mm front / 180 mm rear rotors)
- Fork: Fox 36 Factory Grip X2 (150 mm)
- Shock: Fox Float X Factory
- Wheels: Reynolds Blacklabel 329 Trail Pro rims w/ Industry Nine Hydra hubs
- Dropper Post: Fox Transfer Factory (XS: 95-120 mm, S: 125-150, M: 155-180 mm, L–XL: 185-210 mm)
Optional suspension upgrade to Fox Float X Live Valve Neo and Fox Transfer Neo seatpost (+$2,000)
- Drivetrain: SRAM XX Eagle Transmission
- Brakes: SRAM Maven Ultimate 4-piston (180 mm rotors)
- Fork: Fox 36 Factory Grip X2 (150 mm)
- Shock: Fox Float X Factory
- Wheels: Reynolds Blacklabel 329 Trail Pro rims w/ Industry Nine Hydra hubs
- Dropper Post: RockShox Reverb AXS (XS: 100 mm, S: 125, M–L: 150 mm, XL: 170 mm)
Optional suspension upgrade to Fox Float X Live Valve Neo and Fox Transfer Neo seatpost (+$2,000)
Some Questions / Things We’re Curious About
(1) Both Trailcat models have slightly steeper headtube angles than some other bikes in their segments. What does that mean for where they fit into the broader Trail category?
(2) In many ways, the geometry differences between the Trailcat SL and LT are rather slight — so how much does the difference in suspension travel change each model’s trail manners?
(3) How much do the Trailcat SL and LT differ from the prior Pivot Trail 429 and Trail 429 Enduro, and will fans of the Trail 429 platform feel at home on the new Trailcat?
Bottom Line (For Now)
Pivot has found plenty of new features to add to the Trailcat SL and LT, but at first glance, they don’t appear to stray too far from the Trail 429 or Trail 429 Enduro’s winning formulas. Of course, that’s just on paper — what matters is how it all adds up on the trail, and we have one headed our way for a proper test.