Pivot

Vault Frameset

Pivot's Vault Frameset is all-new and adds some interesting features and designs that further extends its all-around, ride anything capabilities. It looked closely at the ever-popular gravel scene, didn't neglect its 'cross roots, and confirmed its placing as a mountain biker's road bike with some innovative frame details that simply make it faster, more comfortable, and more capable than ever before. Its design goals were increased compliance, more clearance, and extra mounts that boost its performance over gravel, on the cross course, and the weekday world's loop. A quick glance at the tech specs reveals all of the current frame standards while a peek at the geo numbers show a frame that offers added stability at speed over rough terrain. That conspires with a new carbon layup that offers a responsive, comfortable ride with the efficiency we've come to expect from Pivot.

First up is the bike's geometry. Pivot has carefully refined it for cross, gravel, or road and it pretty much excels on any surface. Thanks to its new dropped chainstay design, the stays sit at a decidedly stubby 420mm, whacking some 5mm off of the already impressive 425mm length found on the previous versions of the Vault. This not only helps keep the frame nimble and the wheelbase tight, but it also makes for more efficient power transfer. You'd be excused for thinking the shorter stays limit tire clearance, in fact, clearance is increased everywhere from the massive 700x47mm or road plus 650x2.0in tires to the more welcoming crank and chainring clearance, right down to the non-driveside crank clearing crankarm based power meters.

The stays complement the returning BB386EVO bottom bracket shell that reduces watts lost to waggle and flex while sprinting out of hairpins or hammering up climbs that amount to 5-digit elevation days. Also returning is the tapered head tube, oversized steerer tube, and 12mm thru-axles front and rear that also contribute to overall stiffness while keeping the Vault tracking like it's on rails on smooth canyon roads and flowing hardpack alike. The bottom bracket also drops half a centimeter across all sizes providing more point-and-shoot stability for confidence powering through sandpits and down steep, washboard riddled descents.

Pivot also refined the carbon layup and tuned the tube shapes to impart more comfort and compliance while still relying on its tried-and-true hollow core internal molding. It involves laying-up and compacting the carbon around an internal form, ensuring that the frame doesn't carry any additional material in the form of resin pools or wall thickness inconsistencies. The process makes for greater structural integrity, which our practical side appreciates, and a lighter, stiffer frame, which satisfies our less practical hunger for podium places. The lay-ups are also tuned specifically for each size, allowing Pivot to imbue each size with the same level of eager responsiveness without undue weight gains. Requiring a larger frame no longer comes with the penalty of a noodly, poorly tracking ride.

There are of course some new frame details we'd be remiss for not mentioning and one is its patented Iso-Flex Technology that fits 27.2mm seatposts. Iso-Flex is essentially a shim that sits in the seat tube and isolates the post from the frame for next-level comfort without compromising frame stiffness. Now you can remain seated and dish out all of the watts without getting bucked over rough patches. Furthermore, the frame is compatible with dropper posts if you're looking to take your monster cross to the next level. Other notable features include its 1 and 2x drivetrain compatibility with removable front derailleur braze-on and integrated cover, trap door on the bottom side of the downtube for easy cable routing and Di2 battery storage, top tube bag mounts for the longest days, and hidden fender mounts for staying clean during all season riding.