Since the demise of Iron Horse, Dave Weagle's successful dw-link suspension design has been absent from the world of downhill racing – until this weekend's opening World Cup round, when Pivot Cycles unveiled their new, and rather aptly named, Phoenix DH.
This is no Iron Horse Sunday copy, however – Pivot say it has a distinctly different suspension feel, with higher spring rates and a more progressive feel towards the end of its 8.15in (207mm) of travel.
As with the Sunday, the Phoenix has a low centre of gravity to aid cornering, with the Fox RC4 shock and main linkage mounted as low as possible in the frame. Unlike on the Iron Horse, damping adjustments on the shock are easily accessible.
An adjustable head tube allows you to change the standard 64-degree head angle by /- ½, 1 or 1.375 degrees, while replaceable dropouts allow you to tune chainstay length and bottom bracket height (the standing settings are 13.6in bottom bracket, 17.25in chainstays).
There's a 1.5in head tube up front, with a massive hydroformed down tube. Down below there's an 83mm bottom bracket with ISCG mounts, with a 12mm-through axle at the rear. Team bikes apparently weight around 37lb (16.8kg).
Frames are available in black or white, with multiple decal colour options. They should be available to the public from January 2011 after being tested on the world circuit by Kyle Strait, Mitch Delfs and Will Rischbieth of Team LEX/Pivot.
