Pivot is the latest brand to join the lightweight e-bike movement with its Fazua-equipped Shuttle SL and a headline-grabbing weight. At just 16.44kg (36.25lb) it’s one of the lightest production e-bikes ever, yet it still boasts a potent 60Nm of torque, 450w of peak power and a substantial 430Wh internal battery. Good enough to make it one of the best electric mountain bikes? We’ll have to see.

For minimalists, the Pivot Shuttle SL Team WC focuses on weight saving, with a Fox 34 fork up front, inline shock and Rekon tyres. It costs £12,500.

Pivot Shuttle SL Need to Know

• Lightweight trail e-bike weighing as little as 16.44kg – that’s the same as some alloy analogue bikes
• Fazua Ride 60 system boasts 60Nm of torque, a peak power of 450W and runs off a 430Wh battery
• Choose between a lightweight 140mm Fox 34-equipped model or beefier 150mm Fox 36 options
• DW-Link suspension gives 132mm of rear wheel travel
• Four frame sizes and four builds from £8.500 to £12,500
• Fixed battery is not designed to be easily removed

The burlier Team XTR gets a piggyback Float X shock, 150mm travel Fox 36 fork and Maxxis Dissector tyres. Price is £12,000.

Loosely based on Pivot’s 429 trail bike, the new Shuttle SL has been modified with a slacker 65º head angle (slack position) and size-specific chainstays that grow from 430mm on the Small to 436mm on the XL.

Pivot Shuttle SL geometry chart

Travel is only 132mm at the rear, using Pivot’s familiar DW-Link (twin-link) arrangement, but you can choose fork travel depending on preference. Most of the models come with 150mm travel Fox 36 forks, bolstered by piggy-back shocks, 200mm brake rotors up front and Maxxis Dissector EXO tyres.

But if ultimate weight saving is your priority, then the Team WC hits that 16.44kg mark thanks to a 140mm Fox 34 fork, inline shock, smaller front rotor, carbon dropper post and Maxxis Rekon tyres.

Pivot Shuttle SL battery is not (easily) removable

Boosting rider power is the new Fazua Ride 60 system. An evolution of the old Evation Ride 50, as the name suggests torque has been increased to 60Nm, along with a very respectable 450W peak power – more than Forestal’s Bafang and Trek’s TQ motors. Fazua’s motor is also slim and neatly packaged, so it takes up very little room, and at only 1.96kg it’s right on par with its competitors.

On previous units the battery slid into the drive unit, which constrained packaging options within the frame. But the new version allows the two to be separated. The result is that Pivot has been able to design an e-bike that genuinely looks indistinguishable from a regular analogue bike.

Unlike the Trek Fuel EXe, the battery is not designed to be removed. This allowed Pivot to minimise the weight of the bike by removing extras like carry handles, and reduce the amount of frame reinforcement.

Compact motor allows for short chainstays

Despite its waif-like down tube, the Shuttle SL packs in a sizable 430Wh battery. That’s bigger than its competitors, and should help minimise range anxiety. It weighs 2.2kg and can be fully charged in 3.5 hours. Fazua says it also has a range extender on its way that will provide an extra 210Wh while adding 1.1kg to the bike weight.

Ring rotates to change power mode

To control the modes there’s a slim-line Ring Control remote. It sits next to the grip like a narrow grip shift, where a raised ridge lets you rotate the ring backwards or forward to change the power mode. This mode is then displayed by a LED hub mounted into the top tube.

Five colour LEDs give battery and power setting information while there’s also a charging port for your phone and ANT+ and Bluetooth connection to the Fazua app for custom tuning the ride characteristics of the Breeze, River and Rocket modes.

Simple display gives power and battery info. Flip up the leading edge to reveal a USB charging port

Alongside Trek’s Fuel EXe, Forestal’s Cyon and Orbea’s Rise, Pivot’s new Shuttle SL promises to accentuate the best bits of mountain biking, without the burden of extra weight and pedalling resistance. We’ll be looking to see how it stacks up against its peers very soon – look out for a first ride shortly.

Pivot Shuttle range and prices

Pivot Shuttle Ride SLX/XT

Pivot Shuttle SL SLX/XT

• Price: £8,500 / $8299 / €8999
• Shock: Fox Performance Float X
• Fork: Fox Perforamance E-Tuned 36 29in, GRIP, 150mm
• Drivetrain: Shimano SLX with Praxis ETOR E-MTB 32t crankset with Shimano SLX 4-piston brakes
• Drive unit: Fazua Ride 60
• Seatpost: E13 Vario 150mm – 210mm
• Wheelset: DT Swiss M1900 w/ DT Swiss 370 hub, 30mm, Maxxis Dissector 29×2.4 WT TR 3C EXO Maxxterra front and rear

Pivo Shuttle Pro X01

Pivot Shuttle SL Team X01

• Price: £10,500 / $9999 / €10499
• Shock: Fox Factory Float X
• Fork: Fox Factory E-Tuned 36 29in, GRIP2, 150mm
• Drivetrain: SRAM X01 Eagle 12spd with ROTOR EKAPIC E-MTB 34t crankset, with Shimano XT 4-piston brakes
• Drive unit: Fazua Ride 60
• Seatpost: Fox Transfer Factory Series 150mm – 200mm
• Wheelset: DT Swiss XM1700 w/ DT Swiss 350 hub, Maxxis Dissector 29×2.4 WT TR 3C EXO Maxxterra front and rear

Pivot Shuttle Team XTR

Pivot Shuttle SL Team XTR

• Price: £12,000 / $11599 / €11999
• Shock: Fox Factory Float X
• Fork: Fox Factory E-Tuned 36 29in, GRIP2, 150mm
• Drivetrain: Shimano XTR 12spd with ROTOR EKAPIC E-MTB 32t crankset, with Shimano XTR 4-piston brakes
• Drive unit: Fazua Ride 60
• Seatpost: Fox Transfer Factory Series 150mm – 200mm
• Wheelset: Reynolds Blacklabel 309/289 w/ Industry Nine Hydra hubs 30mm, Maxxis Dissector 29×2.4 WT TR 3C EXO Maxxterra front and rear

Pivot Shuttle Team WC

Pivot Shuttle SL Team WC

• Price: £12,500 / $11999 / €12599
• Shock: Fox Factory Float DPS
• Fork: Fox Factory E-Tuned 34 29in, FIT4, 140mm
• Drivetrain: Shimano XTR 12spd with ROTOR EKAPIC E-MTB 32t crankset, with Shimano XTR 4-piston brakes
• Drive unit: Fauza Ride 60
• Seatpost: KS LEV Ci 150mm – 175mm
• Wheelset: Reynolds Blacklabel 309/289 w/ Industry Nine Hydra hubs 30mm, Maxxis Rekon 29×2.4 WT TR 3C EXO Maxxterra front and rear