Firebird 29

To ensure the best sizing, we recommend that you visit your local Pivot dealer to get a professional fit and refer to our geometry chart to check your measurements. However, we can provide a rough guideline:

Small: 5'4" – 5'9"

Medium: 5'8" – 5'11"

Large: 5'11" – 6'3"

X-Large: 6'2" +

We suggest that you pick your Firebird 29 size based on your riding style. The Firebird 29 features our longest geometry to date (increased reach measurements). Combined with both shorter seat tube and head tube measurements per size – this geometry means that most riders can go up or down a size and should base their choice on riding-style, reach and stem length preferences. Be sure to also consult our dropper post fit guide when making your selection. You can always reach out to us on Live Chat for additional guidance.

We make it easy to get the best ride out of your Pivot bike with a simple sag indicator already installed on your shock, and this follow-along video featuring our own Bernard Kerr:

https://vimeo.com/pivotcycles/sag

The flip chip is a simple way to adjust the geometry on your Firebird 29. It allows you to either adjust the geometry for different trail conditions (using 29” wheels) or can allow for the use of 27.5” wheels with 2.6”-2.8” tires and a 27.5” rear/29” front “reverse mullet” setup as well. The chip comes set up in the low BB setting.  This is perfect for riding fast, technical and steep terrain. However, if your preference is for a little more crank clearance and slightly quicker handling for tighter terrain with more climbing and/or roots and rocks, you may prefer the high BB setting.  The high BB setting will raise the bottom bracket and steepen the head angle by ½ degree giving the bike faster turn in. The high setting is also a great starting point for running a 27.5” rear/29” front “reverse mullet” setup. Additionally, if you want to run 27.5” wheels with 2.6”-2.8” tires, you would also need to run the bike in the High BB setting combined with our 17mm extended headset cup (more on that below). The combination of the higher BB setting and the taller cup allow the smaller diameter wheels to be used while maintaining the same geometry and similar BB height to the bike set up with 29” wheels.   

The Firebird 29’s flip chip geometry adjustment system is super easy to use. Simply loosen using a 6mm hex wrench (these are reverse so you need to turn the wrench to the right to loosen). Partially back out the bolts – there is no need to completely remove the bolts. Then pull the chips out and rotate them to your desired position, tighten the bolts to 35 Nm and enjoy your bike’s new handling and feel. Please see the geometry chart for the numbers associated with the different settings.

Yes, the Firebird 29 will fit 27.5+ tires in 2.6’-2.8” (Maxxis) with up to 40mm (inner) rims.

The 27.5” wheels with Maxxis 2.8” tires have a smaller diameter than the 29” wheels with 2.4” and 2.5” wide trail tires used on the Firebird 29. This difference results in a lower bottom bracket height when running 27.5” wheels. To adjust the BB height, the Firebird 29 comes a flip chip upper link mount with high and low settings. Pivot also sells an optional 17mm lower headset cup that when used in conjunction with the high flip chip setting brings the bottom bracket back to the same height as when using 29er wheels in the low chip setting. Some riders will just leave the 17mm cup in regardless of wheels size. Please note that we ship all complete bikes with enough spacers to allow for the addition of a 17mm cup. If the fork is pre-cut for the zero-stack cup and additional spacers are not installed, you will not have a long enough fork steer tube to run the 17mm cup option.

The Firebird 29 uses a 157mm rear hub spacing in a configuration called Super Boost Plus 157 (SB+). The rear hub spacing is the standard 157mm spacing available from every hub manufacturer in the world so any 12mm x 157mm hub is compatible with the Firebird 29. 

Super Boost Plus 157 retains narrower Q factor and heal clearance while providing for more tire clearance, a stronger frame and a stronger rear wheel. Super Boost Plus 157 builds on the idea of wider flange spacing pioneered by Boost 148 by spreading the flanges even wider (up to 14mm wider than a 142mm hub) which increases spoke bracing angle resulting in a huge wheel strength increase on 27.5” and 29” trail, enduro, all mountain, eMTB and trail category wheels. Most hub companies have already adopted the wider spoke flange to their DH 157mm hubs because of the added benefits. So, there is already a wide range of hub brands with optimized 157mm spacing available (even if they don’t specifically call it SB+)  some examples include: DT Swiss, Industry 9, Stan’s, Onyx, Chris King, White Industries, Race Face, SUNringlé, Shimano, Stealth, Tune, Newmen and Hope.

Super Boost Plus 157 uses the existing chainline developed for DH bikes but uses standard trailbike BB widths and crank combinations to take 29” and Plus bike performance to the next level. The current Boost 148 standard moves the drivetrain out 3mm (providing 6mm more tire clearance) which is perfect for XC, and 27.5” enduro bikes, but it did not go far enough to meet the rapidly evolving 29” trail, enduro and 27.5”+ bike needs. Super Boost Plus 157 takes the concept further and optimizes it for 29” trail, enduro and Plus bikes by moving the drivetrain out a full 6mm (with a 12mm tire clearance gain) while maintaining the same Q factor (crank width) and heel clearance of our Boost 148 equipped bikes. Super Boost Plus 157 is a highly optimized combination of existing standards and technologies with a totally ridiculous (but highly descriptive) name. The Super Boost Plus 157 idea has enabled us to build the Firebird 29 with a level of performance previously unattainable with any other 29” or 27.5”+ enduro bike in the market.

* Ultra Short 16.96” (431mm) chainstays perfectly complements the Firebird 29’s long and low stature allowing you to manual up and over even the gnarliest obstacles while keeping the wheelbase length in check so that you can still clean tight switchbacks and rail corners with confidence and agility like you’ve never experienced before.

* A massive increase in tire clearance for running up 3.0” X 27.5+ and 2.6” X 29” tires with incredible mud clearance: Who doesn’t like that! You can run your racy 29” X 2.4WT tires in the summer and then step up to something much wider in bad weather to extend your riding season or just plow through the mud on your 29er wheels with confidence knowing that the Firebird 29 can handle it all.

* Increased frame stiffness: A better performing bike allows you to push the limits even further and the Firebird 29 has no weak links. This is the bike that allows you to set new boundaries. 

* Increased wheel stiffness: The Super Boost Plus specific hubs on all our Firebird 29 builds increase the hub flange width and provide for more even (better) spoke tension and the results are incredible. On a DT Swiss 29er alloy wheel with a 25mm inner width rim, the Super Boost Plus wheel is 46% stiffer then the same wheel built with a 142mm hub and 30% stiffer than the same wheel built with a Boost 148mm hub. Interestingly, the Super Boost Plus rear wheel and a standard Boost front wheel wind up being very similar in overall stiffness. What this means for the trail rider is that you get more evenly matched strength and stiffness between the front and rear wheels and the most durable wheelset possible.

Yes and no. We do love being the topic of conversation but the reality is that Super Boost Plus will make you a better rider. Just watch Eddy Masters Firebird 29 video and you’ll see just how Super, Super Boost Plus really is. Just like Eddy, You and your Firebird 29 will be able to manual for DAYS and you will look amazing doing it!

The Firebird 29 will accept all cranks designed for the Super Boost Plus 157 system and compatible with a press fit 92mm bottom bracket. The Super Boost Plus system is based on several standard cranks in the market. When you purchase your Firebird 29 complete from Pivot, PRO XT/XTR and RACE XT level builds will feature a custom spindle Race Face Aeffect SL or Ride crankset to optimize the chainline. TEAM XTR builds feature a special Race Face Next R crank with Cinch spindle. SRAM equipped Firebird 29’s from Pivot come equipped with SRAM cranks with chainrings and/or spindles optimized for the 56.5mm Super Boost Plus chain line.

The standard Race Face Turbine and Aeffect SL cranks with the Cinch chainring flipped is also fully compatible with the Super Boost Plus 157 system (although the chainline will be approximately 1mm outboard compared to the custom configurations provided with our complete bike offerings). One Up (Switch Spider and chainring system) and Wolf Tooth both offer Super Boost Plus spiders and/or chainrings to make standard SRAM GXP and DUB cranks Super Boost Plus compatible.  One Up information can be found at:

https://www.oneupcomponents.com/collections/switch/products/switch-sdm?variant=31481758337 

SRAM has also added some new Super Boost Plus specific crank options to their lineup.  

The Firebird 29 will accept cranks with a standard Q factor measurement as low as 168mm and featuring a 56-57mm chainline. Several other crank manufacturers are working on compatible designs that will be available in the market in the very near future.

Absolutely not! All Pivot bikes with Super Boost Plus 157 spacing are highly optimized to achieve even better heel clearance then our previous generation 142mm spaced XC bikes. Some of our designers and engineers at Pivot have abnormally large feet, and we all know what they say about large feet. Yep…Bad heel clearance. So, with that in mind, we made sure that our heal clearance is best in class. If it clears our abnormally large clown feet (which it does), it will clear yours.

No, the Firebird 29 is only 1x drivetrain compatible. To achieve the stiffness goals that make this a class leading enduro bike we designed a new wider lower link that’s leaving no room for a front derailleur.

Pressfit BB92 bottom bracket

Yes. The Firebird 29 features ISCG05 mounts on the frame and all Firebird 29 bikes from Pivot come with a front chainguide. Most upper guides on the market will fit but compatibility is dependent on the Q factor of the crank. Narrow 168mm Q Factor cranks will have clearance issues with some of the more popular guides on the market.

The Firebird 29 uses a ZS (zero stack) 49.6mm top and can also accept a standard 1.5 external top cup. The lower (bottom) cup is a (zero stack) 56mm size.

Pivot uses a 1.5 thread pitch on the rear thru axle, and this can be purchased through our online store. Most Shimano compatible axle should work as well if you somehow manage to lose your Pivot or DT Swiss rear axle and need something compatible to keep you going.

Yes, you can mount a water bottle cage under the base of the downtube.

No, the Firebird 29 is not Di2 compatible. It has a Di2 battery port and Pivot’s Cable Port System for simple routing but the frame does not feature the Di2 wiring holes between the front triangle and swingarm. Pivot does not endorse drilling holes in your frame. It is possible to externally route the wire to the rear derailleur but it will not have the same level of integration as some of our other models.

The Firebird 29 will fit a 180mm rotor without an adaptor. A 203mm rotor with an adapter will also fit.

The Firebird 29 was designed for a 170mm travel fork. We use a 170mm fork in all our complete bike builds. The maximum travel length that can be used on the Firebird 29 is 180mm travel.

44mm

The Firebird 29’s metric shock has a 230mm eye-to-eye length and 65mm stroke.

The Firebird 29 shock uses M8 through bolt hardware on both the front and rear. Shock spacer dimensions are 22mm wide in the front. We typically run medium valving on the compression side (depending on rider weight) and medium rebound damping.

Yes, you can use a coil shock on your Firebird 29.  The Firebird 29 features our new mini-clevis design, a metric shock and a rising rate design that performs well with coil-over shocks.  For maximum performance and durability, we recommend staying with the Pivot spec’d FOX Float X2 shock (or DPX2 on our race builds). However, if you are just dying to run a coil, then we recommend the FOX DHX2  Factory coil-over shock as we’ve tested this shock and FOX has also certified this shock for the Firebird 29.  High quality shocks from PUSH (ElevenSIX) or Rock Shox are also good options.  Keep in mind that any frame damage occurring due to shock failure from using a shock other than the Pivot supplied FOX Float X2 or DPX2 will not be covered under warranty.  

A detailed PDF of the torque specs can be found under the "Tech Specs" tab.

The Firebird 29 frame uses a 30.9mm seatpost.

S - 190mm

M - 215mm

L - 250mm

XL - 295mm

*Please check seat post measurements carefully before installing the post.

Variables in frame size, discrepancies in scale calibrations, and method of weighing (with or without pedals and such) all lead to inaccurate comparisons, so we choose not to publish our bike weights. Pivot bicycles are among the lightest available, but the weight is only one of many factors that make a great bicycle. Other aspects such as frame stiffness, strength, durability, and ride quality are just as important as weight to our engineers when designing our Hollow Core Carbon and aluminum frames. Instead of comparing grams online, we suggest you visit your local Pivot dealer and see our attention to detail, smart, high value spec, and class leading features. Bring a scale if you’d like, but take just one demo ride and you’ll feel why Pivot Cycles are the most well-rounded, highest performing bicycles on the market and in many cases, yes, it’s the lightest as well.