FOX FLOAT DPS vs. FOX FLOAT X2
The Pivot Switchblade comes with a FOX FLOAT DPS shock fitted as standard, and it works perfectly well on moderate trails. The shock harmonizes nicely with the linkage of the Switchblade, never sagging away and yet generous with its travel whenever necessary. However, when your riding includes large and hard hits, you should reduce the volume of the shock with volume spacers to make it more progressive. As a result, the rear end of the Switchblade will be less prone to bottoming out.
In the course of time, the FLOAT DPS had to give way to a FLOAT X2. With the new shock, the full potential of the Pivot was fully realised, and the 135 mm of travel could be used to the last millimetre. Set up with 30 % sag, the FLOAT X2 works very sensitively and irons out small hits more effectively. A feature that particularly more experienced riders and enthusiasts like to have is the FOX FLOAT X2’s ability to adjust the high-speed compression level individually.
27.5+ vs. 29”
What are the differences between 27.5+ and 29″ wheels? This is a question that was of particular interest to Gregor in the past year. And is there a bike that could be better suited to clarifying this issue than one which will accommodate both wheel sizes? The first descents with the Pivot Switchblade took place on 29ers, which, paired with 2.5″ wide MAXXIS tyres, showed good damping, good grip and the typically convincing rollover characteristics of the 29″ fraction. After three days in the “Bikecircus” in Saalbach, we swapped the wheels out with a 27.5+ wheelset. The first thing that caught our attention was the visual difference: The 27.5+ tyres turned the previously elegant Switchblade into a tractor.
After the tyre pressure was adjusted to 1.2 bar at the front and 1.5 bar at the rear, we headed directly for the nearest trail. The better damping properties of the plus tyres were immediately felt. Especially the small braking bumps in front of berms were noticeably flattened. Apart from that, however, the differences were marginal. Neither the grip nor the braking was significantly improved. Fortunately, however, the wide tyres remained firmly seated on the rim even through sharp turns with a lot of compression. If you’re looking for more comfort and a relaxed riding style, you won’t go wrong in choosing 27.5+ tyres. In any case, Gregor preferred the better roll-over characteristics offered by the 29″ wheels and switched back to them after the test was done.
