Where does the Switchblade stand out? Feel. The 135mm DW-Link rear suspension, with lack of a better reference, is Stöckli-like. If there was one thing I got from this bike from the first pedal stroke, it was, “If the Switchbade were a ski, it would be a Stöckli -- specifically, a Stormrider 95.” I let @Tricia try the bike, and the first thing she said was, “This feels like a Stöckli.” Disclaimer: Stöckli does make bikes, but they were unavailable for this comparison, so I am not sure a Stöckli bike rides like a Stöckli ski, so we will just leave this comparison at that.
Back to the Switchblade and specifically its supple feel. That suppleness translated to the fastest climb (for a non-e-bike) in my reference section of Alder Creek’s Cinnamon Twist, As they say, supple is smooth and smooth is fast. Even with an almost identical wheelbase to the Trigger, it just feels smoother and more connected to the ground. But even with a slightly more upright head tube angle, the Switchblade is just not as nimble. It feels like a ski tip that had either too much rocker or too much taper: it is numb into the turns and just not as reactive as I would like. These nuanced differences are what separates one bike from another, simply due to taste and riding style. It is so subjective, and as with skis, there are fewer and fewer bad bikes (especially at this price point). It is more like, “No, that’s not what I am looking for.” There are few actually wrong bikes, because of the amount of tweaking that can be done in a multitude of ways.
I was a bit disappointed in the feel of the XT shifters. Usually there is a noticeable feel in refinement as you go up a groupo, one that is usually prevalent going from SLX to XT, but not in this case (and not specific to the Pivot but other bikes I have ridden). While the XT shifters were solid in the shifting action, they didn’t have that snick-snick feel that they did in the past: they were positive but not smooth. They have a nice tactile feel, but I actaully think the SLX shifts better. I am sure that the XT is better for long-term durability, and maybe they just need to break in.
As for how an $6K bike reacts on the trail for the average rider, well, just as an average skier can feel the difference going from a mainstream 95mm ski to that Stöckli Stormrider 95, the average rider can feel the difference in an XT/XTR build of the Switchblade. IMHO, the rider looking for that level of refinement will get their money’s worth and not regret the purchase one bit.
What can we conclude? For some readers here, I might get a head nod and a "Thanks," maybe a “That helps a lot”; from others, perhaps an eye roll and then under their breath, “Now they are experts on bike reviews and testing?” Well, to the former, I am glad we can help; to the latter, we never claimed to be experts on bikes or even in our ski gear reviews. We just want to help the average person decide what might be for them, in layman's terms.
- Who is it for? A rider who is looking for a premium bike, someone who can and will step up for the refinement.
- Who is it not for? Someone looking for a bit more feedback from a bike, or a bike that is quick nimble into the corners. The frugal.