Pivot Cycles Announces The Firebird 27.5

Whether you're sending it in Whistler, gunning for the overall in Downieville or pinning 30-minute descents on a 6-hour epic through the Rockies, the Firebird 27.5 has your back. By many accounts, the 26-inch version was the ultimate long-travel trail bike, revered for its unique combination of climbing traction, acceleration, and descending capabilities. That excellent pedigree made it the ideal starting point for a 27.5 chassis.

"The new Firebird 27.5-inch model takes everything that's great about the Firebird and makes it better. It's definitely a favorite around our office," offers Pivot president and CEO Chris Cocalis, "Within a line of very versatile bikes it stands out because it really is a quiver-of-one. It rewards and inspires confidence for an aggressive rider."

The original 26-inch Firebird was unique. The level of engineering sophistication, obsessive production tolerances and attention to detail rare qualities in the category. The 27.5 shares all of those attributes. For a brawler of a bike, there was (and still is) a ton going on both on the surface and under it, a quality defining all of Pivot's offerings.

The evolution to the 27.5-inch standard is a testament to Pivot's belief that boundaries exist to be pushed against, in this case re-engineering a very successful and award-winning platform to accommodate a wheel size that made more sense for its intended use.

To make the best even better, the headtube angle has been slackened, the low BB height maintained, and the amazing Fox Racing Shox 34 added, a 160mm travel 27.5-specific fork that complements already best-in-class handling.

The Firebird 27.5 continues the tradition of its predecessor. It's a showcase of cross-functional capability, providing riders with the confidence, capability and performance to excel across a wide range of demands. With the update to 27.5 wheels, the boundaries between disciplines become less defined; the frontiers pushed back to reveal new terrain, new speeds and record-breaking performance in enduro racing, park and gravity riding or the occasional DH race.

The spanking new Firebird 27.5. Now with more BRAAP. We can talk all day about how rad it is. But riding is believing.

The new Firebird 27.5 along with the rest of the Pivot Cycles line will be available for media and consumer demo at this weekend's Sea Otter Classic with bikes shipping in May. To view a schedule of upcoming demo stops or to locate a Pivot dealer, please visit www.pivotcycles.com.

Geometry

• 6.6" (167mm) rear travel.  
• dw-link suspension design with rearward wheel travel path. Incredible square edge bump performance and unparalleled pedaling efficiency.  
• Pivot specific, custom valved Fox CTD or DHX Kashima coated shock technology featuring increased rider tunability and incredible small bump sensitivity.  
• Full 1.5 head tube with custom Pivot angled headset design optimizing the Firebird 27.5 as an ultimate Enduro machine.  
• ISCG O5 mounts included for single ring and chain guide compatibility.  
• Patented Pivot floating front derailleur mount. Keeps the chain in the sweet spot of the derailleur for better chain retention. Combined with our custom MRP LRP 2X chain guide, our floating front derailleur mount creates  perfect shifting performance and worry-free chain retention even the roughest conditions.   
• 142mm rear spacing with 12mm through axle and 160mm post mount dropouts. Why? Maximum. Frame. Stiffness.

NINER BIKES REVEALS NEW AIRFORMED RIP 9

The reputation of the R.I.P. 9 is unassailable – in the six years since its introduction it has helped define the new-school genre of trail ripper - both with riders and the cycling press. So how can it be improved? Keep the attitude, boost performance, shed unwanted weight and build on the legend. The changes to this new beast can’t really be called “evolutionary,” because the word implies a slow process of incremental gains and small strides. That just doesn’t describe the changes to the new R.I.P. 9 – there’s nothing incremental about a kick in the pants.

TRAIL BIKE 29

The Niner that is at home on just about any trail or any terrain – The R.I.P. 9 incorporates global rider feedback as well as Niner’s rigorous progression of alloy design, engineering and testing standards. The R.I.P. 9 has over 30 glowing media reviews for ride quality and handling - the new R.I.P. 9 takes these characteristics and ups the ante with air formed aluminum alloy tubes that redefine performance, a lower weight, ISCG compatibility and additional travel.

CVA™ SUSPENSION

The R.I.P. 9 features Niner’s patented CVA suspension (U.S. Patent No. 7,934,739) and delivers 125mm of fully active travel with superb compliance and damping via a tuned for CVA RockShox Monarch RT3 HV shock. For those seeking the technical advantages of 29” wheels combined with pedaling efficiency across all chainring combinations (not just the middle ring), CVA™ is the front-runner. The result? A faster, smoother ride up and down the trail.

VERSATILE GEOMETRY

To progress as a rider you need predictability, balance and nimble handling and Niner is the company that first made fun trail bike 29ers a reality. Climbing or descending, the geometry of the R.I.P. 9 is tuned to keep you in control and ready to conquer new terrain at every turn. The R.I.P. 9 is intended for 120 to 140mm forks, allowing riders to further fine tune the ride.

AIR FORMED TUBING

At just 6.85lbs for a medium frame with shock & hanger, the new R.I.P. 9 pulls within .65lbs (295g) of our carbon flagship R.I.P. 9 RDO frame. To achieve this reduction and actually increase strength over the last R.I.P. 9 frame we looked beyond traditional hydroforming. Shaping the frame tubes with compressed air in a heated mold gives us greater control over wall thickness and material uniformity, allowing the use of less metal. Tubes that are manipulated using this process can be up to 25% lighter than a similar hydroformed shape at the same strength.

TAPERED HEADTUBE

The increased surface area of a tapered headtube allows for a larger downtube, increasing strength and rigidity at this critical intersection. Tapered fork steerer tubes measurably reduce fork deflection, which means your Niner tracks straight and true. The full spectrum of riders from XC racers to All Mountain shredders benefit from these features which is why we incorporate the technology in all our frames.

ATTENTION TO DETAIL

From the head tube to the rear axle, we looked at every single detail and asked “can it be done better?” We’ve revised the shapes of the forged yokes and attachments, subjecting them to mechanical and real world testing to ensure they’re as light and strong as possible. New linkage shapes increase strength and stiffness and shed a few more grams, the lower link has a pronounced asymmetrical form to make room for ISCG tabs and increased chainstay clearance. Larger pivot hardware and a switch to 8mm alloy shock mounting bolts shave weight and increase the bling we love so much. Saving weight doesn’t mean skimping - pivots are still outfitted with Enduro Max full complement sealed cartridge bearings for smooth, friction-free suspension.

• Airformed alloy full suspension trailbike – setting the standard in any wheelsize

• 125mm of patented CVA™ suspension, efficient in every chainring configuration

• Compatible with 120-140mm forks

• Tuned for CVA™ - Rockshox Monarch RT3 HV

• ISCG Tabs and offset linkage design for chainguide compatibility

• Forged suspension linkage and unique Niner Alloy Hardware

• 142x12mm rear spacing

• Medium frame with shock, maxle hanger and seat collar - 7 LBS/3175 g, a half pound lighter over previous iterations.

• $1849 Frame MSRP (includes shock, maxle and seat collar)

• Complete 3-Star XT Bike $4199, Complete 1-Star X7 Bike $2999

• Ships in early May.

Niner Bikes was founded 2004 in Southern California and is headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado.

The company is dedicated to the ideals of passion, commitment and 29ers only.

NINER BIKES REVEALS 2013 SPECIAL EDITION IMBA FRAMESETS ONLY NINE AVAILABLE, THE FIRST ONE GOES AT SEA OTTER!

For the fourth time, Niner has created a special IMBA themed bike in support of IMBA’s trail advocacy efforts. This year’s version will be revealed at Sea Otter 2013, in the IMBA tent.

There will only be 9 of these special bikes available to the public. The first one will be raffled as a complete bike with XX1 components (generously donated by SRAM) to Sea Otter attendees who register with IMBA or who join or renew their IMBA Membership. The drawing for this complete bike, worth over $8,000, will be held on Saturday April 20^th at the Sea Otter Clif Bar Party and IMBA 25^th Anniversary celebration. Must be present to win.

The remaining 8 framesets will go up for auction on May 2, with help from The Pro’s Closet. These online auctions will be available globally and 100% of the proceeds are donated to IMBA. Niner will reveal complete bike images over the weekend on their facebook page, and encourages everyone at Sea Otter to join or renew their membership at the event!

Niner Bikes was founded 2004 in Southern California and is headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado.

The company is dedicated to the ideals of passion, commitment and 29ers only.

http://www.ninerbikes.com

https://www.facebook.com/ninerbikes

The 2013 POC Eastern States Cup Downhill And Enduro Series By Intense Cycles

Racers have been saying how much they love to race and how curious they are about enduro racing. The POC Eastern States Cup has been listening and will be adding a separate enduro series in 2013. The POC ESC Downhill Series and The POC ESC Enduro Series will offer more racing and have over $50,000 cash available to racers. The POC Eastern States Cup is presented by Intense Cycles and supported by FOX and e*thirteen.
 
The talk this year is all about enduro racing, it’s quickly becoming the discipline of choice for many racers. The POC ESC Enduro Series by Intense Cycles will combine the thrill of DH racing with the fun of trail riding. The Enduro Series format will allow competitors, friends and families to race and ride together all day. The feature event of the enduro series will be an epic two day series championship race at Killington Resort, VT.

 
The 2013 POC ESC Downhill Series by Intense Cycles starts out in May with two back to back ProGRT Downhill races; The Spring Classic at Mountain Creek Bike Park and The Gravity Open ay Plattekill Mountain. The ESC/Pro GRT races have a total of over $11,000 in cash for pros and both races will be used to qualify racers for the USA World Championship Team. The best national and international DH racers in the world will be in attendance to compete against the ESC regulars. Last year Trek World Racing’s World Cup Champion Aaron Gwin won both races. Saturday morning Super D races have been added at both venues to increase racing opportunities by the most innovative MTB race series in the United States.
 
“The POC ESC is where riders compete, have fun and quickly become part of the POC ESC family. The DH series was great last year and will be phenomenal this year. With the addition of the enduro series and Super D races it will be the best place for racers of all disciplines.” Says Willie Ford at POC Sports USA.
 
The POC ESC DH Series is the Eastern Regional DH Championship and will feature 6 USA Cycling State DH Championships. This season the DH series will consist of 12 races at 9 exciting venues throughout the Northeast United States. The 2013 POC Eastern States Cup Enduro Series will showcase epic terrain and courses at 5 events. The Enduro series will be an Eastern Regional Championship and will feature 4 Enduro State Championships.
 
Intense Cycles is supporting the ESC and the east coast racing scene. They plan on bringing the Intense Demo Tour to select POC ESC events as well. "We are excited to be working with the Eastern States Cup", says Intense Cycles Founder/President, Jeff Steber. "Intense is looking forward to spending more time on the east coast and the ESC is a great opportunity for us to increase our brand's visibility and support racers. We know that this partnership will increase Intense's branding and grow racing on the east coast and beyond."  - Jeff Steber
 
Mark Jordon, Marketing manager from Fox Racing Shox says: “The ESC downhill races have earned a great reputation and the addition of the enduro series will provide something for all types of gravity racers. The growing sport of enduro gives trail riders a chance to race their favorite bikes on challenging terrain. We are teaming up with the Eastern States Cup and offering the $1000 FOX Enduro Challenge and the Fox Climbers Challenge to amateurs and pros.”

 
The POC ESC will continue in it’s 4th season by offering both pros and amateurs a chance at the $45,000+ available in cash.  There are also several innovative programs this year within the ESC including:
 
$1000 Intense Cycles King of the Cup
$1000 Loeka Queen of the Cup    
$1000 e*thirteen Junior Championship           
$1000 Fox Racing Shox Enduro Challenge    
POC Speed Trap at DH and Enduro Races.                                        
Fox DOSS Seatpost Climbers Challenge                                
 
“e*thirteen started on the East Coast and we are pumped to be returning to our roots and supporting the growing Eastern States Cup Enduro and DH Race Series." Said Todd Bishop at The Hive. He added, "E*thirteen is stoked to provide the $1000 e*thirteen Junior Cup Championship. We realize that Junior racers today will be Pros tomorrow and want to help them realize their full potential and achieve their best results."

Loeka owner Rory Harmse says: “We love the innovation, dedication and passion the ESC puts into the series encouraging more women to race and ride. We look forward to another successful year with the ESC in offering the “$1000 Loeka Queen of the Cup.”

The Eastern States Cup provides high-level big mountain racing, multiple USAC Championships at great venues in a close geographical area. The ESC strives to provide fun, safe, affordable and professional events. The series format reduces travel, offers great prizes and cash to racers in a comprehensive package. The series will continue to produce the popular POC Video of the Week via Fast Line Racing in 2013. Oliver Racing also returns with its famous Bureau’s Sugarhouse and Maple Kettle Korn 4th place prizing to every class at all POC ESC events.

POC Eastern States Cup DH Series by Intense Cycles

• May 19 Mountain Creek, NJ ProGRT  -  NJ State Championships
• May 26 Plattekill, NY ProGRT
• June 9 Pats Peak, NH New Hampshire Bike Festival
• June 16 Sugarbush, VT
• June 23 Mount Snow, VT
• July 7 Plattekill, NY  Independence Weekend Bike Gathering
• Aug 11 Killington, VT VT State Championship
• Sept 1 Plattekill, NY NY State Championship
• Sept 15 Attitash, NH NH State Championship
• Sept 22 Sunday River, ME ME State Championship
• Oct 6 Jiminy Peak MA MA State Championship
• Oct 13 Plattekill, NY  Eastern Regional Championship Finals

POC Eastern States Cup Enduro Series by Intense Cycles

• July 6 Plattekill, NY NY State Championship  Independence Weekend Bike Gathering
• July 14 Attitash, NH NH State Championship
• July 28 Killington, VT VT State Championship
• Aug 4 Sunday River, ME ME State Championship
• Aug 25 Killington, VT Enduro Regional Championship

POC Eastern States Cup SuperD Races by Intense Cycles

• May 18 Mountain Creek, NJ NJ State Championship
• May 25 Plattekill, NY  NY State Championship
• July 5 Plattekill, NY  Independence Weekend Bike Gathering
• Sept 21 Sunday River, ME Maine State Championship

www.easternstatescup.com
easternstatescup@hotmail.com
www.facebook.com/easternstatescup
www.twitter.com/EastrnStatesCup

Breck Epic Organizers Launch MTB Event in Eagle, CO

(Eagle, Colo.) - April 5, 2013 - The Greenspeed Project, Inc., organizers of the popular Breck Epic MTB Stage Race, are pleased to announce the launch of the inaugural Eagle Outside Festival. Scheduled for May 11-12, 2013 in Eagle, CO, the event serves as a showcase for the community's extensive trail network and as a centerpiece for the town's destination tourism marketing effort.
 
"We've made a commitment to increase the quality and quantity of our already substantial trail network," states Mayor Yuri Kostick, "We believe that Eagle offers some of the best riding in the Rockies, all within an easy drive of the front range. The Eagle Outside Festival shines a spotlight on what we consider to be a perfect early season riding option for the Colorado mountain biking community."
 
Accurately described as a 're-envisioning' of Eagle's former Get Out Expo, the new event incorporates many new elements for riders, runners and outdoor enthusiasts alike. First among them is the inaugural Firebird MTB Race and its counterpart, the women's only Firebird la Femme. Non-USAC sanctioned, the mountain bike events take place on Saturday and Sunday respectively and collectively boast a $10,000 cash purse with equal payouts for men's and women's fields.
 
The festival also features the 1st annual Rocky Mountain Bike and Outdoor Expo, a consumer facing demo boasting some of the bike industry's leading brands. Santa Cruz, Pivot, Ibis, Felt, Niner, Specialized, Yeti, Ellsworth, Twenty Two Cycles, Orbea, Wilier, Ridley, BMC and many, many more will all be on hand with their latest models. The free demo invites consumers to test ride their dream rigs all day long on Eagle's signature climbs and descents.
 
"With three great coffee shops, a VERY good brewery, some killer Mex, dining options galore and a full grip of trails leading riders from town into the back of beyond, Eagle is sort of an undiscovered secret," says event producer Mike McCormack, "The racing part is obvious, and we're thrilled to have the town's support in offering a sizable purse. The current dynamic as dictated by USA Cycling is universally unpopular - hopefully another great race without their sanction will prompt them to invest additional thought into their recent decision. Then again, maybe it won't."
 
"The demo is a direct extension of the success we've seen at events like Sea Otter, Interbike and Outerbike," continued McCormack, "People LOVE to try the bikes they've only seen reviewed online or in a magazine. Events like these are packed with smiling people. With the industry placing more and more resources into dealer relationship and support demo-type programs, we think we've come pretty close to the mark in terms of offering a great venue along with tremendous energy and critical mass, all during the important early season purchasing period. And besides - what better way to introduce riders to Eagle?"
 
The event will also offer a no-cost set of Strava Challenges. Riders can test themselves on some of Eagle's signature climbs and descents, trying to best the local hammers and rippers for digital bragging rights.
 
There's more than just biking though. New for this year is the Mother of a Half-Marathon, a downhill road marathon that sees competitors finish in the heart of Eagle Ranch. In addition, there will be a 10K longboard push race, a "Chro-Moly Chef" competition, and a wide variety of Mother's Day activities including yoga, spa treatments, flower delivery, special meal offers from local dining spots and much, much more.

For more information on the Eagle Outside Festival, the Rocky Mountain Bike and Outdoor Expo or any of the events held throughout the weekend, please visit the Eagle Outside Festival site or contact Mike McCormack.
About The Greenspeed Project
The Greenspeed Project was founded in 2008 to utilize cycling events as a mechanism to underwrite trail improvements and enhance MTB access in the Central Rockies. The team has effectively harnessed the power of the collective cycling consciousness in service of demanding accountability and ethical discourse from those that would see mountain bike access greatly marginalized. Greenspeed has also been instrumental in validating the term 'companion designation', bringing it into the land protection dialogue along with the concept of the Wilderness B (Wilderness with Bikes), of which Greenspeed is the founder.Through these initiatives, the organization has played a modest role in the crafting of stronger, more meaningful land protections for all. While the group can be found most recently jousting at windmills in the Colorado Springs area, The Breck Epic, Greenspeed's signature 6-day MTB stage race event, is sold out for 2013.