Purchase price advice, please--'17 Pivot 429

[RWL2222]

I am thinking about buying this bike, from someone I know, located three blocks away. My alternative was going to be buying new, aluminum, something like Ripley AF or Spec Stump, and paying a much more than the $1450 here.

2017 MEDIUM Carbon Pivot 429er

I know the bike has bike has been well maintained, and not ridden enduro.



"LBS just recently did a complete factory refurbish on the Fox 34 fork with a new damper and seals, and did a rear shock overhaul with new seals and also replaced all of the pivot bearings so the bike is riding smooth.

Fork: 130 mm Fox 34
Rear suspension: 116 mm Fox Float DPS shock with the excellent DW linkage.

The drivetrain was upgraded to a SRAM GX 1x12 with a SRAM 30 tooth chainring and SRAM GX crankset, derailleur and cassette

The wheels were upgraded to BOOST DT Swiss 350 Hubs laced to Stans Arch rims with new Specialized Butcher (front) and Specialized Eliminator (rear) tires. (set up tubeless with new rim tape)

Brakes are Shimano XT with good pad life. (LBS recently bled the brakes)

One Up Dropper with PNW Loam Dropper Lever.

Saddle is a NEW Bontrager Saddle.

Grips are NEW Ergon GA3 grips.

The rear triangle has the normal moderate wear with a few dings but no major structural issues

$1450

[EB]

First off, it’s a good bike - I’m sure you would enjoy it. The newer Trail 429 has improved geometry, but a 2017 model will still serve you well. Boost compatibility is a big plus given 2017 was a transition year for boost.

THAT BEING SAID

My standard advice is to avoid buying used full suspension bikes. They get thrashed, and they require a higher level of maintenance and care which many owners are either unaware of or (for whatever reason) not able to get done. I have many friends who have gotten a sweet deal and then had to pour money (often over $1000) into shock/fork overhauls, bearing replacements, linkage work, brake overhauls, hub overhauls, headset maintenance, housing replacement, etc. etc. By the time the bike is running well they’ve spent as much as they would on a new bike.

Further, full suspension frame warranties are not transferable. Pivot’s warranty isn’t as strong as some like Santa Cruz (details here: https://www.pivotcycles.com/en/warranty/) but you won’t be able to benefit from the crash replacement policy. Given the deal you’re getting here, I don’t think it really matters here, but this does matter for newer models, especially with Santa Cruz, where part of the premium you’re paying for with the (overpriced) frame is the warranty itself.

Given that you know this person well, you may have a high degree of trust that they’ve paid their dues on the maintenance cycles and haven’t been chucking the thing off cliffs every week. So this may not apply. But I think this is generally good advice should you look elsewhere in the used market.

[Hilltopperny]

If you know it's history then buy it! Seems like a very good deal to me.

As stated above buying a full suspension used can be tricky and I have bought pretty clapped out bikes for what you can get this one for. I then swapped the unwanted parts for new and still came out on top, but not by much.

[glepore]

Think I'd go for it. The shock work has been done. The gx drivetrain is serviceable etc.

I recently bought a 2015 Epic Era for a little more than that because it had a newish xx1 gold group which the seller hadn't accounted for (big ebay shop). The suspension turned out to be in good usable condition, and the bike has been everything I need. The Era geo works for me, give my build. Xt brakes as well, consider them a plus over Sram.

I'd jump on a Pivot of known lineage at that price. Yes, the geo is likely not au currant, but its workable and you'll enjoy the bike.

[notsew]

First, pivots are good bikes. The DW link suspension is about as good as it gets from a pedaling standpoint and the geo on the 2017 is relatively modern (ie, its not sporting a 70* head tube).

But really, 5 years is generational in mountain bikes. Geometry, suspension, all these things have improved in the last 5 years. Probably not as dramatically as the 5 years before that, but the new bikes have slacker head tubes and steeper seat tubes. That means they will climb and descend more capably.

If it were me, I'd spend the extra bucks and get a Ripley AF, it's such a capable bike and will be more fun going down hill.

[RWL2222]

Thank you for the quick and excellent advice. As difficult as it was, I passed on the bike.

At 5'10, would rather be at the bottom of the size range--in a large--than at the top of the range, in a medium. And there's a part of me that wants to buy a bike and quickly move it on to my 6'1" son to try to recruit him to the trails. He's off at college with great riding close by.

The relentless bargain hunter in me almost got the best of things, along with the strong urge to get back out there on the trails--we have miles and miles, right out the door. But I will have to content myself with another out-and-back zen roadride, more weekend drives to gravel, and just keep building the bike-buying warchest. This Pivot is probably gone by now and will make somebody locally very happy.

[NHAero]

Originally Posted by RWL2222

Thank you for the quick and excellent advice. As difficult as it was, I passed on the bike.

At 5'10, would rather be at the bottom of the size range--in a large--than at the top of the range, in a medium. And there's a part of me that wants to buy a bike and quickly move it on to my 6'1" son to try to recruit him to the trails. He's off at college with great riding close by.

The relentless bargain hunter in me almost got the best of things, along with the strong urge to get back out there on the trails--we have miles and miles, right out the door. But I will have to content myself with another out-and-back zen roadride, more weekend drives to gravel, and just keep building the bike-buying warchest. This Pivot is probably gone by now and will make somebody locally very happy.

I'd be interested in contact info for the seller if he's willing to pack and ship, or have a shop do that. I have a friend who I think would love this bike. I have a 2013 429C and it is the perfect bike for Martha's Vineyard. Twisty forest trails don't do better with slacked out front end geo.

[RWL2222]

Originally Posted by NHAero

I'd be interested in contact info for the seller if he's willing to pack and ship, or have a shop do that. I have a friend who I think would love this bike. I have a 2013 429C and it is the perfect bike for Martha's Vineyard. Twisty forest trails don't do better with slacked out front end geo.

As much as I would like to assist on this, I expect the bike is gone--I was first in the queue of about 10 inquiries on a Monday morning, mostly from people who know him or his competitive racer offspring and wanted it. He knows he could have sold it for more online, and wanted to keep it local.

[NHAero]

Originally Posted by RWL2222

As much as I would like to assist on this, I expect the bike is gone--I was first in the queue of about 10 inquiries on a Monday morning, mostly from people who know him or his competitive racer offspring and wanted it. He knows he could have sold it for more online, and wanted to keep it local.

Got it, thanks!