The swooping top tube flattens out and should make for pretty comfortable shouldering. © Cyclocross Magazine
A new offering from Pivot is the 2014 Vault carbon disc-brake cyclocross bike. If you think you’ve seen this bike before, it’s probably because you’re thinking of the BH RX Team Disc we covered from DealerCamp 2012. BH was recently sold, but Chris Cocalis of Pivot Cycles was able to hold onto the intellectual property rights and the RX Team disc brake bike was reborn as the Vault. For a brief time frame, you may have your choice of BH or Pivot branding, as both brands have their model available, but BH will not be continuing the RX Team Disc for 2014.
The Vault features the same interchangeable rear dropouts debuted on the RX Team, and enables the use of both 130mm rim brake and 135mm disc brake wheelsets with just the addition or removal of an aluminum spacer. The full-carbon fork is both cantilever and disc brake compatible. Like the 2014 Lapierre Cross Carbon, cantilever mounts are easily installed, and plugs are used to keep dirt and mud out.
The Pivot Vault can surface canti brake posts if discs make you dizzy. © Cyclocross Magazine
Compatibility is the name of the game for the Vault, and the CXM Editor’s Award-winning Stan’s NoTubes Iron Cross tubeless-ready wheelset keeps it on track with the latest trends. An oversize BB386Evo bottom bracket is said to improve both strength and power transfer.
First ride impressions: We took the Vault out for a few laps on the Raleigh Midsummer Night’s cyclocross race course, and early impressions suggest that the Vault is a full-on race machine, and as such, has a very aggressive ride. The low bottom bracket height keeps the bike stable at speed, and the relatively steep head tube angle (72 degrees/size M) and short chainstays keep the steering quick and sharp. TRP’s HY-RD cable-actuated hydraulic disc brakes provide ample stopping power and good modulation, making late braking before corners possible.
The frame has a nicely shaped top tube, which proved comfortable on the shoulder during brief off-season run-ups. Despite its name, the Pivot Vault has no pivots.
The Vault frameset retails for $2,299, or $3,599 complete with the new Ultegra 11-speed group, TRP HY-RD Hydraulic disc brakes,
and NoTubes’ Iron Cross tubeless-ready cyclocross wheels. The Vault is one of the few 2014 cyclocross bikes we’ve seen that’ll come with the a just-launched component group, as most companies could not plan around the new 11-speed groups and still make this cyclocross season.
For more info: www.pivotcycles.com
Pivot Cycles Vault Cyclocross Bike Photo Gallery:
Mat Shimoko and Andrew Yee contributed to this report.
