What happens when you take the ridiculously fun and nimble Pivot SL/AM — already one of my favorite lightweight eMTBs with 160/150mm travel — and swap out my least favorite drive unit for my most favorite?
You end up with something magical. Despite the slightly ridiculous name, the Pivot Shuttle AMP’d feels like a unicorn. Bring out the pineapples… let’s get AMP’d.
Ever since Avinox launched itself into the world, one of the biggest questions I’ve had is: when is Pivot going to use the Avinox motor?
Finally, the waiting is over.
As always, a big thanks to Jenson USA! Any purchases you make through links on my site support the JKW channels and keep our team making kick-ass content… at not extra cost to you!
The moment the massive bike box hit the garage floor, I was ready to pop it open like a kid on Christmas. New bike days are frequent here, but gosh they never get old.
Despite the sky opening up with a proper Reno downpour, I had the Pivot Shuttle AMP’d out of the packaging and on the trail within an hour. I had a call scheduled with Pivot CEO Chris Cocalis later that day, and I refused to show up without real dirt time on this thing (well, it ended up being mud, and a little bit of submerged swimming through puddles).
Even with a single ride under my pedals, I could show up ready with important questions.
- “Is this thing still rocking two, or have we gone to a third wheel?”
- “When I pedal this bike, does that actually charge it, or do I need to plug it in to the wall?”
- “Where is the throttle?”
(Savannah thinks that question number two is actually a pretty good one – when will ebikes become equipped with THAT feature?)
Editor’s Note:
These articles are adapted by Savannah (Handles) from Jeff Kendall-Weed’s YouTube videos for riders who prefer reading over watching. They’re written in Jeff’s first-person voice to stay true to the style and storytelling of the original content.
Before we get into storytelling time, here’s a quick overview of some of the specs that make the Pivot AMP’d truly unique.
- Frame: Full Carbon, DW-link suspension design
- Drive Unit: Avinox M2S Motor
- Travel: 160mm front / 150mm rear
- Wheel setup: Mixed (29″ front, 27.5″ rear) with full 29″ compatibility (Small–XL) — up to 2.4” rear; or mullet with 27.5” rear up to 2.6”
- XS comes Mullet only
- Weight: 49.3 lbs / 22.3 kg (Medium)
- Battery: 800Wh integrated
- Fork: Fox Performance 38 GRIP, 160mm
- Shock: Fox Performance Float X
First Ride with a Downpour
Setting off on that first ride, I ramped the AMP’d up to Class 3: flying at 25 miles per hour on the road. An ethical use of the power, and perhaps a smart one. Riding at a car’s pace (-ish), you’re not just a sitting duck as traffic whizzes by. You can almost keep up with them! Ironically, it might indeed feel safer to go faster on the road, so that you feel one with the motorized traffic.
But, once at the trailhead, it’s time to slip back into Class 1. It is not only the right thing to do, but the legal thing to do (important to emphasize, as we get into trail advocacy and my concerns for the future of mountain biking later).
On that note, “If you’re riding an e-bike, the first rule is that you carry a trail saw.” (Because what’s your excuse?) And in the wet and muddy Pacific Northwest, well, there’s always trail maintenance to do.
The second rule is that you watch my video outlining the etiquette required when you take on the responsibility of becoming an e-bike owner.
Pro Tip: When you’re riding in the sog’, you’ll find that steeper trails are the ones to ride because the water doesn’t pool up. There’s better drainage with the angles, but, alas… you may still end up with mud in your eye. And perhaps, a submerged motor when puddles extend into pools (well, there have to be flats somewhere…). Fortunately, the AMP’d continued to work – there’s truly nothing like real world bike testing in temperamental weather!
Immediately on the trail, I felt a lot of joy riding the AMP’d. It handled really well, and felt reminiscent of the Pivot SLAM, though a little heavier. With the 2.6 tire, it manualed incredibly well. As usual, though the stock was enjoyable, I put it on my to do list to swap out the grips and tires for the upcoming adventures.
But first, to get home, which meant a short road ride back in Class 3. Vroom, vroom! But, first rides are all about learning, and the next lesson was that the screen doesn’t work when it’s wet. Yes, just a minor conundrum. There is, fortunately, a way around this. I manually set the speed limit to 28 mph, and pedaling AHAP, I almost made it to that 28 mpg mark.
First Impressions Post-Ride
Based on the mega power numbers and chatter on the internet, you might assume that it’s a big hit, long-travel bike. But… nope. In fact, I just did a video review (and article) about the cousin of the AMP’d, which IS a longer travel e-bike: the Shuttle LT.
Instead, the AMP’d is designed to sit between the Shuttle LT and the Shuttle AM.
Don’t tell my other bikes, but if I had to choose one bike for the rest of my rides, I would choose something analog. But if I could have two rides for the rest of my life, and one of those had to have a motor… well, the Pivot AMP’d just might be The One.
Now, let’s get to know this beauty.
Bone stock, the bike weighs in at 22.3kg, or 49.3 lbs.
That’s respectable for a full-power 800Wh eMTB. On the trail that first soggy afternoon, it felt a touch lighter than the Norco VLT CX but nowhere near as flighty as last year’s SLAM. The extra mass comes mostly from the Avinox system and the burlier Fox 38 fork.
I rode it straight into local flow trails, jump lines, and some steep double-black tech. The bike immediately showed me what Pivot was going for. This isn’t another heavy enduro machine, but neither is it the long-travel Shuttle LT. The AMP’d sits right in that sweet spot between the Shuttle AM and LT — a true daily driver that can still play hard when you ask it to.
If I had to choose one bike for the rest of my rides, I would choose something analog. But if I could have two rides for the rest of my life, and one of those had to have a motor… well, the Pivot AMP’d just might be The One.
How the Pivot Shuttle AMP’d Fits in the Lineup
Pivot built the AMP’d around the SLAM chassis but dropped in the full-power Avinox M2S motor and 800Wh battery. The geometry is very close to the SLAM and Shuttle AM, with a few key refinements: slightly slacker head angle (thanks largely to the taller Fox 38) and improved standover.
For shorter riders, this is big news — Pivot offers the AMP’d (and SLAM) in a true Extra Small. That’s still rare in full-power eMTBs, and it makes the bike accessible for riders around 5’0” to 5’4”.
The geo feels grounded yet playful. In the low setting you get a 63.3° head angle, 456mm reach, and 443mm chainstays. It strikes that beautiful balance where the bike feels supportive on climbs and rowdy sections but still lets you manual, pump, and play.
On the Trail: Playful, Capable, and My New Favorite Bike
I’ve now put serious miles on the AMP’d across every type of trail I ride regularly. Flowy singletrack feels effortless and fun. The bike pumps beautifully and carries speed like it wants to be ridden hard. On jump lines, that lively character and supportive suspension encourage you to send it — sometimes more than you probably should.
The suspension is very open and plush straight from the factory. The new Float X out back has a high-flow piston and aggressive shim stack. I loved the initial sensitivity, but at 175 lbs and with my aggressive riding style, I was bottoming hard. I went from the stock 0.2 volume spacer all the way to 0.5 and will probably add more. Up front, I added a volume reducer to the Fox 38 and ran nearly max high-speed compression.
Once tuned, the bike really comes alive. It stays higher in the travel when you’re pushing but still eats chatter and square-edge hits. The DW-Link design does its usual magic — excellent pedaling efficiency without feeling harsh.
The Avinox M2S System: Where It Shines
Finally… Let’s talk about what everyone is obsessing over — the motor. Yes, the Avinox M2S can crank out big peak numbers (up to 1300 watts and serious 130 nm of torque). But those headline figures aren’t what make me love it (it’s a love-concern relationship, if you know what I mean).
What I actually care about is how it feels. The power delivery is incredibly smooth and intuitive. It reads rider input better than anything I’ve ridden. The integration with SRAM is excellent — the derailleur is wired to the main battery, so you can always shift, even when the main power is low. SmoothShift momentarily reduces drive power and even micro-spins the chainring for clean shifts while coasting. It’s chain-saving wizardry, but not life-changing.
Charging is legitimately class-leading. Full 800Wh in just over two hours. That changes how you ride — quick top-ups at lunch or after a shuttle run become attainable.
I spent a lot of time in the custom assist modes. My current favorites:
- Turbo: 750W / 85Nm with light (level 1) overrun, zero continued assist
- Trail: 600W / 60Nm with zero overrun, zero continued assist
- Eco: 400W / 50Nm with zero overrun, zero continued assist
With that mix I can reliably get 5,000+ feet (1,500 meters) of vertical in under three hours. Even running full max power on a long, steep road climb, the bike surprised me with excellent range on firm ground (this was a surprise, but a couple of variables helped the battery last longer: first, the temperature has warmed up; and second, the ground has become drier).
The reluctor ring speed sensing gives phenomenal rear-wheel control that feels borderline like traction control on loose or technical climbs. Walk assist with hill-hold is also the best I’ve used, thanks to where it’s positioned near the grips.
A Few Honest Nitpicks
No bike is perfect. I’d personally prefer a Fox 36 fork for less weight and a firmer shock tune out back for aggressive riding. The stock setup is excellent for many riders who want maximum plushness, but big hitters will want to invest in volume spacers.
The high stack and planted feel sometimes make me overcommit to things I probably shouldn’t on a 50+ lb bike. But that’s part of the fun, and why I take time titrating between customizing the machine and testing rides. That higher stack also sacrificed quite a bit on steep climbs, to the point that I could climb more aggressive stuff on the Norco Sight VLT CX with the lower powered Bosch CX5. The bike’s geo matters FAR more than motor power!
If it were my bike, I would get rid of two of the buttons near the right grips — these shift through the screen, but add to confusion with four buttons in the same place.
And, as mentioned above, I recommend adding some volume reducers for the rear suspension — an inexpensive investment at only $26, but a massive upgrade! (I added 0.5, but plan to add more.)
Concern for the Future: Power, Trail Access, and Responsibility
Okay friends, it’s time to get a little philosophical. Big power numbers make great clickbait, but they don’t change physics. More importantly, they don’t change the fragile state of trail access in many places that we have worked so hard for.
We’ve fought hard for Class 1 eMTB acceptance. Turning bikes up to maximum power and blasting past hikers or horses risks setting that progress back. I strongly believe we should regulate rider behavior more than the hardware itself — but that only works if we all ride with respect.
Here are a few tips from my video about etiquette.
- Say hello.
- Communicate before passing.
- Avoid climb trails when possible (choose the fire road instead).
- Be an ambassador for the entire mountain bike community.
Trust is earned in drops and lost in buckets.
Final Verdict: A True Unicorn Daily Driver
The Pivot Shuttle AMP’d with Avinox is one of the most compelling full-power eMTBs I’ve ridden in 2026. It nails that rare combination of playful character, capable performance, thoughtful details, and genuinely enjoyable power delivery.
Despite stigmas built on poor rider etiquette, the AMP’d isn’t aspiring to be a mini motorcycle.
It’s trying to be a better mountain bike for more days of the year. And in that mission, it succeeds brilliantly.
Ride responsibly. Send features playfully. And always leave the trail better than you found it.
As always, a huge thanks to Jenson USA for sponsoring this video, and a big thanks to Pivot for loaning what has become one of my favorite e-bikes!
And, thank you for tagging along, reading, watching, and engaging in the comments. It’s always fun to turn this monologue into a dialogue! The team at JKW couldn’t do it without your continued support.
On that note, anything you purchase through the links on the site will help support our media team at no additional cost to you… whether a full ebike, new bike jersey, or bottle of chain lube. Thank you!
Peace & Wheelies,
Jeff 🚴
