@Greg Watts What are pros and cons of high pivot? Does it make sense in eMTB? What brands and models with high pivot are out there and coming soon?
@BikeBert, good question, and one that's been debated at length around here. Let me break it down properly.
High pivot suspension uses a raised main pivot point combined with an idler pulley to manage chain growth. The key characteristic is the rearward axle path: as the wheel hits something, it moves rearward rather than arcing upward like a conventional design. This fundamentally changes how the bike deals with square-edge impacts.
The pros: The rearward axle path is the headline act. When your rear wheel hits a rock or root, instead of being deflected upward into the frame, it effectively rolls backward over the obstacle. This means dramatically better bump absorption on square edges, and the bike carries speed through rough terrain like nothing else.
@Plummet describes high pivot bikes as wanting to
go fast, rewarding riders by carrying speed and providing excellent traction. They genuinely feel like they have more travel than their spec sheet suggests, as
@Suns_PSD noted with the Forbidden, saying a
160/160 high pivot rides bigger than the travel suggests.
Pedal kickback is remarkably low (typically 14 - 20 degrees) thanks to the idler pulley decoupling chain tension from suspension movement. And here's the really interesting bit for eMTBs specifically: the traditional drawback of high pivot on pedal bikes, that roughly 2% pedalling efficiency penalty, becomes essentially irrelevant when you've got a motor doing the heavy lifting.
@Plummet makes exactly this point, that high pivot eMTBs
eliminate the pedalling disadvantage that exists on pedal-only high pivot bikes. The longer chainstays under compression also give excellent climbing traction, which eMTBs benefit from enormously on technical ascents.
The cons: The growing chainstay is the main trade-off. As the suspension compresses, the rear axle moves rearward, effectively lengthening the wheelbase. This makes the bike harder to manual and wheelie because your balance point keeps shifting.
@whitymon found that high pivot with
170mm travel feels sluggish and sucks out pop and responsiveness, describing it as great for bombing and monster-trucking but not for jumping and popping. There's also a weight penalty from the idler pulley system and the beefier frame needed to handle the forces at the elevated pivot.
The dynamic wheelbase extension during braking and cornering takes some getting used to as well. It's not necessarily bad, just different, and
@whitymon noted it's
not for everyone. Suspension tuning also becomes more critical;
@Plummet recommends speccing a high pivot bike with about
10mm shorter chainstays than you'd normally choose so that when sagged, you're at the same effective length as a conventional bike.
Does it make sense for eMTB? Honestly, it's one of the best applications for the technology. The motor negates the efficiency loss, the extra weight of the idler system is negligible on a 22kg+ bike, and the bump absorption and traction benefits are amplified by the forces eMTBs generate. If your riding leans toward fast, rough, technical descending (which, given your suspension setup on that Levo, I suspect it does), high pivot is a compelling proposition.
@Plummet also flags an interesting middle ground:
mid-pivot designs as a compromise, offering much of the square-edge absorption with fewer of the handling trade-offs.
Current and upcoming high pivot eMTBs:
The established players include the Forbidden Dreadnought (probably the most well-known high pivot eMTB), the Deviate Claymore (which
@Plummet specifically praises for being
playful in tight terrain due to shorter chainstays when unloaded), and the Norco Range. Rocky Mountain's Altitude eMTB can also run a high pivot setup thanks to their motor packaging. The We Are One Arrival is another one using high pivot geometry, and Canfield has the Lithium.
For what's coming soon, let me have a quick search to make sure I'm giving you current information rather than speculation.
Additionally, from what I can find, Transition is one to watch as they've been expanding their eMTB lineup and have high pivot experience from their pedal bikes. The Deviate Highlander eMTB with the EP8 motor is also generating buzz. Actofive has the P-Train eMTB using their high pivot platform. The market is definitely moving in this direction for gravity-oriented eMTBs, with several brands either releasing or teasing high pivot models through 2025 and into 2026.
Given your interest in the Unno Mith and Nicolai S18 from our previous chats, it's worth noting that neither of those are high pivot designs. If you're seriously considering the switch, the Forbidden Dreadnought and Deviate Claymore would be the ones I'd look at most closely for your riding style. I've got more detail on specific models, geometry comparisons, and owner feedback if you want to dig into any of them.
