Pivot Vault Gravel Bike Review: Understated Performance

Pivot Cycles Vault Gravel Bike

“While the Vault’s race-winning pedigree established its reputation, the new Vault elevates comfort and confidence to new heights. We’ve expanded our size range to ensure a perfect fit, enhancing the overall riding experience for all riders. The longer and Slacker progressive geometry not only provides stability on fast rolling gravel, but also helps to keep you composed in less civilized terrain.” – Pivot Cycles

“The new Vault is built for versatility. With our Toolshed in-frame storage system, you can keep your essentials close at hand with less clutter from bike bags, making it ideal for grab-n-go short rides or gear-laden extended tours. Compatible with both 1x and 2x drivetrains, the Vault can be customized to match your style and terrain.”

Pivot Cycles Vault Review Video

Alternative Video Link for those reading via email subscription

In this video, JOM of the Gravel Cyclist crew provides a detailed, real-world no BS review of the latest generation of the Pivot Cycles Vault.

Written Riding Experience (or see the video above)

The latest generation of the Pivot vault is a departure of the Vault of old, gone are the racier geometry and glossy liveries, replaced by a geometry design that focuses on more relaxed fun and exploration. My review sits at a lower price point of $US 5,649 with Reynolds G700 BL carbon wheels and WTB Vulpine tire/ tyres. This tier of the Vault is only surpassed by the wide range variant featuring the same spec, but with a SRAM Eagle Derailleur and 10-52T Cassette. Essentially a mullet build for $US 6,149. Certainly, still a good chunk of coin, but these bikes are nowadays considered as mid-tier for pricing, wild stuff.

You will need to consult your bike fitter or Pivot dealer to get yourself dialed in on this bike, or at least understand the geometry numbers, and figuring out what works for you. Sizing is a little odd, and I while understand this new Pivot Vault is designed as a gravel-centric adventure bike, a size small with a 55.5cm effective top tube is, different. Despite sizing down on from the recommended size medium vault, I was ultimately very happy with how the size small Vault fitted. Pivot accommodated my request to change some of the stock items such as stem length, handlebar width, etc. Unfortunately, these changes are unavailable to the consumer directly from Pivot. Thus, you will need to discuss potential component changes with your Pivot dealer, because what you see on the website spec for each size, is what you get.

Typically I would expect a bike with adventurous geometry to be a little slower turning than usual, and a little sluggish out of the saddle. That wasn’t the case here. Sure, you could argue that’s because I chose a smaller size bike, but I don’t think so. Chainstays on every size is 42cm, so it isn’t limousine long, and after an hour or two aboard the bike, everything seemed just right. This new Pivot Vault didn’t mind being chucked about the place, and it did incredibly well creeping over dodgy surfaces at slow speeds, allowing me to carefully pick my line. It also loved being pushed along at speed on pavement and on fast gravel surfaces.

Overall, this newest Pivot Vault felt very stable and capable, as you can see from some of these descending sequences in the review video above, I rode one-handed with a camera, capturing some interesting camera angles. This risky activity isn’t something I would attempt on every bike, so that alone should tell you something.

I was always happy with how the preceding generation of Pivot Vault performed, but the increased tire / tyre clearance on this new model is excellent. The combination of Pivot’s simple Isoflex system and a good amount of seatpost showing are likely helping with this bike’s ability to absorb a decent amount of the smaller bumps. However, there may be something happening with the carbon layup, but it’s hard to put a finger on. I don’t have any real tech detail on that aspect of the bike.

The wheelset specification on this model of was up in the air between receiving the review sample, and what you see on the Pivot website. The original spec wheelset was a Reynolds ATR X carbon wheelset, which provided me an opportunity to ride some other wheels on this bike. I spent a lot of time riding the Zipp 303 XPLR SW Wheelset, and the Astral Cycling Luna Carbon Wheelset. I am familiar with the upgraded Reynolds G700 BL wheelset, the current spec, but even so, I firmly believe this new Pivot Vault is screaming out for a wheel upgrade. Wheelset upgrades make the biggest single difference to the performance of any bike.

Sizing quirks and wheel choices aside, this all-new Pivot Vault is very flexible, very capable, with plenty of mounts on offer, and well-executed internal frame storage. I like the option of building this bike with a semi-integrated front end configuration, which will please many riders. This new Vault is a very good all rounder, possibly what I would consider a true all road bike for any road, paved or otherwise, and with fabulous tire clearance. Pricing is very reasonable too, particularly in this age of bikes costing an awful lot of money. Finally, while the new Vault isn’t a stunner of a bike aesthetically, it’s something different front the norm, another reason this model and brand could be worthy of your consideration. Learn more at the Pivot Cycles Website.