High-pivot mountain bikes are pretty easy to spot. The main pivot sits unusually high, there is an extra pulley hanging around the drivetrain, and the whole setup looks slightly more complicated than it probably needs to be.
At least, that was my first impression.
Then I started seeing more and more racers run high pivot bikes, and companies were pumping them out. Was it just marketing? Adopting the next new thing? Eventually, I wanted to know if all that rearward axle-path magic actually made a difference for someone who was not racing World Cups but still liked riding fast, rough trails.
That curiosity eventually landed me on a 2024 Forbidden Dreadnought V2, which I have now owned for two years. I’ve ridden it across the Front Range, taken it to plenty of bike parks, swapped the stock air shock for a coil, and spent enough time on it to figure out where high-pivot suspension is genuinely awesome, and where it adds complexity without providing much real benefit.
TPC already has a great technical introduction to the pros and cons of high-pivot mountain bikes. This guide goes a little deeper into what the design actually feels like on the trail, using my Dreadnought as the real-world test case.
Contents:
- My Dreadnought V2 at a Glance
- What Is a High-Pivot Mountain Bike?
- Why High-Pivot Bikes Need an Idler
- What a High-Pivot Bike Feels Like
- Air Shock vs. RockShox Vivid Coil
- High-Pivot Maintenance
- High-Pivot Bike Noise
- Dreadnought V2 vs. YT Capra Mullet
- High-Pivot Advantages
- High-Pivot Disadvantages
- Who Should Buy a High-Pivot Bike?
- Buying a Used High-Pivot Bike
- High-Pivot MTB FAQs
- Would I Buy the Dreadnought Again?
My Forbidden Dreadnought V2 at a Glance
Bike: 2024 Forbidden Dreadnought V2 Tier 1
Frame size: S2
Rider height: 5’10”
Rider weight: 160 pounds
Reach: 450mm
Suspension: 160mm rear / 170mm front
Wheel size: Full 29”
Tires: Maxxis Assegai front / Minion DHR II rear
Current shock: RockShox Vivid Coil Ultimate RC2T
Spring: 350 pounds
Weight: Approximately 36 pounds with pedals before adding the coil, without a full water bottle
Best for: Fast, rough enduro trails and bike-park riding
Forbidden positions the Dreadnought as a 160mm-rear/170mm-front enduro and bike-park bike, with the choice of full 29-inch or mixed wheels. Its S2 frame uses a 450mm reach, which has worked really well for me at 5’10”.
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What Is a High-Pivot Mountain Bike?
Most full-suspension mountain bikes position the main pivot somewhere around the top of the chainring. Depending on the suspension layout, the rear axle might move slightly backward early in the travel, but its path is generally much more vertical than what you get from a true high-pivot design.
A high-pivot bike places the main pivot much higher on the frame. That changes the direction the rear wheel moves as the suspension compresses, creating a more rearward axle path.
Think about hitting the edge of a curb. If the wheel can move backward and upward, it moves more naturally with the impact instead of trying to travel almost straight through it. On the trail, that helps the rear wheel get out of the way of square edges, roots, rocks, and holes rather than hanging up on them and slowing the bike down.
Forbidden’s Trifecta suspension takes that concept pretty far. The company says the Dreadnought’s axle follows a rearward path throughout its travel, while the lengthening rear-center is designed to stabilize the bike as it moves deeper into the suspension.
In less technical terms: as the trail gets rougher and the suspension compresses, the bike gets longer and more stable.
That is a huge part of why the Dreadnought feels the way it does.
It is also important to say that high pivot does not automatically mean good suspension. Pivot placement is only one part of the equation. Leverage rate, anti-squat, anti-rise, shock tune, geometry, wheel size, and plenty of other factors still matter.
You cannot just stick an idler pulley on any bike and call it fast. Well, you can, but it might ride terribly.
Why Do High-Pivot Bikes Need an Idler Pulley?
That extra pulley is probably the first thing most riders notice.
As the rear axle moves backward, the distance between the rear axle and chainring grows. That creates chain growth. Without a way to manage it, the chain would pull backward on the cranks as the suspension compresses, creating pedal kickback and restricting the suspension’s movement.
The solution is the idler pulley.
By routing the chain over an idler positioned close to the main pivot, designers can better separate suspension movement from the drivetrain. That allows the rear wheel to follow its rearward path without constantly trying to rotate the cranks backward.
Basically, the idler is not there because someone looked at a modern drivetrain and thought, “This needs another expensive little wheel.” It is what allows the rearward axle path to work without the chain fighting the suspension.
The common assumption is that this adds a ton of drag and noise. At least on my Dreadnought, I have not found that to be true.
I cannot feel any drivetrain drag while pedaling. The idler noise is minor enough that I never think about it. More importantly, the bike itself is almost unbelievably quiet on rough trails. I have had people comment on how silent it sounds when I ride past them, which is pretty impressive for a bike with this much chain, suspension, and stuff happening around the bottom bracket.
The practical tradeoff has been more frequent chain lubrication. On my old bike, I might have lubed the chain once a week. On the Dreadnought, I generally do it before every ride.
Not exactly a dealbreaker, but it is something I notice.
What Does a High-Pivot Bike Actually Feel Like?
Reading about axle paths and chain growth is one thing. Feeling it on the trail is another.
The high-pivot effect is not equally obvious everywhere. On smoother or slower trails, the Dreadnought mostly just feels like a big, stable enduro bike. Definitely a little sluggish, you need proper terrain and trails for it to come alive, not a surprise. The design starts making its strongest argument when the trail gets fast, rough, or both.
High-Speed Stability: Where the Dreadnought Really Shines
The easiest place to feel the difference is on any fast straightaway.
It honestly does not matter how rough the trail is. The bike just begs to keep accelerating.
The faster I go, the more settled it feels. Instead of getting nervous or starting to bounce around underneath me, the Dreadnought feels like it is dropping deeper into its job. The rear-center grows as the suspension compresses, the chassis gets more stable, and the bike keeps carrying speed.
There have been plenty of moments where I have genuinely wished the thing had a throttle. I feel like I cannot make it go fast enough.
That does not mean the bike magically erases rocks. You still feel the trail, and bad line choices are still bad line choices. But repeated impacts do not seem to knock as much momentum out of the bike. It holds a line and keeps moving forward rather than feeling like every rock is trying to steal five miles per hour.
This is the main reason I think high-pivot bikes make the most sense for long-travel enduro bikes and downhill rigs. If you regularly ride fast, rough trails or spend a lot of time at bike parks, the benefit is easy to understand.
If most of your riding consists of smooth singletrack and mellow flow trails, you may be bringing an idler pulley to a fight that never needed one. Think about those jacked up Jeeps that never see the dirt. So sad…
Rough Trails and Square Edges
The Dreadnought is happiest when the ground is trying to fight back.
Rock gardens, roots, braking bumps, holes, and repeated square edges are where it separates itself most clearly from a more conventional suspension design. The rear wheel moves with the impact, the bike maintains momentum, and I do not feel like I have to manhandle it through every ugly section.
The bike does not turn difficult trails into nothing, but it does make them feel more predictable.
That predictability is a huge part of the confidence. Once I understood how the bike wanted to move, I stopped second-guessing it. I can look farther ahead, stay centered, and let the rear wheel deal with more of the trail underneath me.
It is the kind of bike that makes bad ideas start looking pretty reasonable.
Cornering
High-pivot bikes often get described as straight-line plows, but cornering is actually one of the Dreadnought’s strongest traits for me.
It handles loose corners really well, and built-up berms are probably where I feel most confident. I can attack a sharp bermed corner, load the bike hard, and trust that the rear tire is going to stay underneath me.
Some of that comes down to fit. I am very comfortable on the S2 frame, and the 450mm reach puts me in a position where I feel centered without being stretched out. But the stability and rear-wheel traction help too.
The bike feels planted without requiring me to wrestle it through the corner. I can push into the berm, carry speed, and let the suspension compress without the chassis becoming unpredictable.
Where my old mullet YT Capra had an advantage was on tighter, slower trails. The smaller rear wheel made it easier to snap through quick direction changes, and it felt a little more natural in very tight terrain.
The Dreadnought can still ride those trails. It just wants a little more room, and preferably more speed. I am also a big believer that it takes about a season of riding to truly get comfortable on a bike. After having the Dreadnought for 2 years, I am now starting to see the signs, more PRs on segments, faster times altogether.
It’s funny, I felt like maybe I was becoming a slower rider for a while. I had my Pivot Firebird for about 4 years, and that bike is where I had all my fastest times, I could never replicate them on bikes after (not owning the same bike for over a year did this). Now that I am comfortable on the Dreadnought, I am finally catching up to those times. Phew.
Braking
Under hard braking, the Dreadnought mostly does its job without drawing attention to itself.
I have never noticed the rear end doing anything weird, losing traction unexpectedly, or pitching the bike around. It stays composed through braking bumps and rough entries, and the rear wheel continues tracking the ground.
Forbidden says its suspension uses anti-rise to help counter fork dive and keep the chassis more stable under heavy braking. I cannot say I actively feel a specific anti-rise percentage while riding, because I am not a robot, but I can say the bike feels calm when I am braking hard into rough terrain. The Maven’s help in that area too, big time.
Honestly, “nothing weird happens” is a pretty good compliment for suspension behavior under braking.
Jumping: The Biggest Adjustment
Jumping took the longest to figure out.
My YT Capra mullet felt very natural in the air. It was playful, easy to preload, and happy to pop off pretty much anything. The Dreadnought felt different because the rear of the bike effectively lengthens as the suspension compresses.
At first, my normal jumping position did not feel quite right. I was used to being more balanced or slightly forward as I set up for a takeoff. On the Dreadnought, I found that I needed to start with my weight a little farther back and be more deliberate about how I loaded the bike.
The timing felt strange. It was almost like the rear wheel was moving away from me as I compressed into the lip. That took some learning.
Now, after two years, I am completely comfortable jumping it. I do not have to consciously think about the setup anymore. But it was definitely the part of the bike that required the biggest adjustment.
That is something worth knowing before buying a high-pivot bike. It may not immediately feel like the bike you came from, especially if your previous ride was a playful mullet.
It is not necessarily harder to jump. It just wants to be loaded differently.
Manuals and Lifting the Front Wheel
Surprisingly, manuals have not been an issue at all.
The Dreadnought is easy to get onto the back wheel, and it might actually feel easier than my Capra did. That could also be because I have gotten better at manuals over the last few years, which is a less exciting explanation but probably at least partly true.
Either way, I do not find the high-pivot layout makes the front wheel difficult to lift. Once you understand the bike’s balance point, it comes up without much drama.
Why I Chose Full 29-Inch Wheels
The Dreadnought can be configured with full 29-inch wheels or as a mixed-wheel bike through its modular dropout system.
I went full 29 because I wanted maximum speed and rollover. Efficiency!
My Capra was a mullet, and I liked how playful it felt. The smaller rear wheel made tight trails, jumps, and steep terrain really fun. But for the Dreadnought, I wanted to lean fully into what the bike was designed to do.
The two 29-inch wheels help it roll through rocks, hold speed, and stay calm when the trail gets rough. Combined with the rearward axle path, the full-29 setup gives the bike that “just keep going faster” personality.
Would the mixed-wheel setup make it easier to snap through tight turns and move around in the air? Probably.
Do I want to give up the speed of the full 29er? Not really.
How Does It Climb?
Let’s be honest: this is not a fast climbing bike.
It weighs around 36 pounds before the coil shock, and there is no hiding the fact that it is a long-travel enduro bike with big tires. You are not going to accidentally win an XC race on it.
But it gets me to the top without a problem. And that’s all I really care about.
What it lacks in outright speed, it makes up for with traction. The rear wheel stays glued to the ground, and I can clean technical climbing sections surprisingly well. On loose rocks, roots, and awkward moves, the suspension remains controlled and gives the tire plenty of grip.
I also do not notice any meaningful drag from the idler. The bike feels heavy because it is a big enduro bike, not because the drivetrain feels like it is fighting me.
For the riding I do, that is enough. I do not need it to sprint uphill. I need it to get me to the top so I can ride back down.
Mission accomplished.
Air Shock vs. RockShox Vivid Coil
The biggest change I have made to the bike was replacing the stock air shock (RockShox Vivid Ultimate) with a RockShox Vivid Coil Ultimate RC2T.
I have not always loved coil shocks in the past, so I did not necessarily expect it to transform the bike. But on the Dreadnought, the Vivid Coil has been an awesome upgrade. I mainly did this because I heard good things about coils on this bike and I like to tinker.
Small-bump sensitivity is noticeably better. The rear wheel feels more willing to move through little chatter, roots, and braking bumps, and the bike tracks the ground even more effectively than it did with the air shock.
The surprising part is that it also feels livelier.
Coil shocks sometimes get associated with a dead, glued-to-the-ground feel. The Vivid does not feel like that. It maintains the traction and smoothness I wanted, but the bike still has enough support to pump, pop, and move around.
I am running a 350-pound spring. At 160 pounds, I sit near the boundary between spring recommendations, and I chose the firmer option because I ride aggressively and prefer the extra support. Forbidden’s published Dreadnought setup guide also places a 350-pound spring in the range for riders around my weight.
Forbidden Dreadnought Coil Spring-Rate Guide
Forbidden’s suggested spring-rate starting points:
| Rider Weight | Recommended Spring Weight |
|---|---|
| 130–145 lb | 250 lb |
| 145–160 lb | 300 lb |
| 160–175 lb | 350 lb |
| 175–190 lb | 400 lb |
| 190–205 lb | 450 lb |
| 205–220 lb | 500 lb |
It might sound light for a bike this big, but it works extremely well.
My only real complaint is adjuster access. The shock placement makes the rebound adjuster harder to reach than it should be. It is not something I change constantly, but when I do need to make an adjustment, it can be a pain.
A small complaint. Still a complaint.
Is High-Pivot Maintenance Really Worse?
Yes and no.
The Dreadnought has more going on around the suspension and drivetrain than a simpler conventional bike. There is an idler, a longer chain, extra hardware, and a linkage layout that creates more little areas for dirt to hide.
Cleaning it is more annoying. It is not dramatically more time-consuming, but some areas are harder to reach because of the suspension layout. You have to pay a little more attention instead of blasting the bike with water and calling it good.
Chain lubrication is the one maintenance task I do noticeably more often. I lube the chain before almost every ride, compared to roughly once a week on my previous bike.
But the idler itself has been a non-issue.
After two years, I have never serviced or replaced the idler or its bearing. I have not noticed unusual tooth wear, bearing play, chain wear, or any other problem. It just keeps doing its job.
That has been one of the biggest surprises. People often talk about idlers as if they are ticking maintenance bombs. My experience has been much less dramatic.
Keep the drivetrain clean, lube the chain, and ride the bike.
Is a High-Pivot Bike Noisy?
Mine is not.
The idler makes a small amount of drivetrain noise, but it is not distracting and I do not mind it in the least. On rough descents, the Dreadnought is one of the quietest bikes I have ridden.
People have actually commented on how silent it sounds as I ride past. Neato.
That quietness matters more than it might seem. A silent bike feels composed. You are not hearing the chain slap, cables rattle, and frame protection get hammered every time the trail gets rough. You can focus on your line instead of wondering what just fell off.
A quiet bike feels fast.
This one feels very fast.
Dreadnought V2 vs. YT Capra Mullet
The Dreadnought replaced my YT Capra mullet, and the two bikes have very different personalities.
The Capra was more naturally playful. It was great on jumps, easy to move around on tight trails, and handled very steep terrain well. The mixed-wheel setup made it easier to change direction quickly and move the rear wheel around.
The Dreadnought is the better bike when speed and rough terrain are the priority.
It is more stable, carries momentum better, and gives me more confidence in loose corners and repeated impacts. It also feels calmer when the trail gets fast enough that mistakes start having real consequences.
Neither approach is universally better.
The Capra made more sense for riders who want a playful, quick-handling bike that is easy to throw around. The Dreadnought makes more sense for riders who want to attack rough terrain and keep adding speed.
I miss the Capra sometimes when I am riding tight trails or spending a full day jumping.
Then I hit a rough straightaway on the Dreadnought and forget all about it.
High-Pivot Mountain Bike Advantages
From my experience, the biggest advantages are:
- Excellent high-speed stability
- Better momentum through repeated impacts
- Strong traction on rough and loose terrain
- Confidence in fast berms and loose corners
- A predictable, composed feel when the suspension is loaded
- Reduced drivetrain feedback through rough sections
- A quieter ride than the complicated layout might suggest
- The ability to keep attacking when a conventional bike might begin feeling nervous
High-Pivot Mountain Bike Disadvantages
The compromises are real too:
- More frequent chain lubrication
- More complicated cleaning around the idler and linkage
- Additional drivetrain and suspension hardware
- More weight than many conventional trail or enduro bikes
- A learning curve when jumping and preloading the suspension
- Potentially slower handling on tight trails
- Shock adjusters can be difficult to access depending on the frame layout
- The benefits are much less meaningful on smooth or slower terrain
Who Should Buy a High-Pivot Mountain Bike?
In my opinion, high-pivot bikes make the most sense as long-travel enduro bikes and downhill bikes.
That is where the suspension design has enough speed, travel, and rough terrain to really work. Riders who regularly seek steep enduro trails, bike-park laps, rock gardens, braking bumps, and high-speed terrain are the ones most likely to appreciate the difference.
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A high-pivot bike might be right for you if:
- You prioritize descending over climbing speed
- You regularly ride rough and technical terrain
- You race enduro or downhill
- You spend a lot of time at bike parks
- You value stability and traction over minimum weight
- You do not mind a little extra drivetrain maintenance
- You frequently feel like conventional bikes get nervous at the speeds you want to ride
I would think twice if:
- Most of your riding is smooth or lower speed
- You prioritize climbing efficiency and low weight
- You want the most playful bike possible
- You spend most of your time on tight switchbacks and mellow flow trails
- You hate cleaning complicated suspension layouts
- You want a bike that immediately feels familiar in the air
High-pivot suspension is not necessary for everyone. On a short-travel trail bike or XC bike, I would personally rather have the simplicity and lower weight of a conventional design.
But on a long-travel bike intended for rough, fast terrain? It makes a very convincing argument.
Buying a Used High-Pivot Mountain Bike
Buying a used high-pivot bike is not scary, but there are a few additional components worth inspecting.
Check the idler teeth for hooked or uneven wear. Spin the idler and feel for roughness or play in the bearing. Look closely at the chain, cassette, chainring, upper guide, and lower chain guide because high-pivot drivetrains use a longer and more complicated chain path.
Also inspect:
- Main-pivot and linkage bearings
- Chainstay and seatstay protection
- Areas where the chain passes close to the frame
- Rear derailleur setup
- Shock and fork service history
- Frame damage around major pivot locations
- Replacement idler availability
- Unusual drivetrain noise
The idler is basically another drivetrain component. It gets dirty, it can wear out, and it should not feel like it is full of gravel.
The good news is that mine has required essentially no idler-specific maintenance in two years.
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High-Pivot Mountain Bike FAQs
Do high-pivot mountain bikes climb well?
They can climb perfectly well, but many high-pivot bikes are long-travel enduro or downhill-focused machines, so weight and aggressive geometry are usually more noticeable than the suspension design itself.
My Dreadnought is not fast uphill, but it pedals consistently and has excellent traction on technical climbs.
Does the idler create noticeable drag?
I do not feel any noticeable drivetrain drag on my Dreadnought. The bike is heavy, but it does not feel like the idler is stealing meaningful power.
Are high-pivot bikes harder to jump?
Not necessarily, but they may require an adjustment in technique. On the Dreadnought, I needed to start with my weight farther back and change how I loaded the bike into the lip.
Once I adapted, jumping felt completely normal.
Are high-pivot bikes harder to manual?
My Dreadnought is not difficult to manual. It may actually feel easier than my previous Capra, although some of that could be me improving as a rider.
Do high-pivot bikes require more maintenance?
Slightly. I lubricate the chain more frequently and cleaning around the linkage takes more effort. However, I have not needed to service or replace my idler in two years.
Are high-pivot bikes only for downhill and enduro?
No, but that is where their advantages are easiest to feel. The rougher and faster the terrain, the more useful the rearward axle path becomes. There is a reason the new Reya is not a high-pivot.
Is the Forbidden Dreadnought V2 a good climber?
It is a capable climber, not a fast one. The traction is excellent, and it handles technical climbing sections better than its weight might suggest.
Is a coil shock better on the Dreadnought?
For me, yes. The RockShox Vivid Coil improved small-bump sensitivity and traction while making the bike feel livelier than it did with the stock air shock.
Would I Buy the Dreadnought Again?
One hundred percent.
I plan to keep this bike for as long as it lasts. When the time eventually comes to replace it, there is a very good chance I will buy the same thing again, just in a new color.
That is probably the strongest review I can give it.
High-pivot suspension is not magic, and it does not make every trail better. The Dreadnought is not the fastest climber, the simplest bike to clean, or the most immediately natural bike on jumps. A lighter, more conventional bike would make more sense for plenty of riders.
But when the trail gets fast, rough, loose, and slightly questionable, the Dreadnought starts making a very convincing argument for that extra pulley.
It holds speed. It holds a line. It stays quiet. And no matter how fast I go, it always feels like it wants more.
I just need Forbidden to add the throttle.
