Pivot set the stage for electric mountain bikes with the Shuttle, and now it’s time for gravel. Their newest addition, the E-Vault, builds on their successful Vault gravel platform, only with the addition of a motor and a battery.
While Pivot tapped one of the top MTB electric drive systems for their Shuttle with Shimano STEPS, this time they enlisted Fazua for the task. Why? That’s because the Fazua Evation 2.0 system offers unique advantages for a road or gravel e-bike. Essentially two bikes in one, both the battery and the drivepack can be removed from the bike and it can still be ridden with minimal weight penalty.
Once removed, you can install an optional downtube cover to prevent the battery/drivepack chamber from getting dirty, and the bike will be about 3kg/6.6lbs lighter. When removed, all that’s left is the bottom bracket part of the system which is said to have little impact on the pedaling efficiency of the bike. Perfect for days where you want to do all of the work yourself.
But on days where you need a little boost, you can install the 252Wh battery and 250W drivepack to harness 55 Nm of torque for pedal assist up to 28mph in the U.S. Charging the battery is said to take around 3.5h for a full charge, and you can carry a range extender for longer rides.
The system can be controlled through the integrated Evation Bluetooth remote on the top tube, or you can connect to the system through your smart phone or many GPS computers and wearables.
One of the other advantages of the Fazua system is that it doesn’t look as obviously like an e-bike as other systems. That means the E-Vault frame includes many of the same features as the standard Vault including their clever seat tube design.
Dropper post? More compliant rigid post? Why not both? That’s exactly what their ISO FLEX seat post tech offers with the ability to run both 27.2mm or 30.9mm seat post diameters. Between the frame and the post is a a vibration isolating device for compliance, yet the option to run a 30.9mm seat post allows for use of more durable dropper post designs.
Without a bulky drive system, the frame offers plenty of room for bottles and even a top tube accessory mount for their Phoenix Tool System. The frame also includes hidden fender mounts, with stock bikes coming with 700c x 32mm Maxxis Re-Fuse tires.
Available in five sizes, each frame offers size specific carbon layups to ensure consistent ride quality across the range.
Sold in two colors and a single high end Shimano GRX Di2 build, the E-Vault is priced at $9,999 and is available now in all sizes.
