This is the e-bike you park next to your Porsche, not your Corolla.
Many e-bikes are all about accessibility: helping riders find a new pedal-powered path with a little boost. But with its stealthy carbon layup, electronic shifting, and — cough — $10,000 price tag, Pivot’s new E-Vault isn’t about giving just anyone a (literal) leg up.
No, the E-Vault has a touch of the elite — made by a high-end mountain bike brand for consumers who sort their online shopping lists by price highest to lowest, not vice versa.
But for the price, riders receive a premium-build hardtail to tackle urban commutes and gravel rides with equal aplomb and style. What’s more, Pivot designed the E-Vault to ride like a non-electric bike when the battery is disengaged — no structural snafus or pedal resistance (as can be the case on many other e-bikes).
Looking for a budget build on this model? Look elsewhere. Pivot specifically designed the E-Vault at one spec and construction level: premium. No extra options, no added bells or whistles (sadly, there really is no bell). Just one very sleek, very expensive bike.
Pivot E-Vault E-Bike
Really, the only choice you can make with the E-Vault is color — black or green. After that, your work is done.
For $9,999, you get a full-carbon hardtail with Shimano GRX Di2 electronic shifting and clearance for beefy 47c treads (at 650b; the E-Vault is specced with 700c wheels and 32c tires but can clear up to 45c). As a riff on the brand’s non-electric Vault, the E-Vault was designed to tackle “uneven city streets, primitive gravel roads, rocky pavements or hardpacked singletrack,” according to Pivot.
If your ride goals are less about the look and more about the gnar, Pivot has your back. You can run a gravel suspension fork and dropper post.
During the brand’s test rides, the E-Vault’s 250Wh battery (powering a Fazua Evation motor) lasted about 45-50 miles and 3,000 feet of climbing, though Pivot notes actual battery charge varies based on terrain, assist level (1-3), and rider and gear weight. Pedal-assist tops out at 28 mph.
With the battery, the full build weighs 29 pounds. Without it, the brand said the bike will drop to about 23 pounds — that’s a whale for a carbon bike, but not un-rideable if you wish to pedal a “normal” bike.
Finally, Pivot touts the E-Vault as, “one of the most customizable and intuitive rides on the market.” That’s because riders can customize the electric shifting and power output, and integrate personal, fitness, and bike data.
Got a cool $10K in your pocket and want to learn more? The Pivot E-Vault is now available here.
