After a series of trail and enduro bike updates to its model range during Q1 2022, Pivot has revealed something for gram counting riders.

The Arizonan brand’s Les SL is now available as a V2. Designers and engineers at Pivot have reduced frame weight on the Les SL V2 – which is amazing, as the Les SL V1 was one of the lightest dedicated XC and XCO frames.

What makes the new Les SL V2’s weight reduction even more impressive is the fact that it has grown in size, to accommodate progressive geometry trends.

Read more: the best hardtail mountain bikes you can buy 

Shaped for better downhill handling

Pivot’s Les SL V2 is an ultralight carbon hardtail. Targeted at those race snakes who obsessive count grams. The size medium version rates at 800g. Not the lightest frame in class, but certainly light enough to float up double-digit percentage gradients.

Geometry changes with the new Les SL V2 are significant. The frames are longer and slacker, making them more adaptable to technically challenging XCO courses.

Pivot’s product team has steepened the seat tube angle by two degrees, while slackening the head tube by a degree. Built with a 100mm fork, the Les SL V2 sits at a 68.5-degree head angle. More telling is the increase in reach. The cockpit is now longitudinally more roomy on a size large, with a reach increase from 423- to 460mm.

All Les SL V2 frame sizes feature similarly compact 423mm chainstays, to retain agile switchback climbing and descending capability.

No Les SL V2 singlespeed option – for now…

Hydration is an issue for sprint and marathon riders. The front triangle accommodates two water bottles in the, while having adequate clearance for a tool mount under the top tube. Need to carry more gear? There is a set of bolt mounts under the down tube, too.

If you are keen to leverage all the descending ability of this Pivot’s improved frame geometry, you’ll need to source a 27.2mm dropper post.

The Les range has favoured lightweight singlespeed option, with previous iterations featuring a horizontally sliding rear dropout configuration. That’s not available with the V2, but Pivot did introduce a singlespeed specification Les in 2019, to provide the ‘one-gear-no-fear’ crowd with a solution.

Could there be a singlespeed version with the latest Pivot XC geometry on offer soon? The singlespeed crowd will certainly hope so.