We Tried Pedalling a 200mm Downhill Bike… and It Worked (Sort Of)

Why don’t riders pedal 200mm downhill bikes? We decided to find out the hard way. In this Pinkbike Experiment, we take a 2025 Pivot Phoenix DH frame and try to turn it into a pedal-friendly super-enduro machine. Wider gearing, a dropper post, lighter fork, a shock with a climb switch—the whole works. Does it climb? Does it descend better than an enduro bike? Or is this idea as cursed as it sounds? Follow along as we test, tweak, and ride the weirdest project we’ve built this year. 00:00 – Why Nobody Pedals 200mm Bikes 01:20 – Converting the Pivot Phoenix for Climbing 03:45 – First Test Ride: Does It Even Work? 05:12 – Upgrades: Shock, Fork & Geometry Fixes 07:30 – Final Verdict: Can a DH Bike Become a Super-Enduro? Check out the full Pinkbike Article - https://www.pinkbike.com/news/the-piv... Like Pinkbike? Try Trailforks, the best mountain bike trail mapping app. https://applink.trailforks.com/4EpG/f... Subscribe for more content from the pulse of mountain biking. Website - https://pinkbike.com Podcast - https://pinkbike.link/pbpodcast Instagram -   / pinkbike   Facebook -   / pinkbikecom