Rocky Mountain fine-tunes the classics | Ride MTB

Rocky Mountain fine-tunes the classics

Can you improve classics like an Element, Altitude or Slayer? Yes, you can, because the Canadians are carrying out the finest model maintenance on their iconic fully platforms. Here is an overview of what the bikes from the Element, Thunderbolt, Instinct, Pipeline, Altitude and Slayer model ranges will look like in the coming model year.

Today's Element, equipped with 120 millimetres of travel at the front and 100 at the rear, is the result of decades of experience. The 29er Element offers improved suspension performance, revised geometry, clever geometry adjustment options and space for two bottles in the frame triangle. Two 2019 model year versions are already available in Switzerland, the Element Carbon 70 and 50, both in the cool Fox Racing Orange colorway.

The new Thunderbolt is Rocky Mountain's version of a perfect cross-country trail bike. With the Thunderbolt, the Canadians have expanded the product range with a 27.5" carbon frame with 130 millimeters of travel. Stiffer and with improved suspension kinematics, the Thunderbolt offers space for a whole armada of new features without losing the familiar playfulness and RIDE-9TM adjustment options. The Thunderbolt feels just as at home on technical climbs as it does on rough descents and overcomes any obstacle that gets in your way.

The Thunderbolt BC Edition really gets down to business, as the shock and fork provide 140 millimetres of suspension travel. The Thunderbolt BC Edition is equipped with wider handlebars, wide tires, ultra-stiff rims and better suspension forks and shocks. It also comes with the usual RIDE-9TM adjustment options to be perfectly equipped for any terrain.

Stable and aggressive, the Instinct is the cult manufacturer's most versatile trail bike. 29-inch tires paired with a range of RIDE-9TM adjustment options - the new Instinct is available as a carbon or aluminum version. The redesigned frame opens up 140 millimetres of rear travel, provides increased stiffness and optimizes the shock kinematics. In addition to the extra suspension travel, the product managers have placed a particular focus on more efficient climbing characteristics and better responsiveness.

The Instinct is also available in a BC Edition, which Rocky Mountain calls a trail monster born in British Columbia. The Instinct BC Edition is equipped with a special rocker to enable 155 millimetres of suspension travel and ultra-aggressive geometry. It also comes with wider handlebars, wide tires and premium shock and fork. "No matter which line you choose, no trail is too steep and no obstacle too big for this monster. At the same time, it offers the usual exceptional climbing characteristics that make our Instinct so popular," says Corinne Iten from Swiss Rocky Mountain distributor Chris Sports.

The new Pipeline combines the safety feeling of 27.5" plus tires in technically demanding terrain with an aggressive trail chassis. The rear suspension travel of the redesigned Pipeline frame has been increased to 140 millimetres - and the rear triangle has greater stiffness and optimized damper kinematics with more efficient pedalling and promises improved responsiveness. Available in carbon or aluminum, the Pipeline is able to roll effortlessly over slippery roots, plow around rock gardens and find almost limitless traction on the toughest climbs. As before, the Pipelin also feels at home with 29er wheels if required.

The Altitude is a well-known name among connoisseurs - and the concept of this bike is "often copied, but never equaled", Rocky Mountain says about the classic with 27.5" tyres with 160 millimetres at the front and 150 millimetres at the rear. For 2018, the engineers have created a completely new frame to increase stiffness and improve pedaling efficiency and shock resistance. Now available in carbon and aluminum models, the Altitude's RIDE-9 system allows unprecedented adjustability for any terrain - from the clay of British Columbia, to worn EWS trails and flowing jumps in New Zealand, to Moab's slickrock singletrack.

The new Slayer is and remains an enduro rocket. Its successes on the toughest EWS courses speak for themselves. The new 27.5" carbon Slayer with 170 millimetres of travel at the front and 165 millimetres at the rear combines downhill qualities and almost frightening speeds with surprisingly efficient climbing characteristics. The Canadians recommend the Slayer as reliable and perfect for endless laps in the park and for big mountain lines.

www.bikes.com


Note: This content has been automatically translated from German. Please report any incorrect translations.