The market for capable, 6-inch-travel trail bikes is as jammed as an L.A. freeway on a Friday afternoon. So what does it take to rise above the fray? Enter the Rocky Mountain Altitude.
The mainstay model has evolved from a steel hardtail in the early ’90s
to today’s do-it-all 150-millimeter trail bike built around 27.5 inch wheels
and trusty four-bar suspension. Our test rig fell in the middle of the price
spectrum, arriving with a carbon frame, Fox CTD suspension, Shimano XT 2x10
drivetrain, RockShox dropper, Stan’s ZTR tubeless-ready rims and Shimano XT
Centerlock hubs laced with DT Swiss spokes and Race Face Turbine cockpit and
cranks. It’s a nice package, though ideally Rocky would offer a single-ring option
on at least one build below the wallet-draining 799 MSL. The cockpit feels a
tad busy, what with the remote suspension lockout lever, front shifter and
dropper button all jockeying for space. Then again, your thumbs never feel a
lack of purpose.
Given its B.C. birthright, I expected the Altitude to destroy any downhill
in its path so I was pleased, but not surprised, when the potpourri of rock
gardens and small drops on the trails in Laguna Beach, California, felt like
they had just been smoothed over with a butter knife as I descended. I was more
surprised that the bike ascended so well. With the shock in Trail mode, the
Altitude scooted up steep climbs with the alacrity of a bike with less travel,
the plush Smoothlink suspension
providing ample traction but no pedal bob.
The Altitude’s aptitude in either direction speaks to its geometry, which
is, well, whatever you want it to be. The shock-mount system allows for nine
different geometry and suspension rate configurations. On a size medium, the
headtube angle spans 66.6 to 68.3 degrees depending on how you adjust the chip
inserts, which also affects seat tube angle and bottom bracket drop. I opted for a 67.9-degree headtube
angle with 4.9 millimeter BB drop, resulting in a linear suspension rate. This
kept the front end from wandering on steep, prolonged climbs and, since I’m not
the mostaggressive downhiller of the bunch, the bike still felt slack enough when
gravity took over. That’s the beauty of the Altitude–it adapts to wherever the
trail, or your own progression, goes, giving you freedom to roam. Sort of like
a traffic-free drive.
PRICE 5500$
