This is what winners look like! The Rocky Mountain Altitude Rally Edition is the best enduro bike of 2021. No bike in our test was as versatile yet capable. What makes the Altitude so good and how does the bike outperform the competition?
For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best enduro bike 2021 – 13 models in review
Manufacturer’s website
The Rocky Mountain Altitude has evolved quite a bit! In 2017, it was the playful 27.5″ enduro bike that finished last at our race bike test in Finale Ligure. Now, in 2020, it is one of the most capable bikes on the market and took the top step of the EWS podium in Zermatt for its debut race. The Rally Edition is based on a carbon frame offering 160 mm travel at the rear in combination with a 170 mm travel fork up front. The Altitude rolls on 29″ wheels and alongside the proven RIDE-9 system on the shock mount to adjust the geometry and leverage ratio, there is a flip chip in the dropouts to adjust chainstay length. As befits a modern enduro bike, Rocky Mountain fit a chain guide as standard, the internally routed cables are clamped to the frame and a thick chainstay protector is fitted. All of these measures mean that Rocky Mountain is ultra-quiet. The only exception is the annoying rattling of the Shimano brake pads in the XTR brakes.
The components of the Rocky Mountain Altitude Rally Edition – High-end and well-specced
The fact that the boys and girls from Rocky Mountain know what they’re doing is evident from the tires they chose for the Altitude Rally Edition. A capable bike needs tires to match! All the better that this one rolls on MAXXIS’ burly Doubledown carcass. The remaining components are top-notch throughout. FOX Factory suspension consisting of the beefy 38 fork and FLOAT X2 shock, a Shimano XTR drivetrain and brakes with large rotors and a 170 mm dropper post. Brilliant! For the wheels, as well as for the cockpit, the Canadian brand relies on high-end Race Face parts, which fit the bike perfectly in both function and form. All these high-end bits come at a price. At € 9,900, this dream configuration of the Altitude is not a bargain.
Rocky Mountain Altitude Carbon 90 Rally Edition
€ 9,900
Specifications
Fork FOX 38 Factory GRIP2 170 mm
Rear Shock FOX FLOAT X2 Factory 160 mm
Seatpost Race Face Turbine R 170 mm
Brakes Shimano XTR 4-piston 203/203 mm
Drivetrain Shimano XTR 32/10-51
Stem Race Face Turbine R 40 mm
Handlebar Race Face Next R 780 mm
Wheelset Race Face Turbine R
Tires MAXXIS Minion DHF MaxxGrip DD/MAXXIS Minion DHR II MaxxGrip DD 2.5"/2.4"
Technical Data
Size S M L XL
Weight 14.56 kg
Wheelsize 29"
The geometry of the Rocky Mountain Altitude – Super variable.
You want it, you got it – that should be the motto when it comes to the geometry of the Altitude. With a total of two flip chips, the bike’s geometry can be adjusted extensively. The chainstay length can be changed between 438 and 448 mm without affecting any other numbers. The head and seat tube angles can, in turn, be adjusted by just under 1° from 64.4 to 65.5° and 75.4 to 75.5° respectively. The reach in size L is 474 mm in the slack setting and 486 mm in the steep setting.
| Size | S (27.5″) | M (29″) | L (29″) | XL (29″) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat tube | 380 mm | 420 mm | 445 mm | 480 mm |
| Top tube | 579 mm | 610 mm | 639 mm | 672 mm |
| Head tube | 100 mm | 95 mm | 110 mm | 125 mm |
| Head angle | 64.8° | 64.8° | 64.8° | 64.8° |
| Seat angle | 75.8° | 75.8° | 75.8° | 75.8° |
| Chainstays | 427-437 mm | 437-447 mm | 437-447 mm | 437-447 mm |
| BB Drop | 15 mm | 29 mm | 30 mm | 30 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1,171 mm | 1,217 mm | 1,249 mm | 1,285 mm |
| Reach | 428 mm | 453 mm | 478 mm | 508 mm |
| Stack | 598 mm | 622 mm | 635 mm | 649 mm |
Shorts ION SCRUB Shorts | Knee pads ION K_PACT | Shoes Specialized 2FO Roost
Relaxed, comfortable and leisurely – The Altitude is no rocket on the climbs.
The fact that the geometry numbers don’t always tell the whole truth becomes clear when you pedal uphill aboard the Rocky Mountain Altitude. The seat tube angle might look slack on paper but in reality, you sit very comfortably. The riding position is not as upright as the Nukeproof or COMMENCAL, but it’s by no means back-heavy. The chassis is designed to generate maximum traction with minimal anti-squat, so it’s always worthwhile to close the easily accessible compression lever on the shock when you’re riding up a less technical terrain. All in all, the Altitude is a capable climber and you can reach the top of every trail in a relaxed manner.
You’ll soon realize what the Rocky Mountain Altitude was designed for when the trail turns downhill and gravity takes over. This bike flattens everything in its path and swallows up all obstacles. The rear end is extremely sensitively and manages to keep the bike incredibly calm without isolating the rider too much.
Super stable, super direct, super fun – The Rocky excels on every descent.
You feel like you’re floating over the trail, yet you still know what’s happening on the ground beneath you. The Altitude Rally Edition generates an amazing amount of traction and yet the bike still offers a lot of pop as well as tons of reserves as it reaches the end of its travel – awesome! We only rode the Altitude in the slack setting and never had the impression that there was too little weight on the front wheel, even when riding flat sections. The handling is balanced, good-natured and intuitive. The Altitude implements direction changes with precision and can hold its line to within a millimetre through even the roughest terrain. This allows you to attack the trail and push the bike to its absolute limit. Quickly tighten your cornering radius to get past that rock? No problem! The Altitude rewards an active riding style but it isn’t required. No matter which trail you find yourself on, it’s just a lot of fun to ride!
How does the Altitude compare to the competition?
The Rocky Mountain Altitude’s two biggest competitors are the Nukeproof Mega 290 AL and the Trek Slash. The Mega 290 offers a little more grip than the Rocky Mountain but provides less feedback and is, therefore, less fun on moderate trails. The Best Buy, the Slash, climbs more nimbly and efficiently than the Altitude but it has trouble keeping up with the Altitude on the descents. That said, the Slash is more agile and fun, especially on flatter trails. However, for those to whom climbing is only a means to an end, with that end being fun on demanding trails, the Altitude is the better choice.
Tuning tips: bend open the brake pad springs to prevent the annoying rattling or swap them for models without cooling fins
Conclusion
The Rocky Mountain Altitude Rally Edition fully deserves winning our enduro bike group test. It excels in every situation, offering incredible amounts of traction and tons of control, together with handling that is still poppy, direct and fun. Do you want the perfect bike for every trail in the world? You’ve found it with the Rocky Mountain Altitude Rally Edition! The fact that it isn’t the fastest climber is a compromise we’re happy to accept.
Tops
- superb control in the roughest terrain
- brilliant combination of traction and pop
- balanced handling and well-specced
- variable geometry
Flops
- slower climber
- hefty price
You can find out more about at bikes.com
The test field
For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best enduro bike 2021 – 13 models in review
All bikes in test: Canyon Strive CFR (Click for review) | COMMENCAL Meta AM 29 Öhlins (Click for review) | GIANT Reign Advanced Pro 0 (Click for review) | Ibis Ripmo V2 (Click for review) | Nukeproof Mega 290 Alloy Pro (Click for review) | Propain Spindrift CF Mix Custom (Click for review) | Rocky Mountain Altitude Carbon 90 Rally Edition | Santa Cruz Megatower CC X01 Coil RSV (Click for review) | Santa Cruz Nomad CC X01 RSV (Click for review) | Specialized Enduro Expert (Click for review) | Specialized S-Works Stumpjumper EVO (Click for review) | Transition Sentinel XT (Click for review) | Trek Slash 9.8 XT (Click for review)
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Words: Photos: Christoph Bayer, Valentin Rühl, Markus Frühmann
