New 140mm travel trail bike features carbon or alloy frame options
The Rocky Mountain Instinct is the brand’s new trail bike with 140mm of rear suspension travel, adjustable geometry and size-specific shock tunes.
The bike is available with either an aluminium or carbon fibre frame, with the carbon frame using the brand’s Smoothwall composite construction.
Prices start at $2,899 / $3,369 CAD for the base Instinct Alloy 10, with the Instinct Carbon 99 topping the range at $11,599 / 15,499 CAD.
The carbon fibre frameset is also available separately, but pricing is yet to be confirmed.
Feature-packed frameset
Rocky Mountain says the aluminium version of the bike is manufactured using its Form Alloy, which uses individually designed tubes throughout the front and rear triangle.
The carbon fibre frame is, naturally, lighter, and uses the brand’s Smoothwall construction technique. This is claimed to offer an industry-leading stiffness-to-weight ratio by eliminating excess resin and fibres by using rigid internal moulds instead of air bladders.
A four-bar Smoothlink suspension linkage features on all bikes. Rocky Mountains says this provides maximum comfort and traction.
Alongside this, each size in the range receives a custom suspension tune. Rocky Mountain says this aids small-bump compliance, mid-stroke support and end-of-stroke progression.
Rocky Mountain has given both framesets its Ride-4 geometry adjustment, enabling you to choose between four configurations by swapping the flip-chip on both sides of the linkage.
There is also a two-position rear thru-axle that gives you the option of shortening or lengthening your chainstays by 10mm depending on your preference.
As with many modern trail bikes, the Instinct now features downtube frame storage. Dubbed the PenaltyBox 2.0, this is accessed via a door on the inside of the downtube, which also doubles as the down tube bottle cage.
Unlike some manufacturers, Rocky Mountain opted for integrated headset cable routing. Instead, the cable enters the frame on the downtube and is fully enclosed within the frame, which many mechanics will appreciate.
All-round geometry
The Instinct is available in four sizes ranging SM to XL in the 29in guise, and the two sizes ranging XS to SM in 27.5in.
All size bikes feature a 64-degree head angle in the neutral position. This can be s;aclemed to 63.5 degrees or steepened to 64.3 degrees using the Ride-4 geometry adjust.
Rocky Mountain has steepened the seat angle to 77 degrees.
Reach measurements are very similar to the previous Instinct, with a medium-sized, 29in model measuring 455mm compared to 456mm.
Rocky Mountain Instinct spec and price
Rocky Mountain Instinct Alloy 10
- Fork: RockShox Recon Silver RL, 150mm
- Shock: RockShox Deluxe Select
- Drivetrain: Shimano CUES 11-speed
- Brakes: Tektro HD-M275
- Wheels: Rocky Mountain TR30 Tubeless
- Tyres: Maxxis Dissector 2.4 WT EXO
- Price: $2,899 / $3,369 CAD
Rocky Mountain Instinct Alloy 50
- Fork: Fox 36 Float Performance, 150mm
- Shock: Fox Float X Performance
- Drivetrain: Shimano XT
- Brakes: Shimano MT6120 4 Piston
- Wheels: WTB ST Light i30 TCS 2.0 Tubeless
- Tyres: Maxxis Dissector 2.4 WT EXO
- Price: $4,599 / $5,699 CAD
Rocky Mountain Instinct Carbon 30
- Fork: Marzocchi Z2 Float, 150mm
- Shock: Fox Float DPS Performance
- Drivetrain: Shimano Deore 12spd
- Brakes: Shimano MT4120 4 Piston
- Wheels: WTB ST Light i30 TCS 2.0 Tubeless
- Tyres: Maxxis Dissector 2.4 WT EXO
- Price: $4,699 / $5,999 CAD
Rocky Mountain Instinct Carbon 99
- Fork: RockShox Lyrik Ultimate Flight Attendant, 160mm
- Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate Flight Attendant
- Drivetrain: SRAM X01 Transmission
- Brakes: SRAM Code RSC 4 Piston
- Wheels: DT Swiss XMC 1501 Carbon
- Tyres: Maxxis Dissector 2.4 WT EXO
- Price: $11,599 / 15,499 CAD