The brand new Rocky Mountain Altitude – First Ride – mountain bike feature

The Rocky Mountain Altitude has a track record that needs no introduction, with a handful of EWS wins and an overall title in 2022. The new Altitude was spotted in the wild by the Rocky Mountain Gravity team last year and seems to be working quite well good for the team. Looking at the finer details of the new bike, it appears that time was well spent, as the attention to detail throughout the frame ticks all the boxes you would want or expect from a race-ready enduro bike.

Highlights

• 63.5 degree head tube angle (neutral setting)
• 76.9 degree seat tube angle (neutral setting)
• 160 mm (6.3 inches) of travel at the rear wheel // 170 mm (6.7 inches) of travel at the fork
• LC2R suspension platform
• Size-specific shock tunes
• Internal storage space in the down tube
• 4-way adjustable flip chip
• Headset cups with adjustable reach
• 29-inch/mixed wheel compatible
• Full length down tube protection
• Fully enclosed internal cable routing
• Molded chainstay guard
• Threaded bottom bracket
• 148 x 12mm boost pitch
• Universal derailleur hanger (UDH)
• Sizes: S-XL
• MSRP: $3,999 – $10,999 ($6,899 as tested)

Frame details

Looking at the frame, the most obvious change is the lower link-driven suspension platform, new to the Altitude but not the Rocky Mountain. The LC2R platform has been revived from the past, first introduced on the Slayer in 2006 and last seen on the Flatline downhill bike in 2014. The Altitude now uses the design to shift the weight as much as possible within the frame, minimizing pedal kickback and adding additional rigidity to the frame. The new frame is as customizable as ever, everything from geometry angles to dimensions to wheel sizes can be changed, although the Ride9 system has been ditched in favor of the easier Ride4 geometry adjustment. A reach-adjustable headset allows for 10mm of overall adjustment to personalize the fit, and wheel sizes can be swapped between full 29-inch or mixed wheel sizes via a flip chip in the lower connector. The carbon frame now features a downtube storage compartment with an easy-to-use latch to open and close the door, which houses a super smart AirTag placeholder on the bottom. The large opening provides enough space to fit the two included storage bags and any other items you need for an enduro race or all-day adventure.

LC2R suspension

geometry

If you value fine-tuning, the Altitude is a good option. The bike ships in the most neutral setting, but the more aggressive end could be useful for riders more focused on parks, while the steeper setting is probably best suited to riders with more technical terrain and pedals.

Kits

The Altitude is offered in eight different configurations in both carbon and aluminum. The five carbon configurations range from $10,999 to $5,699, while the three aluminum options range from $5,699 to $3,999. I received an Altitude 70 test bike that retails for $6,899 and comes with a very well thought out kit for that price. Suspension is provided by a RockShox ZEB Select+ fork at the front and a SuperDeluxe Ultimate fork at the rear, both of which have high and low speed compression settings with low speed rebound. The brakes and drivetrain are a full Shimano Deore XT package with 4-piston brakes paired with 200mm rotors and a 12-speed XT drivetrain including cranks. The wheelset is based on RaceFace Arc30 aluminum rims with an in-house brand front hub and a DT Swiss 370 ratchet hub at the rear. WTB equips the saddle with a 200mm RaceFace dropper seat post to be able to ride it up and down. A Raceface turbine handlebar and a stem complete the kit.

Although it’s not a top-of-the-line kit, the 70-speed kit on my test bike leaves little to be desired in terms of performance. Rocky Mountain seems to have put their money where it counts with this kit. I appreciated the little touches, like a 370 hub at the rear instead of a matching in-house brand and an Ultimate shock to maintain the same settings as the fork. Other notable details include the CushCore inserts pre-installed right out of the box, which is very handy for an enduro road bike or just protecting your investment. It may not have the bling factor of top-of-the-line components, but the stealth colorway looks even better in person and it feels like nothing is lost when it comes to on-piste performance.

Pricing

• Altitude Carbon 99 / $10,999 / $15,499 CAD
• Altitude Carbon 90 Rally Edition / $9,999 USD / $12,299 CAD
• Altitude Carbon 70 / $6,899 / $8,899 CAD
• Altitude Carbon 70 Spool / $7,199 / $9,299 CAD
• Altitude Carbon 50 / $5,699 USD / $7,299 CAD
• Altitude Alloy 70 Coil / $5,699 USD / $6,999 CAD
• Altitude Alloy 50 / $4,799 / $5,599 CAD
• Altitude Alloy 30 / $3,999 / $4,799 CAD
• Altitude Carbon Frameset / $4,099 / $4,999 CAD

Summary of the first trip

My time aboard the new Altitude was limited to just a handful of rides, but I had enough time to get the bike into a comfortable configuration and get some first impressions from the top. From the first run, the front of the bike felt spacious and required a forward riding position, resulting in a restless rear wheel. I rolled the handlebars back slightly to counteract the long reach and put more pressure on the rear wheel, but the front wheel still felt far away. Thanks to the reach-adjustable headset cups, I was able to go 5mm shorter in just a few minutes to shift my weight slightly back and get me into a more upright position. This helped settle the rear of the bike better and got me further into the rear wheel travel. Because my weight was more centrally placed on the bike, the pressure on both wheels felt much more balanced and I was able to concentrate on riding comfortably. With everything in the right place, my second set of runs was great and the handling was far more predictable than before.

A noticeable amount of lateral flexibility in the frame had me wondering early on whether it would twist in corners and throw me the wrong way under heavy load. It took a few laps to gain confidence, but I started pushing harder in corners and found the frame’s torsional flexibility increasing greatly to create a solid foundation after loading. The off-the-top flex proved particularly beneficial in off-camber sections, where it felt effortless to hold the line through choppy waves and over roots. I felt the bike really shined in these scenarios and confidence was boosted when choosing lines.

After a bit of adjustment and a basic understanding of what the bike is all about, the Altitude seems capable of back-to-back days on varied terrain thanks to the comfort built into the frame and suspension. The forgiving compliance of the frame coupled with the slight off-the-top feel of the suspension seems to be an advantage when riding while fatigued, where mistakes are more likely to occur. On the other hand, the way the frame and suspension provide greater support to the rider would be equally beneficial when loading. The only problem I had was that the main connection around the bottom bracket came loose after about eight laps. This may be a problem that has been corrected once and does not recur after retightening, or may reoccur and require careful monitoring to maintain compression. Luckily, Rocky Mountain provides a tool for tightening the main pivot interface to avoid a trip to the bike shop when it needs service. Overall, my first impression of the bike was mostly positive and it seems to be a step in the right direction for the further development of the Altitude and for their racing program.

For more information about the new Altitude, see Rocky Mountain Website.

About the tester

Jonathan Simonetti – Age: 30 // Years of MTB rider: 21 // Height: 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) // Weight: 230 pounds (97.5 kg)

Jonny started mountain biking in 2003 after a trip to Northstar showed him how much more you can ride on 26-inch wheels than a BMX bike. He started racing downhill in 2004 and raced for twelve years until he finally decided that having fun on the bike was more important than race results. Having worked in the industry for a number of years as a mechanic and developing a deeper understanding of the interior and exterior of bikes, he has a knack for combining his riding skills with analyzing bikes and breaking down what makes them perform well. He spends most of his time between horseback rides and skate park sessions, occasionally on the downhill bike.