Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay SL: This is the first Light E-MTB from Rocky!

Of course, when it comes to price and equipment, the Canadian cult company often makes you swallow. But in practical tests, the bikes with the maple leaf have often impressed us. The classic Altitude was a multiple favourite in the enduro testthat Altitude Powerplay put the high-end competition in its place in the last major E-Enduro comparison. Even with an aluminium chassis and inexpensive parts. And when it comes to handling, there is hardly any am Instinct Powerplay over. Few full-power e-bikes are as playful and fun to ride.

The expectations for the first Light E-MTB from Rocky Mountain were correspondingly high. Will this be the best Rocky for riding fun fans? Now the cat is out of the bag! The Canadians first present the all-mountain bike Instinct as a Light E-MTB. 150/145 millimetres of suspension travel and 29-inch wheels promise a wide range of uses. Particularly exciting: a new proprietary motor with 65 Newton metres of torque, up to 550 watts of peak power and 480 watt hours in the battery.

The Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay SL at a glance

• Motor: Rocky Mountain Dyname S4 Lite Drive System
• Battery: 480 Wh, removable
• Suspension travel: 150 mm front / 145 mm rear
• Wheel size: 29 inch (XS: 27.5 inch); Mullet compatible
• Full carbon frame or aluminium frame
• Prices: Six models between 5500 and 12 500 euros
• Frame sizes: XS - XL
• Weight: from 19.5 kilos (top model in size L, manufacturer's specification)
• Special features: Own motor, Ride-4 geo-adjustment, offset headset for +/- 5 mm reach

Dyname S4 Lite: The motor of the Instinct Powerplay SL

Rocky Mountain uses motors developed in-house throughout its e-mountainbikes. The special feature of the Dyname drives: instead of the crank directly, the units drive an idler pulley in the drive train. The Canadians want to be able to control the power particularly sensitively. With up to 108 Nm and 700 watts of peak power, the power version of the Dyname motor also delivers significantly more power than the classic drives from Bosch and Shimano.

The new Dyname S4 Lite Drive adopts the design with the drive via an idler pulley and also continues the tradition of full motor power. With 65 Newton metres and 550 watts of peak power, it offers nominally slightly more punch than the light competition from Bosch, Fazua or even TQ. In keeping with this, the battery is also somewhat larger at 480 Wh. If you want, you can significantly increase the range for extra-long rides with the Overtimepack (314 Wh / 2 kg). The integrated battery can be pulled downwards out of the frame if required.

Incidentally, the weights for the e-hardware on the Rocky are 2.26 kilograms for the motor and 2.7 kilograms for the battery. In line with its performance, the motor is also somewhat heavier than the competition from Bosch, Fazua and TQ. Compared to the Dyname Power drive (108 Nm / 700 watts / 3.22 kg), however, the Lite Drive saves almost one kilogramme. At 2.7 kg, the battery is also not extremely light, but it is significantly lighter than the battery of the Power versions from Rocky.

Close to the Instinct, maximally customisable: the geometry

The geometry of the Instinct SL is based on the Rocky Mountain obviously on the Instinct without motor (here in the test). The head and seat angles are a modern 64 and 77 degrees, the reach is 480 millimetres in size L. Unusual: The Rocky Mountain is available in a particularly wide range of sizes from XS to XL. In addition to the reach and stack, the chainstays also increase with the frame size. XS comes in 27.5 inches and with 430 millimetres at the rear, S to M have 440 millimetres and from L upwards there are 450 millimetres. If you prefer a long reach and still want short chainstays, this is the right choice. unlike the Full Power Instinct - so you're at the wrong address.

With the Ride-4-Flip-Chip in the shock rocker, both the geometry and the suspension kinematics can also be fine-tuned. The Instinct Powerplay SL also comes with an offset headset. The bike is in the neutral position ex works. However, the reach can be shortened or lengthened by five millimetres using additional bearing shells.

In aluminium from 5500 euros: The models

The new Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay SL is available in two colours and six models. The three cheaper bikes come with an aluminium frame. Prices start at 5500 euros, which is quite moderate by Rocky standards, for the Instinct SL Alloy 30 with Rockshox Psylo Gold, Deluxe Select+ and Deore drivetrain. The Alloy 50 and 70 models with Lyrik Select or Select+ and shock with reservoir are even better value. The gears are Shimano XT or GX Transmission. The Alloy 70 also comes as a BC Edition with 160 millimetres of travel at the front.

The Instinct Powerplay SL with a full carbon frame costs at least € 7,700 (Carbon 50) and comes with Lyrik Select and Superdeluxe Select+ as well as XT brakes and drivetrain. The Carbon 70 and Carbon 90 models come with Fox Performance Elite or Factory suspension and GX or X0 transmission. The prices here are 9700 and 12500 euros.

Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay SL Alloy 30 - 5500 Euro

• Motor: Dyname S4 Lite Drive
• Battery: 480 Wh
• Fork/shock: Rockshox Psylo Gold / Deluxe Select+
• Gear system: Shimano Deore (12-speed)
• Brake: Shimano MT420
• Wheels: WTB i30 rims with Shimano hubs
• Tyres: Maxxis DHF/DHR Exo
• Weight: 22.3 kg (manufacturer's specification, size L)

Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay SL Alloy 50 - 6500 Euro

• Motor: Dyname S4 Lite Drive
• Battery: 480 Wh
• Fork/shock: Lyrik Select / Superdeluxe Select
• Gear system: Shimano XT (12-speed)
• Brake: Shimano Deore four-piston
• Wheels: WTB Kom Team i30
• Tyres: Maxxis DHF/DHR Exo+
• Weight: 21.4 kg (manufacturer's specification, size L)

Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay SL Alloy 70 - 7800 Euro

• Motor: Dyname S4 Lite Drive
• Battery: 480 Wh
• Fork/shock: Lyrik Select+ / Superdeluxe Select
• Gear system: GX Transmission (12-speed)
• Brake: Code Bronze Stealth
• Wheels: Raceface ARC 30
• Tyres: Maxxis Assegai Maxxgrip Exo+/DHR DD with Cush-Core inserts
• Weight: 22 kg (manufacturer's specification, size L)

Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay SL Carbon 50 - 7700 Euro

• Motor: Dyname S4 Lite Drive
• Battery: 480 Wh
• Fork/shock: Lyrik Select / Superdeluxe Select
• Gear system: Shimano XT (12-speed)
• Brake: Shimano XT four-piston
• Wheels: WTB Kom Team i30
• Tyres: Maxxis DHF/DHR Exo+
• Weight: 20 kg (manufacturer's specification, size L)

Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay SL Carbon 70 - 9700 Euro

• Motor: Dyname S4 Lite Drive
• Battery: 480 Wh
• Fork/shock: Fox 36 Performance Elite GripX / Float X Performance Elite
• Gear system: GX Transmission (12-speed)
• Brake: Code Silver Stealth
• Wheels: Raceface ARC 30
• Tyres: Maxxis DHF/DHR Exo+
• Weight: 19.8 kg (manufacturer's specification, size L)

Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay SL Carbon 90 - 12,500 euros

• Motor: Dyname S4 Lite Drive
• Battery: 480 Wh
• Fork/shock: Fox 36 Factory GripX2 / Float X Factory
• Gearstick: X0 Transmission (12-speed)
• Brake: Code Ultimate Stealth
• Wheels: Raceface Era Carbon
• Tyres: Maxxis DHF/DHR Exo+
• Weight: 19.5 kg (manufacturer's specification, size L)