Addendum from FREERIDE 1/2008: Unfortunately, we made a mistake here. We criticised the processing. We were aware of this: It was a "raw" prototype.
The Rocky Mountain "Flatline" was one of the few real highlights of Eurobike 2007. There was a lot of hype months before the premiere: prototypes were spotted, Vanderham and Simmons raved, Rocky fans speculated. The Canadians set their sights high: they wanted to build the ultimate big bike. The frame was to serve as the basis for three versions: Two of them with double bridge forks and two with single crown forks. Our test bike, the "Flatline 3", has the words "Not Usable" emblazoned on the chainstay. The bike is therefore a prototype for a first exclusive ride test. But the Canadians still want to tune their bike. However, the "Flatline" will not lose its striking face. The trapezoidal Toblerone down tubes in combination with the many corners, curves and edges are unique and look massive. Nevertheless, the frame is not unwieldy. The steeply sloping top tube leaves plenty of room to manoeuvre on the bike. An advantage when it comes to taking to the air. There will be four different sizes. If you're more of a slopestyle rider, the smaller frame is the right choice. Those who see themselves as big mountain freeriders or downhillers, on the other hand, should opt for the larger frame. Even after the first few metres, you can feel that the "Flatline" is incredibly stiff. The bike reacts immediately to every movement of the handlebars. This may be a little unfamiliar at first, but if you hit the right lines, you can really put the spurs to the big bike. The central centre of gravity allows it to zip through any kind of bend with ease. The bike rolls smoothly without being stubborn. It can also be pulled up willingly for manuals - this will appeal to freeriders who are also looking for a playful bike. The Rocky has three holes in the frame for different shock positions. However, this is not intended for quick adjustments on the trail. Rocky wants to keep the option open to install different shock lengths in order to give the frame a special character depending on the model and area of use. Nevertheless, we tried it out and it turns out that the centre position is ideal for the Fox "DHX" shock. In the other positions, the geometry becomes extreme and the bike appears unbalanced. "A good big bike has to be able to do everything, whether freeride or downhill," says Thomas Vanderham, who played a key role in the development of the "Flatline". We felt the same way after our test rides. We will report on how the Rocky fares in a tough comparison with strong competitors such as Specialized, Scott, Norco and Kona in an upcoming issue of FREERIDE.
The entire individual test is available as a free PDF download.
