The first impression: playful is different
The Rocky Mountain Altitude has already won two Test wins with us and even brought our celebrity tester and Enduro racer Christian Textor Despite the pressure of sponsorship, the German Enduro champion praised the Rocky Mountain Bike to the skies. Because the Altitude managed a mix of "fast" and "playful" like no other bike. Reason enough for me to try out the Altitude's e-counterpart as an endurance test bike: the Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay C70.
Why an e-bike? Because I've learnt that I ride it twice as much as an organic bike - especially in winter. Apart from the in-house motor, the bike is almost identical to our favourite enduro bike. So it's a 10-point bike with a motor. Is that my formula for happiness?
Not quite. Because on my first rides, I didn't feel much of the attributes of the Bio counterpart. Although the chainstays can be shortened to 439 millimetres, I still had to pull hard to get the bike onto the rear wheel. The very slack steering angle and the heavy weight felt overpowered on tamer trails. Then the motor also caused problems and kept cutting out. A calibration helped.
Technical data and info on the Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay C70
- Spring travel: 170 mm / 160 mm
- Frame size: Large
- Reach / Stack: 475 mm / 638 mm
- Weight: 24.9 kilos (with pedals)
- Price: 9800 Euro
First verdict on the Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay C70 by Laurin Lehner, FREERIDE editor:
So far I've been unfamiliar with the Altitude Powerplay because the big bike is rather unwieldy on trail rides. Next time I'll report on how the bike performs on rough terrain and whether I've found the formula for happiness. So more soon!
Update from May 2023
The E-Freerider has had to prove itself on tame trails due to a lack of angry routes. Over the winter months, I used the E-Freerider as a commuter bike. It survived the salt cure well. In the meantime, I was able to take the Altitude out on trails. Great: The large 720 watt-hour battery allows for lots of uphills. Noticeable: The in-house motor runs rougher when cranking than the competition from Shimano or Yamaha. The motor thrust is also less sensitive. Not a big deal, but I had to get used to it.
On the trail, the bike delivers what the spec sheet and the first riding impression on the flat promise: concentrated downhill power. The Altitude flattens everything with stoic composure and gives the rider, i.e. me, a lot of confidence. Fumbled a landing? Missed the line? No problem! The Altitude takes over. If you like these attributes, you'll probably be happy with the bike. I'm missing the bit of liveliness. That's why I'm now planning a conversion to Mullet.
Update from August 2023
The rain in May gave the Rocky a hard time. A conversion to Mullet should give the bike more agility.
There hadn't been this much rain in May for a long time. Nevertheless, I continued to commute to the office in the Rocky. The result: first water leaked into the display, shortly afterwards the engine went on strike. The error code provided the answer and Rocky replaced the display and control unit. Rocky gives a three-year guarantee on electronic parts. So there would have been no additional costs in this case.
To mark the occasion, I gave the Rocky a smaller rear wheel, which works easily thanks to the adapter on the shock. With the Ride 4 adjustment, I steepened the steering angle by one degree for more direct handling. I tested the change on a mountain tour and felt noticeably more comfortable. It's easier to get pressure on the front wheel.
Although the heavy weight continues to inhibit bunny hops and gimmicks, the Rocky feels more harmonious, but remains a master of the descent. No matter what appears in front of the front wheel, the Rocky takes care of it - while the rider just has to hold on tight. Also awesome!
Update September 2023: The final report
The Altitude Powerplay is clearly the ideal park freerider. Rough, steep, fast - it feels right at home here. I like jumping on tame trails with my E-MTB and pulling bikes onto the rear wheel. Would I warm to the e-freerider after all? You'll find out in the Final report of the Rocky Mountain endurance test here >>
Laurin Lehner
Editor
