Because no bike rides through the singletrack as playfully as the new Altitude. With its low weight, short chainstays and versatile suspension, the Rocky literally invites you to make small jumps or fun drifts on the way down. Nevertheless, we didn't put a starting number for the Megavalanche race on the handlebars. For racing on the tough track of the Pic Blanc with its fast sections, we found the lightweight bike a little lacking in smoothness. Theoretically, adjusting the geometry with the help of the versatile Ride-Nine system on the shock rocker (see detail) could help. However, if you choose the setting with a slack steering angle and lower bottom bracket, the suspension loses a lot of its reserves. The reason: the adjustment not only affects the geometry, but also causes the suspension travel to shrink. The 151 millimetres at the rear are already tight in the neutral position. Despite the new, well-functioning Fox DPX2 shock, this fact cannot be changed. However, it's enough for most EWS missions, as team rider Florian Nicolai proves time and again. What the heck, with its lively character, the Rocky Mountain is a real enrichment for our test field. Not every bike has to be a racer. Weak warranty performance and a relatively low stiffness cost valuable points in the BIKE rating system and prevent the Super test rating.
Jonas Perfoll, BIKE test rider: The new Rocky Mountain Altitude is a great bike that can barely keep its playfulness in check. However, it lacks smoothness and a little more travel for use in the Megavalanche race. However, the Altitude would be my first choice for winding trails in the low mountain range.
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