Rocky Mountain positions the new "Slayer" in the centre of the Enduro class. A leap forward?
The only radical thing about the Slayer was the name. Otherwise, the beefed-up "Element" was more of a good touring companion than a dangerous freeride weapon. That has now changed completely. Only the name has remained the same, everything else is new: a reinforced main frame with a strongly curved top tube is designed to provide plenty of legroom. Rocky continues to rely on the supported single-pivot rear suspension system. However, the shock absorber is linked via several small levers, which is quite complicated. This design is already familiar from the freeride bike "RMX". Rocky wants to achieve the lowest possible centre of gravity and get as much usable suspension travel out of the now thoroughbred enduro bike. Just as the "Slayer" has changed visually, it also has a new face on the trail. And it has a big grin on its face. The "Slayer" has become a pure fun bike. You sit centred on the compact bike and immediately feel at ease. From flowing single trail surfing to high-speed rides on gravel paths to the steepest and most blocked freeride courses - the "Slayer" does it all without any problems. The suspension deserves special praise. It offers "only" 152 millimetres of travel at the rear, but feels like more. At the front, the new Fox "36" with 160 millimetres and top stiffness keeps the bike on course.
Downhill and on singletrails, we can attest to the outstanding performance of the new "Slayer". But the crucial question is: Can you still go on tour with it? On the one hand, a total weight of 14 kilos is not much for an enduro bike with this kind of performance. On the other hand, the geometry is designed more for downhill handling. You sit relatively upright and slightly offset to the rear. This naturally prevents one hundred per cent effective power transmission on long uphill sections. In the middle chainring, the rear triangle also sags slightly under chain tension - a drawback that many bikers will gladly accept.
CONCLUSIONS: The new "Slayer" has mutated from a touring bike to a genuine enduro bike. Fun bikers for whom uphill performance is not too important will find it a dream bike.
