150 millimetres of travel at the fork, 140 millimetres at the rear and 29-inch wheels - with these key data, the Instinct, together with the Merida, ranks at the lower end of the all-mountain category. The spacious storage compartment with a placeholder for an AirTag to prevent theft, an offset headset, a four-way adjustable flipchip for fine-tuning the geometry and suspension and a second flipchip to adjust the chainstay length offer great added value. In short, the development team has left no stone unturned in tailoring the Instinct perfectly to the rider's preferences.
| Category | details |
| Weight | 14.2 kg (without pedals) |
| Suspension travel (V/H) / wheel size | 150 / 140 mm / 29" |
| Price | 6,000 euros |
| Frame material | Carbon |
| Weight of wheels | 5.262 g |
| Impeller inertia | 4,125 kg-cm² |
| Max. system weight | No limit |
| Guarantee | 5 years |
| Special features | Storage compartment in the frame, multiple geometry adjustment |
Also in the test of all-mountains up to 7500 euros:
Rocky Mountain Instinct C50: The equipment
It's no secret that the Canadians are as famous for bargains as Ferrari is for affordable cars. The equipment is correspondingly meagre. A Rockshox Lyrik fork in the simple Select version, cheap WTB wheels and simple Deore brakes from Shimano - there is still room for improvement here.
| Category | details |
| Fork / damper | RockShox Lyrik Select Charger / Fox Float X Performance |
| Circuit / bandwidth | Shimano XT 1x12 / 510 % |
| Brakes | Shimano BR-M6120 / 203/180 mm |
| Impellers | WTB KOM Team i30 |
| Tyres | Maxxis Dissector MaxxTerra Exo 29 x 2.4 |
| Seat post / stroke | X-Fusion Manic / 200 mm |
Sit on it and feel good
However, the riding experience with the Instinct is a precision landing. The riding position is immediately pleasing. Slightly stretched, but still comfortable. This means you can survive long hours in the saddle on the Rocky. When things get tricky on the climbs, the steep seat angle allows you to keep control of the front wheel at all times and sit compactly enough to keep your balance when riding slowly.
The Dissector tyres roll excellently for all-mountain conditions. However, the puncture protection of the delicate Exo carcasses leaves a lot to be desired on rough terrain. Also annoying: when the shock is open, the rear end bends with every pedal stroke. Fortunately, the platform is effective and the lever is easy to reach while riding.
The Rocky Mountain is a pleasing companion downhill
As on the climbs, the successful geometry also dominates the riding impression on the descents. Despite the generous wheelbase and slack steering angle, the bike is easy and intuitive to manoeuvre through the terrain. Riding fun? Check! The low bottom bracket and the balanced proportions of the main frame and rear triangle integrate the rider pleasantly low and centred in the bike. This allows a lot of control over the rear and front without a lot of physical effort. This means that even riders without sophisticated riding technique will get their money's worth with the Instinct.
Experienced bikers, on the other hand, will be delighted with the perfect mix of smoothness and manoeuvrability. The chassis responds sensitively and offers plenty of comfort. The damper set-up was criticised. When riding hard, all testers missed support at the rear. Even with comparatively little SAG and a closed compression stage, the shock roars through the suspension travel almost unchecked on hard landings.
BIKE Review: Rocky Mountain Instinct C50
| Area / Criterion | Weighting (%) | Rocky Mountain rating |
| Driving behaviour | 65 | 2,60 |
| Uphill | 13 | 2 |
| Efficiency chassis | 10 | 3,5 |
| Play instinct | 12 | 2,5 |
| Downhill | 10 | 2 |
| Chassis | 20 | 3 |
| Laboratory | 10 | 3,05 |
| Total weight | 6 | 2,75 |
| Impeller inertia | 4 | 3,5 |
| Equipment | 25 | 2,02 |
| Equipment quality | 5 | 2,85 |
| Usability / added value | 5 | 2,25 |
| Transport volume bottle cage | 5 | 3 |
| Saddle retractability | 5 | 0,5 |
| Quality / Processing | 5 | 1,5 |
| Guarantee | - | 5 years |
| Service friendliness | - | good |
| Frame stiffness front/rear (N/mm) | - | 7,9 / 16,0 |
| BIKE grade | 100 | 2,50 |
Conclusion on the Rocky Mountain Instinct C50
Apart from the poorly tuned shock, the Rocky Mountain is one of the most pleasing and balanced all-mountain bikes on the market. Thanks to the fast tyres, good climbing characteristics and confident downhill performance, the Instinct's range of use is as diverse as the possibilities for adapting the bike to your personal needs.
Max Fuchs
Editor
