Before we dive into the technical details of the new Rocky Mountain Element, let's briefly turn back time. At the Eurobike Media Days 2016 in Kirchberg Rocky Mountain its last element and triggered a veritable avalanche. At the time, the Canadians were pioneers of a trend that has since become known as "Down Country" in the manufacturers' product catalogues.
Delivering a classic marathon bike like the Element with a suspension fork with 120 millimetres of travel and a telescopic seatpost was so revolutionary that the classic marathon customer almost felt offended. At the time, there was talk of a break in style and overweight, although Rocky Mountain still had a conventional marathon Element with 100 millimetres of travel and a rigid seatpost in its range.
While racers and journalists engaged in heated discussions with the responsible product managers, the market itself decided on the success of the new down-country concept. The mounted marathon bikes hit the market like the proverbial bomb. Cannondale, Specialized, CubeEvery well-known manufacturer followed suit with a corresponding model within a year.
In August 2021, Nino Schurter won the Cross-Country World Championship on the Spark RC, a Bike with 120 millimetre suspension travel, telescopic seat post and 2.4 tyres. And confirmed what we had learnt at the Suspension fork test in BIKE 4/21 already suspected: The era of the classic 100-millimetre racefullys is finally over! And what's next?
Now it's getting thick: 130 millimetres of suspension travel on the fork
And the new Rocky Mountain Element enters the market in 2022 as a potential trendsetter. A classic 100 mm version of the Original marathon bikes will no longer exist from 2022. And instead of the 120 mm suspension forks common in the down-country concept, the head tube of the new Element now features a Fox 34 (no Stepcast!) - and that has 130 millimetres spring travel.
This is not even an exaggeration, but rather a logical consequence of current developments. After all, if CC racers win World Cups with 120 mm forks, the down-country bikes have to be a bit more powerful in order to remain superior on singletrack. Scoop on top lay.
The Geometry of the 2022 Element undergoes an equally radical change. While the Element was previously known for its playful handling, the successor takes a completely different approach. A 65.5 degree slack steering angle, a reach of 480 millimetres in size L and a wheelbase of 1231 millimetres (also in size L) should create a Smooth ride with much Security at high speed.
The former race bike thus becomes a Modern trail speedsterwhich will not only replace the old Element in model year 2022, but also the Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt must replace it completely. There will be no Thunderbolt - and therefore hardly any trail bikes with 27.5-inch wheels - in 2022. This is because the Element will only roll on the small wheels in frame size XS. Otherwise, standard 29-inch installed.
A closer look at the geometry reveals that Marathon bikers and CC racers play with one thought. With such a slack steering angle, a 120 mm fork can also be installed without any problems in order to Weight to save money. For the first time, tuning could now also take the form of Downsizing happen.
Filigree design language, purified technology, good weight
According to photo evidence from the manufacturer, the size L frame brings 2400 grams including damper on the scales. Not a record-breaking figure, but still one that is impressive. The complete bike shown here weighs 10.9 kilos (without pedals) at a proud price of 9700 euros and promises a light-footed start.
The good weights are made possible by a filigree design language and the purification of the technology. The old Ride 9 system for suspension travel and geometry adjustment a Ride 4 system with four different customisation options. The one-piece seat stays and the double support of the bearings on the Horst link should ensure good rigidity despite the low weight.
Rocky places the two bottle cages in a row on the down tube - just like the last one Cube at the AMS. Two bottles can be mounted on top of each other. There is no option for an upright bottle position on the seat tube. From December 2021, the first models available in stores be. However, we had previously been given a mobile model of the new trendsetter for a first test promised.
Geometry of the new Rocky Mountain Element 2022
All geometry specifications are based on the neutral position of the Ride 4 system.
Rocky Mountain Element 2022: Models
Unfortunately, there are no pictures of all the new Element models yet, but in addition to the three carbon bikes, there will also be two Element models with aluminium frames. You can also buy the carbon frame set for 3500 euros. The aluminium frame is not available separately, but only as a complete bike.
The top model: Element Carbon 90 for 9700 euros
This Rocky Mountain bike changes hands for 9700 euros. The Fox Factory suspension and the carbon rims (from Race Face, but with the Rocky Mountain label) with a 26 millimetre rim width are a must for this price. The complete Shimano XTR equipment is also impressive. The 29-inch bike weighs in at 10.9 kilograms without pedals.
Element Carbon 70 for 6600 euros
For 3000 euros less than the top model, Rocky Mountain still supplies a complete 1x12 Shimano XT drivetrain and high-quality aluminium rims from WTB. The Fox Performance Elite suspension has to do without the Kashima coating.
Element Carbon 50 for 5200 euros
The cheapest carbon model also comes with a complete Shimano XT drivetrain and brake system. However, it only comes with Fox performance suspension.
The aluminium version: Element Alloy 50 for 4200 euros
The aluminium version is equipped with a Shimano XT/SLX gear mix for 4200 euros. As with the higher-priced models, the Shimano SLX brakes only have two brake pistons to save weight. High-quality aluminium rims from WTB are also used here.
