Sleek dual-suspension rigs plus carbon 29er hardtails
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Rocky Mountain's new Element 950 full-suspension 29er features nimbler handling for 2012.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Rocky Mountain has done a superb job of recreating the look of its carbon bikes in aluminum for the revamped Element series.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The Rocky Mountain Vertex 950 is aimed at racers but rack mounts on the rear stays still cater to expanded versatility.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The second-tier Rocky Mountain Vertex 970RSL will use the same frame as the top model but will sub in heavier parts to bring the price point down.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Carbon press-fit bottom bracket sleeves are bonded into the frames on Rocky Mountain's new carbon 29er hardtails.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The Rocky Mountain Vertex 990RSL will come with SRAM's new XG-1080 cassette.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Rocky Mountain will even use thru-axle dropouts on the new Vertex 990RSL carbon 29er hardtail.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The top-end Rocky Mountain Vertex 990RSL will feature a RockShox SID XX fork with a tapered steerer and thru-axle dropouts.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The Vertex 990RSL 29er carbon hardtail will be Rocky Mountain's flagship cross-country race bike for 2012.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Cables are fed into the down tube just behind the tapered head tube on Rocky Mountain's new Vertex RSL frames.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The seat tube on Rocky Mountain's new Vertex RSL carbon 29er frame is kinked for greater tire clearance and shorter chain stays as well as slightly tapered from top to bottom.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Alloy Rocky Mountain Vertex frames are equipped with high direct-mount front derailleurs.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The new Rocky Mountain Vertex 950 29er alloy hardtail will come with a tapered RockShox Reba fork.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Rocky Mountain is sticking with IS-style rear brake tabs, saying they're lighter and more accommodating of a wider range of brake caliper types.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The internally routed cables exit at the base of the down tube.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The hydroformed seat tube on the new Rocky Mountain Element frames leave room for the chain stay-mounted front derailleur.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The 142x12mm thru-axle skewers on Rocky Mountain's latest Element full-suspension bikes are clockable just like Fox forks. The small bolt at the rear of the dropout locks in the rotational position.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Chain stay-mounted front derailleurs on Rocky Mountain's newest Element full-suspension bikes should yield better shifting throughout the travel range.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Rocky Mountain continues to tout the benefits of its SmoothLink four-bar rear suspension design.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Built-in sag indicators on Rocky Mountain's Element bikes are conveniently located right up top.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The paint scheme on Rocky Mountain's new aluminum Element full-suspension bikes fools observers into thinking they're looking at one of the upper-end carbon bikes instead.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Rocky Mountain has heavily embraced BB92 press-fit bottom brackets for 2012.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Rocky Mountain uses internal molds on its SmoothWall carbon frames for higher quality interior wall finishes.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Rocky Mountain has taken the key features of its excellent carbon fiber Element RSL and MSL cross-country dual-suspension platforms and rolled them into new, lower-priced aluminum versions in both 26" and 29" wheel formats for 2012. Entry price points now start at just US$1,899.99 for the 26" Element 10 while the top-end 29" Element 970 is US$4,299.99.
Common features include the same SmoothLink four-bar rear suspension concept as the carbon bikes - 120mm for 26" bikes and 100mm for 29ers in this case – plus tapered head tubes, BB92 press-fit bottom brackets, internal cable routing, chain stay-mounted front derailleurs for better shifting throughout the range of travel, and Rocky Mountain's clever ABC dropout and shock link pivots with lighter angular contact bushings instead of cartridge bearings.
Rocky Mountain has done a superb job of recreating the look of its carbon bikes in aluminum for the revamped Element series
Even more impressive is how Rocky Mountain managed to nearly perfectly mimic the aesthetics of the carbon bikes on the new alloy frames with beautifully sculpted tubes and gussets plus cleverly applied paint – it's so convincing that it's tough to tell the two apart at first glance.
Two-niners also get 142x12mm thru-axle rear ends for more precise tracking plus a revised geometry as compared to earlier Rocky Mountain full-suspension 29ers. Among the changes are shorter top tubes and wheelbases for better maneuverability, more compact 445mm-long chain stays, reduced bottom bracket drop for fewer pedal strikes, and slacker 70.6° head tube angles.
The Vertex 990RSL 29er carbon hardtail will be Rocky Mountain's flagship cross-country race bike for 2012
Speaking of 29ers, Rocky Mountain has virtually completely eliminated 26" cross-country hardtails from its 2012 range with the only remaining US model being the lowly entry-level Vapor and just four left overall worldwide – meaning yes, sadly, the death of the iconic Blizzard steel hardtail from the collection.
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Taking their place at the table, however, are Rocky Mountain's promising new Vertex RSL 29" carbon hardtails, which promise to not only be lighter but faster and more comfortable. Joining the tapered head tube and BB92 press-fit bottom bracket shell is an enormous down tube for drivetrain stiffness and handling precision, matched to a curved, tapered, and extended seat tube and a big and broad top tube.
Taking a cue from road frame design, the chain stays are rather stocky units, too, while the slender seat stays and 27.2mm-diameter seatpost promise a relatively smooth ride.
As with the new Element 29ers, Rocky Mountain has tweaked the geometry of the Vertex RSL chassis for better agility, including a 70.25° head tube angle, a slightly shorter top tube, subtly taller bottom bracket heights, and tidy 437mm chain stays.
Claimed frame weight is just 997g and a quick 'squeeze test' is testimony to the Vertex RSL's ultra-thin tube walls but according to Rocky Mountain PR man Andreas Hestler, internal testing has shown the down tube to hold up fine to rock strikes without the aid of an add-on guard. Stainless steel plates are applied to around the bottom bracket area, though, to ward off damage from a dropped chain.
Rocky Mountain will offer two Vertex RSL models: the Vertex 990RSL with SRAM X0 for US$5,549.99 and the X9-equipped Vertex 970RSL for US$3,849.99.
