The swings and roundabouts of designing a modern e-MTB eh? Rocky Mountain completely redesigned the system for 2020 with version 4.0, and it powers the electric-assist Powerplay line. Which of these would perform better for Mostly scetchy jump trail as well as a pump track with a steep fire road climb. Each bike review aims to answer these core questions, giving you a clear recommendation or even advising you to look elsewhere. All bikes in this test: ebike tuning Planet3 for ROCKY MOUNTAIN POWERPLAY The Altitudes kinematic is indeed very progressive, which provides a heap of big-hit support that will no doubt suit the freeriding Vanderhams and Simmons out there. Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay Review: Seamless Power for a lot of Until my scheduled shin transplant pans out, its difficult for me to say. Of course, price plays a role for most of you. The bikes with 700+ Wh batteries in this group test all have the same problem: the longer and heavier batteries have a negative impact on handling. As such, we try to judge the bikes according to their respective strengths and weaknesses in the right context. The prices shown here are as they were at the time of our testing. And what type of rider wont? Four long years after the Canadian brand introduced its very first electric mountain bike, the 2nd generation Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay has finally arrived. What counts is a good combination of modulation, stability, braking power, adjustability, heat resistance and control. E Mtb E Bike, Fahrrder & Zubehr in Halblech | eBay Kleinanzeigen By reading changes in the chain tension, this sensor gives a direct line of communication with the motor output, delivering a near-instantaneous response. The handlebars are a bit cluttered, especially for smaller riders. But which bike is the right one for you? This Brand is Putting a New Spin on Massage Guns, The Best Running Jackets for Cooler Weather, Here's the Skinny on Ooni's Electric Pizza Oven, The Best New Style Releases from 2023 (So Far), All the Boxing and Fitness Gear from Creed III, Tesla Investor Day: 5 Things You Need to Know, Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay Carbon 90 Rally Edition. That said, lots of power isnt necessarily better, as you will read further on. Drailleur AR. ** without range extender Specialized Tero X | TERRENGSYKKEL.NO As with recent high pivot bikes weve tested like the Cannondale Jekyll and GT Force, I found this was exacerbated in dusty conditions, so its a good idea to keep the chain clean and well lubricated. So, the key questions we asked ourselves in this group test were: what type of rider will love this bike? With the new Smart System, customers have the option of modifying some riding modes. With four assist modes on offer, the performance band of the Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay spans a pretty wide gap. The first consideration for many uninformed ebike buyers is a bikes range. By Jeremy Benson, Joshua Hutchens, Chris McNamara Jun . The suspension consists of a FOX 38 Factory GRIP2 fork and FOX FLOAT X2 Factory shock, controlling 170/160 mm travel at the front and rear. This is accessed in a tuning menu through the Jumbotron display, and you have five levels on offer, with the default setting from the factory being 0. Do you run out of juice? The clunky remote of the new Smart System, flooded with buttons, is ergonomically one of the worst in the entire test it is only marginally improved upon by the Purion, another Bosch option. The advantages are obvious: more drop means easier mounting and dismounting as well as more freedom of movement and safety on the trail. There are sliding scales at the end of each review, giving you a visual representation of the bikes handling. From here the next step was to investigate the dropout flip chip. No matter which you choose, the conversion is simple and the connectivity options remain unchanged. The 750 Wh battery can be removed to the side in typical Trek fashion. Like every car, every bike has a maximum permissible weight, which is specified by the manufacturer to ensure that the bike and all its components can withstand loads up to this rating. time stamps 0:00 intro 2:48 mid travel full power e bikes 3:27 mondraker crafty 4:08 rocky mountain altitude powerplay 5:06 trek . During the first few rides, the Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay didnt quite feel as stable as I was expecting for a big travel e-MTB. Federal law classifies all electric bikes as "motorized", and as such, does not allow them on trails or land where motorized vehicles are prohibited. Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay Carbon 70. All in all, it is a good all-rounder with sacrifices to the range and high speed. If I was being really picky, Id suggest the seat tube angle could be steeper. Specialized does about $500 million in annual revenue, Rocky does around $40 million. Is Veja's Foray Into Hiking Shoes a Hit or Miss? Anything else would be misleading and besides being unfair to some brands, we would be patronising our readers. They're here to stay and getting better every day. And while the big 38 is a great match, providing a solid and secure platform up front, it isnt as supple or as well supported compared to the higher-end versions that feature the more complex GRIP2 damper. It rolls on 29in wheels, and it's equipped with a 170mm travel fork and 160mm of rear travel. With a smooth ride and easy handling, it is suitable for beginners as well as high-speed junkies. Thanks to a 672-watt-hour battery and a compact, low-mounted motor, it rips uphill for easy self-shuttling. To put it through its paces, Ive taken the Altitude on chunky off-piste singletrack, swoopy flow trails and big alpine point-to-point rides. In comparison, theres a little more pulsing from the Dyname 4.0 motor if youre stabbing at the pedals, and it can be slightly jerky when youre hovering around the 25km/h cutoff point. It always depends on the overall system. Einfach. On the note of the drivetrain, the Altitude Powerplay requires a longer chain than usual due to its idler and chainguide, so you may need to buy two chains when it comes time for a drivetrain service. It is precisely these that we work out clearly and tangibly so that everyone has all the relevant information to make the right purchasing decision for themselves and their personal requirements. Like the longer travel Altitude, it gets the new motor and Ride-4 chip. But out in the real world, this can backfire and make many bikes worse for trail use. Was From. Altitude Carbon 90 Rally Edition New Colour It tips over effortlessly, dropping quickly into turns with minimal hesitation and, providing you commit and stay off the brakes, a distinct lack of understeer. Power is nothing without control. Rotwild could tease out much more trail performance with different choices. The Orbea Rise M-Team is a master of all disciplines and secures our coveted Best Buy. The conditions were just as varied, ranging from wet and slick to dry and grippy. Ive also spent some time self-shuttling at my local downhill zone as part of a standardised range test to see how far I could ride on a single battery charge. Our aim is not to slam the brands involved, but rather to make it easier for you to find the right bike. Cycleworld - Concord West Enquire Now Enquire Now Purpose-built and race-proven, it's the ultimate enduro weapon for demolishing steep trails and making every session faster. Ride stats from RM Altitude from Strava, Garmin and Ebikemotion app: Moving time 1h 9m, distance 10.4 miles, elevation gain 2,091 ft., estimated average power 155w, energy output 647 kJ. Firstly, this motor is incredibly responsive. - CushCore inserts as standard Ive not suffered a single puncture throughout testing, and while there a number of small dents in the rear rim, the tough tyres and CushCore inserts have shielded them from the worst abuse. Best for steep and technical terrain, the Shuttle survives on the uphill and thrives on the down. While a bit sluggish on flats, it's rowdy on descents. In some ways it fulfilled those expectations, but in other ways it totally surprised me. Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay Carbon 90 Rally Edition in Review Dual bearings are employed in the chainstay pivot for increased stiffness and durability, while external shields are added to all pivot bearings to ward off contaminants. In this group test, our aim is not to find the best bike with a certain technical feature or component i.e. The Orbea Rise shows how its done! 2019. My only complaint is that the 150mm dropper post felt on the short side, limiting how much I could move around the bike when jumping or bombing down much steeper sections of trail. The higher the ratings on the scales at the end of each review, the better the bike is in these areas. A 48V system will run cooler than a 36V system (great in Australian summers). In reality, the freedom of movement is limited, just like on the SCOR, despite the apparently short seat tube. Not helping things, theres no audible beep to signal when youve changed mode. These stop providing assistance after the bike reaches 20mph or more. Then again, Mick found the novelty of all those features quickly wore off during his long-term test of the Levo. The Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay Alloy 70, Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay Alloy 70, and Specialized Turbo Levo Comp Alloy are all aluminum frame full suspension mountain e-bikes. The excellent tyre spec and mid-high suspension design generates masses of grip, allowing the Altitude Powerplay to claw up rough and loose technical climbs with stability and quickness. The Altitude Powerplay Carbon 90 Rally Edition has a better fork and more travel, while the Turbo Levo Expert has 29 / 27.5 aluminum wheels and better components. Also occasional bike park use with a lift 10 29 comments Add a Comment briar141c 2 yr. ago The Norco Sight VLT C1 offers an enormous range with its 900 Wh battery and Shimano EP8 motor. TCS velocorner.ch offers 15'000+ bikes from 300+ bike stores and individuals.. The geometry is confidence-inspiring on the descents and still agile enough when singletrack is narrow. Compare: 2022 Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay Carbon 70 vs Altitude The Instinct employs a shorter stroke shock, which shrinks rear travel down to 140mm. Yes, in something of a nod to Elon Musk, this bike has Ludicrous mode. The Specialized S-Works Turbo Levo is a good all-rounder that, with a change of tires and tune of the suspension setup, can reveal its full potential. It's perfect for hyper-aggressive riders who want to ride the hardest trails without a chairlift or truck shuttle. We believe that every rider has different needs and preferences, and its up to you to find out what these are and then choose a bike based on that. Its not the poppiest bike given its mass and suspension platform, though riders concerned by weight may wish to look towards the slightly shorter travel Instinct Powerplay. The chainstay length can be adjusted however, with a dual position flip chip and a reversible brake mount that allows riders to easily extend the rear centre by 10mm. Altitude Powerplay Alu 50. Pedal strikes also became an issue, as the BB ends up being quite low in that slack setting. Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay Alloy 50 Review Thats why in our group tests we look at the value of the overall package and focus on the overall performance, not individual components. According to Rocky Mountain, the new kinematic offers increased anti-squat in the early portion of the travel, and a more supportive leverage rate throughout. E. Rubbee X e-bike conversion kit . The Assegai is an insanely good tyre, and for me its bordering on a must-have for a big e-MTB like this. Despite its ability to mob through straight-line chunder, it rips turns with surprising nimbleness that had me constantly grinning from ear-to-ear. Specialized hevder det skal kunne gi deg inntil seks timer, eller 120 kilometer assistert sykling - dette vil selvflgelig vre avhengig av hvordan du bruker motoren og . We start with the FOCUS JAM2 7.0 for 7,799. For us, stone-baked pizza, a fresh ocean breeze and good espresso are just as much part of a successful day on the bike as flow on varied singletrack, the occasional adrenaline spike and high-fives at the end of the trail. With this group test, we provide answers to the most important questions when buying and help you invest your hard-earned money in the right place and prevent you from making the wrong purchase. )! The result is a surprisingly intuitive and controllable feel, which is especially noticeable when soft pedalling around tight uphill hairpins. We think giving points according to a rigid scoring system isnt the most helpful approach since it oversimplifies this very complex topic and doesnt do it justice. On smoother inclines, the motors sensitivity can also be felt through untidy pedalling technique. There are huge differences not only in motor power, but also in battery capacity for bikes that are aimed at similar applications: models like the Specialized Kenevo SL Light eMTB with a 360 Wh battery and 35 Nm torque output, take a different approach with less battery capacity and sometimes less motor power, while manufacturers like Norco, packing 900 Wh, exhaust all possibilities to integrate as much juice into the down tube as possible. Find out everything you need to know in our motor group test. But is more always better? Personally, Ive not found the reduced overrun to be an issue for the majority of trails Ive ridden, and both motors are easy to adapt to after a few rides. Electric Mountain Bikes: Full Suspension & Hardtail eBikes - Jenson USA It not only covers a huge range of application but was also the strongest competitor to the test winner, the YETI 160E T1. Some modern eMTBs, such as the Norco, Rocky Mountain and Specialized Levo, rely on low seat tubes that make it possible to choose between several sizes, provided that a correspondingly long dropper post fits the bike. The Altitude Powerplay Carbon 70 wins the Design and Innovation Award. Rocky Mountain E-Bikes for Sale | BikeExchange.com.au In the future, we expect to see huge internal battery capacities only on touring and trekking ebikes. If you want a navigation aid, you should take a closer look at our navigation device group test. There is huge power under the hood, but because of the progressive delivery, you have to pedal with some meaning in order to access it. When going uphill, the slack seat tube angle (74) positions the rider far over the rear wheel. And thats a good reflection of the market! Bosch bring up the rear in this respect. Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay Review | Power is nothing without control A clever modular concept can be a sensible alternative to a standard system with a 630 Wh battery. During one of my range tests, the Altitude Powerplay had no trouble ticking over 22km/h while going up a 12% gradient. the trail performance and quality of the bike. The Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay Carbon 70, Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay Carbon 90 Rally Edition, and Specialized Turbo Levo Expert are all carbon frame full suspension mountain e-bikes. Full Sealed Cartridge Bearings. Altitude Powerplay - Overview | Rocky Mountain More battery capacity automatically means more weight and, due to the larger dimensions, usually a position that worsens the weight distribution, leading to compromises in handling. The Jumbotron does allow you to personalise the motors assistance levels and Boost character though, which well touch on in a bit. First Look: Rocky Mountain Updates Altitude & Instinct Powerplay Models The Altitude Powerplay Alloy 50 has a better fork and more travel, while the Turbo Levo Comp Alloy has 29 / 27.5 aluminum wheels and better components. After all, body size is usually also related to body weight. It still provides experienced bikers with good reserves, satisfies beginners with its intuitive handling and is also a comfortable touring bike, but ultimately cannot keep up with the stronger competition as an all-rounder. HI GUYS In this video I'm testing the new 2019 Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay Carbon 70.I made a Bikeporn, Bikecheck and a Test, with a lot of footage.Hop. Rocking a mullet design 29-inch wheel up front and 27.5-er in back Marins first foray into eMTBs is a lovable joyride. For anything more, you can find all the details on the best tires for eMTBers in our tire group test of over 50 tires. While many manufacturers rely on standard systems from Bosch and Shimano, our test also includes models that want to convince as Light e-MTBs with lower motor power and a modular battery concept i.e. Altitude Powerplay lineup | Rocky Mountain DESIGNED FOR Enduro WHEEL SIZE 29" FRONT TRAVEL 170 mm REAR TRAVEL 160 mm Designed alongside our Dyname 4.0 drive system, the Altitude Powerplay has everything you need for aggressive enduro e-biking. 2-Bolt ISCG05 Tabs. If you're curious about your state's designations, you can check them out in this state-by-state guide. Giving the range as an absolute number would inevitably be incorrect and misleading. The reach is spot-on, the seat angle is on the relaxed side, and its never felt like Ive had too much weight pushed onto the grips.