2021 Rocky Mountain Instinct Carbon 70

    The Instinct has been designed for epic rides and wide-open singletrack.

    2021 Rocky Mountain Instinct Carbon 70 Bike Review

    Words by Spencer Astra | Photos by Chris Grundberg

    I was excited to test Rocky Mountain Bicycle’s new Instinct Carbon 70 model, as it sits squarely in my favorite category of suspension travel.

    It’s not a sloppy, big-travel brawler, nor is it a wrist-slamming short-travel whip. With 140 millimeters of rear-wheel travel, the new Instinct strikes some perfect middle ground, providing just the right amount of squish to scoot one around smoothly and precisely.

    Adding to the bike’s versatility is the highly adjustable RIDE-9 system, which allows riders to quickly fine-tune their geometry and rear suspension with a pair of Allen keys. With nine configurations to choose from, the range of geometry helps make the bike more suitable to a broad spectrum of terrain and riding conditions.

    Even in the slackest setting, the Instinct climbs extremely well, thanks to a reasonably forward seated position. The leverage curve of the rear suspension is ultra-supple off the top, but it ramps up quickly to keep the bike manageable during out-of-the-saddle bursts of pedaling. The adjustable chainstay length of 437 millimeters or 448 millimeters should add to the Instinct’s versatility, but I opted to keep the bike in the 437-millimeter mode for the duration of my testing period, as it already felt long and stable enough for my taste.

    Geometry & Specs:

    Wheel Size: 29"
    Rear Travel: 140mm
    Fork: 150mm
    Wheelbase: 1241mm
    Chainstay: 439mm
    Reach: 481mm
    Head Tube Angle: 65.1°

    SMOOTHWALL™ Carbon. Internal Cable Routing. 2-Bolt ISCG05 Tabs. SMOOTHWALL™ Carbon Rear Triangle.
    Rocky Mountain 35 AM, 5° Rise, 40mm stem. Race Face Turbine R Handlebars, 780mm Width, 20mm Rise, 8° Backsweep, 4° Upsweep, 35mm Clamp.
    Shimano XT Trail 4 Piston, RT66 180mm F Rotor, RT66 180mm R Rotor.
    Fox 36 Float EVOL FIT4 Performance Elite Series 150mm, 29 = 44mm Offset.
    Fox 36 Float EVOL FIT4.
    Maxxis Minion DHF 2.5 WT 3C MaxxTerra EXO+ Tubeless Ready & Maxxis Minion DHR II 2.4 WT 3C MaxxTerra EXO+ Tubeless Ready.
    Smoothlink suspension is efficient yet supple when you’re on the pedals and across a wide range of gears. It features a controlled end-stroke and a rate-curve that feels more capable than the travel would suggest. This four-bar suspension design philosophy is centred on ride characteristics; each bike platform we develop balances variables like anti-squat, axle path, chain growth, rate curve, anti-rise, etc. to achieve the legendary Rocky Mountain ride feel.
    The RIDE-9 adjustment system allows riders to quickly fine-tune their geometry and suspension with a pair of Allen keys. Nine configurations are possible thanks to two interlocking chips.
    Fox Float DPX2 Performance Elite.
    Shimano XT Cranks, 32T, 24mm Spindle, 170mm Crank Length.
    Chain stay protection.
    Shimano XT 10-51T Cassette.
    Shimano XT Rear Derailleur.
    Size Specific Tune ensures that riders of all sizes get the right balance of small-bump compliance, mid-stroke support, and end-stroke progressiveness. Our design team does custom shock tunes based on real world field testing, and adjusts each tune for specific frame sizes.
    Rear axle adjustment.
    Smoothlink suspension is efficient yet supple when you’re on the pedals and across a wide range of gears. It features a controlled end-stroke and a rate-curve that feels more capable than the travel would suggest. This four-bar suspension design philosophy is centred on ride characteristics; each bike platform we develop balances variables like anti-squat, axle path, chain growth, rate curve, anti-rise, etc. to achieve the legendary Rocky Mountain ride feel.
    Rocky Mountain headbadge.

    But the real magic for me started while riding the bike through bumpy flat and downhill sections of trail. The Instinct was amazingly maneuverable, and I found it easy to maintain speed and steering control through some of the chunkiest sections of trail we have in Bellingham, Washington. I was able to hold my lines with a precision that often is difficult to achieve with bikes in this travel range. With the bike in its slackest setting, I was able to lean confidently into turns and not shy away from high-speed straight-lining down slippery trails where hitting the brakes would have been tantamount to suicide. The entire chassis of the bike felt well-supported—so much so that I found myself landing deeper and deeper off a series of serious jumps.

    The parts spec of this Instinct Carbon 70 model is essentially a collection of my favorite components, especially the light-but-powerful Shimano XT four-piston brakes. The Maxxis Minion DHR II rear tire and DHF front tire provided predictable traction, and their 3C Max Terra compound worked extremely well in wet and semi-frozen conditions. The Fox 36 Float EVOL Fit4 Performance Elite fork delivered ample suspension in burly terrain, and it paired nicely with the Fox Float DPX2 Performance Elite rear shock.

    The Instinct is an ideal weapon for riders who like long rides and prefer to pedal deep into a trail system with challenging climbs, yet it still more than holds its own when pointed downhill—even when the descent is steep and seriously gnarly. And if stability and precision in steering are priorities for you, this bike should be at the top of your list.

    Rocky Mountain Instinct Carbon 70 - $6,899