First Look
2024 Rocky Mountain Altitude C70 Coil
Today Rocky Mountain debuts the newest Altitude, a completely redesigned 160mm travel enduro bike intended to win an EWS championship or make your friends feel slow on their favourite trail. Upon first glance, purists would say this looks nothing like a Rocky Mountain, as the Low Centre Counter Rotating platform, AKA LC2R, replaces the 4-bar Smoothlink suspension design. Old Man Mountain Bike would recall Rocky using the LC2R platform on mid-2000s Slayer and Flatline models, shelved until now. Strands of LC2R DNA floating in the aether of Rocky Mountain’s Development Center in North Vancouver are reconceptualized as a tool worthy of surpassing the previous Altitude in every facet. This is no small feat, as Jesse Melamed, ALN, and Remi Gauvin all stood on EWS/EDR podiums aboard the previous Altitude, so what kind of changes are we talking about? Well, nearly everything…
I find the aesthetic of the new Altitude striking. Beautiful carbon contours frame the low-slung, visually tidy LC2R suspension. The top tube profile reminds me of a Fender Stratocaster guitar body, thin from a side view, though belying the actual brawn when seen from above.
The head tube junction offers an organic appearance as if the huge carbon downtube was pressed into it like molten glass, showcasing its large radius.
The upper LC2R link cleanly attaches to the seat tube, and the machined lower link stealthily rotates around the bottom bracket, compressing the horizontally-mounted shock residing atop the BB shell. Linkage components barely sit proud beneath the bottom bracket, minimizing hang-ups or the need for protective shielding. The one-piece swingarm is beefy and hangs low, fortified for battle.
I love the radiused look of the headtube/downtube junction.
Adjustable headset cups.
The LC2R suspension looks clean.
The swingarm is much more stout than the last one.
Ride-4.
Frame Features
The Altitude is built with Rocky Mountain's Smoothwall carbon or FORM alloy. It has 160mm travel (rear), 170mm travel (front), with a size-specific shock tune so riders of any size should experience the same suspension performance.
Wheel size is 29" for the M-XL sizes, with small frames running 27.5" wheels fore and aft.
Rocky distilled the adjustable geometry components down significantly from the previous iteration of Altitude. If my math is correct, the old model offers 72 potential configurations with the Ride-9 flip chip, two-position rear axle, 2-position brake mount, and modular shock mount.
The new bike uses a Ride-4 flip chip at the forward shock mount, and a flip chip at the rear shock mount to facilitate 29/27.5” rear wheels. Neutral 0mm or +/- 5mm headset cups let riders fine tune reach values. Finally, the chainstay length is fixed, and a 200mm post mount fastens the rear brake. Ride-4 multiplied by two rear wheel sizes, multiplied by three possible headset positions equals 24 potential configurations to please the fussiest riders.
New to the Altitude is Penalty Box 2.0, Rocky Mountain’s frame storage compartment. An elegant and smart design ensures the closure stays rock solid and doesn’t dare rattle, even with a full water bottle mounted to it. A covert AirTag/Tile compartment lives within the door’s latch components. Two provided fabric pouches can live in the downtube to stash your tube, snacks, or legal weed.
Large moulded cable ports allow riders to properly route cable housing and brake lines, even with MX-style brake orientation. An accessory mount lives underneath the aft end of the top tube.
Moulded rubber downtube protectors and lobed chainstay/seatstay guards keep flying debris and chain slap at bay. Two small plastic fenders attached to the swingarm linkage protect the rear shock and corresponding linkage from wheel spray.
With a throwback paint job, could this be the modern day RM6?
LC2R Suspension Details
On the Altitude, Rocky Mountain revives their LC2R suspension platform, a virtual pivot design with the shock positioned as low as possible in the frame, providing a low centre of gravity. It aims to achieve a linear feel while improving upon everything: small bump compliance, mid-stroke support, bottom-out resistance, and pedaling efficiency. The 230x60mm shock provides 160mm of travel.
A noticeable improvement in mid-stroke support and slightly less progression at end-of-stroke
Geometry
Geometry for the Altitude has been refined in nearly every aspect. Longer, lower, slacker, but within reason and objectively appropriate for each size.
Build
I'll be hopping on the Altitude C70 Coil. Check the build spec below.
DT Swiss 350 hub out back with a 36T ratchet ring.
Shimano XT. While adequate, Shimano has lots of work to do in light of the new-era gravity brakes.
Race Face Turbine - a Shore standard.
Dependable with light action.
A 30mm rain day combined with a black bike made for tough shooting conditions.
First Ride Impressions
I’m testing the large sized Altitude C70 Coil. The cockpit immediately felt comfortable under me. The 480 reach set at neutral/0mm is very familiar, though I’ll try the +/- 5mm headset cups in both configurations to see how those changes affect things. The steeper seat tube angle feels more positive and direct for climbing. After seeing the lengthy wheelbase of 1282mm combined with 450mm chainstays, I was skeptical of how flickable the rear end would be. Stability is obviously high but so is lateral leverage to the wheel, with various turn sizes coming around well.
The frame is much stiffer and more stout than the outgoing model, particularly in the rear end. The old bike could occasionally blur lines with a trail bike, but the new guy in town wants to charge harder and faster while staying more composed. I’m not upset about that sentiment. There seems to be more energy focused on momentum moving forward instead of vaguely floating around.
There's gigantic traction on everything, particularly with an under-sprung coil to the tune of 50lbs. I’ll install the proper spring shortly. Even with the softer rear end, there’s plenty of mid-stroke support to push through corners and holes without wallowing. The climb switch sees minimal use compared to the previous bike, with better grip. I’ve been picky about running super-soft rear tires on my personal bike, but the DHR 2 DoubleDown MaxxTerra rolls quickly and has more grip than I remembered. An Assegai Exo+ MaxxGrip up front is a de facto standard. CushCore Trail inserts add even more traction to the equation, and arrive installed from the factory - bravo, Rocky Mountain. It would be nice to snag a tech drawing of the insert installation tool and build one at home for a sub-5 second CushCore job.
I’m a recent transplant to the Sunshine Coast of BC, where techy jank of The Shore gives way to higher speed flow trails, and jumps are more abundant than big slabs. With plenty of new terrain to explore, I’m looking forward to seeing what the new Altitude can handle, and where it shines.
Rocky Mountain Product Manager Ken Perras, an absolute shredder in his own right.
Rocky Mountain Altitude Carbon Models
Altitude Carbon 99 - 15,499 CAD / 10,999 USD
Altitude Carbon 90 Rally Edition - 12,299 CAD / 9,999 USD
Altitude Carbon 70 Coil - 9,299 CAD / 7,199 USD
Altitude Carbon 70 - 8,899 CAD / 6,899 USD
Altitude Carbon 50 - 7,299 CAD / 5,699 USD
Altitude Carbon Frameset - 4,999 CAD / 4,099 USD
Rocky Mountain Altitude Alloy Models
Altitude Alloy 70 Coil - 6,999 CAD / 5,699 USD
Altitude Alloy 50 - 5,599 CAD / 4,799 USD
Altitude Alloy 30 - 4,799 CAD / 3,999 USD
2024 Rocky Mountain Altitude Models & Pricing
Altitude Carbon 99 - 15,499 CAD / 10,999 USD
Altitude Carbon 90 Rally Edition - 12,299 CAD / 9,999 USD
Altitude Carbon 70 Coil - 9,299 CAD / 7,199 USD
Altitude Carbon 70 - 8,899 CAD / 6,899 USD
Altitude Carbon 50 - 7,299 CAD / 5,699 USD
Altitude Alloy 70 Coil - 6,999 CAD / 5,699 USD
Altitude Alloy 50 - 5,599 CAD / 4799 USD
Altitude Alloy 30 - 4,799 CAD / 3,999 USD
Complete details and specs at Rocky's website, bikes.com/altitude.
Age - 38
Height - 182cm/6ft
Weight - 92kg/205lb
Ape Index - 1.035
Inseam - 32"/81cm
Mountain: Seymour
Bar Width - 780-800mm
Preferred Reach - 475-500mm
Comments
Kenneth Perras
2 weeks, 5 days ago
It's our own design. A fair amount of work went into the kinematics and frame design, with test frames manufactured in our Vancouver R&D center and ridden extensively before final design work was completed. Lumping bikes into a simple category like Horst, VPP, SP, HP, etc grossly oversimplifies the amount of details that we and (I assume) most brands put into their designs. A few mm here and there make huge differences in the end result.
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Cooper Quinn
2 weeks, 5 days ago
[something about judging a book by its cover]
But, to your point, even within Santa Cruz there's wide variety in the how the VPP platform is utilized, and some are more successful than others.
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Kenneth Perras
2 weeks, 5 days ago
The current crop of HP bikes are a good example as well. I can guarantee that each and every one of those feel very differently when rubber meets dirt. Additionally a shock spec and tune difference will further upset the whole comparison conversation.
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Lu Kz
2 weeks, 5 days ago
When you guys went out and tried a whole bunch of platforms as shown in some of your behind the scenes videos, did you happen to try the well known VPP Diamondback Yowie? I imagine if you were really doing your homework it would have to been on your riding list. I haven't had the chance to try one yet, of course, but can I assume the new Altitude rides really close to the DMR Sled, being that they are both VPP? Thanks!
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Kenny
2 weeks, 4 days ago
I think you're being a little obtuse here - I don't think anyone is saying all visually similar suspension layouts function the same.
That being said your examples are systems more like the previous generation layouts (both from RM and SC) and they typically do have pretty different leverage curves.
That's actually the piece I find most interesting.
Both brands had similar leverage curves before and after the layout changes.
If you look at the "new vs old" leverage curves in the article, that initial stroke digressive rate up to and just through the sag region is, ironically enough, exactly what Santa Cruz were also trying to eliminate when they moved from VPP3 to VPP4.
I'm not giving rocky a hard time, I see high end bikes kinda like F1 cars or airplanes, design approaches are bound to converge even if each manufacturer has its own flavor, and in the cycle each manufacturer learns and expands on the design iterations and each new design is built upon the shoulders of the industry's existing body of work. Pretty standard for design progress in any industry really, no reason to be defensive. People will be bound to stir the pot. Is SC move their chip to the frame side, same will happen there.
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Lu Kz
2 weeks, 4 days ago
Kenny, I am being intentionally obtuse. For fun.
Funnily enough, my personal experience with both platforms (before this bike launched, comparing lower link VPP with smoothlink on the Instinct and Slayer) essentially resulted in the same 'complaint'*. I didn't love how either platform handled repeated, square edge chatter with brakes off on fast but relatively flat trails compared to some other bikes I've ridden. I ruined more rear wheels the year I was racing a Rocky and they always failed in exactly the same trail situation. When I heard in the fall that Rocky was moving to this platform for the next Altitude, I was curious because my experience with both brands (noting my SC experience is far more limited) was quite similar!
* I say complaint but that's probably not the right word, I really liked all the bikes but everything is a compromise. The Rocky platform is generally very good at literally everything else, and I'm not going to exclude the possibility of personal failings as a rider or bike setup-up-er.
Kenny
2 weeks, 4 days ago
What you're describing is typical of any progressive linkage with either not enough compression damping or too much rebound damping.
Successive square hits on a flatter trail cause the suspension to pack down. With progressive linkage the suspension literally gets stiffer as it compresses a little deeper on each successive hit without recovering any travel, until it basically turns into a board.
It's worse on flat trails since there's more weight balance rearward. As you point more downward the rear end unloads a little and is less prone to packing up.
I think this sometimes happens on on Santa Cruz because they ship with pretty light damping tunes. They have lots of midstroke support thanks to the leverage curve, which means you can get away with quite light compression damping the vast majority of the time. They don't create the sensation that you need to prop the bike up with compression damping. As a result on a rapid impact the compression damping doesn't control the stroke and prevent the suspension from overshooting the point it should have compressed to if damped properly.
Lu Kz
2 weeks, 4 days ago
@Kenny
Look, somehow our dumb comments about Santa and intentionally misunderstanding suspension platforms has turned into a productive discussion!
Tuning has been a struggle for me for a while, I've tried a variety of rear shocks on my Instinct at multiple travel lengths. I'll admit I spent limited time upon SC platforms and didn't try to do anything other than dial adjustments on the Slayer. BUT I've had three shocks custom tuned on various instinct platforms, used limited telemetry data, and done personal timed testing and bracketing to try to optimize the platform. Most rear suspension has between 0-2 clicks of useful rebound for me so send away tuning is pretty essential to get things to stick right.
I could never quite get rid of the sensation I was talking about on both my tuned X2 and Float X (my preferred shocks on my Instinct at the end of the day) without compromising something I prioritized more - the situation I am referring to really only happens in two sections of my regular trails so its like 0.5% of my descending time? I ended up resolving the rear wheel issue by running an alloy vibrocore rim with an insert out back while on that bike. Inherently though, my experience with other platforms without doing any custom tuning whatsoever was better in these situations.
Lu Kz
2 weeks, 5 days ago
But Ken, if I can't lump bikes into simple categories, how am I supposed to blindly comment on them without doing any further reading whatsoever? How could I even tell this bike was a VPP bike if you didn't tell me?
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Bro-Tato
2 weeks, 4 days ago
Man I'm not so sure about the colors on the new Megatower 2...
With the obligatory jokes out of the way, how do you feel about this replacing the outgoing Altitude? The older model was one of the last long-travel bikes to avoid becoming a full-on sled - it still had the manners of a trail bike, with more travel on tap. I get why they went this direction, but I also liked the option that the old one represented vs. the bikes that came out at the same time (like, errrrr, the Megatower 2).
It's worth noting that the 2021 review of that bike in this publication was notably VERY positive, especially with regards to how balanced and maneuverable it was, as opposed to being a plow machine.
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Kenneth Perras
2 weeks, 4 days ago
The good news is the 2021-2023 generation Altitude is still available, with some regional availability, via dealers. It still a very good bike!
This new generation is more purpose built for higher speeds, racing. If someone wants the latest gen features, tech, looks but prefers the ride characteristics of the old Altitude, then the new Instinct with a few part modifications will fulfill that request. I ride my Instinct *BC* a lot of the tech shore trails and love it.
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John Rodriguez
2 weeks, 1 day ago
Is is possible to eek more rear travel out of the new Instinct on larger frame sizes?
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finbarr
2 weeks, 5 days ago
Graham, you have the wrong link. It goes to the Instinct page not the Altitude one.
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ohio
2 weeks, 3 days ago
It's a good looking bike and the kinematics sounds solid, but I am perplexed by brands that are choosing to have an interrupted seat tube in era of modern dropper posts. It's my sole complaint about my Spec Enduro (aside from a deg of ST angle), and it keeps me from buying a Santa Cruz. Maybe a non issue for the 6'+ crowd, but at 5'8" I can't fit a 180mm dropper let alone a 200mm on a platform like this.
A 410mm ST length in a medium and my best guess on this bike's max insertion is a deal breaker for me, and a step backward from the architecture of the previous Altitude.
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HeyBaumeister
1 week, 5 days ago
I'm between 5'6" and 5'7" on a medium Nomad V5 with a 180mm OneUp V2 dropper. Just FYI :)
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ohio
8 hours, 14 minutes ago
Good to know, thanks. The nomad 5/6 and mega have a great ST C-T for me (405mm in a Medium), but couldn't find a spec for max insertion and my eyeball ruler misled me.
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Kenny
2 weeks, 5 days ago
So should Santa be annoyed or flattered?
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Lu Kz
2 weeks, 5 days ago
If you're talking about the big bike company... ehh..... If you look at the 2006 Rocky Mountain Slayer and then the venerable Flatline it really doesn't take a significant stretch of the imagination to come to the conclusion that the current bike could be the logical and natural progression had Rocky not moved away from the platform (even acknowledging that ackthually LC2R was linkage driven single pivot at the time).
Besides, VPP is one of the current three committee approved platforms so it only makes sense for brands to select it.
If you're talking about the man in red, then yes, he's certain to be annoyed. The elves really will have their work cut out for them with these. The welding looks like an absolute chore on those alloy models.
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Kenny
2 weeks, 5 days ago
I left "Santa" open ended as the comment was only half serious. :)
It's moving the upper link in front of the seat tube that really "santa-ifies" it.
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Cr4w
2 weeks, 5 days ago
Rocky just needed to be shown how to do it well so they could copy SC minus the elegant industrial design.
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Kenny
2 weeks, 5 days ago
I do like the ride 4 chip at the frame-side mount more than SC's flip chip in the link. I think SC should take that in exchange.
I still think SC frames look nicer, but that's just subjective and I'm probably biased due to the month old tallboy sitting in my garage haha.
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Cr4w
2 weeks, 4 days ago
Agreed. The SC adjustment chip is pretty pointless. Risk getting my fingertips cut off for 0.3' of adjustment. Make the adjustment actually meaningful or skip it altogether.
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BarryW
2 weeks, 4 days ago
Mmmmm, coils.
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Kenny
2 weeks, 3 days ago
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=twM6Y207cl8
A really great video here starring Ken and Remi Gauvin talking about the bike.
Nice job on this one, it was a fun watch and also super informative.
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Gage Wright
2 weeks, 3 days ago
Price of A30 $4 799.00. Price of frame only (without coil) $4 999.00. So if I want to build frame up I may as well buy a build in carbon then strip and sell off components?
I am perplexed by the price of frame only. Are components really that cheap?
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Kenny
2 weeks, 3 days ago
You're comparing an aluminum complete to a carbon frame though, yeah?
Cheapest carbon build is 7,300
So about 2300 for the build kit but also a minor shock downgrade.
Seems reasonable?
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the prophet
2 weeks ago
Interesting that Graham makes a few comments about the frame being very stout. The only other ride review I have seen (from a big boy as well) says the exact opposite, a flexible and compliant frame.
> Early on, a noticeable level of lateral compliance out of the frame had me questioning if it would wind up in turns and spit me out the wrong way under heavy loading.
https://www.vitalmtb.com/features/all-new-rocky-mountain-altitude-first-ride
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Patriciawhitman
1 week, 6 days ago
Thank you for clarifying; I was thinking about this model. But the flexible frame doesn't suit me, as it may slightly bounce during riding, which could make controlling the bike more difficult, especially at high speeds or in technically challenging conditions.
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Graham Driedger
1 week, 4 days ago
To clarify: the bike feels stout compared to its predecessor. Not to the extent that it lacks traction on off-camber pitches, or that I'm getting bucked off my intended line. I've not had any adverse cornering issues either.
Please keep in mind this is a first look article, where the features and spec are showcased with initial riding impressions. The full review of this bike will be a few months down the road.
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