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2013 Rocky Mountain Instinct Bumps 29er Mountain Bike Offerings to 130mm Travel

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2013 Rocky Mountain Instinct 970 29er 130mm travel full suspension mountain bike

Following their Altitude 650B introduction at Crankworx, Rocky Mountain Bikes’ new Instinct 29er is a long travel trail bike that borrows the new Ride 9 adjustable geometry tech.

The Instinct takes the curvy tube shapes and updated suspension of the also-recently-introduced Element 29er RSL and essentially replaces the Altitude 29er, but grows suspension to 130mm front and rear.

The new Ride 9 linkage mounts let you stick the head angle in multiple spots between 67.67° to 69.3° and the seat angle from 73.3° to 75.3° without changing the wheelbase. This lets you dial the geometry and ride for your terrain and style with unprecedented detail. Check the 650B bike post for the full Ride 9 tech rundown.

2013 Rocky Mountain Instinct 970 29er 130mm travel full suspension mountain bike

They wanted a bike that could go up against rides like the Stumpjumper and Tallboy LT. It had to have long travel to handle the infamous BC trails yet still feel racy and fast. To do that, they combined the Ride 9 with their SmoothLink suspension design. We’ve ridden quite a few of their bikes and really like it…pedaling efficiency is good without limiting the suspension’s suppleness.

2013 Rocky Mountain Instinct 950 29er 130mm travel full suspension mountain bike

A slightly different angle and lighter color frame shows the hydroformed recess to accommodate the shock canister when it’s front mount is in the highest position.

2013 Rocky Mountain Instinct 970 29er 130mm travel full suspension mountain bike

Rear end uses a 142 E-thru axle with direct mount derailleur hanger. All main pivots use ABC (Angular Bushing Contact) pivots, which is an angular polymer bushing rotating on a tapered alloy pivot. RM says the benefit is extremely tight tolerances without any binding.

2013 Rocky Mountain Instinct 970 29er 130mm travel full suspension mountain bike

Frames use a direct mount front derailleur and have built in ISCG05 tabs around the BB92 bottom bracket. They get internal cable routing, including for the stealth/internal dropper posts, and routing for a rear shock remote. At the top of the seat tube, they use a molded rubber boot to keep the mud and water out of the frame.

The Instinct 970 (black) comes in at claimed 29.5 lbs with pedals and Reverb Stealth, Race Face Turbine bar, stem and cranks and Shimano XT group. The 950, bel0w, loses the direct mount derailleur hanger and Reverb and gets a SRAM X7/X9 mix with Avid brakes.

2013 Rocky Mountain Instinct 950 29er 130mm travel full suspension mountain bike

They’ll be available late winter, likely January or February.

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44gnats
44gnats
11 years ago

CS length?

hataaaa
hataaaa
11 years ago

Rocky Mountain continues their epic search to make bikes that are just like Trek bikes without being JUST like trek bikes…..its absurd

JPHCross
JPHCross
11 years ago

445mm

stiingya
stiingya
11 years ago

@ hataaa what trek bike is close to this? the rumblfish is the closest to a long travel 29er trail bike Trek has and it’s got a cross country 69.8* headtube, little less travel and no adjustable geometry.

And it’s not as if Trek invented the linkage driven horizontal shock design…???

sorry dude, your comment makes no sense.

bcbikeman
bcbikeman
11 years ago

Rocky Mountain Bikes has emerged as a legitimate player in the xc race, xc, trail, am, and slopestyle categories. I am now a big fan! I will be purchasing new bikes from RM.

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