Rocky Mountain Element 50
January 26th, 2008
The ultimate cross-country race bike, the completely re-designed 2007 Element is the result of ten years of continuous innovation and improvement. The new Element's exceptional cross-country geometry guarantees a great fit, while the unique design of Rocky Mountain FORM tubing and carbon fiber seat-stay provides race winning ride quality. Rocky Mountain's unique 3DLink suspension technology turns even a novice rider into a pro. Large outboard INA precision ball bearings give the rider a smooth suspension feel and precise wheel tracking crucial to high performance riding and racing.
This bike can climb! It truly felt like a hardtail when ascending. I stood up, I sat down and was just plain impressed. You just seem to want to accelerate while climbing. The lock out on the front fork (Fox 32 RL) and the propedal on the RP23 came in handy on the longer climbs. This bike feels really, really stiff with the front locked out and the propedal set on max. The combination of the Fox 32 RL (front fork) and the RP23 (rear shock) seemed to fit this bike perfectly.
This isn’t the best bike for descending but does an adequate job. The geometry is really set for XC. With a change in the stem and a quick release on the seatpost collar, the bike performs better on the descents.
Overall, this is a nice XC bike that is ready to race. Climbing is definitely its strong point. All day epic rides might be a little uncomfortable but again, if you change some of the components it could be used this way. The components used for the build were efficient. Sure one could upgrade in a few areas to save weight but if you are on a budget this is a good build. The LX Hydraulic brakes worked great but my only complaint would be the loud squeak they would make when they got wet. Maybe different brake pads would solve the loud squeak issue when they get wet.
You pay a bit extra for the handbuilt Canada quality, sweet paintjob and exclusivity of owning a Rocky Mountain, and that's obvious in the lesser specced kit. If you're a spinner not a stomper and want a bike with as much handling flair as visual appeal, then the Element is an outstandingly enjoyable bike.
