Hello Rocky Mountain + Bike Check || Max's Custom Altitude

Rocky Mountain, a name synonymous with mountain biking since 1981, has just rolled into the shop! We’re stoked to offer a truly West Coast-ready brand, designed and tested for the trails we ride on Vancouver Island. Rocky Mountain has been crafting bikes for tough, rocky terrain since day one, and it shows. (Check out the proof here!) Their bikes are built to last and make light work of the Island's notorious techy chunder!

Rocky’s lineup has something for everyone, with an emphasis on tuneability and adjustability baked into every model. From the racy Downcountry Element, which is designed to be the perfect BCBR bike, to the Instinct, a versatile all-rounder, and the Altitude, their new Enduro race weapon—there's a ride for every type of rider.

Max, our resident bike breaker at BSC, has been putting the new Altitude through its paces, and he’s fallen in love with its confidence-inspiring geometry and easy-to-adjust settings. “Being able to change the headtube angle by a degree means the bike feels at home in Hartland one day, then ready for Prevost the next!”. Other thoughtful touches like in-frame storage and adjustable headset cups make the bike a standout in the garage and on trail.

Built on the LC2R platform, the Altitude offers a supple initial stroke, providing loads of traction, with an aggressive ramp-up toward the end of the travel to prevent harsh bottom-outs—even on classic Dump rolls.

The Altitude also features internal cable routing (with sleek, well-designed tubes) for clean, easy builds. It’s almost like Rocky has been in the game long enough to know exactly what we need…

Max completed his build with a set of lust-worthy Hope Tech 4 V4 brakes paired with Hope’s own floating rotors. For shifting, the ever-reliable Sram X01 Eagle drivetrain handles the work, and for cranks, it’s the machining excellence of Hope Evo (170mm). The bike rolls on Reserve 30 29” wheels and Maxxis rubber (Assegai and Highroller 3), while the finishing touches include a hand-polished Bike Yoke stem and the oh-so-compliant OneUp 35mm Ride Bar.

Suspension is handled by Fox, with a Fox 38 up front and DHX2 coil in the rear, ensuring smooth, plush travel. Max is currently sporting a progressive spring from Cane Creek (500-610 lb/In) to help with harsh bottom outs on the steep rolls of the island, and so far it is the perfect pairing for the bike, ensuring grip on slippery off cambers while ripping Burnt Bridge, but stopping harsh G-outs from pushing his spine out of his back. Keeping the Kashima theme going is the 210mm Fox Transfer post paired with a Hope Dropper lever.

Swing by the Jordie Shop to check out this beauty and take it for a spin!