Similar Products Used: rocky mountain switch,Santa cruz v-10
Bike Setup: sherman race face.
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Submitted by
curt bowen
a Downhiller
from boulder, CO
Date Reviewed: October 23, 2006
Strengths: cool looking.
Weaknesses: poorly designed, broke main triangle were shock mounts within 1 year of use.
Bottom Line:
This was my first Downhill/Freeride bike, so, this bike never took any big drops,etc... broke within 1 year on the main triangle were the shock mounts. Rocky Mountain offered me a 05 Switch SL replacement frame for $1000. They claim to warrenty there big bikes for 3 years? and will not return my phone calls. I've met former Rocky Mountain owners at Keystone Bike Park this summer with simular experiences. Bottom Line -- I would not recommend buying a new or used RM7, They all broke in the same place. Rocky Mountan bicycles has gotten a reputation for poor customer service and not standing behind ther product.
Strengths: Bomb proof, Handles like a Vette and goes like a S.O.B. The paint is awesome. Everything should have flames on it, flames rule. Gets me to do things I would normally not attempt.
Weaknesses: A little heavy, and some play in the linkage. But otherwise a sweet ride.
Bottom Line:
Bombing down hills and Taking drops on this ride is almost better than sex.
Strengths: Awesome frame!, love the paint job, absolutly no chainslap (thaks 2 the Sram X.0 components, Feels like a couch (but doesn't have any rear sag),Race Face components make the ride even better, Monster T forks top the whole bike off.
Weaknesses: Never say weakness around this bike! people say its heavy but it doesnt feel that way when you ride it!
Bottom Line:
The best ride ive ever had!, the bike soaks up evrything that gets in your way.
Similar Products Used: Nothing is as good as this!
Bike Setup: Stock + Blackspire chain guide
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Submitted by
Sombrio Screamer
a Downhiller
from North Shore, B.C.
Date Reviewed: May 13, 2004
Strengths: So smooth in every respect.
Weaknesses: A little bit on the heavy side but you get used to it verry quick. And you only notice it going uphill. Downhill this bike screams. The faster you go the more stable it gets.
Bottom Line:
What can i say this bike is smooth and comfortable no matter where it at. Super strong but you got to get the big man thrustlink buttress welds, for this bike to hold up to serious freeride. Do your self a favor, stimulate the economy and pick this bike up.
Similar Products Used: Demo9, RM9, Bullit, Mountain Cycle DHS
Bike Setup: 04 Shivers, Hayes 8 front and rear, Chris king headset and front and rear hubs, answer pro taper bar, MRP, easton cully pedals, fox rc shock, mavic deemax 26" fron and rear, kona clump cranks.
Strengths: This bike is amazing. The fork has awesome damping features, and I like the adjustibility. The monster t just makes me want to go bigger. The parts spec is awesome - north shore cranks, vanilla RC, easton pedals, sram X.0, it's awesome. It is very well built and everthign i expected it to be
Weaknesses: Heavy, but i don't care. Gravity will pull me faster. other than that, which doesn't even matter, it's awesome
Bottom Line:
I love it. The fork, after I cleaned it up and put some slick honey in the seals is absolutely awesome. There is nothign it doesn't suck up. It has saved me from eating it several times. I may get some stiffer springs, but so far the amazing damping has been able to make up for the bad landings and hard hits.
Similar Products Used: Giant AC w/ jr. T, stinky dee-lux 04, bullit (RM7 feels WAY better than this, by the way)
Bike Setup: north shore cranks, powerglide 7.0, mavic d321 rims, Maxxis highrollers, monster T, vanilla RC
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Submitted by
Jason Sams
a Downhiller
from Sitka, AK, USA
Date Reviewed: November 25, 2003
Strengths: Strong frame, good geometry, not too heavy.
Weaknesses: Hardware spec on mine was cross-country crap bolts. One broke and sheared off after a week of drops and jumping. It broke on a hard landing causing the main pivot to ovalive.
Bottom Line:
really fun bike, a bit heavy with the fork but not too bad. good pedaling, i never had too much trouble with the up-hills. would be much better all around bike with a shiver but monster makes for a sweet downhill/dropping bike. a little bit of play in the rear due to swingarm thrustlink setup. great for playing around on. unfortunatly due to bad hardware spec i had a GT i-drive 2.0 that lasted longer on bigger airs. I would recommend this bike to someone who is good at maintaining there bike and is going to be doing mostly freeride. People looking for a more downhill specific bike will probably not like the flex in the rear much, I didnt like it when trying to rail off-camber hardpack corners real hard. Although with proper bolts this is a very fun bike that i think would last a while. i give it 3 on value for the good parts spec for what i paid and a 3 on overall for the good geometry and fun of it. I would give it a 4 overall, but the c-c bolt issue was a little disapointing.
Bike Setup: MonsterT, D321, Mr.Dirt, Raceface Northshore cranks, raceface stem post and bars, X.0 deraillur with grips, intense rubber, HFX 9 mag.
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Submitted by
JOSH ALLAN
a Downhiller
from SACRAMENTO, CA, U.S. of A.
Date Reviewed: October 19, 2003
Strengths: super smooth suspension, sick paint job, strong components, strong frame, and excellent hand built quality.
Weaknesses: rear derailluer cable gets smashed between the frame and bottom crown causing the housing to crush and break when you take hard falls. bottom crown hits frame causing dents or paint chips.
Bottom Line:
This bike is extremely smooth pedaling, hucking jumps, gaps and drops. It takes a beating and keeps rolling. The front rim flat spotted to damn quick though. An alex dx32 is in the making on Tuesday. A chain guide of course would be more prefferable than the little chain ring, seeing as most people won't pedal a 46 pound bike up hill. It takes drops super smooth, and brakes great. A Marzocchi Super Monster T would be nice with an extra 100mm of travel. Try and catch up to Wade and Bender on taking huge drops. Could use adjustable travel, adding more in the back. The SRAM X.O derailluer is unbeliveably strong. My tires slid off a 2X4 and the X.O slid on the wood and just shaved a good 6" piece off without being bent or boken. Along with the front rotor digging into a 2X4 another time without bending or braking. The only major problem would be the way that the brake and derailleur cable housings can get mashed by the bottom crown and the frame, other than that I love this bike, and it payed off on the first ride, and when I landed a 20' roof drop. It's well worth the money, and the ability to say that it was the last one to be produced.
Favorite Trail: anything downhill or urban freeride.
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Price Paid:
$3300.00
Purchased At: river rat mountain bikes
Similar Products Used: bullit, gaint ac2, haro x3
Bike Setup: stock, soon to come: chain guide and marzocchi super monster t
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Submitted by
Ross Stoner
a Downhiller
from Boulder, CO
Date Reviewed: September 6, 2003
Strengths: the components.
Weaknesses: cracks, bends...alot.
Bottom Line:
brace your self....I've broken the frame/bent linkage three times in about two months. I cracked the frame at the shock mount on the front triangle, bent the linkage, broke every bolt in the linkage, including the big pivot near the BB. Quote from RMB Catolog: Freeride competitions, big air, urban assult, North Shore stunts, you name it, Simmons owns it....ride that sucks...up everything from washboard to 50-foot road gaps." wait, are they saying that a 14 year old boy, 150lbs, rides harder that wade simmons? yeah, those 60ft road gaps are a piece of cake for me. They also go on about how thier linkage and pivots are strong. I ride downhill and some "Urban Assult". I would recomend this bike for a super heavy XC bike or maybe an over-priced commuter bike, 'cause then it won't let you down. I also ride a giant AC2, and haven't had single problem with the frame.
Similar Products Used: Verticle, Next, Huffy and any other 'walmart special' bikes.
Bike Setup: Stock
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Submitted by
Painless
a Downhiller
from Kamloops, BC, Canada
Date Reviewed: May 28, 2003
Strengths: Excellent parts spec, thrustlink bottomless suspension feel.
Weaknesses: Price, maintenance (but what's new).
Bottom Line:
Wicked bike, still the best feeling "freeride" suspension feel in the industry in my opinion. Easy to throw around in the air considering the weight of the 03' Monster. Pure confidence booster right from the first ride, and hasn't let me down yet.
Strengths: basically the whole damn bike, its bullet proof, the components are nice, although my buddy made a few changes which were a bit against my opinion
Weaknesses: climbing doesnt exist in its vocabulary..the gross tonage is almost 50lbs...ofcourse that means its indistructable
Bottom Line:
Basically this bike with its HUGE 'zochi fork is a go any where do anything...unless we are talking about climbing..otherwise from the time that i spent on top of it, the bike has an all around decent ride for such a huge size. But whats awsome is when u take it down a flite of stairs, or take a some air, I gotta say, I feel safe with that monster T upfront, i doubt my friend would be able to push this bike to its limits without having a death wish. Those canadians do know how to make a good bike.
Similar Products Used: I own a santa cruz bullit freeride :D
Bike Setup: uhm, i believe my bud has it everything stock except the rear deraileur(he's an xtr wh*re) xtr shifters(cheap plastic crap) azonic love seat(excellent addition) and i believe he stepped up the brakes as well.
Strengths: The entire bike..it is a monstrosity, you have to see it in person to believe it, and its signed by wade simmons personally himself on the back!
Weaknesses: The bike is quite heavy, i also have a gary fisher sugar 1, and theres a big difference obvisouly. The bike is extremely nose heavy due to the Marzocchi 200mm Monster fork
Bottom Line:
This bike is an amazing piece of machinery (I did some minor urban assualt with it so far...since i just got it yesterday) a few minuses such as pedaling is a pain, cuz the bike weighs a f***en ton. it is one heavy motherf***er. I also have a sugar 1 which weighs less by at least 20lbs...so big difference. But for a big bike u expect this so no biggie. onto the good stuff. Did some 3-4 ft jumps, bench jumps...The Marzocchi ATE it up, and wants more..the rear Vanilla is delicious...I sat on the seat on just a nice plush fall...(didnt get a chance to play with the rebound/compression yet)..the entire geometry of the bike is quite comfortable..raise the seat while pedaling or climbing and lower while descending thats my advice;) this bike is WORTH every penny!!!!! and who ever says otherwise is a fool!
Similar Products Used: Gary Fisher Sugar1 (my other bike), Tassajara, RM switch...etc
Bike Setup: RM7, Marzocchi Monster, Mavic DeeMAx dh rims, Azonic seat, XTr everything (besides front duerallier can only be LX), Easton cully pedals, race face north shore crank, race face xy stem, Fox Vanilla RC rear shock
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Submitted by
Jay Calder
a Downhiller
from Thunder Bay ON
Weaknesses: NONE, Wade would'nt ride a bike with a weakness.
Bottom Line:
Best bike I've ever ridden, It is awesome in every way and not even hard to pedal, (like it matters whan you're flying off bridges)It is soooo choice, If you have the means I strongly suggest picking one up. rocky has the highest standards on craftmanship in the industry so you know it's well built. And the flames make the women come running! I sold my Camaro to buy it and I have never been happier.
Bike Setup: Monster t, hayes purples, doublewides on hugi hubs, azonic 454 cranks and seat and bars, thomson post, maxxis and arrow tires, MRP guide, blah blah blah
Purchased At: i dont have one, ive ust seen one....
Similar Products Used: uhh RM edge w/ jr t
Bike Setup: 01' RM edge w/ 01' jr t, azonic shorty 75mm, pro taper 2"rise, rhyno lites, michelin 2.5 rear, maxxis 2.7 front...sad to say magura brakes for now
Strengths: Built like a tank. just looking at the bike is scary. All components are top of the line. SRAM shifters are flawless. thrust link suspension absorbs any impact with ease. The new monster T for is absolutely delicious. I can't help it, but I love the paint job. riding this bike makes you feel like you should be engulfed in green flames. I really like the Hayes-9 inch brakes. Simply put, this bike will turn you out. i cant help staring at it when I'm at home. Peddles like a champ, almost no bob whatsoever.
Weaknesses: (in a hippie voice) HEAVY MAN!!!!!!!! this bike weighs a lot, due to the Monster T. The fork weighs more than the frame by itself. It kind of works if you like to get air. The fork pulls your front end down coming down out of a jump. Unless you have a Suburban or an Excursion or some other huge onroading vehicle, you will need a really good bike rack to haul this beast around. You may need some kind of padding to prevent your brake tubes from busting if you lay the bike out real hard
Bottom Line:
if you like going really really fast or want a bike that can handle ANYTHING that you throw at it, get a RM7 WS. It is like a masterpiece work of art and a sick, relentless off road machine all rolled into one.
