2021 Altitude Speculation Thread.
21 - 40 of 62 Posts
Joined
·
536 Posts
Joined
·
15,592 Posts
Hey guys, I was stoked to stumble across this thread last night while I was posting my write up about this bike. This article should answer a bunch of questions folks might have about this bike, it's got a lot more actual info than my video: https://jeffkendallweed.com/a-lifelong-bike-dream-came-true-thanks-to-a-great-sponsor/
The video is much more of a vlog than any kind of review or anything, but maybe you'll enjoy it as well!
FWIW, Im 5'8" and am riding a size medium. It's a great fit, and the bike handles tight and awkward backcountry trails very well. I have limited bike park experience with it, but it seems to be quite capable there as well. I'd love to try a Slayer and see how the two differ- though I can say the Altitude feels pretty similar to my Ripmos in overall trail mannerisms. Just a little steeper seat angle feel.
The video is much more of a vlog than any kind of review or anything, but maybe you'll enjoy it as well!
FWIW, Im 5'8" and am riding a size medium. It's a great fit, and the bike handles tight and awkward backcountry trails very well. I have limited bike park experience with it, but it seems to be quite capable there as well. I'd love to try a Slayer and see how the two differ- though I can say the Altitude feels pretty similar to my Ripmos in overall trail mannerisms. Just a little steeper seat angle feel.
I was going to get a frame only, but apparently RM is a dentist brand now, $3700 for a frame only? At least with other dentist brands you can still sell them for a decent price, my brother bought his 2018 Altitude frame used for $1200.
I will put my name down on an Alloy 70. I thought the color would be different, but the spec looks dialed. The only thing I am stuck on is sizing.
I am 5'10" with a 32" inseam, and I am concerned that the Medium is too small, but the Large will be too big. I used to ride large bikes before the geometry revolution, and my past three bikes have been mediums. My BC edition is a medium and it is a tad bit short in reach. The new bike claims to have about a 25mm longer reach, which would be good (except the stem is about 5mm shorter), so I worry that it will actually be a smaller bike.
I just want to make sure I understand what "reach" means on a geo chart before getting another bike that's too small.
I am 5'10" with a 32" inseam, and I am concerned that the Medium is too small, but the Large will be too big. I used to ride large bikes before the geometry revolution, and my past three bikes have been mediums. My BC edition is a medium and it is a tad bit short in reach. The new bike claims to have about a 25mm longer reach, which would be good (except the stem is about 5mm shorter), so I worry that it will actually be a smaller bike.
I just want to make sure I understand what "reach" means on a geo chart before getting another bike that's too small.
Joined
·
5,483 Posts
Lol!!
OP's user name threw me off there for a second!
Rocky Mountain bikes have historically run short along the TT (according to the interwebs).
My Spidey senses also confirm the above (never actually ridden one, eyeball measurement FTW, YMMV).
Jesse Melamed certainly makes them come to life.
Sent from my HD1900 using Tapatalk
OP's user name threw me off there for a second!
Rocky Mountain bikes have historically run short along the TT (according to the interwebs).
My Spidey senses also confirm the above (never actually ridden one, eyeball measurement FTW, YMMV).
Jesse Melamed certainly makes them come to life.
Sent from my HD1900 using Tapatalk
Hey there, from having a couple weeks on the medium now, and being a hair over 5'8", I'd say go large. At 5'10" the medium would probably be a tad small. If anything, consider a shorter stem for that large.
Thank you for your advice!
I saw your post that you said the bike fits you perfectly, which is what concerned me. I haven't had a "stretched out" feeling on a bike in a while, and I am kind of used to the shorter reach, snappier feeling in a bike.
I haven't ridden a Large mountain bike since the 2016 Instinct, which had a reach of 427 (plus a 60mm stem and 785mm bar). I could only run a 125mm post in the 470mm seattube.
My current (M) BC Edition has a reach of 431 (plus a 45mm stem and 800mm bar), and I can easily run a 150mm post in the 432mm seattube.
The new Altitude has a reach of 455mm (plus a 40mm stem and a 800mm bar), and has a 420mm long seattube. That means I can probably run a 170mm post in that for my relatively "short" legs.
The only comparison to a bike I have ridden recently that is a size Large is my dad's 2020 Slayer in 27.5", which has a reach of 472 (plus a 40mm stem and 780mm bar). I feel like that reach feels as long as I would like to go, so I am not sure how that will translate to the Altitude.
Compared to all of this, the Large Altitude has a reach of 480, which even if I slap a 35mm stem on, would be longer than my dad's bike, and I would want a 800mm bar on it. If the numbers are accurate to how the bike feels, I worry it would be too stretched out. The seattube length is even longer than my current bike, which would mean I have to stick with a 150mm post as well.
While I know that I can fit on a Large, I hope the 19mm longer reach will be enough to make up the "too small" feeling I have on my current bike, but I think a nearly 2 inch longer reach might be slightly too much for some of the more aggressive riding I like to do. Maybe I just don't understand how a bike should fit or I am severely misinterpreting numbers on a bike. I just don't want to spend $5k on a bike that doesn't fit right, and for some reason I can't stop thinking that I ordered the wrong size.
I will talk to my LBS again when I go to pick up my BC after the new front triangle is put on, but I wish I could compare the two without worrying that they're going to sell out before I make a decision. I want to keep this bike for a long time, especially since I just bought a car and I won't have much of a bike budget moving forward, and this is my last big purchase that I have put money away for.
EDIT: I have a Salsa that I made the mistake of getting in too small of a size, its a M with a 426mm reach. I have been riding it a lot and it feels super responsive without compromising in the climbs. When I had a 70mm stem on it (I swapped that for a 50mm), and a 785mm bar, it felt like it fit perfect for me.
Joined
·
1,295 Posts
Hey Jeff.....been a longtime ibis rider and was looking for something new to move from my HD4. While the Ripmo is an obvious choice, something a bit more burly has my interest. Was leaning towards a megatower or slash, slayer. Now this Altitude may be the ticket. Giving me some of that all day pedaling, with more aggressive DH than the HD4?
Joined
·
354 Posts
Size Large
Joined
·
14 Posts
Comparison ALTITUDE C70 2021 and IBIS HD5
[QUOTE = canuck_tacoma; 14980201] Hey Jeff ..... était un pilote ibis de longue date et cherchait quelque chose de nouveau à déplacer de mon HD4. Bien que le Ripmo soit un choix évident, quelque chose d'un peu plus costaud a mon intérêt. Se penchait vers une mégatower ou slash, slayer. Maintenant, cette altitude peut être le ticket. Me donner un peu de ça toute la journée à pédaler, avec une DH plus agressive que le HD4? [/ QUOTE]
Hello,
In a succession of roots and stones, does the IBIS HD5 and its Float X2 shock absorber have the same behaviour as the ALTITUDE C70 2021? Is the IBIS tap-cul....
I hesitate between these two models
[QUOTE = canuck_tacoma; 14980201] Hey Jeff ..... était un pilote ibis de longue date et cherchait quelque chose de nouveau à déplacer de mon HD4. Bien que le Ripmo soit un choix évident, quelque chose d'un peu plus costaud a mon intérêt. Se penchait vers une mégatower ou slash, slayer. Maintenant, cette altitude peut être le ticket. Me donner un peu de ça toute la journée à pédaler, avec une DH plus agressive que le HD4? [/ QUOTE]
Hello,
In a succession of roots and stones, does the IBIS HD5 and its Float X2 shock absorber have the same behaviour as the ALTITUDE C70 2021? Is the IBIS tap-cul....
I hesitate between these two models
What trim level did you go with?
My A70 was supposed to come in September, then in November, and now they are saying early December. This seems to be a trend with Rocky Mountain in recent years.
My '19 BC arrived two months early, and my Blizzard came on time, in September of '18. The Slayer my dad bought took a good three months to show up.
I love the company and their products, but this trend is a bit disappointing since I was hoping to ride my new bike before winter. Now I am going to have to load it up inside my car rather than on the rack, and then it will live in my storage room for five months before I can ride it.
Joined
·
14 Posts
Nice RM. Is your Altitude a Medium or Large and your size ? Its a 29 or 27.5 ?
Joined
·
5,968 Posts
Well, I couldn’t get a frame only until next fall (seriously), so I went with a C70. But I am stripping it of everything but the X2. Then it gets a Fox 38, full XTR drivetrain and brakes, with dt240’s on carbon hoops. Also a 175 carbon dropper, carbon bars, dissector DD and the Assegai up front. Should be pretty badass.
21 - 40 of 62 Posts
Join the discussion
Join now to ask and comment!