I’ve rode this all season. You absolutely have to run way less sag than you’d think (20-25% but closer to 20). Not the typical 30%. It took me about 75 miles to figure that out and make the discovery but now it’s fantastic. I tried all kinds of settings and ran this as a 150/160 with an X2 and 36 at 160 which changes the bike entirely (not in a bad way but it loses its agility). My preference overall is the 140/150 with the FloatX and 36. I really enjoy it.
@@Cevirus93 I'm hyper-hyper-senstive to noise and no, mine does not have any noise at all. I DID have cable rattle right where the brake line pops out of the tube and back in (accessed by the Penalty Box door, but this was easily fixed with some thick rubber tape (the 3M stuff).
I've owned this bike since just after release , granted I don't have the fox (thank goodness imo) I have the super deluxe and lryik ultimate and it's been amazing totally different experience than what they have. This bike holds a line better than any bike I've ever been on. It corners so freaking amazing. You do need to run less sag for sure or this bike will pedal strike like crazy. I run it about 20-22% Sag
Play? Like your frame is damaged? I got some creaks after initial break in, but the main pivot bolt became loose. Thread lock and torque wrench and it is tight and silent.
@@petedog9581 Bolt was torqued when I removed it. the through bolt isn't fitting tight in the bearings. It's as if the main pivot bolt shrunk half a millimetre or something. torque it all up and you can grab the back of the chainstay's and jiggle it side to side. I weigh 170lbs and ride mild single track in the prairies for what its worth.
@@High_Octane I am 5' 10" and 170 lbs. and I have a C30 with a mere Fox DPS out back. I ride a lot, and It has been so stiff laterally. It is much less flexy and "loose" than my 2019 Stumpy. That sucks that Rocky was not more accommodating. A new bearing kit may be the only fix. Have trusted bike a mech do the bearing presses, if you can't do it yourself. Maybe that is the issue. Your bike had improperly pressed bearings out of the box. I think you can find a long term fix and not have to live w it. I love my bike for what it's worth.
@mrvwbug4423 i wish that was true, but multiple testers all complained about the factory tune. The riders can only review the bike as delivered and not the the bike they wish the factory sent them. These are professional testers, riding multiple bikes back to back so the cream rises to the top and factory issues are quickly revealed. Hopefully it's an issue that RM can easily resolve with a more robust tune.
@@chefmarkkalix So why did this bike get great reviews for 3 years by just about every reviewer? I have a 2023 with a lower end DPS and it is stiff as hell. If anything, it stays too high in its travel and skips along the top of the chunder. I dunno what happened here? I run the sag at 25% and have added no volume spacers. I tested Pivots and Transitions before settling on this bike. It felt way more comfortable and cornered better.
I have owned this bike since it was released, but I never ran the stock shock just because I had a different brand preference. This review doesn't at all line up at all with my experience on a different shock. I have found it to absolutely rip with the shock I have on it. I haven't had issues bottoming out, "instability", etc. It's my favorite all-arounder I have ever owned.
@@octaviangusgus I'm in the same boat, this bike has been the best trail bike I've ever owned. Climbs amazing and it corners like nothing I've ever ridden. This review was painful to watch but to each their own I guess.
I have a RM Instinct Powerplay that I purchased with the Rockhshock Select rear shock. I have been riding the rocky trails of the Italian Alps for a while, where I found that the rear suspension made the bike a bit nervous, especially on rock gardens or roots, as mentioned in one of the 2025 Field Test videos that the bike seemed to use the first part of the suspension travel, but after that it started to jump. So I decided to upgrade to the Canecreek Kitsuma Air. Now the bike stays in line no matter the line and in corners, even on rock gardens, it is so precise. Pedal impact is also almost solved, even with 30% SAG
I think they nailed the review. I owned a RM Instinct and was always using the climb switch to get up hills. The adjustability is overkill. Also, on tight single track, no matter what adjustments I made to the bike the front end just wandered. I had little confidence in the bike and sold it after about 300 miles trying to make it work for me.
It took me a while to get along with this bike and I would agree with the impressions of the stock float x, but after putting a coil on and doing some suspension bracketing it's great. Err on the side of less sag range or at least set your sag with the max amount of gear you'll carry. I have it at 150 mm out back with the longer stroke shock and a 160 fork and I think it's a pretty good mini enduro rig and it's light too. I like big pedal days, weight starts to add up on longer rides with big ups and downs.
I mean they gotta judge bikes as is as they ship with whatever a normal person can adjust. Like if the bike requires you to buy and replace the entire suspension system to “make it work”….its just not a good bike to buy.
@acg1189 from my perspective I pretty much agreed with them on the stock suspension issues, but I shed light on that this bike isn't all bad. I did a frame up build so I can't comment on the rest of the build specs.
I have now watched 3 reviews where the shock kills the bike 😂 This, the Transitiom Tr11 and the Specialized Stumpjumper 15 - always the float x or geni
I have a bike that came with a Float X aswell and really didn't dig the performance of that shock at all, it lacked support with the LSC open, but got super harsh through rough sections when I added enough LSC for turns and stuff. Swapped in a coil shock which absolutely transformed the bike. So maybe it really is just that shock...
These attempts to add valid adjustments into the frame are almost seeming a bit embarrassing with so much compromise involved as well as maybe not even starting with the right numbers. Brands need to commit to 3 things at most, one significant flip chip for the shock/BB area, designing with an angled headset in mind, and of course a separate linkage to switch wheel sizes in the rear as we see from Norco and Speshy. And again, if the design is great from the start such as scaling chainstays to the frame size... You don't need poorly thought out chainstay chips. In these regards, Norco is kinda dunking on the rest of the industry. And if you can't do all those things, just make a bike that works well without adjustment. Shocker, hey?
I think that anything aside from a flip chip or separate linkage for two wheel sizes is completely unnessessary. Deside what the bike is for and design the geometry with that in mind. Downhill race bikes are a different breed and I get the adjustments there.
@@khendricksson ya I'd love to be proven wrong with some other brand that has done it all perfectly and all the changes make sense but... I think they almost always end up in the 'everyone only uses this one setting' thing and then you just have more moving parts and weight added for essentially nothing. and with a bike like this you can make all the changes you want to raise the BB and its STILL low. kinda defeats the purpose of 'low/high' settings. its more so... 'low and lower' lol
Using the adjustments isn't mandatory, they just allow for further customization of the bike's handling and behavior. My previous RMs rode just fine in their neutral settings.
@@capitalschool8765 That's what I would think. Sadly the review implies otherwise, in a variety of ways. In between the too low BB (even in high setting) and the mandatory long setting for T-type, likely if you happen to be a size small or medium.
Yes i would of said that just put more air in the shock and Yes they are riding this bike in a bike park and i think it flys out in the wild trails more as i am the same i have a Rocky Mountain Instinct 2022 it is my summer off road bike and i love it and i still ride my older Rocky Mountain Pipeline in the winter you really have to ride them and change the settings to your style as you get use to the bike.
Crazy how now the reviewers are giving some negative feedback instead of pure love like other reviews and now everyone hates pink bike? Were they supposed to just give praise to everything? These guys have been reviewing bikes on here for years; I think they know how to add air to their shock
Have they tried just airing up the shock a little more as i do ride mine with more than you should. Yes they are riding this bike in a bike park and i think it flys out in the wild trails more as i am the same i have a Rocky Mountain Instinct 2022 it is my summer off road bike and i love it and i still ride my older Rocky Mountain Pipeline in the winter you really have to ride them and change the settings to your style as you get use to the bike.
Totally different experience. The only trail bike I ever owned where I needed to use the climb switch. I have owned the Niner Rip 9, Ibis Ripmo V2, Evil Offering V2, Bold Linkin 150 Pro, Kona Process 134 and Yeti SB 140. All of the were superior to the Instinct in virtually every area.
Spesh is the worst w pivot bolt and linage issues in the Industry. I have ridden them since FSR started. I have had to end rideed with seatstay bolt heads busting off bc of rear triangle flex. I have had 4 frame defects and replacements after cracks in alloy at welds from Spesh. Good Luck. They are good w warranties though.
@@petedog9581 I'm sorry you apparently had a poor experience, but my experiences and those of the thousands of people I've served over a multi-decade bike shop career do not match your assessment. The bikes are generally quite good, and hold up well when compared to other options on the market. I say that while having tremendous disdain for SBC as a company based on their leadership, business practices and treatment of their dealers.
@@petedog9581 It's Horst link bikes in general, you should just assume that loctite is an essential thing for the rear pivot bolts, I've never seen a Horst link bike that didn't need loctite on the rear pivot.
I have the Element (very similar) initially HATED IT. Eventually changed the crappy FOX with a short travel coil. CHANGED THE BIKE DRAMATICALLY! Also changed the fork, HUGE difference! These bikes demand better suspension and shame on Rocky for spec'ing low components (C50 builds are grossly overpriced)!
no that isn't a valid comparison. bikes are very expensive so being able to adjust geometry after you buy is a big plus. it means you can adjust to changes in your riding or just figure out what you want.
I had the chance to test this bike back to back with the altitude at my local resort (Silverstar) both bikes were the c90 specs. I can confirm this bike charges! For me it lived up to its attractive numbers on paper. I would say it feels like a stiffer, lighter and snappier version of the previous altitude. If you ever had the chance to swing a leg over that bike you know it’s no slouch. I would take this review with a grain of salt because it sounds like these gents had some trouble finding the proper settings for themselves. Nothing against them, but it’s the unfortunate nature of these rapid fire bike reviews.
The crazy amount of adjustability is a bit like headset cable routing - nobody really needs it. 90% of riders will set and forget, because they ride the same trails 90% of the time. And the idea of changing geometry for different rides is great on paper, but hardly what most riders need from a bike.
After 24 hours of the post-mortem review of the 2024 Instinct, it may go extinct. Lol. My 20223 is the best bike I have had in 30+ years, with a short time w a leg over. I have the lowest spec carbon frame-- C30. Full Deore spec w a Marzocchi Z2 Bomber 150 and a Fox DPS shock. The bike cost $2903 delivered to my door. It has been nearly flawless for 8 months. It is a TRAIL bike, not a quiver killer... the most loaded language in mtb. That is as silly as chasing unicorns. There has been 3 years of very + reviews about this bike all over TH-cam, now they made the bike worse? I think not. This seems a reflection of the pile-on culture. Where were all the people talking QC issues and shock tune problems for the last 3 years in the comments? Rocky should be responsive to concerns, rather than dismissive. That is a fact. YT had issues with creaks, play, and flex in some models this year and they made spacers available for free through the warranty.
@@High_Octane They have been spot on w any questions I have had and prompt w support. I have the same bike. Your thru-bolt is not made to the correct tolerance. Mine is solid as a rock solid after nearly 700 miles. Bad batch of main pivot thru-bolts form Asia? It would not be expensive for Rocky to send out warranty bolts that are 1/2 mm more in diameter. Maybe this review will have them look into it further and take action. I feel for you man. Good luck.
@@petedog9581 For sure. Appreciate that. It's such a minor issue at the end of the day. For Rocky to put there hands over their eyes and say "I dunno what your talking about" is pretty lame.
Don't now why, but the new instinct, new altitude and new slayer have wrong shock tune, the gwnwration before was amazing. Feel like they use the old shock tuning on new models and didn’t work at all
No matter how much geo adjustment you can do, there is no replacement for the amount of travel you don’t have. A 140mm with DH bike geo, still only has 140mm.
@@suspendedmofo that just depends on the type of terrain you ride, the 140 was fine, I moved and now I need a bit more, and no amount of crazy geo will change that (note I am not chasing KOM’s)
@@andresdavila4500 depends on your riding skills either.. no need to compensate with more travel if you ride clean.. but yeah, if you ride rough stuff with bigger jumps i would choose more than 130mm either..
This review is basically a long-winded review of the shock. Just throw a cc coil on it and test the bike. Kaz has always ragged on RM for their adjustability.
all of these issues can be attributed to bad setup right? also, calling the adjustability "too much" doesn't make any sense. good riders change their riding or want to buy a bike and then try out what geometry setting suit them the best. not everyone can try a bike on the trail before buying.
@@Mike_Kazimer Ok. I thought you were bottoming out from the way the vid played. Maybe I missed something in the vid. I am a trail rider, not mini-enduro rider. The bike is solid for me. Not one issue except the main pivot bolt loosening to make a slight creak under heavy loads, but that was just initial break in stuff. Thread lock and it was silent.
@@Mike_Kazimer a volume spacer does affect the feel of the beginning middle and endstroke. thats what a volume spacer is for, because it not only changes the airvolume inside the positive chamber, it also changes the relation between the postive and negative air chamber.
This does not track with our experience in our shop with the Instinct. But it does track with pretty much all platforms mated to Fox suspension. RockShox and Manitou only do bike suspension. Fox does suspension in everything and has great brand recognition as a result. But we feel that RS and Manitou offer better stuff for mountain bikes. RS in particular on the Instinct is absolutely unbeatable. The bike is nearly perfect. But “meh” with the Fox. Fox sells bikes though. We do way more warranty work/replacement with Fox. Larger riders in particular we see struggling to get support out of Fox equipped trail setups without modifications.
I am beginning to find from alot of youtube channels reviewing many different higher end bikes. That all that usless racing tech has made these bikes more unwieldy and shit feeling to regular weekend worrier riders that dont go all out speed and strave time junkies or go regularly on DB or RED trails. This is what happens when the industry focuses on pro level kit intended for 10% of riders. Leaving a sour taste in the mouth of the comsumer after spending a shit load of money for an overbiked bike feeling like utter shit. The industry really needs to start focusing on entery to sub 4000 grand US bikes and the average rider that wont do 80% of what pros do or seassoned riders in demanding environments like Whistler or the North Shore. Seems to me the industry focuse is 80% pro highend 20% average joe. Not a industry sustaining model especially during an economic downturn like present.
Maybe Rocky put a soft shock on this bike to coddle the average rider who uses a long travel trail bike to ride xc trails. These guys on this review, to their credit, are likely pushing these bike much harder than the average rider.
E bikes don't really cost much more than real bikes. E bikes are typically a real bike that already exists converted to an e bike. A lot less r & d. E bikes cost more in the long run because there are more things to fail, motor and batteries.
I’ve rode this all season. You absolutely have to run way less sag than you’d think (20-25% but closer to 20). Not the typical 30%. It took me about 75 miles to figure that out and make the discovery but now it’s fantastic.
I tried all kinds of settings and ran this as a 150/160 with an X2 and 36 at 160 which changes the bike entirely (not in a bad way but it loses its agility).
My preference overall is the 140/150 with the FloatX and 36. I really enjoy it.
Did you also have the noise issue? Or was yours silent?
@@Cevirus93 I'm hyper-hyper-senstive to noise and no, mine does not have any noise at all. I DID have cable rattle right where the brake line pops out of the tube and back in (accessed by the Penalty Box door, but this was easily fixed with some thick rubber tape (the 3M stuff).
I've owned this bike since just after release , granted I don't have the fox (thank goodness imo) I have the super deluxe and lryik ultimate and it's been amazing totally different experience than what they have. This bike holds a line better than any bike I've ever been on. It corners so freaking amazing. You do need to run less sag for sure or this bike will pedal strike like crazy. I run it about 20-22% Sag
My instinct Developed play in the main pivot... like 10 rides in. Rocky said cry about it.
Play? Like your frame is damaged? I got some creaks after initial break in, but the main pivot bolt became loose. Thread lock and torque wrench and it is tight and silent.
@@petedog9581 Bolt was torqued when I removed it. the through bolt isn't fitting tight in the bearings. It's as if the main pivot bolt shrunk half a millimetre or something. torque it all up and you can grab the back of the chainstay's and jiggle it side to side. I weigh 170lbs and ride mild single track in the prairies for what its worth.
@@petedog9581 the through bolt does not fit tight in the bearings.
Similar issues with the new Altitude according to some reviews so I bought a new megatower instead of waiting for the Altitude to become available
@@High_Octane I am 5' 10" and 170 lbs. and I have a C30 with a mere Fox DPS out back. I ride a lot, and It has been so stiff laterally. It is much less flexy and "loose" than my 2019 Stumpy. That sucks that Rocky was not more accommodating. A new bearing kit may be the only fix. Have trusted bike a mech do the bearing presses, if you can't do it yourself. Maybe that is the issue. Your bike had improperly pressed bearings out of the box. I think you can find a long term fix and not have to live w it. I love my bike for what it's worth.
Wow, they hate this bike. It's going to be a long day at RM HQ.
A lot of others like it though, and Pink Bike bitches more about bikes more lately than anything.
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It's a setup issue, they didn't bother to dial in the suspension settings. May also be an issue with the 2024 Lyriks.
@mrvwbug4423 i wish that was true, but multiple testers all complained about the factory tune. The riders can only review the bike as delivered and not the the bike they wish the factory sent them. These are professional testers, riding multiple bikes back to back so the cream rises to the top and factory issues are quickly revealed. Hopefully it's an issue that RM can easily resolve with a more robust tune.
@@chefmarkkalix So why did this bike get great reviews for 3 years by just about every reviewer?
I have a 2023 with a lower end DPS and it is stiff as hell. If anything, it stays too high in its travel and skips along the top of the chunder. I dunno what happened here?
I run the sag at 25% and have added no volume spacers. I tested Pivots and Transitions before settling on this bike. It felt way more comfortable and cornered better.
It would have been cool if you guys had tested the bike with a firmer compression tune.
Same with the Stumpy kinda. Sounds like both bikes need a coil or something.
They are supposed to be tested stock. You don’t buy a car and tune the suspension day one to make it driveable…
@@robertkotroczo7908 Its still stock, but all suspension is to be adjusted to rider weight (as per EVERY manual).
@ and you don't think they did that?
I have owned this bike since it was released, but I never ran the stock shock just because I had a different brand preference. This review doesn't at all line up at all with my experience on a different shock. I have found it to absolutely rip with the shock I have on it. I haven't had issues bottoming out, "instability", etc. It's my favorite all-arounder I have ever owned.
Same. This review is painful to watch because with the right sag and suspension, its been one of the most fun bikes I've owned in a long time.
Ditto, I run an aftermarket shock and rear coil and the bike is a banger for BC trails.
@@octaviangusgus I'm in the same boat, this bike has been the best trail bike I've ever owned. Climbs amazing and it corners like nothing I've ever ridden. This review was painful to watch but to each their own I guess.
New overpriced bike comes specced wrong! What a great bike!
Fox junk strikes again!
I have a RM Instinct Powerplay that I purchased with the Rockhshock Select rear shock. I have been riding the rocky trails of the Italian Alps for a while, where I found that the rear suspension made the bike a bit nervous, especially on rock gardens or roots, as mentioned in one of the 2025 Field Test videos that the bike seemed to use the first part of the suspension travel, but after that it started to jump. So I decided to upgrade to the Canecreek Kitsuma Air. Now the bike stays in line no matter the line and in corners, even on rock gardens, it is so precise. Pedal impact is also almost solved, even with 30% SAG
I think they nailed the review. I owned a RM Instinct and was always using the climb switch to get up hills. The adjustability is overkill. Also, on tight single track, no matter what adjustments I made to the bike the front end just wandered. I had little confidence in the bike and sold it after about 300 miles trying to make it work for me.
It took me a while to get along with this bike and I would agree with the impressions of the stock float x, but after putting a coil on and doing some suspension bracketing it's great. Err on the side of less sag range or at least set your sag with the max amount of gear you'll carry. I have it at 150 mm out back with the longer stroke shock and a 160 fork and I think it's a pretty good mini enduro rig and it's light too. I like big pedal days, weight starts to add up on longer rides with big ups and downs.
I mean they gotta judge bikes as is as they ship with whatever a normal person can adjust.
Like if the bike requires you to buy and replace the entire suspension system to “make it work”….its just not a good bike to buy.
@acg1189 from my perspective I pretty much agreed with them on the stock suspension issues, but I shed light on that this bike isn't all bad. I did a frame up build so I can't comment on the rest of the build specs.
WAY BETTER DISCUSSION THIS FIELD TEST THANK YOU. Love the 2 person discussion rather than the weird scripted voiceover opinions.
I have now watched 3 reviews where the shock kills the bike 😂 This, the Transitiom Tr11 and the Specialized Stumpjumper 15 - always the float x or geni
I have a bike that came with a Float X aswell and really didn't dig the performance of that shock at all, it lacked support with the LSC open, but got super harsh through rough sections when I added enough LSC for turns and stuff. Swapped in a coil shock which absolutely transformed the bike. So maybe it really is just that shock...
Float x is a great shock the instinct is a bad bike I have one on my Bronson and also tried on instinct…..
@@PatBK agree. Couldn’t stand it either.
@@thelittleewokboss9929 that could also mean that it's the factory tune of the shock. Santa is known for getting these pretty dialed 👍
Where is Mike Levy? 😢😢😢😢
they're nothing without that clown levy
hoocudanode
@virag1132 they are great but Mike Levy is missed 🙂🙂🙂🙂
his younger, taller and ever so slightly more gay cousin Gario is all you get.
and why is Mike K still there? He's own PB i take it or else he would not have lasted that long..
As a BC boy and a fan of Rocky Mountain bikes since the early 90's bit of a bummer to hear. Hope they can correct things to impress once more.
The greedy traitors have to bring production back to Vancouver
I wish Rocky would produce the Pipedream and return production to Vancouver
Slayer is basically the Pipedream
@aidan_macmillan not even close
These attempts to add valid adjustments into the frame are almost seeming a bit embarrassing with so much compromise involved as well as maybe not even starting with the right numbers. Brands need to commit to 3 things at most, one significant flip chip for the shock/BB area, designing with an angled headset in mind, and of course a separate linkage to switch wheel sizes in the rear as we see from Norco and Speshy. And again, if the design is great from the start such as scaling chainstays to the frame size... You don't need poorly thought out chainstay chips.
In these regards, Norco is kinda dunking on the rest of the industry. And if you can't do all those things, just make a bike that works well without adjustment. Shocker, hey?
I think that anything aside from a flip chip or separate linkage for two wheel sizes is completely unnessessary. Deside what the bike is for and design the geometry with that in mind. Downhill race bikes are a different breed and I get the adjustments there.
@@khendricksson ya I'd love to be proven wrong with some other brand that has done it all perfectly and all the changes make sense but... I think they almost always end up in the 'everyone only uses this one setting' thing and then you just have more moving parts and weight added for essentially nothing.
and with a bike like this you can make all the changes you want to raise the BB and its STILL low. kinda defeats the purpose of 'low/high' settings. its more so... 'low and lower' lol
Using the adjustments isn't mandatory, they just allow for further customization of the bike's handling and behavior.
My previous RMs rode just fine in their neutral settings.
@@capitalschool8765 That's what I would think. Sadly the review implies otherwise, in a variety of ways. In between the too low BB (even in high setting) and the mandatory long setting for T-type, likely if you happen to be a size small or medium.
@@TeddyParker It seems like a shock issue. If it were otherwise, there would be unanimous user reviews agreeing with PB's take.
Have they tried just airing up the shock a little more?
Yes i would of said that just put more air in the shock and Yes they are riding this bike in a bike park and i think it flys out in the wild trails more as i am the same i have a Rocky Mountain Instinct 2022 it is my summer off road bike and i love it and i still ride my older Rocky Mountain Pipeline in the winter you really have to ride them and change the settings to your style as you get use to the bike.
I used it with the Float X shock, didn't liked it, feels very bumpy. Then tried a coil shock... entire other bike: very stable, glued to the ground.
Did you all try different volume spacer configurations? Just curious.
Did you even talk to Rocky?
Crazy how now the reviewers are giving some negative feedback instead of pure love like other reviews and now everyone hates pink bike? Were they supposed to just give praise to everything? These guys have been reviewing bikes on here for years; I think they know how to add air to their shock
I had a previous gen Instinct BC and never used the climb switch. Im really surprised by your findings if its a production bike
Have they tried just airing up the shock a little more as i do ride mine with more than you should. Yes they are riding this bike in a bike park and i think it flys out in the wild trails more as i am the same i have a Rocky Mountain Instinct 2022 it is my summer off road bike and i love it and i still ride my older Rocky Mountain Pipeline in the winter you really have to ride them and change the settings to your style as you get use to the bike.
@ sounds like the damping was a topic too but not sure if it was C or R
Totally different experience. The only trail bike I ever owned where I needed to use the climb switch. I have owned the Niner Rip 9, Ibis Ripmo V2, Evil Offering V2, Bold Linkin 150 Pro, Kona Process 134 and Yeti SB 140. All of the were superior to the Instinct in virtually every area.
At least this bike is a reasonable weight, but it does almost have the head angle of a downhill bike, which is not what I would want on a trail bike
Just get a stumpy Evo from last year on the cheap and smile!
No doubt. Aside from marketing I don’t see any reason to change what worked
Spesh is the worst w pivot bolt and linage issues in the Industry. I have ridden them since FSR started. I have had to end rideed with seatstay bolt heads busting off bc of rear triangle flex. I have had 4 frame defects and replacements after cracks in alloy at welds from Spesh. Good Luck. They are good w warranties though.
@@petedog9581 I'm sorry you apparently had a poor experience, but my experiences and those of the thousands of people I've served over a multi-decade bike shop career do not match your assessment. The bikes are generally quite good, and hold up well when compared to other options on the market. I say that while having tremendous disdain for SBC as a company based on their leadership, business practices and treatment of their dealers.
@@petedog9581 It's Horst link bikes in general, you should just assume that loctite is an essential thing for the rear pivot bolts, I've never seen a Horst link bike that didn't need loctite on the rear pivot.
It is lightweight hardware w shallow bolt heads. The torque setting Spesh recommends never stays tight, even w loctite.
Is Dario rocking the reverse Ronaldo?
I have the Element (very similar) initially HATED IT. Eventually changed the crappy FOX with a short travel coil. CHANGED THE BIKE DRAMATICALLY! Also changed the fork, HUGE difference! These bikes demand better suspension and shame on Rocky for spec'ing low components (C50 builds are grossly overpriced)!
I have a 2023 C70 Altitude and the bike is god tier with the 38 Elite and X2 they specced.
Maybe there's something wrong with the shock? It's happened before.
It's like a guitar amp with too many knobs. It should sound good when you turn it on.
no that isn't a valid comparison. bikes are very expensive so being able to adjust geometry after you buy is a big plus. it means you can adjust to changes in your riding or just figure out what you want.
being a guitar player - that's biggest BS you can say lol
What ever happened to Mike Levy? He was my favorite Pink biker
I had the chance to test this bike back to back with the altitude at my local resort (Silverstar) both bikes were the c90 specs. I can confirm this bike charges! For me it lived up to its attractive numbers on paper. I would say it feels like a stiffer, lighter and snappier version of the previous altitude. If you ever had the chance to swing a leg over that bike you know it’s no slouch. I would take this review with a grain of salt because it sounds like these gents had some trouble finding the proper settings for themselves. Nothing against them, but it’s the unfortunate nature of these rapid fire bike reviews.
I had a Rocky Mountain Pipeline and then the last Rocky Mountain Instinct 2022, and you really have to ride them and change settings
@@robinbreeds9217 agreed, it sucks.
@@High_Octane They are the best trail bikes i have ever had, i only have 9 bikes right now cannondale and giant with a trek a nukeproof hardtail
@@robinbreeds9217 glad you enjoy yours. Selling mine.
@@High_Octane Mate all you need to do is change some of the parts on it ?
The crazy amount of adjustability is a bit like headset cable routing - nobody really needs it. 90% of riders will set and forget, because they ride the same trails 90% of the time. And the idea of changing geometry for different rides is great on paper, but hardly what most riders need from a bike.
I was considering this bike before I ended up going with the Norco Sight. Looks like I potentially dodged a bullet.
I had the previous generation made me really not want to go for a ride, couldn’t climb very well or decend then I upgraded to a Bronson so much better
I hate that I agree.
After 24 hours of the post-mortem review of the 2024 Instinct, it may go extinct. Lol.
My 20223 is the best bike I have had in 30+ years, with a short time w a leg over. I have the lowest spec carbon frame-- C30. Full Deore spec w a Marzocchi Z2 Bomber 150 and a Fox DPS shock. The bike cost $2903 delivered to my door.
It has been nearly flawless for 8 months. It is a TRAIL bike, not a quiver killer... the most loaded language in mtb. That is as silly as chasing unicorns. There has been 3 years of very + reviews about this bike all over TH-cam, now they made the bike worse? I think not.
This seems a reflection of the pile-on culture. Where were all the people talking QC issues and shock tune problems for the last 3 years in the comments? Rocky should be responsive to concerns, rather than dismissive. That is a fact. YT had issues with creaks, play, and flex in some models this year and they made spacers available for free through the warranty.
Rocky could care less what we think clearly.
@@High_Octane They have been spot on w any questions I have had and prompt w support. I have the same bike. Your thru-bolt is not made to the correct tolerance. Mine is solid as a rock solid after nearly 700 miles.
Bad batch of main pivot thru-bolts form Asia? It would not be expensive for Rocky to send out warranty bolts that are 1/2 mm more in diameter. Maybe this review will have them look into it further and take action. I feel for you man. Good luck.
@@petedog9581 For sure. Appreciate that. It's such a minor issue at the end of the day. For Rocky to put there hands over their eyes and say "I dunno what your talking about" is pretty lame.
Don't now why, but the new instinct, new altitude and new slayer have wrong shock tune, the gwnwration before was amazing. Feel like they use the old shock tuning on new models and didn’t work at all
I love it when you guys criticize the bikes
Oof. As a 2023 Altitude owner, maybe I need to test ride another bike…. They hated this bike lol
The backround music is a bit too loud… in my opinion, sorry.
No matter how much geo adjustment you can do, there is no replacement for the amount of travel you don’t have. A 140mm with DH bike geo, still only has 140mm.
I ride a Status 140 and fully support this comment! At certain points you just run out of travel and things turn wild…
more than enough for the majority of riders out there
@@suspendedmofo that just depends on the type of terrain you ride, the 140 was fine, I moved and now I need a bit more, and no amount of crazy geo will change that (note I am not chasing KOM’s)
@@andresdavila4500 depends on your riding skills either.. no need to compensate with more travel if you ride clean.. but yeah, if you ride rough stuff with bigger jumps i would choose more than 130mm either..
You can overstroke this puppy up to 150mm. Just remove the travel reducer in the shock and you got 10 more.
This review is basically a long-winded review of the shock. Just throw a cc coil on it and test the bike.
Kaz has always ragged on RM for their adjustability.
Day 3 of asking when is the Hawk Tuah Flat video coming out 🫡
On paper this bike looks awesome (other than the PF BB). Wonder how the Rock Shox SDU performs on this bike?
It's not the shock brand or model that seems to be the problem, it's the compression tune RM went for.
@ right but I thought there may have been a model that comes with the SDU (could be wrong)
I have a c70 sram build and it feels great with a super deluxe ultimate!
all of these issues can be attributed to bad setup right?
also, calling the adjustability "too much" doesn't make any sense. good riders change their riding or want to buy a bike and then try out what geometry setting suit them the best. not everyone can try a bike on the trail before buying.
I have a 2023 and it is dead silent for 8 months. Just saying. Have you guys ever heard of volume spacers?
Volume spacers don't affect the suspension feel at the beginning / middle of the travel, which is where we were noticing the lack of support.
@@Mike_Kazimer Ok. I thought you were bottoming out from the way the vid played. Maybe I missed something in the vid. I am a trail rider, not mini-enduro rider. The bike is solid for me. Not one issue except the main pivot bolt loosening to make a slight creak under heavy loads, but that was just initial break in stuff. Thread lock and it was silent.
My 2023 has been fantastic. Weird to see that they really didn't like the new one
@@SpencerBaum Maybe the slacker HTA??
@@Mike_Kazimer a volume spacer does affect the feel of the beginning middle and endstroke. thats what a volume spacer is for, because it not only changes the airvolume inside the positive chamber, it also changes the relation between the postive and negative air chamber.
This and the stumpy how are companies making bad bikes all of a sudden :D in this market you need to make hits only
This does not track with our experience in our shop with the Instinct. But it does track with pretty much all platforms mated to Fox suspension. RockShox and Manitou only do bike suspension. Fox does suspension in everything and has great brand recognition as a result. But we feel that RS and Manitou offer better stuff for mountain bikes. RS in particular on the Instinct is absolutely unbeatable. The bike is nearly perfect. But “meh” with the Fox. Fox sells bikes though. We do way more warranty work/replacement with Fox. Larger riders in particular we see struggling to get support out of Fox equipped trail setups without modifications.
What kind of modifications?
Would love the unfiltered review
I miss the good old days of PinkBike... Can't stand Henry 's yapping nowadays...
I am beginning to find from alot of youtube channels reviewing many different higher end bikes. That all that usless racing tech has made these bikes more unwieldy and shit feeling to regular weekend worrier riders that dont go all out speed and strave time junkies or go regularly on DB or RED trails.
This is what happens when the industry focuses on pro level kit intended for 10% of riders. Leaving a sour taste in the mouth of the comsumer after spending a shit load of money for an overbiked bike feeling like utter shit.
The industry really needs to start focusing on entery to sub 4000 grand US bikes and the average rider that wont do 80% of what pros do or seassoned riders in demanding environments like Whistler or the North Shore.
Seems to me the industry focuse is 80% pro highend 20% average joe. Not a industry sustaining model especially during an economic downturn like present.
So it’s crap.
Got it.
Cheers chaps! 🔥👊🏼
Maybe Rocky put a soft shock on this bike to coddle the average rider who uses a long travel trail bike to ride xc trails. These guys on this review, to their credit, are likely pushing these bike much harder than the average rider.
Ohhhhh that voice!! 😵💫😵💫😵💫
Rocky tried to replicate the Santa Cruz VPP but failed hard here.
This isn't vpp, it's still their 4 bar horst link.
Santa Cruz replicated a Rocky w the Vala.
What am I even doing here?😂
I love a bike I'll ride all day, mostly everywhere and far far away. Planted wheels and supple ride. 😅
Interesting is British speak for bike sux.
Thank you for the translation
😆
Never buy a plastic bike
I think Henry over exaggerate every bike he rides and I can’t take anything he says into consideration
He sounds like a cat with its paw caught in the cupboard door.
I prefer that honestly than a bland review where you dont take anything concrete away from it
He’s a bike reviewer. If he said two sentences and said every bike was good it would be the loamwolf. I appreciate his sometimes long winded reviews.
@@howejohn1 He is weird.
it's Santa Cruz schwag
Lol, henry is showing way too much leg!
Henry needs to stop sitting like that😂
Sounds like someone can't setup suspension properly!? 😏
Save 17 min… summary it sucks
This guys are 100 % Wrong. I won't watch anymore this channel
Needs flight attendant?
"Carbon"=plastic
So much monotone.
I’d take an 07 Rocky Switch over this plastic crap any day
2021 instinct held back by dogshit dpx2. This instinct held back by improperly damped float x. Rip.
With the mediocre review and the price of the bike I'm not seeing any advantages to owning this bike
nearly 7k for none ebike wtf lol
E bikes don't really cost much more than real bikes. E bikes are typically a real bike that already exists converted to an e bike. A lot less r & d. E bikes cost more in the long run because there are more things to fail, motor and batteries.
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