rocky mountain instinct c50 tour

Rocky Mountain Instinct Carbon 50 Review

The not-so-minor details.

Rocky Mountain Instinct 50

https://www.pushys.com.au/

Flies on singletrack and rides all day. Decent value for a boutique brand. Lovely and light!

Weak brakes. Limitations from the fork damper.

We’ve been on the Rocky Mountain Instinct 50 for a little over a month now it’s been a real pleasure, lead it to fast and open singletrack and this 140mm travel 29″ wheeled carbon beauty flies up and down the mountain alllllll day long.

As you could expect from a Canadian company steeped in heritage and based on Vancouver’s North Shore the bike’s finish, fit and frame geometry looks ready to rumble. But did our suspicions around the appropriateness of some of spec (which we highlighted in our first impressions piece ) surmount to anything on the more technical trails? The bike feels light to ride and comes in well under the 13kg mark, not bad at all!

We do love us some smart frame design.

The Instinct is all-new for 2018, vastly different to the outgoing model in appearance and design, bringing it into line with rest of the Rocky range. It’s a sleek looking frame, finely colour matched and well protected with under the frame armouring from flying trail debris. The pivot on the chainstay is fastened from the inside creating a smooth finish with the hardware concealed from view, something we’ve seen from Rocky in their newer models.

Some lovely smaller things to point out on the Instinct frame is the cable management; large headtube ports with some smart plastic bosses keep the cables neat and tidy, and more importantly off the frame, so no unwanted rubbing the paint job around the head tube. There are provisions for Shimano Di2 with internal battery storage, and we spy mounting threads for the unreleased FOX Live Valve system. 

They have even replaced the traditional nylon DU bushing on the lower shock mount with their own neat bearing system, which will increase the life of the linkage and keep rattle at bay.

The spec, a little confused perhaps, or is that just us?

Bear with us while we over-analyse the spec, we think there may be a slight identity dilemma going on here.

• Combine a 140mm travel Fox 34 fork with a chunky Minion DHR front tyre and a slack 66-degree head angle and all we say is;  “Let’s party and descend hard!”
• Then we see it comes with lightweight Level TL brakes and narrower rims than we’d expect, and we now think; “Let’s turn those legs baby and do some k’s because we are going cross-country!”
• Suddenly the downhiller in us is tempted by changing to more powerful brakes, wider rims, and even fantasises about lifting the fork to 150mm and we now think; “Let’s put up with the extra mass and rule all of the trails!”
• Or are we looking at it all wrong, and we should be slamming the stem, steepening the head angle to 67 degrees and running even lighter tyres front and rear so we can; “Grab a big bag of protein powder to make some marginal gains because we’re going to race our mates all day.

We were right, what are those XC brakes doing here?

For a bike that has so much descending potential, the dual-piston SRAM Level TL brakes are not ideal, save them for a cross-country bike where counting grams matter. With the Instinct being an impressive 12.78kg out of the box we wonder why Rocky Mountain spec’d these brakes, was it really for saving weight or was it dollars? The brakes have a snappy bite initially but then the power and feel fade away on long descents, perhaps something like the new entry SRAM Guide T could have been a sounder alternative?

27mm rims are wide… Right?

It was only five or so years ago that 25mm internal width rims were considered wide, and before that 19 – 21mm was the norm. Since then the wheel brands have played around with wider rims, settling on around 28-30mm to  give the tyres a generous profile, providing more grip at lower pressures.  

The Instinct 50 comes with 27mm rims, which was fine for the duration of the review, but we did need to pump the tyres up five to ten more PSI than we would typically on a wider rim. However, under hard cornering, we still felt the rear tyre rolling around. 

Coming to grips with the FOX fork.

The Instinct Carbon 50 comes with a 140mm travel FOX 34 Float Performance fork, the ‘Performance’ level forks use a simplified Grip damper where higher spec FOX forks use the FIT4 damper. The fork feels beautifully supple and active, and with a few clicks of the large blue dial on top of the leg, you can add compression damping in a flash and the rebound has a vast range from too fast to too slow.

During repetitive harsh impacts, the fork doesn’t rise to the occasion like the more expensive FIT4 forks do,  it felt like it dove to easily into the latter part of its travel, we found this on the Recently reviewed Scott Genius 920. Bigger and heavier riders will, unfortunately, notice this more. In past experiences we have improved the situation by adding those little green air volume spacers, this will give the fork more support and ‘ramp up’ to help resist blowing through the travel too easily. 

‘Ride-9’ the lesser known Transformer.

Adjustable geometry has become commonplace on trail/enduro bikes over recent years, useful for the savvy rider for dialling a bike in for your local terrain or swapping it around for different trail styles, though most manufacturers typically offer two positions. Rocky Mountain has stepped it up, and has nine! Nine options, that’s fun…  but who are we kidding? Don’t we all just stick it into the slackest possible option, because a slack bike is a badass bike? 

Ride-9 achieves its adjustable geometry through the use of two sets of two square shock hardware chips that rotate inside each other. Each of the nine positions affects how slack/ low (67-66 degree)  and how progressive/ linear the suspension of the bike can be. But don’t stress! Rocky Mountain has a great page on its website explaining Ride-9 and what each position means.

Over the course of the review, we played around with the Ride-9 and the different options and settled on the slackest, lowest position. The bike felt more stable at speed in this mode, and we didn’t feel like it lost anything in its handling over the whole spectrum. 

More importantly, how did it ride?

Once we got the suspension and bike dialled it was like we started to unlock its potential and on open flowing singletrack this bike flies! When the trail starts to flatten out or has an uphill pinch, we got quickly rewarded with constant trail speed. Its well-supported pedalling encourages you to get up out of the saddle and keep the legs turning, so we could blast through that section and get to the descending fun again. 

It’s nice to be on a bike that encourages you to get up and go, rather than some bikes where you end up sitting down and lazily steering while turning the pedals with low effort.

Climbing on this bike is not a chore, and if you were inclined to join your less gravity inspired cross-country mates for a ride, you wouldn’t feel like you have bought a bazooka to a knife fight, it jams plenty of ability in a lightweight package.

Why do we keep trying to up-spec this bike into an Enduro race bike?

As mentioned before the geometry is quite progressive and still pushing the boundaries of what an aggressive trail bike can manage. It’s incredible how quickly geometry has changed over the last few years. The Instinct has a 66 to 67-degree head angle which is relatively slack, and a 1206mm wheelbase is quite long and is considered to be a ‘trail bike’ with 140mm of travel. 

By modern standards, this is true when you compare it to the monstrous YT Capra and Evil Wreckoning with these bikes pushing the boundaries of what an Enduro 29er’s can be.  But go back four or so years, and Trek’s Remedy 29er was an enduro beast with stock 140mm travel, slightly steeper 67.5-degree head angle and a shorter 1179 mm wheelbase, and it one of the most winning stage bikes in the EWS with Tracey Moseley (and Justin Leov) at its helm.

So, is this bike for us?

Mid-travelled aggressive 29er trail bikes are becoming more commonplace because of how versatile they can be. Want to hit a cross-country loop? Sure, go all day. Want to do some mellow bike park laps? Hell yeah, let’s go!

No better example of this is our long-term test on the Norco Sight C9.2.  We have had great success on this bike, and even though it is slightly heavier and has less travel,  (keep in mind it has a higher price point and spec) we were able to follow the EWS route in Tasmania without any problems and didn’t feel like we needed more bike.

These mid travelled 29er bikes are enjoyable to ride and are opening the doors what is possible on lesser travel. With the changes, we have suggested the Instinct could be as good as the Sight.

Final thoughts.

We enjoyed riding this bike, it was lightning fast on open singletrack, making you feel like a hero. With a couple of component changes like the brakes, rim width and tubeless conversion, it’d be more confident in the rough and adding air volume spacers in the fork would be a god idea too.  No surprises that a lot of our complaints are solved with the more expensive Instinct 70,  but of course, it costs more with its full-carbon frame and better spec. Bikes, huh? Always have that ability to make you want to spend more…

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Rocky Mountain Instinct Carbon 50 Review

• 5 years warranty

OVERALL BIKE CHECK

The most importanten ratings of the Instinct Carbon 50 ⬤ in comparison to the competitor bikes of following categorie: (All Mountain up to 6000 €) ⬤ .

VALUE for MONEY CHECK

If you are keen on value for money, this is your chart. It shows you at a glance how many bike you get for 5600 €.

Expirience with the Rocky Mountain Instinct Carbon 50

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Rocky mountain instinct carbon 50 vs canyon neuron cf 9 sl.

Je steiler der Winkel des Sitzrohrs ist, desto effizienter können Sie in die Pedale treten.

• Frame SMOOTHWALL™ Carbon. Full Sealed Cartridge Bearings. Press Fit BB. Internal Cable Routing. 2-Bolt ISCG05 Tabs. RIDE-9™ Adjustable Geometry. 2 Position Axle. 140mm Travel. SMOOTHWALL™ Carbon Rear Triangle
• Frame Material Carbon
• Fork Fox 36 Float EVOL GRIP Performance Series 150mm | 27.5 = 37mm Offset | 29 = 44mm Offset
• Spring Unit air
• Remote-Lockout yes
• Damper Fox Float DPS Performance | Sealed Bearing Eyelet | 25x8mm F Hardware | XS - SM = 190x45mm | MD - LG - XL = 210x52.5mm | Size-Specific tune in FAQ
• Gearrange 510%
• Drivetrain 1x12
• Gear Lever Shimano XT
• Rear Derailleur Shimano XT
• Crank Race Face Aeffect Cinch | 32T Steel | 24mm Spindle | Crankarm Length: XS = 165mm Crankarm | SM - XL = 170mm
• Cassette Shimano SLX 10-51T
• Chain Shimano M6100
• Brake Set Shimano SLX Trail 4 Piston | Metal Pads | F: Shimano RT66 180mm | R: Shimano RT66 180mm
• Brake Rotors 180/180
• Rims WTB ST Light i30 TCS 2 Tubeless | 32H | Tubeless Ready - Tape | Valves Incl
• Front Hub Rocky Mountain Sealed Boost 15mm
• Rear Hub Race Face Trace Boost 148mm | 10° Engagement
• Tires Front Maxxis Minion DHF 2.5 WT 3C MaxxTerra EXO+ Tubeless Ready |
• Tires Rear Maxxis Minion DHR II 2.4 WT 3C MaxxTerra EXO+ Tubeless Ready |
• Saddle WTB Volt Race 142
• Seat Post Rocky Mountain Toonie Drop Alloy 30.9mm | XS - SM = 125mm | MD = 150mm | LG - XL = 170mm
• Stem Rocky Mountain 35 AM | 5° Rise | All Sizes = 40m
• Handle Bar Rocky Mountain AM | 780mm Width | 25mm Rise | 9° Backsweep | 5° Upsweep | 35 Clamp
• Handle Bar Width 780
• Head Set FSA Orbit NO.57E | Sealed Stainless 36°x45° Bearings | 30.2mm x 41mm x 7.1mm Upper | 40mm x 51.8mm x 7.5mm Lower | 1.5" Crown Race

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Review: 2021 Rocky Mountain Instinct C50

A refined and redesigned trail bike from the b.c. mountain bike brand.

Today Rocky Mountain uncovered its refined and redesigned Instinct line of trail bikes. There is a long list of significant changes , like more travel, 10-mm chainstay adjustment, and size-specific wheel sizes. There are also numerous smaller details like added protection, better durability and a replaceable shock mount.

We dug through the details in the bike launch already, but how do the changes work on the trails?

We’ve had the chance to ride a 2021 Instinct Carbon 50 for a few months now, through a wet west coast winter. Does the new Instinct have the same natural feel for the trails the old bike built its reputation on? It turns out it really does. The mid-range C50 adds an impressive build kit, too.

2021 Instinct: A trail bike, pure and simple

Since the Altitude stepped in as Rocky’s dedicated enduro race bike (no more Instinct BC Edition) the Instinct is free to focus on just being itself. A trail bike. That’s already a wide range to cover without adding the demands of enduro, and the new Instinct benefits from its more focused purpose.

RELATED: Rocky Mountain launches redesigned 2021 Instinct

Rocky Mountain has refined the Instinct line, upping the travel to 150 mm up front, adding more frame adjustments, better protection, and updated geometry to the frame. For the C50, that frame is built up with a solid array of parts designed to pedal all day, and ride down anything you come across along the way.

Rocky Mountain Instinct C50: Components ready for the real world

Rocky does a smart job of setting up the Instinct C50 to be ready for the real world out of the box. Spec’ing dream bikes isn’t too challenging: just put all the best parts on and charge what you want. The C99 takes care of that quite well. Getting good value out of a mid-range bike requires hard choices. And, to me, Rocky puts its money (or, your money) where it counts.

Opting for the upgrade to Shimano’s XT Trail four-piston brakes and an XT rear derailleur on top of Deore SLX build is a smart move. It adds performance where needed, and excellent control in tight situations. The SLX/XT drivetrain combo has functioned smoothly and reliably throughout the test period.

A Fox 36 fork initially seemed like overkill on a 150/140mm trail bike but, after seeing how capable the Instinct is on steep, rough terrain, it is the right move. Fox shed some weight off the 36 platform this year, so it is not holding you back on any all-day adventures and the added stiffness kept me confident and in control on bigger features. The Performance line, the Fox 36 Float EVOL Grip Performance and Float DPS Performance shock, are both solid options for the mid-range price point.

The tradeoff comes at the wheels. DT Swiss’ 370 hub doesn’t have great engagement. WTB’s ST Light i30 TCS 2.0 rims are tubeless-ready, but I’ve never found them as durable as some competitors. On the other hand, the rims are well dressed, with Maxxis Minion DHF (2.5″ WT) and DHR II (2.4″WT) to keep all this tidy, and well connected to the dirt.

Every brand seems to have its own in-house dropper post now, and Rocky is no exception. The “Toonie Dropper” – named after a notorious North Shore feature – isn’t as buttery smooth as bougier options. But it’s also only of the only dropper posts I’ve used for any length of time that hasn’t developed any side-to-side play. If staying in-house cuts a few dollars off the Instinct’s price as a fringe benefit, the Toonie is a win.

Riding the 2021 Instinct

Adjustments with big impacts: Ride-9 and chainstay length options

Rocky Mountain includes two forms of geometry adjustment on the Instinct, much like on the new Altitude. Ride-9 and a 10-mm chainstay length adjustment. Between the two, the Instinct can cover a lot of ground.

Ride-9 isn’t new, but the new Instinct is a particularly good application for Rocky’s design. Trail bikes have to cover a wide range of riding styles, from fitness-focused adventures to daily riding and, more than ever, burly trails. Since Ride-9 changes the suspension’s leverage ratio instead of just changing geometry, the Instinct covers this range quite well.

On the “slack” end, the Instinct dives into corners and rolls through chunky features that are on the limit of its 140mm/150mm travel. Switching to “steep” makes the pedaling platform more supportive, gives you more clearance when pedaling through technical, rocky trails and makes the bike steer a bit snappier. With seven other options covering the middle ground between those extremes, there’s a geometry and leverage-curve combo that should fit nearly any rider and trail. Switching settings remains as easy as ever.

The simple flip chip allows riders to change the chainstay length by 10 mm

You can make the change in the woods, if needed. But not really recommended.

Adding the 10-mm of chainstay adjustment takes the Instinct’s trail sense to another level. Set it to long for more stability at speed, or short for a more playful ride. In practice, this is a really substantial change that is easy to feel on trails. In short/slack, the bike fit’s the “trail bike” ideal of a playful, bright ride that loves to corner, cutty and get air off every little trail feature. Slack/long makes the Instinct more steady, and better at holding momentum through the same corners, and staying comfortably on line through bouncy sections. Playing around between the various long/short and Ride-9 combos, I was impressed how balanced the different settings felt, even while feeling very different than each other.

Changing chainstay is a little bit more complex, requiring a flip-chip in the dropouts and rotating the brake adaptor. It’s not a mid-ride sort of change (or, if you do, don’t drop a bolt), but it’s well within the range of parking-lot pre-ride adjustments if you are comfortable centering your disc brake calipers. Unlike some designs, there’s no need to change rotor sizes or anything else, either.

The Classic Rocky Mountain headbade

Fox 36 Float Performance adds control and stability

Maxxis Minion WT tires keep connected on any trail

There's room for a water bottle in the size Large frame

The "Canadian Shield" keeps rocks and muck out of the danger zone between swingarm and bottom bracket

A OneUp Components chainguide is integrated into the frame

Canadian Shield in action

Slacker, longer, but not sluggish

As the industry continues to move along with the “slacker-lower-longer” trend, there’s a risk that the fun-factor of trail bikes can disappear in this drive to stability. Rocky Mountain moves in that direction without losing the trail bike feel on the Instinct. From the first pedal, the Instinct C50 feels ligher than its 31.1 lbs. weight. It accelerates quickly and changes direction with ease. That said, it’s still a bike designed by Rocky Mountain, and it is biased towards feeling good on tougher trails.

As mentioned above, the Ride-9 / chainstay combo gives the Instinct a great range. The new Instinct is, on average, 1-degree slacker across the Ride-9 positions, with a longer reach than previous years being balanced out by a 2-degree steeper seat tube angle.

In the saddle, the Instinct still feels balanced and comfortable enough to set out on all-day expeditions or everyday rides that tend more towards rolling trails than mini-enduro rides. It’s not the most efficient pedaling bike, but it does come very close to an “efficiently active” design. It is also much more supportive in the “steep” setting if efficiency is your priority. Outside of that, there is a little suspension movement without it being excessive or a distraction while riding.

With a host of redesigns and refinements, Rocky Mountain has elevated the Instinct to the upper ranks of modern trail bikes. The C50 has an impressive combination of feeling light and easy to maneuver, but with a suspension design that oozes confidence in challenging technical settings.

With two independent frame adjustments, Rocky Mountain gives riders the freedom to set the Instinct C50 up as they see fit. And, if you’re someone who frequently rides in very different trail areas, the freedom to tailor the Instinct to different purposes with relative ease. While Rocky Mountains have always been adept on the more technical trails, the new chainstay flip-chip pairs with the updated geometry to give riders the option to make the Instinct much more bright and lively than previous bikes. Hopefully enough so to satisfy most riders longing for a new Thunderbolt.

That the Instinct seems to feel comfortable across its range of settings, despite how the bike’s character changes, is impressive. It makes the Instinct capable of covering a wide breadth of riding that falls under the trail category. From fast, flowing cross country to the steeper, more technical trails that the B.C. brand calls home.

Instinct Carbon 50: Pricing and availability

Rocky Mountain sets the mid-range Carbon 50 loose for $7,000. With Shimano XT and SLX mixing with Fox Performance suspension, it is a solid and trail-ready build.

The C50 comes in two colour options. An eye-catching Ice Ice Baby blue and Matte Carbon finish, or the more subtle glimmer of Violet Hills and Enter Sandman Matte finish on our test bike.

2021 Rocky Mountain Instinct is available at dealers now.

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2023 Rocky Mountain Instinct Carbon 50 Bike

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Specifications

Sizes and geometry.

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Long Term Review: The 2021 Rocky Mountain Instinct adapts to tackle any trail network

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It can’t be easy to make a trail bike. You’re forced to settle on one design that should somehow climb like a goat, yet also eat up rough descents with ease. Recent geometry trends have vastly improved rider weight balance and overall handling, but Rocky Mountain’s 2021 Instinct offers solid modern geo and enough adjustability that anyone should be able to tune this bike to their terrain or riding style.

Rocky Mountain has honed their linkage and frame geometry to make the new Instinct a well-balanced, stable and versatile trail-gobbling machine. I’ve had the Instinct Carbon 70 since the snow melted in B.C., and despite losing a few weeks to a rib injury, I’ve now tested it on many different trails and experimented with its geometry adjustments.

Even without its adjustable geo I’d call the Instinct a solid contender in the ‘one bike for everything’ class, but with the variable chainstay length and Ride 9 chip, the Instinct offers something some bikes don’t – multiple personalities and plenty of opportunity for fine-tuning.

2021 Rocky Mountain Instinct Frame Details:

Check out my launch article for complete details on the 2021 Instincts, but here’s some key notes on the new design: The Instinct Carbon 70 features Rocky Mountain’s recently revised Smoothwall carbon frame, offering 140mm of rear travel (with 150mm forks on all models). The XL, large and medium frames roll on 29” wheels, but RMB runs 27.5” wheels on XS frames and smalls get the option of 27.5” or 29”.

The new Instinct’s Smoothlink linkage was redesigned to improve pedalling efficiency and handle rough descents better. The Instinct’s tune is different from RMB’s Altitude enduro bike, prioritizing all day pedaling performance over big hit capabilities. The re-shaped front end tubing and dual bearings at the Instinct’s chainstay/seatstay junction both improve frame stiffness.

Rocky Mountain keeps their weights well within reason: the medium Instinct Carbon 70 weighed in at 31.81 lbs (with pedals).

Suspension Setup:

Upfront I’m running the Fox 36 Fit 4 Performance Elite fork with 70psi (within recommended range) with no tokens. I have the HSC wide open, and +2 clicks of LSC. Rebound is close to the recommended numbers with the LSR at 9/15 and HSR at 8/9. The fork setup seems pretty bang-on, as I’ll generally use about 90% travel but will bottom out on a fast rough run or during a hard G-out.

Given this bike’s ‘Trail’ designation, Rocky Mountain did a great job of finding a comfortable, versatile geometry range for the Instinct that keeps up to modern trends –  and is adjustable in two ways. The 2021 Instinct features Rocky Mountain’s Ride 9 chip, which alters the bike’s geometry and shock rate, and a chainstay flip-chip that shortens/lengthens the rear end by 10mm.

In fully Slack mode (Pos. 1) the Instinct’s reach is 456mm, head angle is 65.1°, seat angle is 76.1°, and the BB has a 43mm drop. In the steepest mode (Pos. 9) reach increases to 468mm, the steering angle steepens to 66.2°, the seat mast tips up to 77.2°, and the BB lifts considerably to a 28mm drop.

The bike’s rear end length and wheelbase only changes by 2mm with the Ride 9 chip, but the 10mm chainstay flip chip lets the rider play with noticeably different Short and Long modes. The shortest rear end setting is 436mm, and the longest is 448mm. Check out RMB’s website to see geometry specs for every Ride 9 chip position.

Ride Impressions:

Since we’re on the topic of geometry, I’ll start my ride impressions there. I’m 5’10” and find the medium Instinct 29er very comfortable. The 456mm reach in fully Slack mode feels great, putting me in a centered body position but not stretching my arms out too much to whip the bike around when needed. I conducted most of my test in the Instinct’s slackest Pos. 1, as that suits my steep, rough local trails.

I really like this bike fully slacked out; it offers near-enduro handling (particularly in Long mode). That said, its mid-range travel makes for a very fun bike that will smash through rough trails but won’t let you get lazy about it! I’d say a 65.1° head angle is perfect for this bike – fairly slack but never cumbersome for technical trail riding.

While it contributes to the bike’s stable ride, the Instinct’s BB sits pretty low with the bike slacked out. I was regularly tagging cranks on low-lying obstacles, so you do have to pedal carefully on rougher climbs.

Even in Pos. 1, the seat mast on the Instinct is steep and puts you in a good position for pedalling. As today’s bikes get better and better with their front-back balance, I find myself staying in the saddle more on climbs, and the Instinct was no exception. Traction on both wheels is very good, and only the steepest uphill pitches required a stand-up effort rather than a slight forward lean.

For my last few rides, I put the Instinct’s Ride 9 chip into Pos. 7. The 464mm reach felt longer right away but I quickly got comfortable with the change. It’s lengthy but not too long, so I still found the steering comfortable on descents. The increased reach definitely shifts you into a great position for powerful pedalling: I was happy with the bike slacked out, but it only climbs better as you steepen the angles. Pos. 7 leaned me just a little bit more forward, and it really emphasized the bike’s climbing prowess.

The slightly steeper 65.8° head tube angle is noticeable, but I found it helped more on the climbs than hurt on the descents. The steeper and shorter settings (I was in Short mode while testing Pos. 7) make the Instinct whip around switchbacks, yet it’s modern geo keeps the bike a long way from ever feeling twitchy.

The BB lifts to a 34mm drop in Pos. 7, and I did still tag a pedal here and there but definitely less so than with the Instinct slacked out. I certainly didn’t notice a huge loss of stability at high speeds, but lower is definitely better if downhill thrashing is your cup of tea.

My legs are a bit long for my height, but I have no issues with the Instinct’s standover clearance. Up front the stack height (610-619mm) gives the bike a fairly aggressive stance, even in Slack mode.

Short/Long Modes:

The Instinct is already a very well-balanced bike in short mode. At 436/438mm RMB isn’t offering the stubbiest rear end on the market, but they’ve struck a suitable balance between agility and stability/traction. Climbing traction is already very good, and given its generous reach the Instinct provides that ‘dead between the wheels’ feel across its range of settings. In short mode the Instinct easily handles tight switchbacks, just like you’d expect a trail bike to.

On descents the rear end feels quite fitting for the bike in short mode. The Instinct pops around tight corners pretty well considering its modern dimensions, and it offers good stability from its fairly lengthy wheelbase and low BB (when slacked out).

While flipping the dropout chip makes a noticeable difference, the Instinct doesn’t feel like a whole different beast in long mode. It definitely enjoys a little boost in stability, and it does slow down a bit in the corners, but it doesn’t suddenly become an enduro bike.

What I find interesting is how much I like the longer rear end for climbing. Again, cornering is a bit slower, yet I haven’t ridden a single switchback that made the bike feel awkwardly long. Where I really appreciate the longer rear end is on steep climbs. With the increased wheelbase, it seems like your body positioning would have to be way off to hamper traction. When a steep climb forces your weight backwards, the rear wheel only seems to gain traction and the front end doesn’t want to lift like it would on older, shorter bikes.

When descending the longer rear end feels great and provides impressive stability at high speeds. The longer chainstays do slow down your turns a bit, but I found only the tightest technical corners required a little extra swing of the hips. On faster flow trails or any kind of berm, I didn’t feel like long mode was slowing me down at all.

With the Instinct, terrain will most likely dictate the rider’s preference for short or long mode. If your home trails aren’t particularly steep or rough, I’d say short mode offers the best all-around geometry for trail rambling. However, if you have some gnarly trails at hand, the Instinct in long mode offers the most stable ride I’ve yet experienced from a mid-travel bike.

Suspension – Climbing:

While the initial stroke is soft the Smoothlink linkage doesn’t wallow under pedalling efforts, using about 50-60% travel on a singletrack climb. I also noticed the Instinct’s stand-up pedalling performance was very good, resisting heavy bobbing under hard efforts (with the shock in firm) and maintaining forward momentum well. If you choose to climb technical trails with the shock in medium or open mode the linkage will keep you floating along at half travel, and you’ll get optimum traction for a small sacrifice in pedalling efficiency.

Most of my test was ridden in the slackest/most progressive Ride 9 chip Pos. 1, but I jumped to Pos. 7 for my last several rides. Moving towards Pos. 9 does make the shock more linear, but while climbing the Instinct’s linkage refused to acknowledge this, keeping me cranking along at roughly half travel.

Descending:

Given the steep terrain in my area I really wanted to keep the Instinct in its slackest position, but I have had issues with other RMB bikes ramping up too much for me in that setting – I’m a lightweight at 145 lbs. I was pleased to find the Instinct’s linkage felt less progressive than the Altitude, and I had no trouble bottoming out the bike in the slackest Ride 9 chip position. Both bikes come with one spacer in the rear shock, and I regret not pulling it from the Altitude but don’t feel the need with the Instinct.

Now I don’t want to suggest the Instinct is too soft or squishy: There’s still enough mid-stroke support to give the bike RMB’s characteristically lively ride, and it does take a good thump to squeeze all the travel from the rear end.

After a few rides I found the rear end quite poppy and decided to dial that back. I slowed down the rebound by 5 clicks and it did what I wanted in an obvious manner – the bike felt much more plowy through chattery rough patches, and much less bouncy. The rear tire was rolling through bumps instead of hopping along on top of them, and I felt a noticeable improvement in traction and handling in rough sections. I added two clicks back (faster) after that lap and the ride is nicely balanced now, sucking up repeated hits nicely but still feeling lively and poppy. I start out with every test bike near or within recommended suspension settings, but I liked the Instinct with a bit less rebound, and will keep that in mind for future RMB reviews.

Anticipating a more linear shock rate, I added 5psi to the Instinct’s rear shock when I moved into Pos. 7. Under impacts I noticed the bike dove a bit deeper into its travel more easily, but only to a point: Even in Pos. 7 the end-stroke ramps up nicely, so the few psi I added left me with nearly equal bottom-out resistance as Pos. 1.

RMB says the Instinct was built with the same stiffness as the Altitude enduro bike, and while the mid-travel Instinct takes a bit more body language to mash through rough terrain, it holds its line pretty well.

Components:

I’ve now ridden several sets of Race Face’s AR 30 rims without doing any notable damage, but I’m really impressed with them after this test! I thumped a sharp rock really hard on one ride, slashing the Instinct’s rear tire and letting out a cringe-worthy noise, but I can’t even tell where the rim took the impact and it’s still straight as an arrow. Good stuff!

As for the Instinct Carbon 70’s XT drivetrain and Trail four-piston brakes, I can sum it up with ‘no complaints’. Shifting is reliable and crisp, and the brakes are on the grabby side but I appreciate their stopping power and can modulate them well enough.

The Instinct’s cockpit offers a nice stubby 40mm stem, and while I wouldn’t say no to an 800mm wide bar I’m fine with the 780mm Race Face Turbine R handlebar.  The Ergon GE1 EVO grips are also a nice ergonomic touch.

I’ve had no issues with the crank or BB, and I’m always happy to see good ol’ Maxxis Minion DHF / DHR EXO tires on any bike. Quick note – I don’t think any trail-rated tire would have survived that rock smash I sliced the rear on!

The Instinct Carbon 70 retails for $6899 . Frame sizes XS/S/M/L/XL are available. The Carbon 70 model is sold in two colorways – Violet Hills/Enter Sandman/Black Dog (as tested) or Ice Ice baby/UD Carbon Matte/Black Dog.

Steve Fisher is a staff contributor for Bikerumor. Steve has been writing about trail, enduro and downhill mountain biking (plus a few commuter bikes) for seven years. Prior to that, Steve wrote for Whistler Traveller Magazine and Mountain Life Magazine. Steve is based in Pemberton, British Columbia, an area that offers plenty of challenging world-class singletrack and makes for great photos!

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On all the pictures, Grip2 damper and not fit4 is shown. Furthermore, fit4 does not have the HSC and LSR and HSR option

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Rocky Mountain Instinct Carbon 50

• AUS $ NZD $ USD $ CAD $ GBP £ EUR €

Colour / Gold/Red, Blue/Green

Size / XS 27.5" (Slackest, Steepest), SM 27.5" (Slackest, Steepest), SM 29" (Slackest, Steepest), MD 29" (Slackest, Steepest), LG 29" (Slackest, Steepest), XL 29" (Slackest, Steepest)

At a glance

- Smoothlink rear suspension design

- Geometry adjustable via RIDE-9 flip chip at rear shock mount

- Chainstay length adjustable via two-setting flip chip at rear dropout

- Internal cable routing

Where To Buy

Specifications

• Frame Smoothwall carbon front and rear triangles; molded chainstay, seatstay, and down tube protection
• Fork FOX FLOAT 36 Performance, GRIP damper, EVOL, 150mm Offset: 37mm (27.5") 44mm (29")
• Shock FOX FLOAT DPS Performance, size-specific tune, 190mm x 45mm (XS/SM) or 210mm x 52.5mm (MD/LG/XL)
• Hubs Front: Rocky Mountain, sealed bearings, 110x15mm Boost Rear: DT Swiss 370, 148x12mm Boost, 18 tooth Star Ratchet freehub, MICRO SPLINE driver
• Wheels WTB ST Light i30 TCS 2.0, 32 hole, tubeless ready (tape and valves included)
• Wheel Size 29" 27.5"
• Spokes DT Swiss Champion 2.0
• Tires Front: Maxxis Minion DHF, 3C MaxxTerra, EXO+, TR, 2.5" WT Rear: Maxxis Minion DHR II, 3C MaxxTerra, EXO+, TR, 2.4" WT
• Chain 428-439mm, 425-436mm, 438-449mm, 436-447mm, Upper slider, Race Face Aeffect Cinch, 32 tooth, Shimano Deore M6100, 12-speed
• Crank Race Face Aeffect Cinch, 24mm spindle, Length: 165mm (XS), 170mm (SM-XL)
• Bottom Bracket 27mm drop, 11mm drop, 45mm drop, 28mm drop, 43mm drop, 28mm drop, FSA BB92, 92mm press-fit
• Rear Derailleur Shimano Deore XT M8100, 12-speed
• Shifters Shimano Deore XT M8100, 12-speed
• Brakeset Shimano SLX Trail M7120, 4-piston, metal pads, Shimano SLX Trail M7120
• Handlebar Rocky Mountain AM, 780mm width, 25mm rise, 9° backsweep, 5° upsweep, 35mm clamp diameter
• Saddle WTB Volt Race, 142mm width
• Seatpost Rocky Mountain Toonie dropper, 30.9mm, Single bolt, 34.9mm, 30.9mm, Single bolt, 34.9mm Drop: 125mm (XS/SM) 150mm (MD) 170m (LG/XL)
• Stem Rocky Mountain AM, 40mm length, 5° rise, 35mm bar clamp
• Grips ODI Elite Pro, lock-on
• Headset FSA Orbit No.57E, sealed stainless steel bearings

Q: How much is a 2022 Rocky Mountain Instinct Carbon 50?

A 2022 Rocky Mountain Instinct Carbon 50 is typically priced around $5,809 USD when new. Be sure to shop around for the best price, and also look to the used market for a great deal.

Q: Where to buy a 2022 Rocky Mountain Instinct Carbon 50?

The 2022 Rocky Mountain Instinct Carbon 50 may be purchased directly from Rocky Mountain .

Q: What size wheels does the 2022 Rocky Mountain Instinct Carbon 50 have?

The 2022 Rocky Mountain Instinct Carbon 50 has 29" and 27.5" wheels.

Q: What size 2022 Rocky Mountain Instinct Carbon 50 should I get?

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2022 Rocky Mountain Instinct Carbon 50

A 27.5″ / 29″ carbon frame full suspension trail bike with high-end components. Compare the full range

Manufacturer Price

For This Bike

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Based on frame geometry and build specs.

A bike with lower gearing will be easier to ride up steep hills, while a higher top end means it will pedal faster down hills.

Instinct Carbon 50

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(descending)

Add custom gearing

Based on build material and quality level of the frame, fork, wheelset, groupset, suspension system, and more.

Compare the full Instinct model range

142cm – 158cm

155cm – 168cm

167cm – 178cm

175cm – 188cm

185cm – 198cm

• 182cm, size LG, Just right

Jul 2022 · Simon Kohler

The Rocky Mountain Instinct C70 stands up against the competition with a flashy paint finish and super variable geometry. How did it fare in our 2022 trail bike group test?

Versatile variable geometry

Efficient suspension generates tons of traction

Excellent all-round qualities

Spec leaves room for improvement

Neither a tool mount nor a storage compartment

Read Review

Aug 2021 · Travis Engel

This is not a trail bike. When things get real, the Rocky Mountain Instinct can take it. It can be anything. Maybe even a trail bike.

Incredibly versatile

Smart, functional customization

Clean, understated look

Ride 9 flip chip requires some trial and error

Chainstay-length flip chip adjustment not fine enough

Not cheap, but cheaper options abound.

Jul 2021 · Dale Tiessen

If you’re like me, 2021 left you scrambling for a bike this spring. Having sold off my 2020 Santa Cruz Megatower, feeling it was a bit too much bike for me, I had settled on getting a more trail oriented bike for 2021.

If you’ve been following the mag over the years you’ll know that Rocky Mountain’s are a definite favourite amongst our staff here at [R]evo. The reason that we’ve been such big fans of the brand for such a long time comes down to a simple fact; they’re bikes kick arse! Trail performance, speed, technology, reliability and frame aesthetics – Rocky always manage to tick every box and each year their ‘new’ bikes come out with a few little unique details […]

May 2021 · McCoy

A must-have rig for all-day adventures

Mar 2021 · Spencer Astra

I was excited to test Rocky Mountain Bicycle’s new Instinct Carbon 70 model, as it sits squarely in my favorite category of suspension travel. It’s not a sloppy, big-travel brawler, nor is it a wrist-slamming short-travel whip. With 140 millimeters of rear-wheel travel, the new Instinct strikes some perfect middle ground, providing just the right amount of squish to scoot one around smoothly and precisely. Adding to the bike’s versatility is the highly adjustable RIDE-9 system, which allows riders to quickly fine-tune their geometry and rear suspension with a pair of Allen keys. With nine configurations to choose from, the range of geometry helps make the bike more suitable to a broad spectrum of terrain and riding conditions. Even in the slackest setting, the Instinct climbs extremely well, thanks to a reasonably forward seated position. The leverage curve of the rear suspension is ultra-supple off the top, but it ramps up quickly to keep the bike manageable during out-of-the-saddle bursts of pedaling. The adjustable chainstay length of 437 millimeters or 448 millimeters should add to the Instinct’s versatility, but I opted to keep the bike in the 437-millimeter mode for the duration of my testing period, as it already felt long and stable enough for my taste.

A light 140/150mm trail bike with excellent handling and an intuitive ride

The Instinct is a trail bike with teeth, sporting 140mm of rear wheel travel paired with a 150mm fork. For most riders in most places that don't intend to race XC or Enduro (and even some that do want to race), this is your bike. With geo that is progressive without alienating a swath of riders' body shapes, the Instinct's intentions are clear: pedaling efficiency for long rides in a variety of terrain, and plenty of capability for taking on technical sections of trail. If your priorities are close to 50/50 for pedaling efficiency and technical prowess (give or take 10-20%), Instinct is your jam.

Last updated 29 April Not listed for 363 days

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• Thunderbolt
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• Designed For Trail
• F. Travel 140 MM
• R. Travel 140 MM
• Wheel Size 29" (27.5+ ready)
• Instinct Carbon Frameset MSRP $2,899 USD
• Instinct Carbon 99 MSRP $9,999 USD
• Instinct Carbon 90 MSRP $7,299 USD
• Instinct Carbon 70 MSRP $5,899 USD
• Instinct Carbon 50 MSRP $4,749 USD
• Instinct Alloy 50 MSRP $3,799 USD
• Instinct Alloy 30 MSRP $2,599 USD

Specifications: Instinct Carbon 99

• Frame SMOOTHWALL Carbon. Full Sealed Cartridge Bearings. Press Fit BB. Internal Cable Routing. RIDE-9 Adjustable Geometry + Suspension Rate
• Drive System AXS 2 Battery Powerpack
• Battery AXS 2 Battery Powerpack
• Sizes S - M - L - XL
• Fork RockShox Pike Ultimate RC2 150mm 42mm Offset
• Front Travel 150mm
• Shock RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate RCT
• Rear Travel 140mm
• Headset FSA Orbit NO.57E
• Stem Race Face Turbine R 40mm
• Handlebar Race Face Next R 780mm
• Grips Race Face Grippler Lock On
• Brakes Sram G2 Ultimate / Sram Centerline 180mm
• Brake Levers Sram G2 Ultimate 4 Piston
• Shifters Sram XX1 Eagle AXS
• Rear Derailleur Sram XX1 Eagle AXS Wireless
• Cranks & Chainrings Sram XX1 Carbon Eagle 32T
• Bottom Bracket Sram BB92 DUB
• Cassette Sram XG-1299 10-50T Rainbow
• Chain Sram XX1 Eagle Rainbow
• Front Hub Race Face Vault Straight Pull 15mm
• Rear Hub Race Face Vault Straight Pull Boost 148mm
• Spokes Race Face Straight Pull
• Rims Race Face ARC 30 Carbon
• Tires Maxxis Minion DHF WT Maxx Terra 3C Tubeless Ready 29 x 2.5 / Maxxis Minion DHR II WT Maxx Terra 3C Tubeless Ready 29 x 2.4
• Seatpost Rock Shox Reverb AXS Wireless Post
• Saddle WTB Silverado Team, Titanium Rails, 142 width
• Weight 12.88 KG / 28.4 LBS
• Fork Fox 36 Float EVOL FIT4 Factory Series 140mm 44mm Offset
• Front Travel 140mm
• Shock Fox Float DPS EVOL Factory
• Stem Rocky Mountain 35 CNC
• Grips Rocky Mountain Lock On XC
• Brakes Shimano XTR Trail 4 Piston / Shimano RT86 180mm / Shimano RT86 180mm
• Brake Levers Shimano XTR Trail 4 Piston
• Shifters Shimano XTR
• Rear Derailleur Shimano XTR
• Cranks & Chainrings Race Face Next R Cinch 32T
• Bottom Bracket Race Face BB92 30mm
• Cassette Shimano XTR 12s 10-51T
• Chain Shimano XTR 12s
• Front Hub Rocky Mountain Sealed Boost 15mm
• Rear Hub DT Swiss 350 Boost 148mm
• Spokes DT Swiss Competition 2.0/1.8/2.0
• Rims Race Face ARC 30
• Tires Maxxis Minion DHR II WT Maxx Terra 3C Tubeless Ready 29 x 2.4 / Maxxis Minion DHR II WT Maxx Terra 3C Tubeless Ready 29 x 2.4
• Seatpost Race Face Turbine R (by Fox) Dropper 30.9mm
• Saddle WTB Volt Race 142
• Weight 12.65 KG / 27.9 LBS
• Fork Fox 36 Float EVOL FIT4 Performance Elite Series 140mm 44mm Offset
• Shock Fox Float DPS EVOL Performance Elite
• Stem Rocky Mountain 35 AM
• Handlebar Race Face Turbine R 780mm
• Brakes Shimano XT 2 Piston / Shimano RT66 180mm / Shimano RT66 180mm
• Brake Levers Shimano XT
• Shifters Shimano XT
• Rear Derailleur Shimano XT
• Cranks & Chainrings Race Face Aeffect Cinch 32T
• Bottom Bracket Shimano SM-BB71
• Cassette Shimano XT 10-51T
• Chain Shimano HG8100
• Rear Hub DT Swiss 370 Boost 148mm
• Rims Race Face AR 30
• Weight 12.88 KG / 28.7 LBS
• Frame SMOOTHWALL Carbon Front Triangle. FORM Alloy Rear Triangle. Full Sealed Cartridge Bearings. Press Fit BB. Internal Cable Routing. RIDE-9 Adjustable Geometry + Suspension Rate
• Fork Fox 36 Float EVOL GRIP Performance Series 140mm 44mm Offset
• Shock Fox Float DPS EVOL Performance
• Stem Rocky Mountain AM
• Handlebar Rocky Mountain AM 760mm
• Grips Rocky Mountain Lock On Light
• Brakes Shimano SLX 2 Piston / Shimano RT66 180mm / Shimano RT66 180mm
• Brake Levers Shimano SLX
• Shifters Shimano SLX
• Cranks & Chainrings Race Face Aeffect Cinch 32T Steel
• Bottom Bracket Shimano SM-BBMT500
• Cassette Shimano SLX 10-51T
• Chain Shimano HG7100
• Rims WTB ST Light i30 TCS 2.0 Tubeless
• Tires Maxxis Minion DHR II WT EXO Tubeless Ready 29 x 2.4 / Maxxis Minion DHR II WT EXO Tubeless Ready 29 x 2.4
• Seatpost OneUp Dropper Post 30.9mm
• Weight 13.60 KG / 30.0 LBS
• Frame SMOOTHWALL Carbon. Full Sealed Cartridge Bearings. Press Fit BB. Internal Cable Routing. RIDE-9™ Adjustable Geometry + Suspension Rate
• Brakes 0 / 0 / 0
• Tires 0 / 0
• Saddle 2.62 KG / 5.78 LBS
• Weight 2.62 KG / 5.78 LBS
• Frame FORM Alloy. Full Sealed Cartridge Bearings. Press Fit BB. Internal Cable Routing. 2-Bolt ISCG05 Tabs. RIDE-9 Adjustable Geometry + Suspension Rate
• Fork RockShox 35 Gold RL 140mm 44mm Offset
• Shock RockShox Deluxe Select+ RT
• Brakes Shimano MT400 2 Piston / Shimano RT54 180mm / Shimano RT54 180mm
• Brake Levers Shimano MT400
• Shifters Sram SX Eagle
• Rear Derailleur Sram SX Eagle
• Cranks & Chainrings Sram SX Eagle 32T
• Cassette Sram PG-1210 11-50T
• Chain Sram SX Eagle
• Front Hub Shimano MT400 Boost 15mm
• Rear Hub Shimano MT400 Boost 148mm
• Spokes 2.0 Stainless
• Seatpost Rocky Mountain Toonie Drop 30.9mm
• Saddle WTB Volt 142
• Weight 14.75 KG / 32.5 LBS
• Fork RockShox Pike Select RC 140mm 42mm Offset
• Cranks & Chainrings Race Face Ride Cinch 32T Steel
• Front Hub Rocky Mountain Sealed Boost 15mm Torque Cap
• Seatpost Race Face Aeffect R Dropper 30.9mm
• Weight 14 KG / 30.9 LBS

We make every effort to ensure accuracy, but reserve the right to update specifications & prices without notification

Geometry: Instinct Carbon 99

Riding style.

• 2020 Instinct 29
• Pos. 1 Slack
• Pos. 5 Neutral
• Pos. 9 Steep
• 2020 Instinct 27.5+

• TTH: Top Tube Length - HORZ
• TTL: Top Tube length - Actual
• HTA: Head Tube Angle
• HTL: Head Tube length
• STA: Seat Tube Angle - Effective
• STL: Seat Tube length
• RC: Rear Centre
• BBD: Bottom bracket drop
• BBH: Bottom bracket height
• *SH: Standover Height
• WB: Wheelbase
• FC: Front-Centre
• FO: Fork Offset

*We measure Standover Height 200mm forward from the centre of the bottom bracket. It's measured this way to provide you with the best possible information when looking at frame geometry. 

We make every effort to ensure accuracy, but reserve the right to update specifications & prices without notification.

Technologies: Instinct Carbon 99

Size Specific tune

Size Specific Tune ensures that riders of all sizes get the right balance of small-bump compliance, mid-stroke support, and end-stroke progressiveness. Our design team does custom shock tunes based on real world field testing, and adjusts each tune for specific frame sizes.

FORM™ alloy

Frame construction.

FORM™ tubesets utilize premium materials to meet our strict requirements. Each FORM™ tube that we create is engineered for its specific purpose within the frame, ensuring optimized strength, weight, and ride quality.

RIDE-9 adjustment system

The RIDE-9 adjustment system allows riders to quickly fine-tune their geometry and suspension with a pair of Allen keys. Nine configurations are possible thanks to two interlocking chips.

Adjust your RIDE-9 position for geometry before considering suspension effects, or variables like air pressure and shock compression. Make gradual, incremental changes, take notes, and be methodical. Don’t adjust in a hurry before a big ride. Take your time and enjoy the process. 

Smoothlink suspension

Smoothlink suspension is efficient yet supple when you’re on the pedals and across a wide range of gears. It features a controlled end-stroke and a rate-curve that feels more capable than the travel would suggest. This four-bar suspension design philosophy is centred on ride characteristics; each bike platform we develop balances variables like anti-squat, axle path, chain growth, rate curve, anti-rise, etc. to achieve the legendary Rocky Mountain ride feel.

Smoothwall carbon

Smoothwall carbon uses one of the world’s most sophisticated carbon processes to deliver industry leading stiffness-to-weight, ride quality, and durability. We eliminate excess resin and fibers by using rigid internal molds instead of traditional air bladders. We then utilize different types of carbon in specific frame areas to maximize stiffness and impact resistance while minimizing overall weight.

• RIDE-9 Setup Guide
• Guide de configuration du système RIDE-9
• Sizing Chart (EN - FR - DE - IT)
• Instinct Alloy Technical Manual (EN)
• Instinct Alloy Technical Manual (FR)
• Instinct Carbon Technical Manual (EN)
• Instinct Carbon Technical Manual (FR)

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Rocky Mountain 2024

Our XC bikes embody speed and efficiency, whether you're hammering up a singletrack climb after work or lining up at a World Cup start-gate.

For riders who carve corners, attack technical trail features, and grind out epic climbs, our trail bikes are versatile and capable on all terrain.

Our Enduro bikes are efficient and responsive, but come into their own when the track points down and things get scary—from the highest levels of EWS racing to backcountry big mountain lines.

Our Powerplay bikes will take you to the places you never thought possible.

Rocky Mountain led the original freeride movement and we’re ready to take it to the next level with big mountain riding. Pedal to the top, then ride it fast, send it deep, and charge harder than you ever thought possible.

With wide tires to provide float and traction on snow, sand, and other mixed terrain, our fat bikes have the same legendary ride feel as our traditional mountain bikes.

From your familiar weekly rides to taking a chance off the beaten path, make every ride an adventure.

Whether they're riding to school or are getting their first tracks on dirt, experiencing the thrill of riding a bike is a fundamental and healthy part of growing up.

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