Rocky Mountain Element 2025 Review

The Rocky Mountain Element is lightweight, boasts 130 mm of travel, and looks downright sexy. But it’s not just visually distinctive; it also proves to have a strong character in our test. Let’s raise the curtain for the latest bike from Canada.

To achieve the low weight, Rocky takes a consistent step. Compared to its predecessor, the Horst-Link bearing is omitted. This transforms the once 4-bar linkage into a single pivot with Flex Pivot rear end. The noticeable chainstays clearly reveal where the frame now flexes horizontally when compressing.

This saves Rocky about 300 grams compared to a Horst-Link bearing, and with a frame weight of 2 kilos, it’s almost 15% lighter than its predecessor. With a frame weight of just over 2000 grams, Rocky Mountain is competitive with Cannondale’s Scalpel, the Canyon Lux Trail, or the new Cube Stereo One22. Additionally, the lateral stiffness of the rear end increases.

Because the frame only starts to flex towards the end of the travel and shows minimal torsion in the first 50-60%, the Flex Pivot provides no disadvantages in responsiveness or bike traction.

This is particularly evident when you remove the shock and compress the frame without it. You can clearly feel that only in the last third or quarter is any force required to compress the rear triangle. Additionally, industrial bearings at the rear shock end reduce the breakaway torque during compression.

Overall, the rear suspension is very responsive and filters out small bumps effectively. Only towards the end of the travel is force required to bring the chainstays to flex. However, you don’t really notice this while riding. When you need that much travel, things on the trail get rough enough that the counterpressure from the flex stays fades into the mix of forces.

The solution with flex stays has emerged as the standard in the industry for the 120-130 mm range. Only a few manufacturers like Mondraker or Cube still offer a true four-bar linkage here.

Rocky Mountain stays true to its Ride-4 system for geometry and suspension adjustment with the latest Element. You have 4 different options for mounting the shock, which is easily adjusted with an Allen key using a square bushing.

With each option, not only the geometry but also the suspension travel changes. After numerous trials, we ultimately concluded that the position with the steep head angle feels the best.

Even in this setup, with a head angle of 65.6 degrees, it remains within the range expected from a 130 mm full-suspension bike. Cube’s Stereo One22, which we’ve also tested, is just 0.3 degrees slacker. Specialized’s Epic Evo also has a head angle of 65.4 degrees. So, you don’t ruin the geometry with the high setting, but the rear triangle simply harmonizes better with the fork.

The Ride-4 adjustment not only changes the geometry but also the suspension characteristic curve, and most importantly, the amount of travel. We’ve measured it and indeed, when the shock is mounted in the upper position (Position 4), the rear suspension has 11 mm more travel available.

Additionally, it feels less progressive. You can utilize this travel better, and the grip in the last third of the rear travel remains similar to the first third. Admittedly, you have to really dig into the system to figure out these nuances. But it’s worth it, because in Position 4, the rear suspension actually works best in harmony with the fork.

Additionally, the rear end is slightly calmer while pedaling in the high geometry setting. You can’t completely eliminate the movement that gets triggered in the shock when pedaling in the saddle, even with the high shock position. There are rear suspensions that perform more neutrally. If this is a decisive criterion for you, you can achieve it with a smaller chainring than the mounted 32-tooth one.

If a specific chainring size is non-negotiable and you can’t tolerate any movement while pedaling, you’ll need to stabilize the shock with a hand on the lockout lever. Setting the closed shock position additionally to 3 makes it almost like a lockout. At 1, there’s still minimal comfort thanks to the shock.

When riding on the trail, the nimble acceleration of the Rocky Mountain Element is particularly noticeable. Especially in undulating terrain, this characteristic is a real fun factor. Every pedal stroke is directly translated into propulsion by the Element. Where other bikes get bogged down by poorly rolling tires or sluggish wheels, the Element emphasizes its character. It is a bike that craves speed even on flat trails.

While most manufacturers opt for rims with a 30 mm internal width, Rocky fits a Race Face rim with a 27.5 mm internal width. This trick saves about 40 grams per rim. That may not sound like much, but in the place where the weight is situated, it’s a lot. The rim weight is relatively far out on the rotating mass, and in this spot, every additional gram has more impact on acceleration than if the 40 grams were statically on the frame.

The Maxxis Recon tires are a perfect match for the bike’s intended use. They roll well but also offer enough grip in the dirt to navigate the trails safely.

The geometry of the Rocky Mountain is generally stable. This doesn’t change even in the steep head angle settings. So, the handling remains composed in steep sections or at high speeds. Rocky follows a modern approach here, providing a secure riding experience.

Thanks to the bike’s low weight, the front wheel can be lifted effortlessly. This allows the Rocky to carve through quick direction changes with ease. Overall, this paints a cohesive picture of a fun-oriented, modern trail bike.

The smallest frame size S is still offered with 27.5-inch wheels. In our opinion, this makes sense because the smaller the person, the more relevant the weight factor becomes. With the 27.5 wheels, you save about another 0.5 kilograms. Most importantly, the wheel inertia is significantly reduced, preserving the nimble riding feel even in the smallest frame size for riders weighing 55 kilograms or less.

The Element is the trail bike with the most delicate look of 2025. Besides its aesthetic approach, the frame also has some details that we don’t want to withhold from you. The ability to mount two bottles on the down tube is a must for every marathon rider. The tool mount on the top tube is more of a nice-to-have for the marathon crowd but saves the need for a small backpack on short rides. When it comes to cable routing, Rocky Mountain sticks to the classic route, which lets the lines dive into the frame at the head tube.

Rocky Mountain bikes are not equipment wonders considering their price. This also applies to the Element C70. However, with a Fox Performance Elite suspension, Sram’s GX Transmission drivetrain, and high-quality Maxxis tires, you are well-equipped and don’t have to worry about the components limiting your riding fun. Sram’s Level brakes with 4 pistons have enough power for light terrain.

Overall, Rocky Mountain is entering the race with three Element versions. None of them are really cheap. We tested the C70 version, priced at 7300 €. There’s also a racing version with the Element C99, which is equipped with the Rock Shox Flight Attendant suspension and only 120 mm travel on the fork. With the automatically locking suspension, it is truly a genuine machine for marathon long-distance and is likely significantly lighter. With our arrow symbol, you have the opportunity to compare versions side by side. Additional equipment information can be found on the individual detail pages.