Review: 2021 Rocky Mountain Instinct Carbon 90
When Rocky Mountain debuted the new Altitude last September, one of the features that might have flown under the radar was a replaceable forward shock mount. That feature allowed Rocky to take the same frame, equip it with a shorter shock, and turn their enduro race machine into something more trail-oriented.
The result is the new Instinct, which has 140mm of rear travel that's paired with a 150mm fork. Where its burlier sibling is aimed at riders searching for enduro glory, the Instinct is more about longer pedal-fests rather than charging blindly into steep, chunky trails. It's available with either a carbon or aluminum frame in a wide range of build kits – you can take a look at the complete lineup here.
The result is the new Instinct, which has 140mm of rear travel that's paired with a 150mm fork. Where its burlier sibling is aimed at riders searching for enduro glory, the Instinct is more about longer pedal-fests rather than charging blindly into steep, chunky trails. It's available with either a carbon or aluminum frame in a wide range of build kits – you can take a look at the complete lineup here.
Instinct Carbon 90 Details
• Wheel size: 29" S-XL / 27.5" XS & S
• Travel: 140mm (r) / 150mm fork
• 65.1 - 66.2 degree head angle
• 437 or 448mm chainstays
• Carbon frame
• Actual weight: 29.5 lb / 13.4 kg (size L w/o pedals)
• Price: $9,399 USD. Frame and shock: $3,549.
• bikes.com
• Wheel size: 29" S-XL / 27.5" XS & S
• Travel: 140mm (r) / 150mm fork
• 65.1 - 66.2 degree head angle
• 437 or 448mm chainstays
• Carbon frame
• Actual weight: 29.5 lb / 13.4 kg (size L w/o pedals)
• Price: $9,399 USD. Frame and shock: $3,549.
• bikes.com
Not only does the Instinct borrow the Altitude's frame, it also replaces the Thunderbolt in Rocky's lineup. That bike had 140mm of travel and 27.5” wheels, so Rocky decided to consolidate things and offer the Instinct with different wheel sizes depending on the frame size. That means sizes small thru XL roll on 29” wheels, and there's also a 27.5” option for small and extra-small sizes.
The bike I've been riding sits one notch from the top of the line, which gives it a hefty price tag of $9,399 USD. All of that dough gets you a Fox Factory level 36 Fit 4 fork and DPX2 shock, Shimano XTR 12-speed drivetrain and brakes, Race Face Next R carbon cranks and handlebar, and their ARC 31 carbon rims laced to DT Swiss hubs. Maxxis takes care of the tires with a Minion DHF / DHRII combo, both with EXO+ casings. All that adds up to a total weight of 29.5 pounds for a size large without pedals.
 | It will deliver a good time on twisty, more moderate trails, and in those situations it's an easy bike to pick up and place where you want it, dissecting that terrain like a scalpel rather than a sledgehammer. |
Construction and Features
The Instinct 90's frame is carbon from tip to tail, other than the aluminum rocker link that houses the Ride-9 geometry adjust feature. A flip chip at the chainstays allows for 10mm of adjustment (just don't forget to flip the brake mount around while you're at it). In addition, the bike is compatible with SRAM's Universal Derailleur Hanger in the longer setting in case a spare is needed in a pinch.
The internal cable routing is fully guided to make installation hassle-free, and the ports in the head tube make it possible to easily run brakes moto-style.
Nearly the entire downtube is protected with rubber pads, and there's a chainstay protector with wave-like mounds molded into it to keep any noise to a minimum. Other features include a pressfit bottom bracket, ISCG-05 tabs, and plenty of room for a water bottle.
The Instinct 90's frame is carbon from tip to tail, other than the aluminum rocker link that houses the Ride-9 geometry adjust feature. A flip chip at the chainstays allows for 10mm of adjustment (just don't forget to flip the brake mount around while you're at it). In addition, the bike is compatible with SRAM's Universal Derailleur Hanger in the longer setting in case a spare is needed in a pinch.
The internal cable routing is fully guided to make installation hassle-free, and the ports in the head tube make it possible to easily run brakes moto-style.
Nearly the entire downtube is protected with rubber pads, and there's a chainstay protector with wave-like mounds molded into it to keep any noise to a minimum. Other features include a pressfit bottom bracket, ISCG-05 tabs, and plenty of room for a water bottle.
A different shock mount and shock size allowed Rocky to use the same frame for the Altitude and Instinct.
The chainstay length can be altered by 10mm...
...and there are nine different suspension / geometry options.
Geometry & Sizing
Putting a shorter travel fork on a frame steepens the head and seat angle, and increase the reach, which is evident when comparing the numbers of the Instinct vs the Altitude.
In the slackest setting, Instinct has a 65.1-degree head angle, a 76.7 degree seat angle, and a 481mm reach for a size large. Those numbers can be changed by using the flip chips at the rear shock mount – it's possible to give the Instinct up to a 66.2 degree head angle and 493 mm reach if for some reason you wanted to try out the longer and steeper route.
Suspension Design
The Instinct uses Rocky's Smoothlink suspension design, with a progressive leverage ratio that allows the bike to work with either air or coil shocks. The Ride-9 geometry adjust feature also alters the suspension, for better or worse, which means the position of the chip can be used to increase or decrease how progressive the suspension is. Personally, I'd rather see these traits de-coupled – it'd be nice to be able to adjust the head angle without affecting the suspension, and vice versa, something that could be accomplished with a swappable headset cup.
Compared to the previous model, the Instinct's anti-squat has been increased slightly, and it now sits around 90% at sag before dropping off as the bike goes through its travel.
| Specifications | ||
| Price | $9399 | |
| Travel | 140mm | |
| Rear Shock | Fox Float DPX2 Factor | |
| Fork | Fox 36 Float EVOL FIT4 Factory Series 150mm | |
| Headset | FSA Orbit NO.57E | |
| Cassette | Shimano XTR 12s 10-51T | |
| Crankarms | Race Face Next R Cinch | |
| Chainguide | OneUp Top Guide | |
| Bottom Bracket | Race Face BB92 30mm | |
| Rear Derailleur | Shimano XTR | |
| Chain | Shimano XTR | |
| Shifter Pods | Shimano XTR | |
| Handlebar | Race Face | |
| Stem | Rocky Mountain 35 CNC | |
| Grips | Ergon GE1 EVO Lock On | |
| Brakes | Shimano XTR Trail 4 Piston | |
| Hubs | DT Swiss 350 Boost 148mm / Rocky Mountain Sealed Boost 15mm | |
| Spokes | DT Swiss Competition 2.0/1.8/2.0 | |
| Rim | Race Face ARC Carbon 31 | |
| Tires | Maxxis Minion DHF 2.5 / Minion DHR II 2.4 MaxxTerra EXO+ | |
| Seat | WTB Volt Race 142 | |
| Seatpost | Race Face Turbine R (by Fox) Dropper 30.9mm | |
Test Bike Setup
Getting the Instinct up and running didn't require too much fussing around, other than swapping a volume spacer in the shock after a few rides. I ran 84 psi in the Fox 36 with two volume spacers installed. The Fit4 damper in this fork has a three position lever, but I never felt the need to use it. I'm not really a fan of having different fork settings for climbs and descents, since it's one more thing to accidentally forget to change.
I started with the DPX2 shock in its stock configuration, which has a .4” volume spacer, and later swapped that out for a .2” volume spacer in order to reduce the end stroke ramp up slightly. That's in line with what I ended up doing on the Float X2 found on the Altitude in order to ensure I could use all the travel when necessary. 215 psi put me right at 30% sag.
Testing took place in the Bellingham, Washington, area over the last two months, with conditions ranging from perfect dirt and mild temps to very cold, windy, and frozen.
Getting the Instinct up and running didn't require too much fussing around, other than swapping a volume spacer in the shock after a few rides. I ran 84 psi in the Fox 36 with two volume spacers installed. The Fit4 damper in this fork has a three position lever, but I never felt the need to use it. I'm not really a fan of having different fork settings for climbs and descents, since it's one more thing to accidentally forget to change.
I started with the DPX2 shock in its stock configuration, which has a .4” volume spacer, and later swapped that out for a .2” volume spacer in order to reduce the end stroke ramp up slightly. That's in line with what I ended up doing on the Float X2 found on the Altitude in order to ensure I could use all the travel when necessary. 215 psi put me right at 30% sag.
Testing took place in the Bellingham, Washington, area over the last two months, with conditions ranging from perfect dirt and mild temps to very cold, windy, and frozen.
Mike Kazimer
Location: Bellingham, WA, USA
Age: 38
Height: 5'11" / 180cm
Inseam: 33" / 84cm
Weight: 160 lbs / 72.6 kg
Industry affiliations / sponsors: None
Instagram: @mikekazimer
Location: Bellingham, WA, USA
Age: 38
Height: 5'11" / 180cm
Inseam: 33" / 84cm
Weight: 160 lbs / 72.6 kg
Industry affiliations / sponsors: None
Instagram: @mikekazimer
Climbing
The Instinct has all the traits that a good trail bike should have when climbing. It's quick, calm, and never felt like a handful no matter how tight or awkward the turns. There's a snappiness to its handling that I didn't anticipate – I'd expected it to have more of a watered-down enduro bike feel considering its pedigree, which isn't the case at all. That's with it in the slackest position, too. I started there and never found any reason to deviate from that geometry setting, since any climbs I didn't clean certainly weren't the fault of the head angle, and I'd rather have a more confident descender than a twitchier climber.
We're still seeing seat tube angles get steeper and steeper, especially on longer travel bikes, a trend that I'm a fan of, within reason. On the Instinct, that 76-degree seat angle (and 70.3-degree actual) created a comfortable position for long days in the saddle without putting too much pressure on my hands, or making it feel like I was too cramped.
As far as efficiency goes, I didn't have any qualms running the shock fully open for most rides, occasionally using the middle compression setting for longer fire roads and spinning to the trailhead. Even in the fully open position the Instinct rides higher in its travel – it's only when you're really mashing on the pedals that any extra suspension motion can be detected.
The Instinct has all the traits that a good trail bike should have when climbing. It's quick, calm, and never felt like a handful no matter how tight or awkward the turns. There's a snappiness to its handling that I didn't anticipate – I'd expected it to have more of a watered-down enduro bike feel considering its pedigree, which isn't the case at all. That's with it in the slackest position, too. I started there and never found any reason to deviate from that geometry setting, since any climbs I didn't clean certainly weren't the fault of the head angle, and I'd rather have a more confident descender than a twitchier climber.
We're still seeing seat tube angles get steeper and steeper, especially on longer travel bikes, a trend that I'm a fan of, within reason. On the Instinct, that 76-degree seat angle (and 70.3-degree actual) created a comfortable position for long days in the saddle without putting too much pressure on my hands, or making it feel like I was too cramped.
As far as efficiency goes, I didn't have any qualms running the shock fully open for most rides, occasionally using the middle compression setting for longer fire roads and spinning to the trailhead. Even in the fully open position the Instinct rides higher in its travel – it's only when you're really mashing on the pedals that any extra suspension motion can be detected.
Descending
After spending so much time on the Altitude last fall I feel like I binged on dessert first, and forgot to leave room for the main course. In other words, I wasn't as enamored with the Instinct as I was with the Altitude. The reduced travel and steeper angles of the Instinct altered its on-trail personality more than I'd expected, and rather than feeling like a mini-enduro bike it feels like a trail bike with a capital T.
It will deliver a good time on twisty, more moderate trails, and in those situations it's an easy bike to pick up and place where you want it, dissecting that terrain like a scalpel rather than a sledgehammer. Its limits start to show up at higher speeds and when the hits get bigger – those were situations when I found myself missing the extra travel and bottomless feel delivered by the Float X2 on the Altitude. I tried both chainstay positions, and after going back and forth a few times I ended up settling on the shorter position, since it seemed to align better with the bike's quick and snappy manners.
The FIT4-equipped 36 and the stiff carbon wheels also come into play in that chunkier terrain, delivering more feedback and a slightly jarring ride at times. It was in those situations that I found myself wondering how the coil-shock spec'd version of this bike would behave. I have a hunch that would have been more in line with my appetite for traction and big hit composure, although beefing up an Instinct does seem slightly counterproductive given the existence of the Altitude. As much as I have a soft spot for short-travel shredders, sometimes it's better to start off with the right tool for the job.
At the end of the day, the Instinct doesn't set the world on fire with its descending prowess, but it's also able to get down most trails without putting up much of a fuss – just don't expect it to completely erase every single obstacle.
Rocky Mountain Instinct
Vitus Escarpe CRX 29
How does it compare?
A couple months ago I reviewed the Vitus Escarpe, and it just so happen that that bike has nearly identical geometry numbers to the Instinct. The Vitus has a 65-degree head angle, 480mm reach, and 440mm chainstays, while the Instinct has a 65.1-degree head angle, 438mm chainstays, and a 481mm reach.
There is a 3-pound weight difference between the two (the Instinct is lighter) that shouldn't be entirely overlooked, but at the end of the day I preferred the Vitus' suspension package – the GRIP2 36 and the super-supple DPS shock – and felt more comfortable on it when things got steep and slippery. The Escarpe had a way of making obstacles melt underneath it, with more traction and an overall plusher ride than the Instinct.
Along with the weight difference there's also a price difference of over $5,000 thanks to Vitus' consumer-direct sales model. Keep in mind that it's not an entirely even comparison – the Vitus has an XT drivetrain and brakes with aluminum wheels, while the Rocky has full XTR and carbon everything, but it's still worth mentioning.
Technical Report
Shimano XTR brakes: I've started to put a small strip of mastic tape directly on the caliper under the Shimano's finned brake pads in order to reduce any pad related rattling. It's a recommended step even before hitting the trail. I wouldn't have minded a 200mm front rotor on this bike either. Sure, it would add a few grams, but I'm willing to take that penalty for more braking power.
Fox 36 Fit 4 damper: I wish there were at least a couple models in the Instinct lineup with Fox's GRIP2 damper instead of the FIT4. Along with having more adjustability, I prefer the GRIP2 damper's feel on rougher trails, where it seems to stick to the ground better, and transmits less unwanted feedback to the rider.
Shimano XTR drivetrain: I may have some gripes about Shimano's current brakes, but I do really, really like their current drivetrain offerings. The XTR shifting was flawless, as it should be, even in grim, muddy conditions.
Shimano XTR brakes: I've started to put a small strip of mastic tape directly on the caliper under the Shimano's finned brake pads in order to reduce any pad related rattling. It's a recommended step even before hitting the trail. I wouldn't have minded a 200mm front rotor on this bike either. Sure, it would add a few grams, but I'm willing to take that penalty for more braking power.
Fox 36 Fit 4 damper: I wish there were at least a couple models in the Instinct lineup with Fox's GRIP2 damper instead of the FIT4. Along with having more adjustability, I prefer the GRIP2 damper's feel on rougher trails, where it seems to stick to the ground better, and transmits less unwanted feedback to the rider.
Shimano XTR drivetrain: I may have some gripes about Shimano's current brakes, but I do really, really like their current drivetrain offerings. The XTR shifting was flawless, as it should be, even in grim, muddy conditions.
Pros
+ Feels quick and efficient, especially when climbing
+ Adjustable chainstay length and a wide range of sizes
Cons
- It's no mini-enduro bike in this configuration, despite sharing a frame with the Altitude
- Expensive, even compared to non-consumer direct brands
Pinkbike's Take
| The Instinct is a trail bike through and through, the type that could work well for riders whose idea of a good time is a dawn to dusk mission with lots of pedaling. Big days in the Chilcotins, epics in the Colorado high country, those are the type of situation where it would shine brightest. However, there are limits to its capabilities, and the configuration reviewed here can feel a bit harsh when faced with rougher terrain and bigger hits. There's also the price to contend with, but luckily Rocky does offer wide range of models, include more reasonably priced aluminum options. |
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287 Comments
Yes, they are all trying to screw you. And they can and will. And when all these new people quit you can bet they won’t lower prices.
The contempt the bike companies have for their customers is unmatched except for maybe BMW and Porsche.
I'm sure some brands will be squeezing out a little extra profit where they can, but for the most part these increases aren't because they just wanted to make an extra 5-10% from each bike sale. The whole industry is pretty screwed at the moment - it'll be interesting to see how many brands and retailers make it out of 2021.
All the people working from home are making more money than ever. They can’t go on vacation or eat out so they have no problem dropping big bucks on a bike.
Who knows how long these people stick around riding once things open up again. The bike companies are taking advantage of the boom and couldn’t care less about the people who have been loyal customers.
Pigs get fat. Hogs get slaughtered.
Fuuuuuuuuuk that.
That's just the rear, $9400 gets you a house brand front hub
But why bother with the fit 4 in a 36? Every fit 4 I've ridden has been super harsh and has no place being on a bike with a 36. I demod a pivot with a 130 34 in the fit4. My 140 grip1 felt so much better. Same with my buddies 36 and a fit 4... Trash...
They will sell every single one at full price (wholesale), and those that want one may complain about the price, but they'll still buy it (likely having to pre-order it), because they're 'lucky' to get it.
As before, no doubt they aren't slitting their own throats with their pricing and will be looking to make some profit, but it isn't as simple as saying that cycling in general is having a boom right now and therefore they can charge what they want.
I think it's likely that some brands are over-forecasting bikes under the idea that the boom from the initial lockdown periods of 2020 will carry through to those same new riders to the sport buying new bikes in 2021, but I don't really see that happening. No doubt some of them will, but there's no way it'll be that kind of peak. With how long lead times are and how far out brands are having to order future stock of bikes, it could well be that 2022 is a great year for riders looking to get a good deal on a bike - those brands over-forecasting now will wind up with quite a bit of surplus stock they can't get rid of.
I doubt that prices will go back down to what they were in 2018/19, but with inflation that's never going to happen anyway. Using the Bank of England's calculator, a bike that cost £3000 in 2018 would cost £3123~ now, for context.
I'll bet about halfway through, their pants would catch on fire.
RM: "We saved a BUNCH of money by re-using frame molds!"
Customer: "Great! How much is the bike?!"
RM: "$9,400 complete, $3550 frame only!"
I don't need to write out the Customer response to that.
$3500 for any bike frame and shock seems insane when you can get a decent entire bike for the same or less.
For €4400 the Hugene comes with the Grip 2 factory and the same shock plus a GX Eagle drivetrain. Granted, the wheelset is Propain’s own brand but I can live with that and I feel much better about paying that figure for a trail bike given that I’m knocking on for 50 and not riding half as much as I should.
@usedbikestuff: Yep, I think that every time I look at an Intense monstrosity. It’s too bad, too, because they make nice bikes.
nsmb.com/articles/3265-readers-rides-11
www.mtbchannel.com/gammes/2008/rocky-mountain/5354/Slayer-SXC-50
Thanks for this @mikekazimer A little mention about brake routing in each review would be much appreciated by some of us. Cheers
It seems that having the steering wheel on the wrong side, coupled with the backwards roads skews your opinion.
What can I say though, as someone from the USA, we still measure stuff using dims garnered from misc body parts and archaic shaky navigational standards.
Excuse me while I go eat 3/4 pound of charred animal flesh I harvested with my automatic weapon after walking a mile, up hill, in the snow, shoeless.
Of course, it wouldn't be an issue if bike manufacturers gave the public what they want and made bikes with external routing!
Based on this the Americans followed Frances lead:
www.renehersecycles.com/which-hand-for-which-brake
I like to know that if I'm going to grab a fistful of brake to nose-wheelie a landing on my mtb or moto then it is the same hand. Call me simple, but it makes sense.
What exactly is the benefit of the other way around?
Now I'm going to eat my half-kilo of charred kangaroo that I harvested with my boomerang.
Most of New Zealand's riding population didn't learn to ride bikes overseas you muppet
Yes, other countries drive on the left but have you ever seen these comments here from e.g. Japanese riders? In terms of mtb market size it really is a very limited issue. No idea how they set commuter bikes up in Japan or if it's ever been a problem on those.
And no, it doesn't seem to bother motorcyclists in mainland Europe that their pushbikes don't have the front brake on the same side as their motos. Plus, coming from mainland and living in the UK I still set my brakes up the continental way and it never caused me any difficulties while riding on the left side in traffic.
Hence racist routing.
Do you mean it's literally the same frame with a different paintjob and upper shock link?
I don't know how RM is going to sell these bikes at this price (OK, maybe in Covid times they can) I hope they do well but they need to get there prices under control to offer a competitive value.
As for the durability of the frame, it's been rock solid. TBH I like the idea of running a bigger front fork (160) with a 50 dollar air shaft and then you could swap the shock out for a longer stroke and get a 155mm bike for shuttle laps. 1000 bucks is a helluva lot cheaper than 2 bikes.
I'm sure that it is gonna be a versatile and true do-it-all bike. A solid and decent option in every regard, as you come to expect from Rocky. But honestly it just seems a bit bland. This would have been an exciting package two years ago. We've got so many of these do-it-all bikes nowadays that making just another one doesn't really cut it if you want to stand out. Like so many other brands, they essentially made yet another Norco Optic, but two years late.
On the other hand: Great! Another model in a long line of very good all-mountian bikes to choose from. What a time to be alive!
But like all Rocky Mountain bikes, it is very expensive for what you're getting.
Nothing wrong with press fit. Like anything else it's on how well it's done.
Also they say it’s bad that the bike doesn’t feel like a “mini enduro bike” like it’s bad thing. Where was that advertised at all by rocky. Also I think the fact you can buy an extra shock, fork, and shock mount you can get two bikes for one was way under looked. Seems pinkbike is still butthurt they forgot to tighten their axle on their Slayer a while back and still sh—g on whatever Rocky does for revenge.
Can’t wait to see what the next generation of Yeti’s cost
IMO overall @mikekazimer impression was "shrug." And I appreciate honest reviews.
I'd prefer a the better value of Vitus or Commencal over RM. But supply issues are still present last time I checked.
We all know @mikekazimer rides in Bellingham and loves a "enduro" category bike for making the most out of the best terrain that Bellingham has to offer, and really if you lived there, that's what you would do too. Also, with the Fit4 fork spec, it does impact the fork's performance for hard riding, but is lighter, and when trying to create separation between categories, especially when most of the frame components are the same, that provides some difference.
Having ridden this bike for many months already, through the BC Kootenays, on Vancouver Island in Cumberland, Nanaimo, Duncan, Victoria, and Sooke, the North Shore. I would argue that this bike is very capable and a great all-around bike. I had the choice between the Instinct and Altitude and being based on the Island I knew that unless I was riding Nanaimo or Prevost all the time, I just wouldn't need the capability of the Altitude all the time.
I have ridden the Altitude and its an amazing machine, and does really mute the smaller stuff so that you can focus on the bigger stuff, and handles hits great. But, that's not what everyone's riding all the time.
I would argue that sure, the Instinct would be a great bike for the Chilcotins, but it's much more capable than being pegged as a bike for big pedals with mild descents. Not every bike needs to be a mini-enduro bike, otherwise why have categories? Enduro, Medium-Enduro, Small-Enduro, Mini-Enduro?
This is a capable all-mountain bike for mountain biking.
Isn't that the point? Jack of all trades, bike of all terrains/mountains. DHs bikes go down fastest, enduro bikes go down fast but can still get up, XC bikes go up fastest, downcountry bikes go up fast and still go down reasonably, and trail/AM bikes do everything.
I don't see how being decent at everything ever be a bad thing for a trail/all-mountain/mid-travel bike... goes up good but not best, goes down good but not best. if you _need_ better or best performance for any one specific job, you get a different tool.
I know which CAD brand I would be supporting if I were buying a new bike.
Now, with the value and performance they deliver with the Stumpy and Enduro - it's hard to make a case for anything else.
edit: just went to my bike in the garage and wiggled them and I now I can see how they rattle. Gonna try this trick!
RM / Norco
HTA: 65.1 / 65
STA: 76.1 / 76
Reach: 511 / 510
Wheelbase: 1277 / 1275
Optic was hitting reviews fall 2019. Here we are a year and a half later with this thing.
"Not only does the Instinct borrow the Altitude's frame...."
Who buys these super expensive bikes anyways?
Thank you Rocky Mountain.
trail specific frame be better? Sounds like they sell so few units of the frame, so they have to sell it across 2 bike models, instead of creating the perfect frame for each segment? With all those adjustments, why don’t they also create 2 new women specific bikes, then they could have 4 models to amortise their pricey tooling costs!
(except it's still COVID-19 industry cycle so any frameset they can slap a build kit on will sell out)
Answer: you either have military grade brand-loyalty (which I get and totally respect, because #greatmemories), or you are just clinically insane
I tried preordering a 2020 Slayer from a local dealer(Munich!) a in early fall 2019. I asked what the "real" price was, because obviously, the sticker prices for all models were unrealistic. No discounts where given and I left. I have not seen any bikes on the trail either, which leaves me wondering what they are doing in Europe at all.
As a consumer it frustrates me that another subpar offer comes along, because it does not push the market forward in any way or form. It is just another mediocre product - At launch!
I am seeing a plethora of various brands flogging a 33 pound anchor that rides incredible on any DH or flow trail but struggles getting up to speed or to the top of the trail. This one bike for all is a total pile of crap.
Riding bikes is 60+% uphill or against the wind I can not ride a 33 pound bike all day or even half the day.
Then there is Kaz's revue of the 10,000 dollar bike not the 3500 base model they will sell like hot cakes. Don't get me wrong he is my favourite reviewer of bikes but this needs attention after all we need info on the base models not the ones that are indestructible.
It's still a 30 pound bike with 140mm of rear travel. If that's a scalpel, then what is... a Scalpel? or a Spark? or a Supercaliber? (wow, all 'S' names, weird). Femtoscale-wavelength laser with ring-gyro stabilization?
20mm of travel difference on the same frame (which means it's probably overbuilt for it's intention (according to you) of "pedal-fests" and not "charging blindy") is not really not as much difference as is implied by your analogy.
You've said that the Instinct is far from the Altitude, but by putting it right at the end of the usual scale, you're also implying that it's super close to an XC race bike (often analogied as scalpels compared to trail or even downcountry bikes).
Again I ask, if this bike is a relative scalpel compared to the Altitude's enduro sledgehammer, where does a full-on-race XC bike fit on that same scale?
I think the geo numbers are spot on for this bike, but the cost and the build spec on the other hand... no thanks.
"the Instinct is more about longer pedal-fests rather than charging blindly into steep, chunky trails."
"it's possible to give the Instinct up to a 66.2 degree head angle and 493 mm reach if for some reason you wanted to try out the longer and steeper route."
Well, you might want to go with that setting on one of those "pedal-fests", since you're allegedly not "charging blindy" on those.
(Still not sure how a 140mm bike ever gets slotted into a "pedal-fest" bracket)