Rocky Mountain Introduces New Vertex Hardtail
PRESS RELEASE: Rocky Mountain Bicycles
The Vertex embodies speed and confidence, sitting at the top of the food chain as our flagship XC-race hardtail. Its lightweight frame provides incredible stiffness and rolling speed, while its modern, aggressive geometry inspires confidence everywhere on the race course—even technical corners and descents.
Available in a next-generation Smoothwall HBO carbon layup for even lighter weight, we've given the Vertex comprehensive, evolutionary updates across the platform—features like tooled axles, Di2, and dropper post compatibility.
The Vertex retains all the ride DNA that makes Rocky Mountain Bicycles famous. We’ve focused on XC performance for flat out speed but have not made compromises on ride quality, keeping our bikes fun when out on the trail. We’ve lengthened the reach, slackened the head angle, and shortened the wheelbase, maintaining rear end compliance and a comfortable ride.
Technical Details
• 29” and 27.5+ compatible
• Max tire clearance is 29 x 2.3 and 27.5 x 2.8
• Lighter, tooled rear axle with an updated axle nut for more intuitive assembly
• Improved cable management including large head tube and down tube access ports, full-length shift housing, and internally routed shift housing and brake lines the front triangle
• Features both Di2 and dropper post compatibility, simultaneously
• 27.2 mm seatpost allows for extra ride comfort while seated
• Rubberized chainstay protector for increased frame protection
• Front derailleur compatible
• Boost 148mm dropouts
• Lightweight Smoothwall HBO layup available in Vertex Carbon 90 and Vertex Carbon Frameset
• Available in Flaming Lips/Back in Black/Whitesnake
• Sizes: S-XL
Pricing
Vertex Carbon 90: $5,169 USD / $6,499 CAD
Vertex Carbon 90 frameset: $1,599 USD / $1,999 CAD
Vertex Carbon 70: $3,399 USD / $4,349 CAD
Vertex Carbon 50: $2,899 USD / $3,649 CAD
The Vertex Carbon 90 with superlight Smoothwall HBO carbon layup weighs 9.70kg (21.4lbs) in size medium.
The Vertex Carbon Frameset weighs 1.22kg (2.68lbs) in size medium.
Smoothwall HBO layup
By incorporating premium 40-ton carbon fiber sheets into our Vertex Carbon 90 and Vertex Carbon frameset, we were able to eliminate more resin than what is usually left from our traditional Smoothwall construction. This process allowed us to incorporate desirable frame features, increase durability, and maintain the ride performance we are known for. Our standard Smoothwall layup on the Vertex Carbon 70 and Vertex Carbon 50 remains industry leading, without resorting to cost cutting by integrating fiberglass.
By incorporating premium 40-ton carbon fiber sheets into our Vertex Carbon 90 and Vertex Carbon frameset, we were able to eliminate more resin than what is usually left from our traditional Smoothwall construction. This process allowed us to incorporate desirable frame features, increase durability, and maintain the ride performance we are known for. Our standard Smoothwall layup on the Vertex Carbon 70 and Vertex Carbon 50 remains industry leading, without resorting to cost cutting by integrating fiberglass.
The Vertex Carbon 70 weighs 10.00kg (22.0lbs) in size medium, and is available in "Back in Black/Billy Ocean/Acid Rain" or "Smoke on the Water/Back in Black/Flaming Lips".
The Vertex Carbon 50 weighs 11.10kg (24.5lbs) in size medium, and is available in "Back in Black/Billy Ocean/Acid Rain" or "Flaming Lips/Back in Black/Whitesnake"
The Vertex is available now. Regional availability may vary. More information at bikes.com.
Mentions: @RockyMountainBicycles
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You can run boost wheels on the EPO. No prob. It’s Bros approved. You just need the longer thru axle.
But just wondering, are 27.2 dropper seatposts really worse than those in 30.9mm? Eightpins is probably a class on its own (with the long travel they offer) but these don't fit 30.9mm seattubes either.
Without a pivot in the frame like a Trek, you’ll get far more flex out of syntace HyFlex post, or something like a CGR post.
Especially considering many of them come with alloy seatpost.
Syncros 1994 - MTB Kataloge
PDFwww.mtb-kataloge.de › PDF › Syncros
That's a lot of seatpost that could break off if you hit an obstacle at speed.
X-Fusion made/makes a 27.2 100mm dropper, I have one, good enough post, but I kinda saw it as a post to retrofit older frames from before dropper posts came out.
Going forward, 30.9 should be standard smallest size seat tube i/d,IMHO.
And I'd MUCH prefer my seatpost didn't snap halfway through a race (I've done this, sucks to finish a race pedaling standing.)
They advertise that it has internal routing for a dropper post, so why not allow people more choice. There aren't many 27.2 droppers available.
If the seatpost is indeed flexing while seated, as they claim, that means it is flexing while pedaling seated, which would seem like unwanted flex. I personally hate anything resembling pedal bob.
All this being said, I haven't raced XC since the 90's, so I'm not really the market this bike is aimed at, and don't really care too much.
But why is it so heavy? Why do a pure xc race bike with this frame weight? Why even bother with a narrow 27,5+ clearance?
I realy hoped for something better, a bigger step forward. Seems like i need to look elsewhere.
The rigid seatpost provides "extra" comfort, as if a 30.9 rigid seatpost is only mildly comfortable?
• 27.2 mm seatpost allows for extra ride comfort while seated"
Well there's an oxymoron if I ever saw one in a features list... dropper post compatibility and 27.2mm... yeah...let's limit folks to like FOUR mid/high end brands of dropper posts... KS, Thomson, X-Fusion, Gravity Dropper... and then there's a handful of lower end brands... Tranz-X (which is the fancy brand name of HL Corp...who also manufacturers Specialized's command posts and a few other house brands), TMars, and that's about it that I can think of. Even DNM doesn't bother making a 27.2 dropper.
As to pricing and geometry... Salsa has Rocky beat... the Woodsmoke carbon is 29, 29+ and 27.5+ compatible, ranges from 2,199 USD for a 29er NX configuration to 4,299 USD for a 27.5+ X01 Eagle configuration. It can run larger tires (29 x 3.0 or 27.5 x 3.25), has longer top tubes (an XL is 671mm, L is 641, M is 611, S is 591 and XS is 571) and shorter chainstays (adjustable 409-417mm) with a slacker head angle (68.4 deg, 120mm fork 29 x 2.4). Let's compare the medium sizes as they have the same seat tube lengths as one another. The vertex has 11mm less top tube length and 21mm longer chainstays with a degree steeper head angle than the woodsmoke (in a 29er configuration).