Rocky Mountain Launches New Thunderbolt Alloy

Aug 21, 2018
by Rocky Mountain  
Thunderbolt Alloy

PRESS RELEASE: Rocky Mountain

The Thunderbolt is our vision of a perfect XC-trail bike. We’ve designed an all-new alloy frame that pushes the rear travel to 130mm, increases stiffness, lowers the rate curve slightly, and gives the frame a host of next-generation features – but keeps its playful geometry and wide range of RIDE-9™ adjustments. The Thunderbolt is at home on technical climbs, powering through rough stuff, and popping off every trail feature you lay eyes on.

THUNDERBOLT ALLOY - TECHNICAL DETAILS

Thunderbolt Alloy
• Updated RIDE-9™
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. It's been moved into the link for lighter, narrower packaging.

• Next generation features
Comprehensive evolutionary updates across the platform include features like tooled axles, single-sided bearing pivots, integrated “Spirit Guide” chain guide, and metric shock compatibility.

• 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.
Thunderbolt Alloy

Thunderbolt Alloy
• Improved suspension performance
We’ve flattened out the rate curve to directly increase the amount of usable travel while maintaining mid-stroke support and making small-bump performance even more sensitive.

• 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.

• Progressive geometry
To add control and descending capability, we’ve increased reach, slackened the headtube angle, and lowered the bottom bracket. We’ve slightly lengthened the chainstays to improve climbing traction and used a moderately steep seat tube for further climbing performance.
Thunderbolt Alloy

GEOMETRY

Thunderbolt Alloy Geometry

GALLERY

Thunderbolt Alloy

Thunderbolt Alloy
Thunderbolt Alloy

Thunderbolt Alloy

Thunderbolt Alloy

PRICING & AVAILABILITY

The Thunderbolt Alloy is now available! Please head to your local Rocky Mountain dealer to see the bikes. Regional availability may vary.

Thunderbolt Alloy 50: $3,999 CAD / $3,499 USD
Thunderbolt Alloy 50
Deep Purple / Back in Black / Billy Ocean
Thunderbolt Alloy 50
Flaming Lips / Back in Black

Thunderbolt Alloy 30: $3,249 CAD / $2,649 USD
Thunderbolt Alloy 30
Deep Purple / Back in Black / Billy Ocean

Thunderbolt Alloy 10: $2,449 CAD / $1,999 USD
Thunderbolt Alloy 10
Flaming Lips / Back in Black

See more details on our website



Rider: Justin "Dewey" Roy
Photographer: Margus Riga


MENTIONS: @RockyMountainBicycles @Margus



Posted In:
Press Releases


Author Info:
RockyMountainBicycles avatar

Member since Jan 14, 2011
142 articles

101 Comments
  • 34 0
 Anyone else notice how just in general, bike models seem to be getting more and more aggressive, until they become what was previously the model up?
  • 9 0
 Same thing happens with cars. They force changes until what you have is barely recognizable, then introduce a new model to fill that void.
  • 9 1
 that's why I bought the current model up, so now I'm living in the future!
  • 26 2
 "We’ve flattened out the rate curve to directly increase the amount of usable travel while maintaining mid-stroke support and making small-bump performance even more sensitive."

It's nice that they're now acknowledging that their bikes weren't able to use all their travel previously.

I have to run 40% sag to get ANY kind of compliance out of the rear end of my 2015 Thunderbolt BC Edition, and that still only gets me about 80% of my shock stroke used during a rough ride with 2-3 foot drops. I effectively get 48mm of usable travel...and that's both with the stock Monarch Debonair, and with the upgraded Fox Factory X2 that was overhauled and re-tuned by Fox to the lightest compression valving they offer. (And yes, I have made sure the pivot bushings are spinning smooth and not binding)

WAY too progressive of a leverage curve on the older version.
  • 9 0
 sounds like a coil shock could help... just an odd option for such a bike...
  • 10 4
 sounds like when I pay 4k bucks for a bike, I require a suspensions that work brilliantly Go ! Fire the engineers !
  • 3 2
 So now they don't have bottom out resistance.
  • 4 0
 @chyu: Tune-able with air volume via can size & spacers. Also, bottom out resistance is over worried about. As long as the frame isn't going to snap I think you're better off putting that force into the shock rather than the frame/wheels.
  • 3 1
 I think damping wasn’t the real problem for that bike, but rather finding a shock with a big enough air can. Even with the limited travel, that was one hell of a fun bike!
  • 3 0
 I have a 2016 BC edition and have a similar issue. We obviously aren't riding it hard enough.
  • 2 0
 @chyu: still has overall progression and good bottomout resistance.. just not as crazy progressive and unusable as before
  • 4 0
 I run 30% sag and get full travel regularly on my 2016. I do live in the Rockies and have bigger downhills than most, plus I weigh 220 lbs with gear so I realize that can be a factor.
Great bike for where I live.
  • 4 1
 Bigger air can is likely what you need. Perhaps a corset and custom tune from Vorsprung?
  • 1 0
 I've never had a problem with getting full travel out of my 2017 T-bolt's rear shock, that's at 25-30% sag. There's no way I ride at your level. I put it on a click or two on the slow side of neutral rebound and keep it in the open setting.
  • 2 1
 ride harder.
  • 1 0
 @Ian713: I have a 2016 with Fox Evol Shock and have no issues using all of the travel. I have a fairly heavy tune, too.
  • 3 0
 @FLATLlNE: Was also going to suggest sending a message to Steve @VorsprungSuspension to get his thoughts.
  • 2 0
 @rrolly: Steve is a wizard. He tuned my girlfriends bike - she is super small and everything is over damped for her. Afterward she got full travel and the suspension had usable adjustment. Suspension on her new bike will be headed to Vorsprung end of this season.
  • 2 0
 I get full travel on my 2015 799 MSL.
145lbs
30% sag
Fox float CTD, no internal spacers
Replaced the pipelock main pivot bushing with RM's roller bearing kit.
Let'r eat!
  • 1 0
 I could contact Steve at Vorsprung, but he's already covered the inherent problem of the bike:

vorsprungsuspension.com/blogs/news/17562332-how-well-will-the-corset-work-with-my-frame

--Scroll down to "2. Progressive Leverage Rate", and see the graph for the RM Thunderbolt. And here's Steve's commentary under it:

"Resultant wheel spring curve with Corset: High initial leverage ratio combined with relatively linear spring curve provides very plush feel initially, mid-stroke support somewhat better, end stroke still over-supported and hard to use full travel - Corset can't fix that.

Net result of the Corset: Better small bump absorption, marginal improvements in mid-stroke, but can't fix the excessive end stroke ramp. Overall, relatively minor gain - you'd have to design an air spring specifically for this application in order to make it work well, but fortunately most bikes don't use this configuration unless they're intended for use with coil sprung shocks."

:/

All that said, it IS a fun -- and very fast -- bike. It's just not very confidence-inspiring when you're railing around rooty/rutted, flat corners and the rear wheel is skipping all over the place, instead of tracking the ground like my other bikes with similar travel do.
  • 2 0
 @tmargeson: You are right. :S
  • 2 0
 to anyone who says that they use full travel, you're very heavy or doing drops that the bike can't handle too much of.

I have a '14 Altitude and how hard you have to land that rear to use even close to full travel is nuts. I have a debonair with no volume bands added (replaced stock fox that also had volume spacers played with in an effort to overcome the fact that last ~1/4 of travel was almost never used) and riding on the north shore.

For light and tight trail bikes like the previous generation altitude and thunderbolt, they are way too progressive.
  • 1 0
 @rexluthor: I have a friend running a Topaz, no spacers in the positive, a couple in the negative. He seems to be having good luck with this set up as with the spacers in the negative he can run lower pressure and still achieve proper sag.

He is definitely using all his travel most days.
  • 1 0
 @rexluthor: really?? I'm pretty sure that using full travel is mostly a function of your fork/shock setup. When I had a Fox 32 on my '14 Sight I had to over inflate my fork to avoid using all the travel otherwise I'd end up nosing over the front wheel. But with my DP Pike, I have less pressure and regularly use almost all of my travel, yet I'm not heavy (170 lbs) and ride Shore trails, like 7th Secret, Leppard, C-buster, etc which are exactly the type of trails the Sight is designed for.
  • 1 0
 @rrolly: Not talking about forks here. Talking about rear suspension (specifically, Rocky Mountain's, in this case), where a frame's pivot/linkage design can drastically affect the leverage rate, and thus, suspension movement characteristics. In terms of leverage rate, forks are 100% linear, or 1:1. (We're not talking about their spring curve, of course, e.g., with air springs), so tuning them to get full travel (or not) is a straight-forward process. It's not the same thing when talking about rear suspension. Refer to my link above to Vorsprung Suspension's website.
  • 25 3
 I was wondering if you have a lower resolution image of the geometry chart.
  • 6 1
 I'm gonna go ahead and presume that you're reading this from a mobile device?
The geometry chart is completely fine on a desktop.

But it's a known issue that the mobile version of this site, has crappy resolution on pictures.
  • 4 0
 Have you tried something other than a toaster?
  • 13 0
 Is this fully downcountry?
  • 7 0
 any more downcountry and its endro
  • 8 0
 I would be nice to see more $1500 Alloy bikes with decent specs. The Marin Hawk Hill is a good example of a great bike at a low price point. I owned a 2017 Hawk Hill. Picked it up new on sale for $1299 and it was a great bike that was nicely set up stock. I would be nice to see more bikes like this in the market.
  • 7 1
 Yeah. It would be awesome if the best stuff was cheap.
  • 5 0
 Check out the Jamis Dakar bikes. $1500 for a very similar bike. And $2000 gets you a dropper. No boost spacing but that doesn’t matter to the majority of people.
  • 6 3
 @carlomdy: Other than the frame, fork, rear shock, wheels+tires, and brakes, you've got a great point.
  • 1 0
 Yeah man, i was recently in the market for something that price, ended up with a scott genius 720 plus but only because it was in the sale (luckily) was looking at the Vitus Sommet originally
  • 1 0
 @Fog2: yes that is exactly what I meant. Even though I said decent specs.
  • 1 0
 @Fog2: I meant similar to that Marin Hawk Hill.
  • 10 2
 Guys, I don't think you should get this bike. Mike Levy thinks it can't climb very well or descend confidently, and that it should have both ride one and adjustable geometry.
  • 9 2
 Who listens to slowpokes anyway?
  • 4 2
 Such a badly-written piece.
  • 6 0
 Thank you Montagne Rocheuse for all your excellent bikes!!!... and for not abandoning aluminium.
I still have my 2008 Slayer SXC and I rolled it not later than yesterday on the Lourdes tracks here in my delightful France.
I don`t have any DH bike, weighting 65kg for 1m72, I never needed any. I`m an elastic boy. 90% of the year I ride a steel hardtail, a Stanton Switchback, and when I bring my good old Slayer it is for the Pyrenees bike parks, as for really harsh purposes, and it keeps on doing the job so well Smile
BTW 1: funny to see my old SXC geometry close to that Thunderbolt... at its steepest HTA though, but with a 170mm RS Lyric front.
BTW 2: when will you release the Slayer 4.0 in aluminium? Is there still an alloy version announced? And do I get a special tip top friendly price on a frame if I unfortunately break mine one these days after 10 years of marriage?... which is something I don`t especially hope, as my 43y-o rider vintage category matches perfectly to that lovely bicyclette Smile

Cheers!!!
  • 9 0
 Looks like a superfun trailbike!!
  • 8 0
 Props to RM for making a bike under $2k. Same goes for Giant doing the same and knocking $400 off the Trance 4.
  • 4 0
 No dropper on the $2,649 bike sucks though.
  • 14 1
 @colincolin: it's called a manual dropper, it's far cheaper and never breaks
  • 18 0
 @grundletroll: actually its a handraulically actuated dropper.
  • 5 7
 Props ? Nah, I mean ye it's cool but the only reason those brands are finally cutting their margins to offer products at a decent price is because some brands like YT and Canyon came around and took massive market shares all across the MTB market, even Road for Canyon. It would have been nice if they didn't rape us in first place, never looking back, direct sales is the way to go, and shame to those that would go back to the brands that originally screwed us. Kinda would be Stockholm syndrome ...
  • 8 4
 @Balgaroth: Until everyone is direct, shops close, and then the companies realize they are making no money. Intense can't be making ANY money on their pricing models. I've been in the bike world for 10ish years now, and even big companies don't have a good margin. If they followed anyone elses pricing model, bikes would be 20,000 dollars. Clothing manufacturers have 1000% margin because they have children sew their items for pennies and charge $175 for a jacket. As the west tries to get away from slave labor, it is going to have a huge effect on our consumption levels.
  • 6 2
 @kmg0: If Intense wasn't making any money, they'd be out of business. The margin for manufacturers is quite nice.
  • 8 0
 @Poulsbojohnny: But, since going to the Rider Direct pricing, Intense has laid off several people... If you reduce the margins, you need to hope for a big boost in sales... I'm hearing the sales numbers aren't as big as they were hoping for...

I don't think people realized how many paychecks a company like Trek, Giant, or Specialized sign every payday...
  • 2 0
 @kmg0: no industry with high-tech manufacturing makes the profit margins of the textile world. It's an apple to oranges comparison since a large portion of textiles are also never sold (at any price), which just isn't true of something like bicycles.
  • 1 1
 @lumpy873: intense had some people that needed to be laid off
  • 1 0
 Correction... I meant the Trance 3... which is now $1,950. Smile
  • 2 0
 @Poulsbojohnny: You realize that a company doesn't close the first year they are not profitable, yeah? I get what you're saying, but a company can operate in the red for years before actually having to pack it in (or sell to a parent company, like Niner's recent move). I'm sure Intense is staying afloat, but they aren't Trek, Giant, or even Santa Cruz.
  • 1 0
 @grundletroll: True but what a pain in the royal ass to use!
  • 1 0
 @mikealive: Business model for companies going direct sales is to cut down the distributor which means that they can pretty much keep the same margin for themselves and still cut the price by 30/40%. How is this bad for the company ? It's bad for the LBS and other companies but clearly there is no clear disadvantage for direct sales companies. You also need to keep in mind that these companies went this way to cut prices and be competitives but also because it was nearly impossible for them to get in shops when big dogs where already there, forcing bike shops to take their whole range, helmets and rubbish included. If they didn't force themselves on the bike shops and let their competitors an entry door maybe they wouldn't have to beg to sell bikes nowadays. It's kinda karma firing back and I personally love it. Dunno for YT and Canyon but for Commencal this last argument was the main reason why they left the bike shops as they were sick of fighting to get a few bikes in shops. And look at how well they do now.
  • 3 0
 @Balgaroth: Interesting conversation direct sales are cool but 80-90% of all bikes sold in USA are sold in stores . Even with a very steady growth of 1-2% growth of online sales year after year since 2001. So maybe in 40-80 more years, all bikes will be sold online but who knows if there is a end point to that growth. People seem to think that the market is barren and the new guys will take it over any day now. Manufacturing is costly promotion is costly pro teams is costly, whats more important to make the sale to the general public? Shops sell bikes easier than online ads or pro riders. Someone has to be the salesman for high-end goods and there will always be an okay margin for bike shops if bike shops realize their power in the ecosystem. With big guys like giant that own all chains of distribution by buying up local shops turning into outlet shops, they will be very price sensitive and in line with how much yt or canyon with a bike shop experience and culture.
  • 1 0
 @Gregorysmithj1: Insteresting points there. I have a different vision of it where Shops will (and are) being more and more restricted to really low end products as total beginners need some advice. I haven't set a foot in a shop in 15 years as they were always vastly incompetent when it came to DH or EN/AM (whatever it was called those days). I still see some friends buying high end bikes but in my whole region maybe 3 bike shops share this market out of 50 bike shops or more. In my opinion Direct Sales are perfect for average riders to dentists as long as they know a bit about of to service a bike which would be a big part of the market. Saying that I am racing and my vision of the market is possibly (probably) biaised compared to the reality of the Mtb market.
  • 4 0
 Bike prices are making me sad these days, I got my Marin Attack Trail brand new for 2850$ Cad. And that was with a pike, shimano slx drivetrain / brakes and a Dropper post. Now you have to spend nearly 4Gs just to get a dropper on a complete.
  • 7 0
 Oh man, I want to try one one these. The last gen was so fun , this should be a smile maker.
  • 9 1
 The bottle rocket lives !!???!?!
  • 2 0
 Strange to find the Smoothwall Carbon technology in the list of the Alloy versions. Was the same with the Instinct Alloy too. Love the color BTW.
  • 1 0
 Sounds like they are turning their poppy and forgiving xc-trail bike into a trail-xc bike. Ps does anyone actually use that chip? I set it when I first got it and haven't touched it since.
  • 3 0
 Comprehensive evolutionary updates! OMG!
  • 4 1
 The slow death of carbon......
  • 3 0
 Now we just need an Alloy Slayer! please
  • 2 0
 Great, grand, trick of the day.. Where's the damn 29 inch version????? Good gawd RM!!!!!
  • 1 0
 Now my comment about the BC edition leak has been deleted. YOU WONT SILENCE ME PINKBIKE, THIS AIN'T NORTH KOREA. pssst hey everyone, a BC edition is coming.
  • 1 0
 Unlike the Instinct, a BC edition can be created on your own with any specced thunderbolt.
  • 1 0
 Anyone know if they are going to set the C50 up with an alloy rear triangle now?
  • 1 0
 Nope, looks to still be a full carbon bikes.
  • 2 0
 you all missed the biggest news it is 26+ ready!
  • 3 1
 Looks like I'm going to be saving for a long time for a full suspension.
  • 8 2
 or just ride your hardtail and dont believe the hype.
  • 4 1
 @RoverDover: Yeah, the only real thing I would say about modern bikes is the 29 inch wheels. I don't know, look at a 2002 manufacturer catalog, and look at a new one, and you'd be hard pressed to say they're not getting better.
  • 3 0
 @RoverDover: I do that all the time, then I realize I forgot to switch off the lockout... then I realize again that the hype is real... very, very real.
  • 1 0
 Unfortunately a good full suspension bike won't get much lower in price than this.
  • 2 0
 Gotta check out slightly used and online clearance... DTC and the odd offering like the Hawk Hill or this Thunderbolt or a Trance 4 if going new
  • 1 0
 *Meant the Trance 3. If you're going really cheap, maybe a Stance.
  • 1 0
 Got to hit 88mph to get the current model in the future model, so your current with the future changes.
  • 1 0
 Weight to compare to carbon versions?
  • 1 0
 Why does this have a longer reach than the Slayer.
  • 3 0
 because even the slayer is too short. Rocky mountain has always made short bikes.
  • 2 1
 Rear sus looks just like an older Nukeproof!
  • 1 0
 I like that price
  • 2 3
 And at the end of the next season I think getting it for 30% off can be negotiated at your bike shop.
  • 1 3
 I'm all for alloy bikes and especially more affordable alloy bikes... but where's my 29'er?
  • 2 1
 Me too! If I see carbon, I just scroll past. Always too expensive. On the other hand, this thing ain't exactly cheap either. If I spent 4000 bucks for a bike, it would cost me even more in divorce fees.
  • 3 0
 It's the Instinct. They also come in alloy versions.
  • 1 0
 @gdharries: That's 140mm bro. Why can't I have the shorter travel 29'er?
  • 1 0
 @pinhead907: What's an extra 10mm (1 cm!) between friends?
  • 1 0
 @gdharries: Probably not much - except that I'd go buy a different bike in this case ;-) But the bottom line is, to me, it seems like Rocky has these two bikes backwards - longish travel 29'er, and shorter travel 27.5. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.
  • 1 0
 @mtbikeaddict: That is a cool bike, but it's too 'XC' for my taste - the slackest HTA setting is 69. To tell the truth, I like the Intense Sniper Trail. More bikes like that, please ;-) In aluminum.
  • 1 0
 @pinhead907: Yeah, it's XC... even though it has a 120mm fork. I was just thinking of Rocky's shorter travel 29er... I guess if the Instinct is too much, the Element not enough, and you don't like the Thunderbolt (or Pipeline) because of the wheelsize... then idk. I guess you could go for an older Instinct, before they increased the travel... or RM just doesn't have a match. Smile
  • 2 5
 No dwlink?
  • 1 2
 Lord help my wallet if Rocky got DW-Link
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