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2011 Rocky Slayer - the legend is back!
A three rider, two day test ride & review of the 2011 Rocky Slayer 70.
In the ad copy it says “We gave it more UP, so you can have more DOWN” & after spending a full day on the Rocky Mountain 2011 Slayer I’d say it lives up to the slogan.
Read on to learn more,The Legend is back!
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In the ad copy it says “We gave it more UP, so you can have more DOWN” & after spending a full day on the Rocky Mountain 2011 Slayer I’d say it lives up to the slogan.
The previous generation Slayer was an epic descender which loved speed, big hits & could handle freeride style terrain, but was not a climber in any respect other than it had gobs of traction. The 2011 Slayer 70 was completely redesigned using a new suspension design & tube shaping which increased strength & stiffness while dropping a whopping 366 grams of weight from the frame. It also has the new E-Thru 142x12mm rear axle which makes for an ultra solid feeling rear end which tracks as straight as my DH rig. Climbing efficientcy is very impressive, Rocky’s “smooth link suspension” virtually eliminates pedal bob & feels active & bottomless when striking roots & rocks.
Rider position feels perfect for an AM bike with their straight up geometry’s 75 degree seat angle giving you a great position for attacking climbs & when descending you can get behind the saddle with ease without the worry of getting hung up on the saddle. Spec is spot on with a dream list of components from Fox, SRAM, DT Swiss, Formula & smart features like the “Granny sandwich” Inner alloy plate mounted to the ISCG tabs which keeps the chain from dropping inside the granny gear & the same ISCG tabs can be used to add a Hammerschmidt if you want.
“The Dirt”
To give a fair review we had three test riders take turns working the bike hard in every situation an All-Mountain bike should encounter.
Josh W worked & whipped the Slayer off a 15ft step-down to gauge its in air balance & big line skills, he was impressed with the bike's balance and its solid feeling when stomping the landing.
Jeff M was stoked on the climbing performance & compared its efficiency to that of his Santa Cruz Blur LT.
I pushed the Slayer hard like a DH bike through repeated runs on a local DH trail & hit several sniper lines on cliff edge trails without a glitch. The frame stiffness makes the bike so predictable & makes you feel that the Slayer can do just about anything you want it to. Having a 6.5” travel AM bike which climbs this well & loves to rip up the DH lines is a dream for many of us gravity loving riders who have to self shuttle to our local DH trails or those who want a bike which is fun to burn laps at Terwillegar park & spend the weekends riding black diamond trails in Panorama or Fernie MTB resorts. It's great to see the legendary Slayer name being used on a bike that is sure to become a legend on the trails.
Check out this video for more details on Slayer:
The Details:
Model: 2011 Slayer 70
Size: 18”
Weight: 29.1lbs with pedals
Riders:
Josh W 6’2” 195lbs DJ/Freeride/DH rider
Jeff M 6’ 180lbs XC/All MTN rider
Bykguy 5’ 9” 150lbs XC/DH/All MTN rider
2011 Rocky Mountain Slayer Features:
• Patented Smooth Link suspension design
• Straight Up geometry for active climbing
• Rear Travel: 165 mm
• Rear Axle: Shimano E-Thru 142x12mm rear thru-axle
• Tapered head-tube
• E-type front derailleur
• Granny Sandwich (aluminum plate mounted to ISCG tabs) keeps the chain on
• ISCG mounts for chain guide or Hammerschmidt
• Frame Weight: 7.09 lbs (366 grams lighter than current design)
• Rear Shock: Fox RP23 XV Boost Valve shock
In the ad copy it says “We gave it more UP, so you can have more DOWN” & after spending a full day on the Rocky Mountain 2011 Slayer I’d say it lives up to the slogan.
Read on to learn more,
In the ad copy it says “We gave it more UP, so you can have more DOWN” & after spending a full day on the Rocky Mountain 2011 Slayer I’d say it lives up to the slogan.
The previous generation Slayer was an epic descender which loved speed, big hits & could handle freeride style terrain, but was not a climber in any respect other than it had gobs of traction. The 2011 Slayer 70 was completely redesigned using a new suspension design & tube shaping which increased strength & stiffness while dropping a whopping 366 grams of weight from the frame. It also has the new E-Thru 142x12mm rear axle which makes for an ultra solid feeling rear end which tracks as straight as my DH rig. Climbing efficientcy is very impressive, Rocky’s “smooth link suspension” virtually eliminates pedal bob & feels active & bottomless when striking roots & rocks.
Rider position feels perfect for an AM bike with their straight up geometry’s 75 degree seat angle giving you a great position for attacking climbs & when descending you can get behind the saddle with ease without the worry of getting hung up on the saddle. Spec is spot on with a dream list of components from Fox, SRAM, DT Swiss, Formula & smart features like the “Granny sandwich” Inner alloy plate mounted to the ISCG tabs which keeps the chain from dropping inside the granny gear & the same ISCG tabs can be used to add a Hammerschmidt if you want.
To give a fair review we had three test riders take turns working the bike hard in every situation an All-Mountain bike should encounter.
Josh W worked & whipped the Slayer off a 15ft step-down to gauge its in air balance & big line skills, he was impressed with the bike's balance and its solid feeling when stomping the landing.
Jeff M was stoked on the climbing performance & compared its efficiency to that of his Santa Cruz Blur LT.
I pushed the Slayer hard like a DH bike through repeated runs on a local DH trail & hit several sniper lines on cliff edge trails without a glitch. The frame stiffness makes the bike so predictable & makes you feel that the Slayer can do just about anything you want it to. Having a 6.5” travel AM bike which climbs this well & loves to rip up the DH lines is a dream for many of us gravity loving riders who have to self shuttle to our local DH trails or those who want a bike which is fun to burn laps at Terwillegar park & spend the weekends riding black diamond trails in Panorama or Fernie MTB resorts. It's great to see the legendary Slayer name being used on a bike that is sure to become a legend on the trails.
Check out this video for more details on Slayer:
The Details:
Model: 2011 Slayer 70
Size: 18”
Weight: 29.1lbs with pedals
Riders:
Josh W 6’2” 195lbs DJ/Freeride/DH rider
Jeff M 6’ 180lbs XC/All MTN rider
Bykguy 5’ 9” 150lbs XC/DH/All MTN rider
2011 Rocky Mountain Slayer Features:
• Patented Smooth Link suspension design
• Straight Up geometry for active climbing
• Rear Travel: 165 mm
• Rear Axle: Shimano E-Thru 142x12mm rear thru-axle
• Tapered head-tube
• E-type front derailleur
• Granny Sandwich (aluminum plate mounted to ISCG tabs) keeps the chain on
• ISCG mounts for chain guide or Hammerschmidt
• Frame Weight: 7.09 lbs (366 grams lighter than current design)
• Rear Shock: Fox RP23 XV Boost Valve shock
Author Info:
Member since Apr 7, 2008
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