First Look: Rocky Mountain Updates Altitude & Instinct Powerplay Models with Dyname 4.0 motor
Rocky Mountain made their e-bike debut four years ago with the Altitude Powerplay. Not content with the off-the-shelf motors from Shimano and Bosch, Rocky developed their own motor system which made a name for itself as one of the most powerful on the market.
Now they have developed a new and improved motor, the Dyname 4.0, and they've put it in all-new versions of the Altitude and Instinct Powerplay e-bikes. The new motor boasts the same impressive power, but with more refinement, less drag and less weight, plus there's a bigger battery, faster charging and a higher chainline allowing for a more rearward axle path.
The Instinct and Altitude Powerplay bikes have been completely redesigned around the new motor, with mid-high pivot suspension working hand in hand with the higher chainline, 29" wheels, more travel and a host of other updates.
The Dyname 4.0 motor
The Dyname 4.0 motor packs a punch. It offers up to 108Nm of torque at the crank and peak power of 700W - that compares to 85Nm and 500W for Shimano's EP8 system. In the most powerful mode, it can add 350% on top of your pedalling power; it's very much about shunting you to the top of the hill as fast as possible.
And although the power is the same as the previous version, the motor is claimed to be more refined.
Dyname 4.0 Details
• 108 Nm torque
• 700 W peak output
• Up to 350% rider power amplification
• 720 Wh internal battery capacity
• Optional range extender
• Integrated idler
• bikes.com
• 108 Nm torque
• 700 W peak output
• Up to 350% rider power amplification
• 720 Wh internal battery capacity
• Optional range extender
• Integrated idler
• bikes.com
One advantage of both motors over other systems is the use of a conventional bottom bracket which isn't part of the motor, making replacement as simple as with a conventional bike. The system uses conventional RaceFace crankarms, with either a DH-width 149mm x 30mm or a 156mm x 24mm spindle. The BB92 bottom bracket is offset to the non-drive side to accommodate a custom spider that houses a sprag clutch (like a freewheel). This is needed to allow the cranks to back-pedal without turning the motor.
Both the old motor (left) and the new one (right) use a spring-loaded pulley (circled) to sense the tension in the chain, which corresponds to the torque applied by the rider and motor. The position of the pulley wheel is detected by a Hall sensor for rapid response. The new motor pulley uses a steel spring which is less sensitive to temperature changes.
Rocky say their fast-acting torque sensor "removes unwanted lag time to give an instantaneous and natural response when the power is applied." The motor's assistance is designed to peak at a cadence of 85rpm while providing plenty of support at lower and higher cadences. Meanwhile, the overrun - the time taken for the motor to stop after you stop pedalling - has been reduced for a more natural feel.
Rocky has integrated the display screen into the top-tube, where it shows information like the assistance mode, battery level and speed. This should make it harder to damage than bar-mounted displays like those from Bosch or Shimano. A small remote to change the power modes is located by the grip. Rocky calls the four assistance modes Ludicrous, Trail Plus, Trail, and Eco.
The top-tube mounted display is a neater solution than most.
Battery capacity has been increased from 672Wh to 720Wh (about a 7% improvement), putting it in touch with Bosch's biggest 750Wh battery. The battery is still removable for off-bike charging by releasing the cover and retention bolt. The new Powerplay bikes are compatible with Rocky's Overtimepack, an external range extender that gives an extra 314Wh of battery capacity on top of the 720Wh internal pack, for a total of 1,034Wh of energy. That's among the biggest total battery capacities of any e-MTB.
There are two chargers: a two amp and a four-amp version. The slower one is good for a 0-100% charge in 7 hours 35 minutes, while the four amp can do it in 3 hours 55 minutes.
There are two chargers: a two amp and a four-amp version. The slower one is good for a 0-100% charge in 7 hours 35 minutes, while the four amp can do it in 3 hours 55 minutes.
The Altitude (left) and Instinct Powerplay
Updated Instinct and Altitude Powerplay
The Altitude is designed for enduro-style riding with a 170mm fork and 160mm rear travel (10mm more than the previous version), while the Instinct is designed for trail riding with 150/140mm travel. Both use 29" wheels front and rear in all sizes (the previous Altitude Powerplay was 27.5"). Both bikes are available with carbon and alloy frames and share the same motor and design updates.
"The Altitude was designed for aggressive, high-speed riding," says Rocky's PR, "while the Instinct is meant for long days of exploration and efficient riding." My view is that if you have a motor you may as well have more travel for climbing and descending.
Suspension design
The new motor has a higher idler position than the previous version, and no guide ring lowering the chain back down towards the chainring. This creates a higher chain line, which Rocky have taken advantage of to raise the main pivot for a more rearward axle path. It's not as high as some high-pivot bikes, so Rocky are calling it a mid-high pivot design. The axle path has about as much rearward as forwards movement throughout the travel, similar to Trek's "high-ish-pivot" Session.
In addition to the more rearward axle path, the suspension has been made a touch more progressive compared to previous designs for more bottom-out resistance. Note the graphic above shows the shock rate, which is the inverse of the leverage ratio that we're more used to seeing. The Altitude has around 31% progression in the leverage ratio throughout the travel when calculated in the more common way.
The Altitude and Instinct Powerplay offer four geometry settings using the rotating chip (left) plus two chainstay settings, 10 mm apart.
Frame details
The new Powerplay bikes get Rocky's RIDE-4 geometry adjustment system, which offers four geometry configurations via one rotating flip chip on the shock link. There's also a 10mm chainstay adjustment chip at the rear axle to further tweak the geometry, bringing the total geometry configurations to eight. The chainstay length is around 437mm in the short setting or 447mm in the long setting. Compared to the outgoing models, there's also added downtube and chainstay protection, shuttle guard and a chain guide; plus updated tube profiles for greater front-end stiffness, as well as improved rattle-free cable routing and dual bearings at the chainstay and seatstay for increased stiffness and durability. Size-specific shock tunes are a nice touch, too.
Claimed weight for the Altitude Powerplay Carbon 70 is 23.53 kg (51.9 lbs) for a size large. Claimed weights for the other models are TBC. According to Rocky, this weight includes DoubleDown tires and CushCore inserts, which are fitted to the Carbon 90, Carbon 70, and Alloy 70 models. A pair of CushCore inserts weigh around 520g (1.15 lbs).
Geometry
Altitude Powerplay Geometry
Instinct Powerplay Geometry
The geometry of both bikes closely mirrors their non-motorized equivalents. Part of the reason Rocky wanted to develop their own motor was to allow room to design the pivot locations and motor together, rather than fitting them around an exiting motor housing. One implication of this is the chainstay length is no longer than the human-powered bikes, and among the shortest for a 29er eMTB. This should make it a bit easier to lift the front wheel compared to some of the e-bikes out there.
Compared to the outgoing bikes, the reach and wheelbase have been lengthened considerably. Roughly speaking, the reach numbers have moved up one size.
Pricing and Availability
The Altitude Powerplay and Instinct Powerplay will be available this winter from Rocky Mountain dealers. Regional availability may vary.
Altitude Powerplay Carbon 90 Rally Edition: $13,129 CAD / $10,649 USD
Altitude Powerplay Carbon 70: $11,339 CAD / $9,059 USD
Altitude Powerplay Alloy 70: $9,239 CAD / $7,779 USD
Altitude Powerplay Alloy 50: $8,399 CAD / $6,999 USD
Altitude Powerplay Alloy 30 Coil: $7,349 CAD / $5,749 USD
Instinct Powerplay Carbon 90: $14,699 CAD / $12,039 USD
Instinct Powerplay Carbon 70: $11,549 CAD / $9,159 USD
Instinct Powerplay Alloy 70: $8,819 CAD / $7,459 USD
Instinct Powerplay Alloy 50: $7,769 CAD / $6,499 USD
Instinct Powerplay Alloy 30: $6,929 CAD / $5,599 USD
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As for making it carbon, with a home-grown motor the bike isn't going to be cheap, so at some point the decision to go carbon is only a couple percent of total price. For the customer buying a $12K eMTB it may as well be carbon. Plus better tolerances, less QC issues, etc.
With the metal, you have to worry about it being too thin and bending/breaking. Which means you either need to make the battery structural or you need to add more weight to compensate. It's the reason that carbon fiber monocoques are so amazing for cars.
#Spaceballs
Chicken?...
Other than that, I'm curious whether you could install an oval chainring (and install it "wrong", so 90deg rotated) or would that upset the guide pulley?
oval isnt necessary on a ebike.
Either way, cool bike!
I'd never thought of it before, but I would have thought this would be a benefit on ebikes - having a smoother cadence on technical climbs. Especially if the motor is applying more torque in response to more pedalling torque, I'd think the benefit would be multiplied.
I'm pretty sure it wouldn't work on this bike though as it would interfere with the pulley wheel that senses the torque inputs. Other e bikes should be fine.
@RMB-PM: Ah, I always thought that the bike just takes a regular crankset and bottom bracket and the motor just works in series. If they can spin independently, it is not going to work indeed.
@brianpark: Yeah, indeed it is super cool and brave to take on the likes of Shimano, Bosch and Yamaha with a product that only works in your own system (so you can't make money selling/licencing it to competitors). A bit like Cannondale has done too. Unique and wild ideas make this scene exiting.
I don't mean to sound like a dick here or think I'm some kind of godly rider but it feels like to me that ebikes get worse the more varied the terrain and the more skilled rider you are. If you're able to ride a bike fast through difficult terrain and use a lot of body english to get the bike to do what you need it to... ebikes make that harder, worse and slower.
I liken it to riding a modern DH bike on my local trail/enduro trails... it'll shine of the steep straight plow stuff and the fast flow bermed stuff (bike park stuff essentially)... but anything beyond that and it's the enduro bike that wins out.
So, to spend that amount of money on a bike that does most things worse, just doesn't make sense to me. Never mind the hugely depreciating value of a battery filled bike. I can sell my enduro bike after two or three years for a pretty good amount... but who wants an ebike with a clapped out battery that might only have another good year or two or three with reduced range left in it.
But... who knows, in ten years when I slow down, and I'm not trying to descend as fast as I possibly can anymore, I'm not racing anymore, the weights drop more, the battery tech gets better, and prices come down... I could see myself on one.
Where is Shimano Link Glide? They have been talking about this drivetrain for a year and I still haven't seen it for sale anywhere.
In any case, I went through a lot of Shimano 11 speed chains and cassettes and then switched to 12 speed Shimano. It's held up better than the 11 speed, but still wears fast. I'm moving to Link Glide as soon as it's available.
There's probably some benefits that could be engineered into it as well as the ability to shift whilst coasting- like instant rear hub engagement and less load on the rear hub if you had something like a sprag clutch instead of pawls and ratchets.
The bike like 60 times?
Still its frigging insane 112nm for a Bike..
But I'm paying full price to be their beta testing crew. It's a sweet deal for MFG's charging full MSPR and then have users find flaws.
And were the bike specs similar? Enduro geo, weight, etc?
While this is super cool. I'd like to see this type of stuff to be adjustable. Maybe I do want my motor to keep going after I stop pedalling? Maybe I'm a grinder, not a spinner and would prefer the motor to assist at low RPM's?
Why not make motors and batteries modular? Say if for a certain "zone" I don't need a huge motor or battery, can I swap them out quickly for that weekend to save weight/time/efficiency? What if I don't want to a motor or battery at all? Can I do that?
Just a thought. Cool bike, love what they're doing.
youtu.be/-hIsWx5qbQs?t=35
While I'm sure you eventually adapt, not something we liked.
I think you just helped my suggestion. Make it customizable. If I want to run more/less overrun, let me! The software has to be at least half way there. Need to add an interface to adjust the algorithm.
For me, on super steep and tech climbs I need a bit of overrun for when I need to time my pedal strokes due to rock/pedal strikes. And these heavy ass ebikes run out of momentum quickly! So a little overrun is nice
Dear Rocky Mtn - I'll be your IT Product Owner anyday (for free). That's what I do, but for a way less cool company
It would be awesome in case they will make lighter version to compete with Spesh;
Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay Tailored Protection Kit
Rocky Mountain Instinct Powerplay Tailored Protection Kit
Yea fully aware of this and much prefer it not only because it doesn’t throw you backwards further, but also you can usually fit a really long dropper slammed into the seat tube.
But its still on the slack side for me unfortunately.
I have a guess, if anyone is interested.
I also suspect they aren't charging the cells to the same voltage we are to ensure long term management.
I agree they should be able to get more out of less, I wish they would make an agreement that trail bikes should have a max assistance of much less if they are to be used on traditional trails without causing much more maintenance.
Specialized Levo SL does a pretty good job or enabling a rider to ride further and easier without turning into motorbiking.
Come on, it's a very respectable weight.