Just put a down payment on a 970 RSL. Out of the box upgrades will be Enve bars, stem and seatpost, XTR cranks and I9 wheels.
Only problem I don't what color hub will match the yellow on the frame best......any ideas?? May just go with all black but wanted to bling it just a little bit..
To think, it all started with a picture in BIKE Magazine of a 2012 Rocky Mountain Element 950 with a little dirt on the tires. The bike was listed as a favorite by one of the writers/riders of the magazine. He stated that after spending some time on that bike and realizing its potential, he ended up with the 2013 Element 970 RSL BC Edition and loves it so much that he wouldn't even let it out of sight long enough to do the photo shoot for the mag...and that he has ridden more than he had in a long time. There was something about that picture that I just couldn't get out of my head. I've had so many high end bikes in the past few years that most people wouldn't believe it if I gave them the list. But to name just a few, the list includes 2012 Specialized S-Works Stumpjumper FSR 29, 2012 Specialized Epic Expert Carbon, 2012 Cannondale Scalpel 1, 2012 Yeti SB-95 (two of them), 2012 Yeti SB-66 (two of them), 2012 Ellsworth Evolve, 2012 Pivot Mach 429, 2011 Specialized Specialized S-Works Epic....and again, that's just to name a few. Yes I know it's crazy, but I love bikes. Anyway, one bike brand I had never owned was a Rocky Mountain. Now my interest peaked and I had to have one....so, after diligently searching for a dealer, I found one in California (I'm in Arkansas) that seemed to be a good guy to deal with...and I ordered it. While waiting I bought a new Santa Cruz Tallboy Carbon (which I've already had two of these also)...before building it up my BC Edition arrived. By this point I figured I'd just build up the Tallboy and sell the BC Edition. In fact I had posted some pics of it on here in stock form, stating my intentions to sell it. But something happened. I rode it. Then I rode it again. After a couple of rides I realized this was a bike that was special. I never had intentions of keeping the stock drivetrain or wheelset that came with the bike, so I sold the Tallboy frame without ever building it up, put on the brand new XTR drivetrain and Mavic Crossmax SLR wheelset which I had purchased to build up the Tallboy and put it on this Rocky and well friends, all I can tell you is that I love this bike....better than any bike I have mentioned. In fact, only the Yeti SB-95 would be close. And of course, it's really a whole different animal from this Rocky. Trust me, this bike makes you want to ride, pulls you out to the trail, is so connected to the trail with such a lively playful feel and it's fast. Throw in the good looks and all I can say is what a bike. I'll try to post more specifics about the great handling and ride of this bike later, but for now I'll just leave you with a few pics.
@preachinmachine: When you posted you'd be selling the Element BC, I was in disbelieve. Someone didn't like the Element, how is that possible. Good thing you took it out for a spin Can you do a quick summary of the plusses/minusses of the bikes you listed. When ordering the Element myself, I was also looking at bikes like the Pivot 429, Tallboy C, S-Works, upcoming Titus 29er, the new Ventana El-Rey, etc. Lucky for me I got to testride (very uncommon in Holland) an Element 950 and fell instantly in love.
I'm going to put a lefty carbon fork on my next bike, anyone ever do that here? XX1 crank and chain with 10 speed XTR cassette, direct mount xt derail. with clutch. Project 321 orange ano STANS Arch EX rims with DT-Swiss hubs. XTR trail brakes with center lock Ice Tech rotors. ENVE bars, with Thomson dropper seat post.
I've never understood the Lefty love. Yeah, it looks cool. I don't honestly care if it's lighter. It doesn't make sense to me so I can't bring myself to appreciate it.
Not only lighter, with great looks. It can be set up 90, 100, or 110 mm, its stiff but very supple at the same time. It has a very high precision feel to it and when you try it you understand why!!
Getting ready to order the Element 999 frame, should be a great first full suspension bike. I have now a Cannondale Flash alloy 29er single speed. The Element will be 1x10, I hope I have a color selection not just black with red graph.
I tried it. Didn't understand what all the fuss was about. It is not really stiffer, maybe a small amount more supple. Steers crazy weird though. I didn't like it, so out went the Lefty and in came a 2-legged fork. My confidence through corners increased instantly. Weird...
Not only lighter, with great looks. It can be set up 90, 100, or 110 mm, its stiff but very supple at the same time. It has a very high precision feel to it and when you try it you understand why!!
Getting ready to order the Element 999 frame, should be a great first full suspension bike. I have now a Cannondale Flash alloy 29er single speed. The Element will be 1x10, I hope I have a color selection not just black with red graph.
As far as I know you can have it any color you want as long as it's black.
Originally Posted by zonoskar
I tried it. Didn't understand what all the fuss was about. It is not really stiffer, maybe a small amount more supple. Steers crazy weird though. I didn't like it, so out went the Lefty and in came a 2-legged fork. My confidence through corners increased instantly. Weird...
for those who have ridden it, any thoughts on the 95mm rear end. seems when you set up reasonable sag for trail riding, it will bottom regularly, as it's meant to be set up stiff.
I was interested, and started leaning toward moderate travel bikes. I've ridden the stumpy 29er comp carbon a lot (a friends), and love the suspension, and plushness. any comparison for those who have ridden both?
also, RE: the lefty.
very polarizing. I've had lefty''s I've loved, and lefty's I hated.
much better XC race fork. once again, set up stiff, it's amazing. softer, very plush, but you blast through the travel on steep descents and get toward bottom very quickly. even at trials speeds stepping off rocks, it is less supportive then other forks when set up plush. lateral stiffness is amazing, steering is amazing, suspensions, amazing when set up xc, less so when set up trail or AM, imo.
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Originally Posted by dgw7000
............sigh
