Rally. A word that conjures images of specially tuned, high horsepower beasts power sliding through corners in order to be the first to finish the stage. On the flip side, rallying can also mean just getting together with your friends and blasting trails as fast as you can, while having the most fun possible. In a mountain biking world where Enduro is the buzz word du jour, Rocky Mountain has used the term Rally to describe their latest specially equipped fun machine. Built on the 650b Altitude 770 MSL and 750 platforms, the Rally editions are ready for your next rally session right out of the box.
Whether you’re racing Enduro or just riding aggressively, the beefed up specs of the Rally editions are sure to get you to the bottom of the mountain.
If you haven’t experienced an enduro race, the concept of a specifically equipped bike may be a bit foreign. Essentially, Enduro bikes have to withstand much of what a downhill bike would endure while still able to be pedaled up the mountain to the next stage. Since only the downhill sections are timed in an Enduro (though there is still a lot of pedaling, and even climbing) bikes for the discipline need stronger wheels and tires, stout suspension, and wider bars and shorter stems. All of this and the weight of the bike still plays a critical role – lighter means easier climbing between stages, saving precious energy.
Speaking of light, the carbon Altitude 770 MSL Rally Edition would certainly qualify with the medium clocking in a 29.1 pounds. That might sound like a lot, until you realize it’s a 160/150mm travel bike with downhill rims and beefy 27.5×2.4″ tires and parts that favor durability. Suspension wise, the MSL Rally Edition is very similar to the set up of Saris’ Altitude from the Fox camp – a 160mm Fox Float 34 Kashima FIT CTD fork up front, matched to the new Fox Float X Remote Kashima CTD shock out back. What a mouthful.
To ensure the wheels are up to the task, SRAM X9 hubs are laced to Stan’s ZTR Flox EX rims with brass nipples for lightweight strength that is also tubeless ready. The wheels are wrapped in meaty 2.4″ Mountain King rubber from Continental with ProTection sidewalls. While the bike is equipped with a SRAM X9 shifter and Type 2 rear derailleur, chain and cassette come by way of Shimano with an E*thirteen TRS+ guide keeping things in place. The Race Face Turbine crank is fitted with a 34T ring, which mates with the 11-36 cassette for Enduro oriented gearing. Of course, no Enduro bike is complete with out dropper post – in this case a RockShox Rerverb Stealth.
The cockpit has also been changed to accommodate getting loose with a 785mm wide Race Face Turbine bar clamped in place with a 50-60mm Turbine Stem. Avid’s Elixer 9 Trail brakes slow things down with 180mm rotors front and rear.
If carbon is out of your budget or comfort zone, the Altitude 750 will also be available in a Rally Edition with a slightly lower spec. Instead of the pricey Fox Kashima bits, the 750 is equipped with a full X-Fusion suspension packaged with a 160mm Sweep RL2 Air 34 fork and an O2 RL remote rear shock. Sun Ringle Inferno rims are laced to SRAM X.7 hubs with standard Continental Mountain King 2.4″ tires. X-Fusion also gets the nod on the dropper post, with a HILO 30.9 moving the saddle up and down.
The 750 receives an entire X7 drivetrain and Elixir 7 trail brake set up, this time with SRAM PG-1030 and PC-1031 cassette and chain. The 750 gets the same gearing as the 770 MSL with a 34×11-36 that sees chain keeping duty performed by an E*thirteen LG1 guide combined with the X7 Type 2 rear derailleur. Handlebar and stem are the same as the 770 with the exception of an Evolve bar replacing the Turbine.
Both models are available in stores now, in XS-XL.
Retail:
Altitude 770 MSL RE : MSRP $5599
Altitude 750 RE : MSRP $3299
