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Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt strikes again with new frame, geo, and features

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Prefer your XC/Trail bike with a little more attitude? If so, bikes like the Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt should be right up your alley. Initially designed with a fun, playful ride in mind that was equally pedal efficient, the Thunderbolt was an instant success – but now it’s gotten even better.

Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt strikes again with new frame, geo, and features

Last built with 120mm of rear suspension travel, the newest Thunderbolt bumps up to 130mm for the standard build, and 140mm for the BC Edition. That’s thanks to a longer stroke shock on the BC version to get more travel out of the same frame. Using bearings at every pivot including the lower shock mount, Rocky also claims the frame is “significantly stiffer” as a result of new one-piece seat stays and layup for the Smoothwall carbon frames. Note that all of the bikes shown in this release are carbon – no aluminum here.

Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt strikes again with new frame, geo, and features Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt strikes again with new frame, geo, and features

Both builds still use Rocky Mountain’s Smoothlink suspension system and Ride-9 adjustment system, but both have been updated for the new bike. Suspension performance has been improved by flattening the suspension rate curve to make more of the travel usable and improve small bump performance. It also includes higher anti-squat performance to improve pedaling even further. By repositioning the Ride-9 system, Rocky claims to have made it both lighter and narrower, while still remaining easy to change your geometry with a few allen keys.

Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt strikes again with new frame, geo, and features
Thunderbolt Carbon Geometry
Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt strikes again with new frame, geo, and features
Thunderbolt BC Edition Geometry

Between the Ride-9 positions and the Thunderbolt Carbon and Thunderbolt BC Editions, there are a dizzying array of geometry options. But the short version is that the bike has a longer reach, slacker head tube angle, and an even lower bottom bracket to follow with industry trends. Slightly longer chainstays and steeper seat tube angles should help with climbing as well.

Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt strikes again with new frame, geo, and features

Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt strikes again with new frame, geo, and features

Other improvements include the integrated Spirit chainguide, two bolt ISCG 05 mounts, lighter tooled axles, Boost spacing, Metric shock compatibility, and single sided pivots at the rear to improve heel clearance. Frames continue with a BB92 pressfit bottom bracket.

Built using 27.5″ Wide Trail wheels and tires, the Thunderbolt is also 26+ compatible up to 2.8″ or 3.0″ with “low profile knobs”. Most riders will probably run 27.5″ however, and the bike has clearance for up to 27.5 x 2.5″ tires.

 

 

Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt strikes again with new frame, geo, and features

As we’ve seen with a number of recent bikes, the seat tube on the Thunderbolt have been shortened to allow for longer dropper posts at full insertion and offer lower standover thanks to the lower top tube. Cable routing has also been improved with larger access ports and full length shift housing. Looking forward to the future, the bike is compatible with Fox Live, Di2, and dropper posts simultaneously. However, like many bikes these days, the Thunderbolt is 1x only. You will be able to fit a water bottle in any frame with any reservoir shock out there, though.

Weights are claimed to be around 2.56kg (5.63lbs) for a complete medium frameset, and from 11.80kg (26.0lbs) to 12.57kg (27.7lbs) for a complete Large bike depending on the build.

Complete Builds

Lining them up with a new naming convention, bikes like the Thunderbolt 770 MSL are now known as the Thunderbolt Carbon 70 – the higher the number, the nicer the spec. With the new Thunderbolt, Rocky is offering four complete builds in two colors each, plus a BC Edition Frameset ($3,999 CAD / $2,599). Bikes will be available starting today.

Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt strikes again with new frame, geo, and features Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt strikes again with new frame, geo, and features

Thunderbolt Carbon 90 BC Edition

When you want a shorter travel bike but still want to party, this is the Rocky way to do it. Using the same frame but a longer stroke shock, the BC edition ekes out 140mm travel front and rear including a beefed up Fox 36 fork up front. It also has bigger, more aggressive tires, wider bars, and components chosen for their increased capability.

MODEL HIGHLIGHTS

  • Travel: 140mm/140mm
  • Full Smoothwall carbon frame
  • Longer travel Fox 36 / Float DPS Performance Elite suspension
  • Wide range SRAM 12spd drivetrain
  • DT Swiss rear hub
  • Fox Transfer dropper post
  • $7,499 CAD / $5,999 USD

IMPROVEMENTS OVER PREVIOUS MODEL

  • All-new frame
  • Integrated chainguide
  • Fox 36 / Float DPS Performance Elite suspension
  • SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain
  • SRAM Guide RS brakes
  • Fox Transfer post

Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt strikes again with new frame, geo, and features Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt strikes again with new frame, geo, and features

Thunderbolt Carbon 70

MODEL HIGHLIGHTS

  • Travel: 130mm / 130mm
  • Full Smoothwall carbon frame
  • Fox 34/Float DPS Performance Elite suspension
  • Wide range SRAM 12spd drivetrain
  • DT Swiss rear hub
  • Fox dropper post
  • $6,799 CAD / $5,399 USD

IMPROVEMENTS OVER PREVIOUS MODEL

  • All-new frame
  • Integrated chainguide
  • SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain
  • DT Swiss 370 rear hub
  • Fox Transfer post

Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt strikes again with new frame, geo, and features Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt strikes again with new frame, geo, and features

Thunderbolt Carbon 50

MODEL HIGHLIGHTS

  • Travel: 130mm / 130mm
  • Full Smoothwall carbon frame
  • Fox 34/Float DPS Performance Elite suspension
  • Wide range SRAM 12spd drivetrain
  • DT Swiss rear hub
  • Fox dropper post
  • $5,449 CAD / $4,499

IMPROVEMENTS OVER PREVIOUS MODEL

  • All-new frame
  • Integrated chainguide
  • SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain
  • SRAM Level TL brakes
  • DT Swiss 370 rear hub
  • Fox Transfer post

Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt strikes again with new frame, geo, and features Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt strikes again with new frame, geo, and features

Thunderbolt Carbon 30

MODEL HIGHLIGHTS

  • Travel: 130mm / 130mm
  • Full Smoothwall carbon frame
  • Full Rockshox suspension package
  • SRAM 1×11 drivetrain
  • Race Face crankset
  • $4,649 CAD / $3,499

IMPROVEMENTS OVER PREVIOUS MODEL

  • All-new frame
  • Carbon rear triangle
  • Integrated chainguide

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E Reyes
E Reyes
6 years ago

I would have loved all the new updated with the shorter travel of the previous model, now there’s very little difference between it and half a dozen other bikes out there.

Jason M
5 years ago
Reply to  E Reyes

I agree. The 120mm Thunderbolt carved out a niche that was quite appealing. Going 130/140 really puts it into the same as nearly every other 27.5 enduro/trail/all-mountain bike on them market. 120mm is a killer sweet spot IMO that’s underserved right now.

James
James
5 years ago

I don’t see that as much of a concern. You can always stuff in more volume spacers (especially in the rear) to effectively limit your travel more and make the bike more poppy and responsive, as long as you’re not compromising on bike weight or pedaling ability, which you wouldn’t in this case.

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