So where does a 165mm bike named the Slayer FIt into the world of MTB right now? It’s a bit of a wild card as I had ‘DH’ crew wanting to ride it when at bike parks, and ‘lightweight’ crew just as keen to check it out when on epic all day slogs.
Is it the Swiss army knife of MTB’s? Probably over gunned in a lot of day to day trail situations granted, but that said, you won’t ever be complaining about too much travel when the going gets rowdy.
At its heart, the Slayer’s Smoothwall Carbon frame is one of the cleanest looking frames to drop this season. That long sloping top tube flows straight into the rocker and seat stays, a look that from a distance could easily be confused for a hard tail, it’s so well executed. But beyond its good looks, Rocky Mountain have pushed the boundaries of what’s possible with their one-sided linkages allowing for a narrower (Boost) rear end that gives your ankles some respite from clipping stays. Well thought out internal cable and hose routing, which includes a rear shock lockout remote if you so desired, is all present.
Ports for stealth-dropper-posts and Di2-units are there too, with oversized down tube cable ports designed to ease routing through the frame and the rear swing arm. With no front derailluer mount in sight, Rocky have made sure that area is as strong as possible, with plenty of material surrounding the BB and pivot region. While First inspection shows no sign of ISGC tabs from above, a look underneath will show two below, so you can run a taco/ bashguard, plus a sweet little chain guide comes with the bike should you be feeling insecure about your chain. Tyre clearance is big enough for 27.5”x2.5” tyres and 26”x3.0” plus-sized tyres as well, should you feel the need for a bigger bag. Best element of the Slayer frame for us though? The hockey goalie mask graphic on the top tube. So good.
Like most modern mini-DH-come-enduro bikes, the Slayer’s geometry is long, slack, and of course low. Reach has been extended over its predecessor and the head angle raked out to 64.75 degrees.
Esta historia es de la edición Issue 46 - Autumn 2017 de Revolution MTB.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición Issue 46 - Autumn 2017 de Revolution MTB.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
How To Whip How To Instructional
Have you heard the news? Australia’s hottest rising star on the gravity front, Dan Booker, has recently signed a deal to ride for nuke proof bikes’ with global support!
Diaries Of A Professional Trail Fairy
Well hello, my name is Baxter and welcome to the first edition of my brand- new regular column right here in [R]evo Mag. Each issue I will be aiming to tell stories that give insight into the world of trail building as I see it.
Rocky Mountain Instinct Carbon 70
If you’ve been following the mag over the years you’ll know that rocky mountain’s are a definite favourite amongst our staff here at [r]evo.
PEAK AROUSAL
HERE HAS BEEN ONE KEY QUESTION WHICH ALWAYS INTRIGUES ME ABOUT ATHLETES AND HOW THEY PERFORM AT THEIR VERY BEST WHEN THE PRESSURE IS AT IT’S GREATEST, AND THAT IS, WHAT GETS THEM AMPED UP? WHAT GETS THEM INTO ‘THAT ZONE’ MENTALLY WHERE THEY’RE ABLE TO BE THE BEST VERSION OF THEMSELVES AND NET THE BEST RESULTS?
RAISING CHAMPIONS THE A'HERN
LET’S MEET THE A’HERNS; THERE’S MUM AND DAD, OTHERWISE KNOWNS AS JEN AND NICK (A DUAL COMMONWEALTH GAMES GOLD MEDALIST AND TRIPLE OLYMPIAN IN HIS OWN RIGHT!) AND THEN THERE’S THE KIDS, BROTHER KYE (19) WHO’S A JUNIOR WORLD CHAMP AND MULTI-NATIONAL CHAMP, AND THEN OF COURSE THERE’S SISTER SIAN (22) WHO HAS BECOME ONE OF THE MOST RECOGNISABLE FACES IN AUSTRALIA WOMAN’S CYCLING, A MULTIPLE-NATIONAL CHAMP AND OCEANIA CHAMP.
THE BEST BRAKES ON THE MARKET RIGHT NOW? GROUP TEST WITH NO DEFINITIVE CONCLUSION.
ASK ANY RIDER AND THEY’LL ALMOST CERTAINLY TELL YOU OF ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PARTS THAT MAKE UP A BIKE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IS A SET OF BRAKES THAT PERFORM REALLY WELL AND MOST IMPORTANT ‘FEEL’ JUST RIGHT.
SUPPLY CHAIN PAIN
A KIN TO A LOT OF YOU OUT THERE WE’VE RECENTLY FOUND OURSELVES SWINGING BY OUR LOCAL BIKE STORE TO STOCK UPON A FEW PARTS AHEAD OF OUR PLANNED TRAIL ADVENTURES, ONLY TO FIND, EMPTY RACKS AND SHELVES? IS THIS THE NEW VERSION OF LAST YEAR’S SUPERMARKET TOILET PAPER PANIC BUYING? WHERE HAVE ALL THE BIKES, BRAKE PADS, TIRES AND EVERYTHING ELSE GONE? WITH AROUND A 30% INCREASE IN BIKE SALES ACROSS AUSTRALIA (AND THE WORLD) DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS ALONE, BIKES HAVE BEEN FLYING OUT THE DOOR THE SAME DAY THAT THEY ARRIVE… WANT A NEW BIKE? GET READY TO WAIT. THIS TIME LAST YEAR THE PRE-ORDER WAITING LISTS FROM MOST BRANDS FOR POPULAR BIKES WAS AVERAGING 1-3 MONTHS, NOW, IT’S BLOWING OUT TO ANYWHERE FROM 6 MONTHS TO A FULL YEAR! IT’S CRAZY. IT’S SCARY. IT SUCKS. BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE BIKE INDUSTRY IS ON OUR SIDE AND BRANDS ARE DOING THEIR VERY BEST RIGHT NOW TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO TURN IT AROUND.
INDUSTRY AU
IN THIS EDITION OF INDUSTRY.AU WE’RE CHECKING IN WITH ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S LATEST AND MOST EXCITING COMPONENT FABRICATORS WHO ARE PRODUCING SOME REALLY INTERESTING AND INNOVATIVE GEAR FROM THEIR ADELAIDE WORKSHOP.
PIVOT 2021
WHEN IT COMES TO PICKING YOUR NEXT DREAM BIKE IN A PACKAGE THAT PERFECTLY SUITS THE STYLE OF RIDING THAT YOU LOVE MOST, YOU REALLY ARE GOING TO FIND YOURSELF UTTERLY SPOILT FOR CHOICE WITH PIVOT’S LATEST OFFERINGS.
AUS CYCLING 2021 DH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
FOLLOWING THE CRAZY YEAR OR CONFUSION AND CANCELATIONS THAT WAS 2020, THE VIBE FOR THIS YEAR’S AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL DOWNHILL MTB CHAMPS WAS ALL ABOUT A ‘NEW YEAR, NEW ME’ ATTITUDE. FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME WE GOT TO SEE THE COUNTRY’S BEST GRAVITY RIDERS BATTLING FOR NATIONAL TITLES AT THE ULTIMATE VENUE FOR SUCH AN EVENT, MAYDENA!
