10/11/2008

The 2005 Rocky Mountain RMX R3 Some Quality Time Words Stefano Piccone Images Cam McRae

The RMX is Rocky Mountain’s state-of-the-art, downhill/freeride bike. The 2005 lineup all featured eight inches of rear travel supplied by the new Fox DHX series shocks, matched to either the Marzocchi Jr. T or 888 forks. Our test bike was the R3, which is the top of the line, decked out in the full Saint kit, Marzocchi 888 R, Fox 5.0 DHX with Pro Pedal damping. The RMX also features the fourth generation Thrust Link suspension design that has been evolving since the introduction of the RM9. Incidentally this design was originally the Duhane Lam’s Master’s thesis at SFU. Since its inception various changes have been made to stiffen the linkage and increase the travel of this extremely responsive system, culminating in the RMX. The maintenance and strength issues that dogged some of the early RM models seem to have been bred out of the line as well.

The 2005 Rocky RMX at the Cypress bike park this last summer.

The frame is built of heavy duty Easton RAD DH Taperwall aluminum tubing assembled and welded in the Rocky Mountain Factory in Delta, a suburb of Vancouver. The beefy linkage plates are also CNC’d to hair breadth tolerances by Rocky Mountain allowing them exceptional quality control over the production. The linkage features large diameter outboard bearings and “yolk” pivot link which give the RMX a dramatic advantage over previous RMs in torsional stiffness.

As psyched as I was at getting the opportunity to ride and assess this bike, it was a little daunting to know it was designed for a range of performance that I just might not exhaust. The burly 888s with their wide stance and stanchion diameter, the hefty frame, and the beautifully machined linkage definitively give RMX a thoroughly bombproof appearance - this bike means business.

Parked at the ready.

I spend most of my riding time on an 18 inch 2001 RM6 with Junior T’s and by comparison, the 18 inch RMX felt much taller than what I’m used to. Since the Easton seat post tapers inwards the last inch or so before the seat clasp, I exchanged it for a straight post that allowed me to lower my seat that extra bit, making it more comfortable.

The very first ride was at the Cypress bike park opening day. As it turned out it was a particularly mellow way to get acquainted. One of the first things that stood out was how well the bike steered. The stiff fork’s 20 mm through axle paired with a true downhill rear hub (150mm spacing and 12 mm axle), may be old hat to some riders but I could really appreciate the way they helped the bicycle rail through the corners.

Stefano pproaching the steep section on Old School in the Cypress Bike Park.

The brakes just amazed me and even after half a dozen rides I continued to be blown away by how decisive and powerful they are. It’s always a good thing to combine a bike that loves to go fast, with the ability to stop. It took me a while to realize just how far I could let it hang out without worrying about reeling it in when I needed to. I rarely felt like single finger braking wasn’t enough, and that white-knuckled death grip that sometimes occurs when fatigue sets in on those long stretches of steep terrain seemed to be a thing of the past.

The linkage in the RMX has evolved into a burly stiff, low maintenance mechanism.

After the maiden voyage I replaced the pedals with a pair of Syncros because the Shimano DX’s that the test bike came with didn’t provide nearly enough grip. As soon as the terrain got steep the slightest bump would send both feet sliding off the pedals, leaving me riding my rear tire right into the linkage - an experience I don’t care to repeat.

One of the earlier impressions I had of the RMX was that it was going to take a little getting used to the heavy front end. Manuals and j-hops took a lot of energy and I didn’t feel immediately confident on slow approaches to drops for fear I’d get dragged down. It definitely felt like a lot of bike at slow speeds. Once the pace picked up, though, the bike felt nimble and stable. The eight inches of rear travel felt infinite and absorbed everything from the smallest hits on, while the 888s dominated up front.

Eight inches of travel - front and rear.

While climbing, the combination of the super-stiff integrated Saint crank set and the Fox Pro Pedal stable platform dampening give a very efficient feel to the pedal strokes for such a heavy long-travel bike. I did try to avoid climbing out of the seat as much as possible though, on account of front end bobbing and was often relieved that this model RMX comes with a front derailleur. In any case, the main thing is that the bike got me to the top of some pretty long and steep climbs, an important attribute for a well rounded free ride bike.

Stefano again. Rocking the Rocky on Digger's final creation for the Cypress Bike Park in 2005 - an as yet un-named trail.

Rocky Mountain delivers a very high quality home-grown product in this bike from the concept to construction. The in-house aspect of the RMX production gives Rocky the ability to provide excellent customer service particularly to riders in the Vancouver area - and the world over.

As for performance, its maneuverability, brakes and awesome suspension inspire heaps of confidence – occasionally more than warranted by my ability. It’s been such a blast riding these past months and I definitely feel like I’ve kicked it up a notch as a result of experiencing the virtues of this bike.

Do I really have to give it back?