First Impressions
2025 Rocky Mountain Element
Late last fall, Rocky Mountain Bikes launched the latest iteration of their XC-turned-downcountry machine: The Element. I'm a big fan of the previous version which the venerable Mr. Ferrentino reviewed; so much a fan that I own one (this one, specifically). My personal C99-ish Element has been a test mule for a variety of tires, suspension, pedals, and I'm of the opinion that it's best-in-class for what I want in a bike like this. While far from a purebred XC race whippet, the Element retains many important attributes from its history: it pedals very well while being lively, playful, and light enough. At the same time, Rocky added a healthy dose of descending chops with the geometry and suspension kinematics, without completely compromising mass. To use a tired adage, it's a bike that punches well above its weight class, and it's a riot.
So when the new one launched, I was immediately a bit concerned. Everything sounded a little lighter, a little more XC. Would the new one degrade anything about the old one I loved so much? It's time to find out.
Features & Highlights
- 29" Wheels (27.5" on XS)
- 130mm front, 120mm rear travel
- New flex-stay rear end eliminates
- Press-fit bottom bracket
- Carbon frame
- Five sizes, XS-S-M-L-XL
- Molded chainstay protection
- Three builds at 5,599 CAD, 8,499 CAD (tested) and 14,499 CAD
- Frame Only available for 3,599 CAD
- Approximately 28.25 pounds as tested
Frame Details and Geometry
As seems common in 2025, the new Element diverges very little from its predecessor on a geometry chart. It diverges so little, in fact, that it's the same. This isn't a knock - the last Element was well received in every review I saw, and by everyone I know with one. That's not to say the new one isn't new. The frame has gone through both minor and significant changes, the most obvious being that the carbon rear triangle has lost a pivot point in exchange for a thin, flexible chainstay.
From a distance, the 2025 Element is hard to differentiate from the previous version, however the chainstay and hollowed out shock link are easy giveaways.
Geometry for all five sizes in the slack Ride4 position - chainstay length is the same across the range. The XS is based around 650b wheels, and rear center and the other dimensions have been updated accordingly.
For other features, some folks may be surprised by the absence of an in-frame storage compartment, but I'm not one of them. I prefer the cleaner, lighter frame and to chuck a multitool and pump on my person. If you want to carry things, there's ample consideration for mounts and water bottles on the new Element, with the addition of an accessory mount under the top tube, and the lower of the two downtube bottle mounts has a third boss for a cargo cage. There's a rubber chainstay protector, with significant coverage, and a downtube protector. When combined with improved cable ports and interior routing that have been improved over the last Element, the bike is very quiet.
The flat, thin chainstays are designed to flex vertically, and add stiffness laterally over the previous version with a pivot and bearings. To my eye, it'd also look a lot better without that cable port, but the ability to run a mechanical rear derailleur is important to many.
Tucked in under the main pivot, the seat tube cable port has been improved in this iteration. Chainslap protection is excellent.
Bikes like the Element require significantly more precision than their brothers-in-enduro on the Roman Roads that proliferate across the Shore but they're no less fun.
Suspension
Rocky calls the new flex-stay design "Smoothlink SL" and the design was incorporated to drop weight, increase lateral stiffness, and decrease service needs. Given the pain involved in swapping out the double rows of teeny bearings on the outgoing model, I like this change so far. I'm still too busy faffing with dampers to credibly speak to the kinematic changes that have been made out back, but so far I'd say it feels "good". It retains the lively pedaling characteristics of its XC roots, the suspension is active under load for good traction, and it's lively on the descents.
A bike like the Element has to go up as well as it goes down. While the slack head tube isn't the best when things get steep and tight, chunky power moves like this are rewarded as the bike maintains speed and pedal strokes are easily converted into forward motion.
Builds & Components
First off, there are no alloy models here. The Element comes only in carbon, and in three builds from the cost-conscious C30, the C70 we have here, and the top end C99, replete with RockShox's fanciest Flight Attendant and complementary eye-watering price tag. The bike I've got for review includes a SRAM GX drivetrain, Level 4-piston brakes, and Race Face Arc 27 rims attached to a DT Swiss rear hub. In what I assume is a cost-saving measure, the front hoop is laced to a Novatec hub. Fast-rolling Maxxis Rekons possibly speak to the new bike's faster-pedaling intentions and while I like these tires, for winter Shore grease, they can be a little under-gunned.
If you’re a cable shifting aficionado, your only current choice is the lowest priced C30 with Shimano Deore, or to build a bike from the frame up.
The Fox Float Performance Elite is the logical choice for a build like the C70. I'm still working on setup, but the rear end has been easier than the fork.
I've struggled a bit up front, and I'm still wrapping my head around getting this fork to a balanced happy place. I'm definitely worse at setting up Fox products (I just have less time on them), but only time will tell if I can get it where I'm comfortable.
Fortunately, these are the four-piston Level, and come spec'd with metallic pads and 180mm HS2 rotors. I'm not left wanting for power, because traction is the weakest link. I do not like these grips, but I'm fussy. It's hard to tell with all the other factors at play, but these bars also feel stiff.
Alloy Race Face Arc 27 hoops. While new bikes come wrapped with dual Rekons, a limited number of media review bikes means I've currently got a Specialized Ground Control out back, which I'm getting along with fairly well.
The Element likes to be ridden hard - you're not going into the deepest depths of Shore gnar, but on almost anything on the map, it's often splitting hairs on whether a bigger bike is faster. Mind you, your margin for error is drastically reduced.
First Ride Impressions
It's been a bit odd getting used to this bike. On one hand, it feels very familiar as the geometry is nearly unchanged. On the other, nearly every single component has changed. With different dampers, wheels, and handlebars everything feels foreign and weird. And yet, I've done the new bike dance enough times to feel comfortable saying that I'm going to get along with this bike. The big question is whether or not the changes are going to make it my new favorite, or if the push to lighten up the chassis and change suspension kinematics has taken it in a direction I wouldn't necessarily choose.
I'm going to need to figure out this fork. The GripX damper is adjustable with LSC and HSC and I'm working to balance those two, and air pressure, to find a happy setting. I'll probably add some volume spacers for the next ride and hope that gets us a bit closer. The rear shock can get overwhelmed on longer descents, but that's to be expected from these cute little XC dampers. The Float Performance doesn't seem to get as hot as the SIDluxe on my Element, but it feels a bit marshmallow-y at times, and makes some wheezing noises I find common on Fox shocks.
I still like this shot from when I reviewed Maxxis' updated Forekaster on my personal Element - I'll probably pull the suspension off mine and hang it off the new one to compare.
I'll probably try swapping over my suspension and cockpit to this new frame for the most apples-to-apples comparison, and continue to experiment to find a happy place with the provided shock and fork.
We're just coming out of the depths of Vancouver's annual couple weeks of winter, so I haven't logged a heap of miles aboard this new Element. So far though, impressions are positive and it seems to retain most of what I loved about the last one. I'm looking forward to clawing back fitness lost during the cold and white weather aboard it.
The Element is a little bike for big moves. I'll report back with conclusions in a while!
Comments
Kenneth Perras
1 month, 2 weeks ago
To summarize the changes from the '22 generation to '25, it's gotten less "trail" and more "xc" but not as the expense of riding capable trails. The frame stiffness is up ~10% in the RT and FT, the weight down ~400g, and a bit more supportive across the travel range. The kinematics were designed around the compression ratios and medium compression tunes of the latest Fox Float (not the SL) and Deluxe. One detail that's worth mentioning is we listened to feedback about the seatstay to link pivot durability and uprated the bearing to a dual row version with a much higher load rating.
I debated the storage question for some time but the feedback I received was that the reduced weight was preferred over the ability to store items in the downtube. For functional storage, the downtube would have to grow to the same size as the current Instinct, which also leads to the remainder of the frame to grow proportionally, which adds weight...cascading effect. Small storage volume could work, but then you're very limited as to what you can fit in the downtube and you quickly run into a situation of diminishing returns.
I've had mine for a while now; odd this is the only photo I've taken of it. It's about ~26lbs with pedals IIRC, although heavier with the kid seat. Special touches are the wheelset that uses 28mm wide RMB rims with front and rear specific layup, laced to 240 hubs (1400g), and a hard to find XTR 10-45T drivetrain.
While nothing is certain, I wouldn't worry about future warranty. Talking to the Sales and CS team, current warranties are still in process, although it might be taking longer due to navigating payments to the frame maker or shipping companies. The brand is much too strong to simply fade into the sunset.
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ohio
1 month, 2 weeks ago
This is awesome, thanks for chiming in. Trimming 400g is downright impressive, especially while improving stiffness, durability, and maintaining strength! I'm fully on board with foregoing internal storage. While I have it and use it on my last two bikes, in practice fishing a tube out of a bag out of a downtube is annoying trailside. Strapping it to the top tube where it's easy to get to, or drop it in my hippack, is equal or better in lots of ways.
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Nicolas Brunner
1 month, 2 weeks ago
Thanks for resisting to go with in-frame storage. Really appreciate the lighter and slimmer looking frame.
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Cooper Quinn
1 month, 2 weeks ago
Thanks for chiming in, Ken. My Element has seen a fair amount of duty with a kid and the MacRide!
I support your decision to forego frame storage bloat.
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Perry Schebel
1 month, 2 weeks ago
sick build! (sans kid seat, of course). i don't really have a need for such a bike, but really like this one. love the lithe, skinny tubed aesthetics.
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earle.b
1 month, 2 weeks ago
Hey Ken, what portion of the weight savings comes from the flex pivot? Care to share any of the testing details on the flex chainstay? Did the flex horst pivot require any rework elsewhere on the rear end? Like beef up somewhere else as it redistributed the load? Trying to gain any nuggets here on my own flex stay builds.
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Kenneth Perras
1 month, 2 weeks ago
Brian, the weight savings are about 200g for the Flexstay design, and 200g in the FT including the link. I don't recall the degrees of flex the Element rear triangle sees, but the frame was tested on a machine that cycled through that flex plus a certain amount beyond for a few hundred thousand cycles (lifetime of riding). Depending on the design and material used you want to pay careful attention to the amount of flex. Somewhere around 5 degrees was an acceptable amount for a carbon frame, but more is possible with careful design. With steel's higher elasticity I wouldn't be too concerned with much more flex.
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earle.b
1 month, 2 weeks ago
I'd have to go back and check the numbers but I think both of the instances of flex in my last design that dropped two pivots for flexes were under 5 degrees. Neither of these were the failure point, it was again underbuilding and overcooking where the chainstays meet up to my "yoke" at the bb end.
I would think we'll see more use of the horst pivot flex on bikes with 120mm+ in the future. It just makes sense from an engineering and maintenance standpoint. Actually I should take that back, press fit bb's are the better engineering solution and we've seen how the general bike industry (not Rocky) can mess that up.
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ohio
1 month, 2 weeks ago
Earle, it's pretty straightforward to model a steel (or any metal/homogeneous material) for the simple beam you would want as your flex point in your chainstay to make sure you're well within it's fatigue parameters. Any friend with a mech eng background should be able to check the calcs for you, and give you a profile and length of section you need for your arc.
Are you using plate or flattened profiles for the targeted flex point, are are you just relying on a traditional chainstay flexing across it's full length? If you are just using a standard chainstay (full tubular profile from BB to dropout), then you may run into issues at your welds, even if you're well within what the tube can handle. Def recommend engineering the flex point as plate or a flattened profile tube, both so you know it's precise virtual pivot position, and ensure you don't transfer the strain to the welds.
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earle.b
1 month, 2 weeks ago
Previous frame relied on just the seatstay tube to flex. Yes a friend did provide a beam calc that I used on the previous one and the flex was well within the limits. The seatstay was a smaller diameter than the chainstay so thought was the seatstay would be doing the flexing.
That rear end died from other garage builder under-engineering failures. No issue with the flex. Replacement rear end is going to use some flat plate for the flex.
bigbrett
1 month, 2 weeks ago
Great info. Love the choice to abandon in frame storage. I do wish you made an XXL, and had longer rear centers
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Cooper Quinn
1 month, 2 weeks ago
I like a long-ish rear center, but I don't miss it too much on a little bike. It feels like it should be snappier.
Fair point on XXL.
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AndrewR
1 month, 2 weeks ago
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bermed
1 month, 2 weeks ago
Kenneth, I justified my Element purchase as a for our newborn. Funny to see I'm not the only one using it for that. Figured it'd be a better kid-mobile than my Altitude.
Which kid seat is this?
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Kenneth Perras
1 month, 2 weeks ago
Thule Yepp!
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taprider
1 month, 2 weeks ago
PS to KEN
glad to see you still have an interest in supporting Rocky
Hopefully we can infer positive things for your future
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Nicolas Brunner
1 month, 2 weeks ago
Really dig the photographs, especially the drop and the roll one.
The Rocky Element (this or even the previous version) is on top of my "want to demo" list. Have you had a chance to ride a Scor 2030? I assume the Rocky is a bit more on the XC-side of things than the Scor. Would be really interested in how you compare them capability-wise?
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ackshunW
1 month, 2 weeks ago
Yes! The rock roll photo is beautiful!
Then I scrolled down to see the photo of the itty bitty skinny flex stay.
Beautiful photo AND nice move on a light little bike!
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Deniz Merdano
1 month, 2 weeks ago
These photos were taken from on top of a 2030. It is a way burlier bike, while still being super snappy. Not the right choice if weight savings is paramount but it is also a more forgiving descender.
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Cooper Quinn
1 month, 2 weeks ago
Yeah I haven't ridden the Scor, sorry.
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ohio
1 month, 2 weeks ago
Any news on the RM bankruptcy shared in December? Hard to consider one of their bikes right now if warranty and support is a question mark...
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Cooper Quinn
1 month, 2 weeks ago
Any official updates can be found on EY's website: https://documentcentre.ey.com/#/detail-engmt?eid=630
Unofficially, I know there's bids in on the brand and it's assets, but it's impossible to say what the future holds (hence the lack of speculation in this article) at this time. Hopefully there'll be some clarity before the full review - as you note it's hard to make a recommendation about whether or not readers should be Element shopping given those big question marks.
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Aaron Weiss
1 month, 2 weeks ago
Isn't it still a pf BB? Curious where you land with the rig vs the last one. I had a '22 and have a '25 that I'm building up. I'm stoked for the lighter bits/frame.
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Cooper Quinn
1 month, 2 weeks ago
Correct on the BB!
That's the big question - is this something current Element owners can/should consider upgrading to? You're building frame up?
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Aaron Weiss
1 month, 2 weeks ago
Yeahman, got the complete, got rid of the stuff I didn't want and have made some changes that lean it more xc (float sl rr shock, lighter wheels, transfer sl post, will have fox 34sl and new xtr when it's out). The last one was similar and I didn't find it lacking in any way. For my style the xc version that I ran/will run is no slouch and even if the only change is angles, the bike is so much more capable than most bikes out there. Perfect bike for frisby, local xc loops, chunkier stuff. Old one was 25lbs with pedals and new one should be at least 1lb lighter and will not be a noodle. Big downside is waiting for parts to be released. Stoked to get it done though.
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Cooper Quinn
1 month, 2 weeks ago
I've leaned mine out through my time with it - started with a Pike and bigger rubber, now its a SID, etc. Still not 25lbs, though! I wanted a bit more separation between the big and little bike, but the Element is still really capable. It'd be sick on Frisby, although Frisby DH in the August dust and chunk.... oof. ha.
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Aaron Weiss
1 month, 2 weeks ago
I know a few owners of the last gen and the majority of them are not 'upgrading' to the new gen. Other than weight and some nice changes, I think that the last gen holds up really well in comparison. For some riders it might even be better.
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Jan
1 month, 2 weeks ago
I am thinking about upgrading my MY22 to a MY25 because I have warrantied seat stays twice with a recent third warranty request having been ultimately denied because it hasn't fully failed yet (but is showing the same tendencies to bearing seat destruction). I really like the bike but... fool me twice?
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Kenneth Perras
1 month, 2 weeks ago
The seatstay-link bearing configuration from the MY22 to MY25 upgraded from Enduro 688 LLU Max with a static load of 268lbf / 1.19kN to Enduro 398LLU MAX 2RS with a static load of 713lbf / 3.17kN, so improvement has definitely been made. With Rocky's 5 year warranty, at some point you should be able to upgrade to the MY25 frame.
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Crabbypants
1 month, 2 weeks ago
I definitely continue to be tempted by the Element, but it’s hard to justify when it’s 28lbs stock and my previous gen Instinct is 30lbs basically stock except for lighter tires.
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Ken Kienow
1 month, 2 weeks ago
"New flex-stay rear end eliminates...
...Press-fit bottom bracket"
The typo in your highlights made me chuckle haha
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Cooper Quinn
1 month, 2 weeks ago
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Admoore
1 month, 2 weeks ago
Cooper what tires are you running on your element ?
I am building up a 2024 and live & ride in Nth Van and ride much of probably what is ridden by yourself.
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Coiler
1 month, 1 week ago
Tires are tricky on XC shore bikes. Basically none of the XC dogma applies here; the tire setups that XC riders use elsewhere in the world just don't really work in our conditions and our trails (at least for mortals like me!). Overall I want something that rolls well enough to race in and not get held back, but still fun to ride regularly. I actually have found that fast tires don't buy you too much extra speed on the shore, because we always either on a steep climb or steep descent, where grip is way more important. I have tried a few setups on my blur TR:
- Rekon Race front and back: these were the tires that came with the blur. Fast XC setup. They were actually decent when fresh, but once worn they became terrifying, and nearly unrideable in the wet. I'm sure really talented XC riders can make it work, but not me.
- Ground control front, Rekon Race back: much better than above. Was able to ride with more confidence, and the fast tire out back kept things really quick. Tended to get exciting in wet conditions, pretty good fast summer setup.
- Ground control front and back: really liked this setup, only was ever limited in super wet conditions. Actually worked pretty well year round.
- Forekaster up front, ground control back: LOVE this setup. The meatier front tire is really confidence inspiring, and the ground control has enough grip to stay planted. Probably going to stick with this for a while.
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Cooper Quinn
1 month, 1 week ago
I.... am not convinced that the Rekon is a grippier and/or better tire than the Rekon Race. The Race (feels) has much, much less rolling resistance, and I really don't think you give up much on traction. That said, I'm not running the Race on anything so y'know. File my weird opinion accordingly.
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Admoore
1 month, 1 week ago
Thx fellas. I should have asked also what width are you running ? I'm running a Fox 34 on the front.
I also have a big bike, 2024 Altitude which can handle anything I ride on the shore.
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Cooper Quinn
1 month, 1 week ago
Depends on the season. Right now, I've got a Forekaster up front, Rekon in the rear. I'd probably be running dual Forekasters, but i tore a hole in one and had a new Rekon.... so here we are.
I enjoyed the WTB Macro's I reviewed a little while ago, but they'd be TERRIFYING in the winter. They're inspired me to put something sketchy on again this summer. Rekon/Rekon, or Rekon/Rekon Race if you're in Maxxis-land.
The Rekon/Ground Control setup on this Element (not stock, welcome to media bikes) should probably be swapped around, as the GC seems to offer more grip than the Rekon and it's a bit....backwards feeling.
I've also run DHF/Dissector, and Dissector/Rekon; I like the dissector as a (dry season) rear but really don't like it as a front.
All that said... it just depends on what you want to do, and what bikes you own. I've been pushing my Element farther away from my Arrival with lighter parts and whatnot; this makes it worse in some places but... the goal is not to ride the same ways on the same trails on two bikes. Make the Element really good at what it's supposed to be good at, not compromise it by trying to 'beef it up' into a trail bike. If I didn't own a big bike, it'd be a different story and plan.
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Coiler
1 month, 1 week ago
100% agree. I also have a big bike so I can do a bit of Min/Max. I found the Rekon Race setup the blur came with actually extremely capable in riding areas with more typical XC riding, and you can really get the full benefits of that low rolling resistance. It was also pretty decent during dry summer S2S and shore conditions. Agree with the Rekon vs Rekon Race; I don't think you get that much more grip with the Rekon, and the Rekon Race rolls sssooo fast.
All thats to say: I find 90% of the time the fast tires are super fun and you can get alot more out of the trail. But in that 10% of wet, slippery conditions, oh boy do things get exciting quickly.
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Admoore
1 month, 1 week ago
Thx Cooper. All good info.
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GH1987
4 weeks ago
I have dual Onza Ibex on my Element thanks to some recommendations in the comments of the original 22 Element on this site. The nerds in Germany tested the rolling resistance of this tire, and it’s very fast compared to most anything from Maxxis, and the wet weather grip on shore features, rock etc is very good! Sometimes I put a DHF out front which is on a different wheel if I’m bringing the element on a ride where I know I’m gonna be riding stuff I’m afraid of, but for anything normal trail, the ibex combo is great. I’m curious to try a canis on the rear this summer and maybe a porcupine on the front next winter. I really like these tires. And you can get them cheap from the EU.
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AndrewR
1 month, 2 weeks ago (below threshold)
30.9 mm seat post/ PF Bottom bracket/ 436 mm chainstay/ rear centre on an XL?
What decade are we in?
The first two are "show me a good engineering/ performance based reason for choosing this option over the obviously better alternative" (31.6 mm and BSA respectively) and the third point is a hard 'no'.
I would have to sum it up by saying "RM don't seem to care about some of the important details and they certainly didn't care enough to balance the bike for a tall rider so I don't care to spend my money on their frame".
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Jotegir
1 month, 2 weeks ago
Why is it such a cardinal sin for some companies to continue to offer shortish chainstays in large sizes? If all companies subscribed to the long chainstays on big bikes trend, then where would that leave those of us who prefer otherwise? Custom only?
I have to take "What decade are we in", "the third point is a hard 'no'", and "RM don't seem to care about important details and they don't care to balance the bike" as equivalent to "All companies who offer short chainstays on XL trail bikes are wrong in 100% of cases". The statement certainly goes beyond "my preference is for long chainstays for tall riders, so the bike isn't for me, but short chainstay enjoyers? have at it!" - you were far more equivocal than that!
Edit: I tend to only buy 30.9 posts aftermarket because there's been absolutely no discernable durability difference across sizes. Rocky is just encouraging you to purchase posts that will fit (almost) all platforms!
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Kenneth Perras
1 month, 2 weeks ago
31.6 posts are significantly heavier than their 30.9 counterparts. Same goes for PF BBs vs BSA. On a platform where every gram counts, these are important details. The rear center is also 440mm in the neutral position, which is the recommended one. While the bike doesn't have size-proportional rear centers, a modern 440mm is still used across the board for a bike that is meant to be agile.
It's ok if this bike isn't for you.
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Velocipedestrian
1 month, 2 weeks ago
What's the functional difference between a 30.9 & 31.6 post? As far as I know no company is making any of the parts between these beyond the outer sleeve different. Whereas most frame companies spec the same size seat tube and just ream out the 0.7mm, so a weaker frame with the 31.6.
If you want to complain about post diameter they should be 34.9, which should really be 35.
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Kenneth Perras
1 month, 2 weeks ago
Unless the post is designed with the larger seat tube inner diameter spec from the very beginning, they end up using heavier outer tubes with the same inner parts to make up the difference.
Before every frame project, I ask all the major dropper post manufacturers if they will stop developing new posts in 30.9 sizing, and so far the answer has always been no. There are a few outliers, such as the Fox Transfer 240mm post being only available in 31.6 or larger, but OneUp still offers their 240mm drop post in 30.9 so I felt that was a good alternative for those extra tall riders.
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taprider
1 month, 2 weeks ago
The new Element is still an XCish bike, weight is still important for droppers, and XC riders find it slower to have droppers with huge drop.
For bottom brackets, threaded is not better than a press fit frame made with high quality control. See Hambini see https://www.hambini.com/pressfit-vs-threaded-bottom-brackets/ start around 23 minutes for the minuses of threaded (about the only benefit of threaded might be you can have oversize outboard bearings if you have to use a 30mm BB).
And as far as the short rear centre, I think the front centre is too long for my preferred type of riding (tight natural trails and not flow/park trails).
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