Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt Now in Aluminum

Rocky Mountain is now offering the Thunderbolt in an Alloy version, therefore with an aluminum frame, adopting some of the features already present on the Thunderbolt Carbon. The trail bike from the Canadian brand now has 130mm of travel at both wheels, which is 10mm more at the rear than the previous version, and can accommodate 27.5″ tires up to 2.5″ wide or, alternatively, 26 “wheels with tires up to 2.8 “wide.

The aluminum frame, made by working with Rocky’s proprietary FORM technology, keeps the RIDE-9 system for adjusting the geometry and the compression curve by means of an insert positioned at the lower shock mount, as with the Carbon version, and no longer on the frame, like the previous aluminum version.

The compression curve has been “flattened” to offer more support in the central part of the travel and at the same time favor the use of the entire stroke in a fluid way. The anti-squat value was improved for further pedaling efficiency.

The rear end is wider as a consequence of the adoption of the 1x drivetrains. Each pivot is equipped with sealed ball bearings, including the shock mount at the linkage. The down tube is abundantly protected, as is the drive side chainstay. The internal cable routing has been updated, with larger access doors, sealed by special closures. All sizes are able to comfortably accommodate a water bottle.

Details

27.5 Wide Trail and 26+ compatible
Max tire clearance is 27.5 x 2.5 and 26 x 2.8 (3.0 with low profile knobs)
Size Specific Tune ensures that riders of all sizes get the appropriate rear shock tune. Our design team creates custom shock tunes base on field testing feedback, and adjust the tune of each shock for specific frame sizes
Bearings at all pivots, including at the lower shock mount (still compatible with aftermarket shocks)
Blind pivots maximize rider heel clearance at the chainstay
Lighter, tooled rear axle, with an updated axle nut for a more intuitive assembly
Seat tube lengths have been adjusted to accommodate longer dropper posts at maximum insertion.
Improved cable management including large head tube and down tube access ports, full-length shift housing, and internally routed shift housing and brake lines the front triangle housing
Chainstay and downtube protectors.
Integrated “Spirit Guide” chainguide, with 2-bolt ISCG05
1x optimized design with wider main pivot
Lower standover height
Modern parts compatibility (boost spacing, metric shock lengths, post-mount 180mm brakes, etc.)
All sizes fit a water bottle in the front triangle with any reservoir shock currently on the market
Sizes: XS-XL

The geometries have been updated with a longer reach, more relaxed steering angle and lower bottom bracket. The seat tube has also been modified to accommodate long-travel telescopic seat post and as a result the standover has been lowered. In addition each size has a specific tune of the shock.