Thoughts on the RM Element Alloy A10 with Shimano Deore as a solid trail bike? I’d upgrade the fork to a Fox Float 34 and possible the shock as well. How would this bike handle both rocky uphills and downhills as well as some intermediate level lift accessed bike park?
by palikona
3 Comments
Uuuuuuuuum….
I wouldn’t take it into the chunky stuff at the bike park, but blue flow trails shouldn’t be an issue. Its a fun bike. If you’re on the heavier side I’d be most worried about the 34mm stanchions on the fork. I’d probably swap on a Pike or something if I was going to be routinely hitting rougher terrain for a little added stiffness up front.
I have a C70. Super fun bike and I absolutely love it but it is not a do-it-all. It climbs really well and descends great on lower angle and smoother terrain. But it gets sketchy in the rough stuff. It is firm and unforgiving. A good rider can ride it on some pretty rowdy stuff but it is quick to tell you when you have done something wrong.
I have ridden it on hard black tech in Squamish and steep skidder trails in Utah. It can be done but you have to be careful about your line choice and be much more conservative than you would on a bigger bike. I don’t like to do drops over 2 feet on it and I generally avoid the really chunky stuff.
It is snappy and responsive. Nothing about it is plush. It is my foothill bike. I use it for all most of my riding on the mellower foothill trails but I generally keep it out of the alpine.
It absolutely rails corners unlike any other bike I have ridden. It is easy to pop and play with. It makes the blue and green trails that I often coach and guide on so much more fun.
As much as I love it, I would not own it if I could only have one bike. It’s just not forgiving enough at my skill level to ride the steep and rough stuff, which I really enjoy. I definitely wouldn’t ride it at a proper bike park.
Just bought one for my wife this week. It’s $1499.com at Jenson USA.