Rocky Mountain designs in

Apr 17, 2024

The first e-MTB that actually rides like a mountain bike should, company claims

By Colin Levitch

Published: May 30, 2017 at 9:00 pm

Canadian outfit Rocky Mountain has jumped aboard the e-MTB train with its new Altitude Powerplay pedal assisted trail bike.

While there is no shortage of e-MTBs being launched on a weekly basis, most are based around a Bosch or Shimano drive system, however for the Altitude, Rocky Mountain took it upon itself to design its own pedal assist system.

“Rather than bolt on a bulky off-the-shelf system, we struck out on our own to redefine the category,” said Alex Cogger, Rocky Mountain Product Line Director.

“The Powerplay system is the result of designing an electric drive for the suspension and geometry needs of proper mountain bikes; in fact, the geometry and pivot points of the Altitude Powerplay are identical to those of the new Altitude. In our opinion this is the first electric bike that actually rides like a mountain bike should.”

Housed in the sizable bottom bracket area is a three-phase brushless motor, two idler pulleys, a drive ring, the chainring and a standard crankset. The bottom bracket shell is part of the frame, not the drive unit, which the brand says improves stiffness and prevents creaking and wear.

This design also puts the motor in front of the crank, which allowed Rocky Mountain to keep the chainstays short and establish a low and forward centre of gravity. It also means all the wear items including the PF92 bottom bracket are serviceable with standard shop tools.

Given Rocky Mountain designed the Powerplay system, it’s no surprise it claims it offers class-leading torque, massive battery capacity and ultra quiet operation.

The brand has combined a 48v motor with a 632 or 500 watt-hour lithium ion battery that’s said to reach 80 percent charge capacity in two hours. The Canadian brand also says the Powerplay design creates less drag when the motor isn’t engaged.

Rocky Mountain has opted for a ‘display-free’ interface utilising a simple remote that allows for the assist modes to be cycled through and also shows remaining battery life.

For those who are after a bit more info, there is the eBikeMotion app for iOS and Android that connects via Bluetooth and allows for system customisation, reach estimates, ride tracking and more.

Available in three specs, the flagship Altitude Powerplay Carbon 90 features a full carbon frame and swingarm, while the lower two feature a carbon front triangle and alloy rear triangle.

Like the non-assisted Altitude, the bike is based around 27.5in wheels with Boost hub spacing and 2.5in rubber, though the brand say it’s compatible with 26+ tires (26×3.0).

There is 150mm of squish at the rear and 160mm at the fork, though the suspension kinematics for the Powerplay version have been updated to compensate for the extra torque on the chain from the motor.

The Altitude Powerplay also gets full-length internal cable routeing, including the dropper post, 180mm post mount brakes and, as Cogger mentioned, the bike sees the same geometry as the standard Altitude.

Interestingly, Rocky Mountain gives the Altitude Powerplay the ‘Made in Canada’ sticker, but for the moment it will only be available in Europe. Pricing is to be announced and limited availability begins in July 2017.

Originally from Denver, Colorado, Colin now resides on the Gold Coast in Australia. Holding a media degree, Colin is focused on the adventure sport media world. Coming from a ski background, his father a former European pro convinced him to try collegiate crit racing. Although his bright socks say full roadie, he can often found exploring singletrack or grinding down a gravel road.

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