The Slayer returns to the Rocky Mountain line

Venerable all-mountain bike remade as a hard-hitting enduro racer

Rocky Mountain has revamped the Slayer, making it longer and slacker

Paris Gore

Josh Patterson

Published: August 25, 2016 at 7:01 am
Paris Gore
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The Slayer has returned to the Rocky Mountain line for 2017. This long-travel trail bike has been revitalized to tackle the most demanding enduro courses and to log laps in the bike park.

Rocky Mountain Slayer highlights

  • 170mm front travel
  • 165 rear travel
  • Compatible with 1x drivetrains
  • Ride-4 adjustable geometry
  • Full carbon frame
  • Compatible with 27.5 and 26 tires
  • Four models and a frameset
  • Pricing from US$4,199 – US$6,999 (UK and Australian pricing TBC)
  • Available December 2016

Rocky Mountain Slayer frame features

All four models use the same full carbon frame, offered in two colorways - Courtesy

Each of the four complete Slayer models are built around the same full-carbon frame. The Slayer is offered in four frame sizes, and each has room for a single water bottle in the main triangle.

Tucked below the bottle mounts is a compartment that can house a Shimano Di2 battery for riders who wish to run an XTR or XT Di2 drivetrain.

A port on the downtube can house a Di2 battery for those who wish to run electronic drivetrains - Courtesy

Like Rocky Mountain’s other full suspension models, the Slayer uses a Horst-link suspension design coupled with the company’s clever Ride-4 adjustable geometry system.

Rocky Mountain's Ride-4 system provides four geometry positions from low and slack to steeper and higher - Courtesy

Ride-4 is an offset chip in the lower shock mount that can be oriented in one of four positions, incrementally altering the Slayer’s geometry to suit ride taste and course conditions. In its slackest setting, the Slayer has a 64.75-degree head tube. When pushed steep, the head tube is propped up to 65.85 degrees.

Bottom bracket height varies by 7.5mm across the low to high settings in the Ride-4 system.

Rocky Mountain was pushing steep seat tube angles long before the current trend. The Slayer is no different, with a seat tube angle that varies between 73.75 to 74.85 degrees, from the slackest to the steepest geometry setting.

Ride-4 has four geometry positions, shown are the steepest (top) and most slack (bottom) - Courtesy

While some competitors have focused on improving the clearance of their latest enduro bikes to fit big rubber — sometimes even 27.5 treads — Rocky Mountain has taken a different tack. It’s one that might hint at a trend we’ll see more of next season.

The Slayer has clearance for 27.5in wheels with tires up to 2.5in wide, but it can also accommodate 26in wheels shod in 3in tires. It appears that 26 is going to be a thing in 2017, consider yourselves warned.

While the Slayer is designed around 27.5 wheels, it is also compatible with 26x3in wheels and treads - Courtesy

Other features on this new enduro machine include full internal routing, thankfully with tubes through the frame to make installation easier, a BB92 bottom bracket, and 230x65mm metric shock sizing.

Rocky Mountain Slayer pricing, spec and availability

Pricing for the four bikes is as follows. All four builds along with the frameset will be available in December.

  • Slayer 790 MSL — £TBC / US$6,999 / AU$TBC
  • Slayer 770 MSL — £TBC / US$5,799 / AU$TBC
  • Slayer 750 MSL — £TBC / US$4,999 / AU$TBC
  • Slayer 730 MSL — £TBC / US$4,199 / AU$TBC
The top-end Slayer 790 MSL comes with a 170mm Fox RC2 fork with a Fox Float X2 EVOL shock. It gets a Shimano XTR drivetrain with a 11-46t XT cassette and Race Face Turbine crankset. Shimano Saint brakes with 203/180mm rotors bring it to a halt - Courtesy
Second from the top is the Slayer 770 MSL. It uses a 170mm RockShox Lyrik RCT3 fork with a Super Deluxe Debonair RC3 shock. The 770 MSL uses a Shimano XT drivetrain with XT brakes - BikeRadar
The third bike in the line is the Slayer 750 MSL. This version uses a RockShox Lyric RC fork with the Super Deluxe Debonair RC3 shock. The drivetrain and brakes are predominately comprised of Shimano’s SLX group - Courtesy
The entry-level model is the Slayer 730 MSL. Given the price of admission, and the fact it shares the same frame as the top-end bike, this looks like a great option for riders looking to get their start in enduro racing. The 730 sports a 170mm RockShox Yari RC fork with a Deluxe Debonair RT shock. SRAM’s entry-level 1x NX drivetrain and Guide R brakes keep the price low - Courtesy

Visit the best Internet domain in the cycling industry for more information, www.bikes.com.

Josh Patterson

Contributor

Josh Patterson is a BikeRadar contributor and former technical editor. He has spent most of his career working in the cycling industry as an athlete, mechanic and journalist. He holds a master's degree in journalism and has more than 20 years of experience as a cyclist and 12 years of experience riding and writing for BikeRadar, Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly, Dirt Rag, RoadBikeReview and Outside Magazine. A native of the Flint Hills of Kansas, Josh was a pioneer in the gravel cycling movement, having raced the first Unbound 200 and many other gravel events around the globe. He considers himself a cycling generalist and enjoys road, gravel and mountain biking in equal measure. When not traveling for work, he can be found exploring the singletrack and lonely gravel roads that surround his home in Fort Collins, Colorado. In addition to his love of cycling, Josh is an enthusiastic supporter of brunch, voting rights and the right to repair movement.
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