ROCKY MOUNTAIN LAUNCHES THE ALL-NEW INSTINCT POWERPLAY SL LIGHTWEIGHT ELECTRIC MOUNTAIN BIKE - Mountain Bike Action Magazine

Many of us here at the wrecking crew were big fans of Rocky Mountain’s full-power Altitude and Instinct Powerplay e-bikes, but they were still one of the few brands that were lacking a lightweight mid-power option in their lineup. Now, that void has been filled by the Instinct Powerplay SL, a sleek 150/145mm travel e-bike that integrates Rocky Mountain’s all-new Dyname S4 Lite drive system.

Rocky Mountain is still one of the only bike brands manufacturing their own e-bike drive system, and that trend continues on the Instinct Powerplay SL. The new Dyname S4 Lite powertrain is similar to its full-powered counterpart, but it has a smaller footprint and is lighter in weight while putting out 65 Nm of torque and 550W of peak power. Like Rocky Mountain’s full-power bikes, these numbers are above average compared to most other “lightweight” e-bikes on the market that typically put out 50-55 Nm of torque and 300-400W of peak power, yet the system fits into a sleek and compact package that they claim to be under 45 pounds. The Dyname S4 Lite motor is paired with Rocky Mountain’s new 480 Wh battery, which is easily removable via two Allen bolts to facilitate quick swaps should the need arise, and it is compatible with their OvertimePack 2.0 range extender to add 314 Wh of battery capacity to bring the total to 794 Wh.

Another unique feature of Rocky Mountain’s e-bikes is that they don’t have a mobile app to pair with their system that facilitates on-the-fly power adjustments, motor tuning, and firmware upgrades. Instead, everything is done via the Jumbotron, a large top tube integrated display that, in Rocky Mountain’s words, lets you “keep your focus on the trail and let the bike handle the rest.” While riding, there are four power levels to choose from: Eco, Trail, Trail+, and Ludicrous. Switching between modes is done via Rocky Mountain’s bar-mounted Micro Remote.

Like its non-motorized sibling, the Instinct Powerplay SL uses Rocky Mountain’s mid-high pivot Smoothlink four-bar suspension design with its tuned blend of anti-squat and leverage rate to give the bike a balance of efficiency and playfulness with suppleness and small-bump mitigation. Rocky Mountain says that riders can “expect increased mid-stroke support and small-bump compliance.” A 230×57.5mm rear shock, tuned for each frame size, drives the 145mm of rear travel, and this is paired with a 150mm fork to put the bike squarely in the all-mountain e-bike category.

The Instinct Powerplay SL’s frame is made from either the brand’s Smoothwall Carbon or Form Alloy, both of which are constructed and tuned to offer a balance of frame stiffness, compliance, and weight. Other frame details include fully enclosed internal cable routing, which can easily be configured to accommodate moto-style brake setups, a Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH), mixed-wheel compatibility via a dedicated link, and an integrated chain guide/bash guard. There is plenty of room in the front triangle to mount a water bottle, but no accessory mounts under the top tube due to the way the upper shock mount is situated.

Looking at the Instinct Powerplay SL’s geometry, things are quite similar to the non-motorized Instinct, and the Ride-4 Adjustment System allows for fine-tuning of the head tube and seat tube angles to accommodate different riding styles and different types of terrain. Reach-adjust headset cups also allow for +/- 5mm of adjustment to dial things in even further. In the neutral setting, the head tube angle sits at 64 degrees with a 77-degree seat tube angle (77.5 degrees on SM frames), and the reach sits between 405mm and 510mm. Chainstay lengths are proportional to frame sizes and grow from 430mm on the XS to 450mm on LG and XL frames, with SM and MD sizes having 440mm chainstays. The stack height is also proportional to each frame and grows from 586mm to 641mm to maintain consistent ride characteristics across a range of rider heights. With Rocky Mountain’s aftermarket link, riders can run a 27.5″ rear wheel without affecting the bike’s geometry.

Rocky Mountain is offering six different complete builds of the new Instinct Powerplay SL to meet a variety of budgets – three carbon-framed options and three alloy-framed options. The Carbon 90, at $11,999, is the top spec with Fox Factory suspension, SRAM XO Transmission, and carbon Race Face wheels, while the Carbon 70, at $9,699, has Fox Performance Elite suspension, SRAM GX Transmission, and Race Face ARC 30 wheels. The Carbon 50 is the budget option at $7,999, receiving RockShox Select+ suspension and a Shimano XT drivetrain. Looking at the alloy models, the Alloy 70 BC Edition receives RockShox Select+ suspension, SRAM GX Transmission, and SRAM Code Bronze brakes for $7,999, while the Alloy 50, at $6,999, gets RockShox Select suspension, a Shimano XT drivetrain, and WTB KOM i30 wheels. The entry point to the lineup is the Alloy 30 model at $5,499, which gets a RockShox Psylo Gold fork, Deluxe Select+ shock, and a Shimano Deore drivetrain, making it an excellent option for those looking to dip their toes into the world of lightweight e-bikes.

We’re hoping to get our hands on the new Instinct Powerplay SL soon, so be on the lookout for a long-term review.