2008 Rocky Mountain Flatline 3
Wednesday, March 5th, 2008
For 2008, Rocky Mountain Bikes sought out to create a new platform to replace the RMX and the Switch. The Flatline has its mass low and utilizes a swing link actuated single pivot to dial in the suspension feel. It utilizes their LC2R (Low Center Counter Rotating) system to create a rising rate suspension system initially followed by a more linear system as it goes deeper into the travel. We got a chance to check out one of their prototypes a bit further and will have a more complete review on it soon. Check out some of the frame detail shots inside on Rocky’s prototype Flatline.
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Travel and geometry can be tweaked to give various setups to meet a multitude of riding preferences. The travel is adjustable from 7.3″ - 8.5″ of travel with the aid of using different shocks and mounting holes.
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There is a hydroformed fender built into the down tube that helps keep the mud from spattering in your face and giving the Rocky a low standover in addition to also fitting on tailgates quite well.
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The LC2R works on counter rotating tug/pull links.
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The Flatline 3 came equipped with a 9.5″ x 3″ shock. There are three holes in the frame to tweak the geometry and travel by using various shocks and different mounting holes in addition to using various headsets/forks.
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The headtube is short which gives plenty of options for geometry tweaks to fit more riders.
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The production version will utilize the same angles but will see a weight reduction, permanent cable routing, and refined tubing to be more esthetically appealing. Check out Rocky Mountain’s website to see more on the Flatline and the configurations available. Stay tuned and we’ll have more on what we thought about the Flatline 3 soon!
[Rocky Mountain Flatline Gallery] [Rocky Mountain Website]
March 5th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Seems to me that you wouldn’t want an initial rising rate into a linear rate, it would just cause the bike to blow through its travel on the bigger hits, and the bike wouldn’t be as responsive to small bumps. New frame is a nice improvement over the RMX, but it still looks pretty chunky and heavy.
March 5th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Just look like a big mud trap to me…
March 5th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
I can’t wait for mine to get here!
March 5th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
^^ Thats kinda what I was thinking
March 5th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
looks like the new commencial or scott, but just fancy tubing
March 5th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Those are some looooong stays…
March 5th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Changes always need some time to get to the people…. This is a great bike, no way around it! I can understand why people are cryin about the rmx, but the flatline is an improvement in any kind of way!
Seems like i’m the 3rd one here not being able to bear the wait for my frame;-)
March 5th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
That’s a single pivot with a cam that modifies the shock path through compression. And it looks burly in a Demo 9 kinda way.
Maybe this is a step forward from the RMX.
March 5th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Hey bros…
unfortunately pix of the protos again! I still don’t like it!
March 5th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Andrew P,
With a shock like the DHX 5.0, a the linear progression deep in the travel will be complimented as the DHX reaches it’s bottom-out
March 6th, 2008 at 1:06 am
Transformers!
More than meets the eye!
March 6th, 2008 at 3:33 am
You guys have got another bike on your hands!!
like i do in my post i must ask when the previous bike will be done….
So, when will we see the socom?
March 6th, 2008 at 6:00 am
Rich, there’s a difference between a demo/test bike, and a project bike.
The rocky mountain is a demo bike and as such needs no additional parts where as our custom bike builds we’ve selected to do take time to get all the parts for them.
The answer is still the same as last time and expect to see more bikes too that we’ve been hiding from you
March 6th, 2008 at 6:50 am
It would be a lot nicer if they made the front triangle more curvey - more rounded tubes and less sharp corners. Get rid of that stoopid ‘integrated mud guard’ as well….
March 7th, 2008 at 12:11 am
Your hiding bikes!!!
I feel cheated!
March 7th, 2008 at 12:42 am
Funny it’s called the Flatline, because it’s so fugly I think it’s going to be D.O.A. in the market. Not to belittle whatever testing and development they did, but the thing looks like it was run over my a delivery truck and has the novelty air of a k-mart bike or that bamboo frame that always gets posted online after one of the bike shows. I just don’t think this one is going to take off, but I might be wrong.
March 7th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
I got a chance to ride a pre production model,wich is almost a finish product.
The reazon the bike is not here for sale yet is that rocky mountain wants to get the new frame extensive testing,they dont want to have the bike revised every year like the rmx was.
As for the rising rate goes, Andrew P, The bike feels just fine, its just like riding a coil sprung version of the 06 slayer but better, Im sure your opinions dont come from riding the bike.
As for weight goes, the frame is 11lbs.
March 7th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
that bike looks so sick. i’m going to get one.
March 8th, 2008 at 3:51 am
No, I’ve never been on one and they are surely that:my opinions. It just looks gimmicky to me…it may ride like a dream and end up being the new Sunday. I guarantee only one thing: I won’t be buying one.
March 28th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
considering the fact that the rmx looked like a walmart mongoose frame, i think its pretty good looking. more like the v-10.
April 8th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
lol @ the mudtrap
is it just me or is rocky mountain still stuck on the mission to saintify the SinglePivot design? No hard feelings I ride a Diesel and loving it. But if i see TREK making a leap of faith with their new ABP, they’re totally having a coming back.
Am awhere of the fact most groovy design are ripped on suspension designs, same thing here in the world of design
April 21st, 2008 at 7:00 am
The flat line 3 looks even better than the flatline! Or is it ment to be a better and dearer version?
June 1st, 2008 at 12:42 am
Just put my down payment on the Flatline 3… I took a quick spin and fell in love. It feels awesome and the construction is impressive in person… One of the features I was supprised on is the addition of cartridge bearings on the lower shock mount. (Never seen that before.)