2025 Rocky Mountain Element Review: The Anti-Disruptor

Additional photos by Emily Heron and Nathan Reimer

When the previous Rocky Mountain Element was announced in the fall of 2021, it caught my attention as a promising backcountry singletrack bikepacking rig. Its massive frame triangle, lightweight build kits, and re-engineered geometry set it apart from the competition within the growing downcountry segment. Logan spent a few months testing the 2022 Rocky Mountain Element and described it as a bike you can pedal all day but still rally down challenging terrain. Sounds nice, doesn’t it?

The redesign marked a departure from over 25 years of pure XC DNA and leaned further into the shreddy side of modern downcountry bikes. This is precisely why I ended up purchasing an Element of my own. I built mine up with some trail-eating Cane Creek squishy bits and chunkier tires and filled that massive triangle with a custom bag from Rockgeist. It’s my take on a versatile trail bike for the Pacific Northwest—something I could hammer local XC trails on, cruise down steeper downhill segments, and still carry enough gear for lightweight bikepacking trips. It’s been a real treat to ride, but I wasn’t expecting Rocky Mountain to release an updated Element so soon.

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When Rocky reached out about a new version, I expected they’d either simply release updated paint jobs and build kits or launch a complete redesign with geometry changes and bold claims that this Element is the best yet. I wasn’t expecting the same angles and frame with a simpler suspension design. These days, it seems brands redesign bikes only to offer something newer and better, whether or not that holds any truth in the real world. Instead, Rocky Mountain decided to keep everything good about the Element and let their designers and engineers loose on other elements of the bike. Is the latest Element a sign that cycling innovation is stabilizing? Will we see more brands taking small steps instead of giant leaps for the sake of progress? I’m not sure, but it would be damn refreshing if that were the case.

Introducing the 2025 Rocky Mountain Element

At first glance, the 2025 Rocky Mountain Element looks indistinguishable from the 2022 version. It maintains a horizontal rear shock placement and a monstrous frame triangle, there are still two standard bottle mounts on most sizes, and it’s still designed around a 130mm travel fork and 120mm shock. The geometry chart also shows nearly identical numbers and angles. The only difference is a 10mm shorter rear center due to the lack of a dropout pivot.

• Highlights
• Model: 2025 Rocky Mountain Element 70 (carbon)
• Angles (L): 65.5° Headtube, 76.5° Seattube
• Stack/Reach: 627mm/480mm
• BB Drop/Chainstay: 40mm/435mm
• Bottom Bracket: Press Fit (SM-BB71)
• Seatpost diameter: 30.9mmm
• Max tire size: 29 x 2.6″
• Price: $6,999 USD

The front triangle has a similar silhouette, aside from the addition of accessory mounts under the top tube. The similarities end once we get to the rear triangle. For 2025, the Element has completely re-engineered suspension kinematics with the SmoothLink SL Flex Pivot replacing the stay pivot—a first for Rocky Mountain. In short, the SmoothLink SL Flex Pivot takes the place of the four-bar pivot just in front of the axle, relying on the specifically engineered flex of the rear stays instead. According to Rocky, the stays are optimized to behave like the 2022 Element’s four-bar Smoothlink suspension design while reducing weight (over 350 grams) and increasing stiffness in the rear triangle.

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Despite losing a pivot, the 2025 Element holds onto the “Ride-4” flip chip, allowing geometry adjustments with a pair of four-position shock bolt inserts. It rotates the inserts where the rear shock attaches to the linkage, allowing for substantial geometry changes. In Logan’s review of the 2022 Element, he was pleasantly surprised by how perceptible the geometry changes felt on the trail. See the chart below for a breakdown of how the Ride-4 system affects geometry on the 2025 Rocky Mountain Element.

There are a handful of smaller changes that are only easy to spot with both Element models side by side, which was thankfully available to me. For mechanical drivetrains, the cable port runs through the downtube and above the bottom bracket like the previous version but exits under the chainstay instead of on top. There’s a small plug for a bolt-on cable guide just above the rear axle. There’s still a rear brake hose port on the inside of the non-drive-side chainstay but its position has been tweaked for smoother hose routing. The cable ports on the front of the frame are still positioned on the side of the head tube—not the front like some brands are doing—which is frustrating when running a handlebar roll. The frame still comes with a rubber downtube protector and chainstay guard.

Despite sharing the same geometry as the 2022-2024 models, the 2025 Rocky Mountain Element frame has also seen some changes, including a beefier head tube area, which slightly reduces the frame bag space. The downtube is a touch thicker, the Ride-4 linkage has a larger cutout in the center, and the chainstays and seatstays have thinned out slightly. The branding on the downtube is also about 25% smaller, which is always a good move in my book. It’s a clean frame packed with high-end details.

The 2025 Element maintains a max tire size of 29 x 2.6” on all sizes except the extra-small. Its tire clearance on the rear end looks nearly identical to my bike, aside from almost a ¼” more on each side of the seat stays. Clearance is tighter between the chainstays, and some 2.6” tires are unnervingly tight. The 2025 Element suits a fast-rolling 29 x 2.4” tire in the rear with a more aggressive 29 x 2.6” up front.

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Flex Stay: Yay or Nay?

Flex stays have been around for decades. You can find examples dating to the late 1990s, such as the Moots YBB, Trek Y-Bikes and Fuel Series, and Gary Fisher Sugar Series. The implementation on the 2025 Rocky Mountain Element and the lack of chainstay pivot are undoubtedly the main distinguishing features compared to the previous version. Switching to a flex stay is right on trend with other “XC+” mountain bikes, such as the uber-popular Specialized Epic (and Chisel) and even a few longer-travel bikes like the 170mm travel Merida One-Sixty.

However, unlike many bikes in this sub-genre that flex at the seat stay, the Element replaces the chainstay pivot point with a flex point, allowing it to function like the original Horst-link, just without the pivot near the rear dropout. That flex point comes in the form of a flattened carbon area just in front of the rear dropout, providing vertical flex, and it does so with less weight and fewer moving parts. This also means less maintenance and fewer potential failure points, which is a bonus.

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Lightweight cross-country bikes, the Element included, tend to use small pivot bearings that don’t last as long as those found on bigger bikes, so having one less set of bearings to maintain and replace is a good thing. It might also be worth noting that the suspension bearings on the previous version were pressed into the frame’s carbon rather than the aluminum linkage. I’ve heard from a few Element owners that the frame has ovalized over time, requiring a warranty replacement in some cases. However, for 2025 and beyond, the bearings are now pressed into bonded alloy sleeves in the front triangle and seatstay-link bearings are now pressed in the link. A small, but promising change that means improved durability over the long run.

The Cannondale Scalpel switched to a nearly identical flex stay design in 2020. Although the Scalpel’s stay is impossibly thin, the consensus is that the change makes sense for shorter travel race bikes where shedding weight might be of value to the rider. According to Rocky Mountain, the kinematics can also remain consistent with bikes that use a Horst-link suspension design, like the old Element. There’s a growing list of short-travel full-suspension mountain bikes with flex stays, and each brand does it differently. The common and previously mentioned flex seatstay is usually a thin carbon section. The Kona Hei Hei I reviewed uses this design, and I felt it was to thank for the bike’s responsiveness while charging through rock gardens, climbing, and riding in the saddle. Longer-travel bikes with an ultra-plush ride quality usually don’t rely on flex stays because there’s more movement at the pivot point, and weight is less of an issue.

I was eager to see how the different design would feel compared to my size XL 2023 Horst-link model. To put things in perspective, I’ve logged around 3,000 kilometers on my XL Element, using it mainly for typical trail rides here on BC’s Sunshine Coast. I have a good grasp of how the bike rides. I generally agree with everything Logan said in his 2022 Element review, including how it can feel lazy and slow on rolling terrain and climbs. I’ve successfully addressed this by tweaking and tuning the suspension to my liking, and now it’s pretty close to the hardtail lover’s full-suspension I envisioned, which was one of the reasons I picked one up for myself.

My first thought was that Rocky’s move to a flex stay meant the Element was nixing the downcountry category and reverting to its XC beginnings. That isn’t wrong. I ran this by Rocky’s design team, and they explained that while shaving weight and increasing stiffness were the main goals with the redesign, they didn’t want to sacrifice its versatility to tackle more technical terrain. Still, they wanted it to perform better as an XC bike. They said the redesign should feel familiar to existing Element riders and that the forces at play (in the chainstays) are surprisingly small.

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The 2025 frame felt noticeably stiffer when climbing out of the saddle, pushing the pedals through flat and rolling terrain, and leaning into corners. While it’s difficult to discern the nuance of chainstay flex vs. rear-pivot suspension kinematics, I was convinced early on that the new Element felt quicker and more responsive. Rocky also mentioned several carbon layup revisions across the size range to tweak the frame stiffness, using thicker carbon layups as frames increase in size to provide a consistent feel for all sizes. This means every rider, despite frame size, should experience a similar ride quality.

This will make many folks happy, but I’m not sure it will be the universal answer for riders looking for a bowl-over-boulders ride quality that more complex suspension designs can offer. I built my previous-gen Element with a longer 140mm fork and chunky tires suitable for steep, loose descents here in the PNW—leaning further into the trail side of what the Element offers. It has been a joy to ride and surprisingly capable on technical terrain, steep rolls, and drops that most folks ride on bigger bikes. Despite the geometry staying the same, the new Element feels like it pulls the bike more in the XC direction. That said, I’d love to hop on a slightly longer-travel flex stay bike, like the Reeb SST Neil reviewed, to challenge this.

Stabilizing Elements

Even with new flex stays, the 2025 Element’s geometry maintains its position on the trail side of comparable downcountry bikes. It’s more of a trail bike with XC elements rather than the other way around. Looking at the comparison chart below, we can see the Element (in the neutral position) is, on average, a full degree slacker than comparable full-suspension mountain bikes. It also has a steeper seat tube angle but a shorter top tube length because of that, and it has the highest stack of the bunch, the Santa Cruz Tallboy being the only exception.

*All measurements in millimeters unless specified; WB=wheelbase; HTA=Head Tube Angle; STA=Seat Tube Angle

Rocky’s Product Manager, Ken Perras, explained they “felt that the Element was already at the forefront of the downcountry landscape in terms of geo. We have a saying that geo this aggressive has no business on a bike this light, but we made it happen anyway. That was true in 2022 and remains true in 2025. Instead, we focused on suspension design, weight shedding, and stiffness tuning. It’s nice what you can experiment with and achieve when you have a little more breathing room. Sometimes, iterative design changes can be much more pleasing than wholesale ones.”

The days of challenging the status quo on geometry are few and far between. In the last five years, I can’t think of a brand releasing industry-disrupting geometry, like the Geometron x Nicolai G1 in 2019, for example. The modern mountain bike world seems to be stabilizing, and the Rocky Mountain Element reflects this. Instead of a complete geometry revamp, they focused on other questions, like composite engineering. I, for one, am excited about the idea of stabilization. Maybe we’re at a point where geometry is dialed enough for bicycle engineers to hone other aspects of the bike—creating something better, not just newer.

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This brings me to the late aluminum Element, which is no longer with us. The aluminum Element doesn’t exist mainly because aluminum’s material properties are far less suitable than carbon for flex stay suspension systems. Unlike carbon, aluminum gets weaker after repeated flex. It’s also not nearly as strong as carbon and would likely result in a heavier bike to achieve the same strength as a carbon counterpart. Perhaps the biggest reason is that carbon can be engineered and fine-tuned at each frame size, while aluminum doesn’t offer nearly as much control. While this makes sense from an engineering perspective, this also means sub-$4,000 complete builds are a thing of the past. The new Element will be out of reach for many.

Sizing and Perceptions

Over the last few years, I’ve fully transitioned from riding size large to extra-large frames. I’ve always sat right in the middle of size charts at 6’1” with a 33” inseam and relatively standard proportions. Part of me didn’t want to size up because the idea of a longer reach and top tube and the potential for a more stretched-out fit wasn’t appealing. However, I’ve come to appreciate a longer (larger) frame’s stability and control. I bought my XL 2024 Element as a true trail bike, and I’ve spent the last year riding steep, enduro-level singletrack here in British Columbia. I overbuilt it with a 140mm fork, wider bars, and bigger tires, and I can’t imagine a more suitable full-suspension mountain bike for someone who prefers to keep close to the ground.

I wanted to test the same size in the updated version, but apparently, others did too, so a large 2025 Element was what I ended up with. As expected, the difference in the fit and my riding position was immediately noticeable. By the numbers, the reach alone is over an inch (30mm) shorter on the large vs the XL, and because I’m using a shorter stem and different bars, the change is closer to two inches. Paired with a shorter stack and top tube length, plus a jacked-up seatpost position, the large 2025 Element put me in a much more race-oriented position with more weight over the bike’s front end. This resulted in quick, snappy steering at the expense of overall stability and confidence on steep descents.

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For bikepacking and technical day rides, I’d pick the XL frame again. Having more frame in front of me means more control on steep terrain and stability, even if I sometimes had to remind myself to shift my weight forward over the front wheel. If I want to try a steeper head tube angle, the Element’s Ride-4 chip allows me to do so. Despite changing the head tube angle by 0.3°, Logan also found the change was enough to feel more precise when navigating steep climbs. For anyone sitting between frame sizes, it’s worth looking at how the Ride-4 chip positions change the geometry, as it might be enough to sway you to one size over the other.

I was discussing frame sizing with my friend Skyler, and he brought up the idea of perception versus reality. A mainstream example is how Tour de France riders believed narrower tires were faster than wider tires simply because of the feedback they could feel from the road. When things feel rough and out of control, we feel fast. In reality, wider tires at lower pressures offered lower rolling resistance by soaking up road vibrations and conforming to uneven road surfaces, improving comfort and efficiency. This idea of perception versus reality was likely at play during my time on the large 2025 Element, which resulted in a substantial saddle-to-bar drop (a more aggressive riding position) and the stock tires, which sometimes made me feel slightly out of control. Unless you’re looking for agility and nimbleness, anyone between sizes should consider sizing up. Comfort and stability improve efficiency, especially from a backcountry riding or bikepacking perspective.

The same concept could apply to the change to a flex stay versus the previous Horst-link pivot. The flex stay felt stiffer than the pivot-equipped Element and seemed to pedal more efficiently. Still, with so many factors at play (new frame, new composite engineering, different build, and a more aggressive riding position), it’s hard to know for sure. However, I’m willing to wager that there’s a discernable difference. Theoretically, the flex stay should be stiffer than a Horst-link pivot. There are fewer moving parts, meaning less room for unwanted movement in the bike’s rear end. I expect I would have had an easier time feeling this change on an XL frame due to the size-specific carbon layup and design.

2025 Rocky Mountain Element Build Kits + Purchasing Options

Rocky Mountain released the new Element with five complete build options, all based around the same carbon frame. The top-end Element Carbon 99 features a high-end SRAM XX Transmission drivetrain, SRAM AXS dropper post, and a carbon handlebar and wheels. The Element Carbon 70 sent to me is built with a GX Eagle Transmission drivetrain, aluminum wheels and touchpoints, and a mechanical Fox Transfer dropper post. The yet-to-be-released Element Carbon 30 has a Shimano Deore 12-speed drivetrain and more affordable wheels, brakes, and touchpoints. The Element Carbon Frame is available in all three color options for folks looking to build up their dream bike.

• 2025 Rocky Mountain Element Carbon 9: $11,999 USD
• 2025 Rocky Mountain Element Carbon 90: $9,999 USD
• 2025 Rocky Mountain Element Carbon 70: $6,999 USD
• 2025 Rocky Mountain Element Carbon 50: $5,299 USD*
• 2025 Rocky Mountain Element Carbon 30: $4,499 USD*
• 2025 Rocky Mountain Element Carbon Frame: $2,999 USD

*Not available until early 2025

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It’s hard to argue with the value of the Carbon 70 build kit I tested. It’s a good example of getting what you pay for, because this bike isn’t cheap. This was my first time using SRAM’s Stealth brakes, which tuck the brake lines against the handlebar and stem, and while I didn’t have enough time to get out on a proper bikepacking trip, I can see the appeal. Rocky went a step further and included little pivoting guides attached to the lower stem bolts, holding the rear brake hose out of the way. The Fox Performance fork and shock are solid and lightweight, the GX Transmission drivetrain worked flawlessly during my test period, and 170mm cranks are specced on the three largest frame sizes—a selection that is often overlooked.

Like the previous version, all builds come with 29 x 2.4” (27.5” on the XS frame) Maxxis Rekon tires, which feel incredibly undergunned for how capable this bike is. I’ll echo Logan’s thoughts from his 2022 Element review and say that a more aggressive tire should be specced on the front, and the larger frame sizes should come with 800mm bars (not 780mm). It’s great to see four-piston brakes on all build levels; remedying Logan’s complaint about the two-piston brakes on the previous Carbon 70 build—it’s always nice to see bike companies listen. I also felt the brakes were underpowered on my XL Element, and I have a set of four-piston Shimano XT brakes sitting beside my desk that I’ll be installing soon. Despite speccing a more affordable Rocky Mountain branded front hub, the Carbon 70 comes with a DT Swiss 370 rear hub with a silent 18T Star-Ratchet. The DT Swiss 370 is an entry level hub that uses their Ratchet LN design—the same inners as their higher-end hubs but no hub-body seal. It’s not the fastest-engaging hub, but it can be upgraded. All builds come with size-specific components, including dropper posts, tuned rear shocks, and bars. The XS Element comes equipped with 27.5” wheels and a 120mm travel fork instead of a 130mm fork like the rest of the lineup.

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Rocky Mountain stuck with a press-fit BB92 bottom bracket, and while I haven’t noticed any creaking yet, it’s usually only a matter of time. It could be less of an issue for weekend warriors, but it may be a deal-breaker for some Luddite bikepackers.

The size large Element Carbon 70 build I tested weighed in at 27.5 pounds (12.4 kilograms) with a tubeless setup and no pedals, which is almost exactly what Logan’s 2022 Element test build weighed. It’s an impressively light bike, which contributes to its playfulness out on the trail. While the frame has shed a few hundred grams for 2025, SRAM GX Transmission is around 200 grams heavier than a mechanical XT drivetrain, so those gains are quickly lost.

2025 Rocky Element Carbon 70 Build Kit

• Fork: Fox 34 Float Performance Elite 130mm, GRIP X Damper, 44mm Offset
• Shock: Fox Float Performance Elite, Sealed Bearing Eyelet, 190x45mm
• Headset: FSA Orbit NO.57E, 36×45° Bearings, 30.2x41x7.1mm Upper, 40×51.8×7.5mm Lower
• Stem: Rocky Mountain 35 XC, 5° Rise, 50mm
• Handlebar: Race Face Turbine, 780mm Width, 20mm Rise, 8° Backsweep, 5° Upsweep
• Grips: ODI Elite Pro Lock On
• Brakes: SRAM Level Bronze Stealth 4-Piston, Resin Pads
• Rotors (F/R): SRAM HS2 180mm
• Shifters: SRAM AXS Pod Controller
• Rear Derailleur: SRAM GX Eagle Transmission Wireless
• Cranks & Chainring: SRAM GX Transmission, 32T DUB Spindle, 170mm
• Bottom Bracket: SRAM BB92 DUB Wide
• Cassette: SRAM GX Eagle Transmission 10-52T
• Chain: SRAM GX Eagle Transmission
• Front Hub: Rocky Mountain SL Sealed Boost 15mm
• Rear Hub: DT Swiss 370 Boost 148mm, 18T Star-Ratchet
• Spokes: DT Swiss Competition 2.0/1.8/2.0
• Rims: Race Face ARC 27, 28H, Tubeless Ready
• Front Tire: Maxxis Rekon WT 3C MaxxTerra EXO Tubeless Ready 2.4
• Rear Tire: Maxxis Rekon WT 3C MaxxTerra EXO Tubeless Ready 2.4
• Seatpost: Fox Transfer Performance Elite Dropper 30.9mm, 180mm
• Saddle: WTB Silverado Race 142
• Extras: AXS 1 Battery Powerpack, WTB TCS Tubeless Sealant

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Gone Bikepacking (almost)

In full transparency, I didn’t have time to take the 2025 Rocky Mountain Element out on a bike-camping trip before today’s release, but that didn’t stop me from loading it up for bikepacking to see how it compared to my previous-gen Element. It’s no real surprise that much of what Logan shared in his review, and my reasons for purchasing an Element of my own, hold true. The frame still has room for a long dropper post, the massive main triangle begs for a custom frame bag, and even on the zippy-feeling size large, the added weight of a bikepacking kit helped keep things in check on tricky climbs.

Everyone will appreciate the additional mounting points under the top tube, which could be used for a tiny cargo cage or mounting points for a bolt-on frame bag. I’ve been blown away by the custom bag our friends at Rockgeist made for my Element, leaving room for all sorts of goodies. There isn’t a comparable bike that offers as much frame bag space, although the Transition Spur has a leg up with additional bosses under the downtube, which would be a real treat to see on the Element one day. As Logan pointed out in his review, there’s still that slim section of the top tube above the rear shock, which makes for an excellent portage handle when crossing streams or lifting the bike over fallen trees.

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The relatively normal cable routing makes running any style of handlebar bag easy. I’m happy Rocky Mountain didn’t dive into the integrated headset routing deep end or make the cable exit ports jut directly from the front of the headtube. The curved top tube/seat tube area is perfect for a rear top tube bag, like the custom Rockgeist Medic Top-Tube Bag I had made for my personal bike.

As with other efficiency-minded, short-travel bikes, the Element has all the ingredients to be a great full-suspension bike for folks who’ve found bikepacking bliss on a hardtail mountain bike but are looking to venture a little further into the dark side. It’s squishy enough to take the edge off on rough and steep terrain but efficient enough to pedal all day, back to back, and can still handle a light bikepacking setup without crushing its vibe on the trail. The change to a flex stay offers several benefits. It means less maintenance, fewer moving parts, and one less thing that could fail, although I’ve heard that single-pivot designs can dish out a little extra wear on a shock. It even sheds a few hundred grams, which doesn’t hurt.

• Model/Size Tested: 2025 Rocky Mountain Element C70, Size Large
• Actual Weight: 27.5 pounds (12.4 kilograms)
• Place of Manufacture: Taiwan
• Price: $6,999 USD
• Manufacturer’s Details: Rocky Mountain

Further Reading

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