Review: Prime Rocket - Another Carbon Downhill Spaceship from Eastern Europe

Sep 11, 2023
by Matt Beer  


Prime Bicycles aren’t bikes you see every day, which explains why the Rocket garnered so many puzzled looks, but the Polish brand graced our pages in the spring with their Thunderflash enduro bike. For the keen-eyed World Cup fans out there, you may have spotted this stealth midnight blue bike under the guide of the British pilot, Taylor Vernon.

The 195mm travel Rocket runs on dual 29” wheels and casts a similar shadow to their shorter travel offering with Prime’s dual-link suspension design. A unique aspect of the Rocket that you don’t see very often on mountain bikes is the proprietary carbon seat post, which adds to the stealthy lines and slick packaging. However, our concerns didn't go unwarranted.
Rocket Details

• Full carbon frame and links
• Travel: 195 mm / 200 mm fork
• Wheel size: 29"
• 63.5-degree head angle
• Chainstays: 450mm
• Reach: 455, 475, 500mm
• Weight: 16.3 kg / 35.9 lb
• Price: €5,599 / $5,999 - €7,699 / $8,199 USD
• Frame only : €3,699 / $3,899 USD
primebicycles.com

Our “R” build arrived laced with staple downhill components from Ohlins, DT Swiss, Renthal, and SRAM to the tune of €7,599 EUR. Even without the top-level build that includes Enve carbon wheels, the Rocket comes in at a very respectable weight of 16.3kg.




Contents


bigquotesLooks like a Session... except, from the future. The Rocket's dual-link suspension design and striking lines create a frame that you don't see every day. Matt Beer





Prime Rocket Review. Photos by Tom Richards.
Both upper and lower links are constructed from carbon fiber. The drive-side features two rows of bearings.

Frame Details

Prime didn’t mess around when they set out to build this downhill race machine - even both of the links are carbon to keep the weight down. The standout component that sets this bike apart from other bikes is the aerodynamic seat post. This stabilizer wing undoubtedly adds to the Rocket’s fighter jet looks and is intended to keep the post from rotating in a slide-out.

More commonplace features, like fully guided internal cable routing, sealed pivot bolts, and double-row bearings on the drive side should cut down on the bike chore though. With that said, when it comes time to change the housing, the process is a task that requires removing the rear wheel and shock to access the clamps. The lines follow a complicated path over the BB shell, under the lower link and through the chainstay. Changing the housing is an involved process due to the amount of clamps that hold them in place, but that’s a trade-off for eliminating any rattling noises or paint chafing.

A 49/56mm headtube is the only place with room to make geometry adjustments and there aren’t any integrated fork bumpers present. Further details include plenty of padding at the bottom of the downtube to protect against rock strikes and along the rear triangle stays to settle down chain feedback.

I added a downtube shuttle guard to protect the paint and large diameter, thin-walled tub, but when thinking about longevity, it's reassuring to know that Prime backs up its products with a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects.

Prime Rocket Review. Photos by Tom Richards.
The downtube shape provides clearance for the shock reservoir and the ribs keep the frame stiff underfoot. There's no wiggling side-to-side through compressions with the Rocket - hold on!
Prime Rocket Review. Photos by Tom Richards.
Soft rubber lines the inside of the rear triangle. If you could eliminate the cables touching the inside of the downtube on occasion, the Rocket would be deadly silent.




Prime Rocket Review. Photos by Tom Richards.
Prime says the Rocket can run on a coil or air damper. I rarely found the bottom on the 195mm of travel with a 457 lb/in spring installed on the Ohlins TTX22M.2. The trunnion mounted shock and two-piece rocker never raised any concerns. An integrated carbon molded fender bridges the uprights between the chain and seatstays adding to a stiff, responsive frame.

Suspension Design

SHRED Dynamics is the title of Prime’s kinematic equation and that leads to a progressive leverage curve that is designed to ride between 30-40% sag. The Rocket doesn’t offer any adjustments for changing the progressive, but they do state that the suspension is compatible with an air shock too.

Prime also arranged the links to provide a high anti-squat value, which starts at a whopping 200%, drops to about 100% at sag, and stays around that mark through all of the gears. The combined lightweight build and resistance to bobbing make the Rocket an efficient pedaler for a 195mm travel downhill bike.

photo
photo




photo

Geometry

When a niche brand builds a carbon bike, you seldom see a large span in frame sizes due to the costly molds. Prime builds the Rocket in three sizes with reach numbers of 455, 475, and 500mm. Each one of those uses the 450mm long chainstays. Prime informed us that there is a new link in the works that will accommodate a 27.5"' and will bring minor tweaks to the geometry.

When it comes to angles, the Rocket isn't the slackest of downhill bikes with a head tube that rests at 63.5 degrees. Inspecting the fork also shows a 54mm offset crown, which could be shorter since most enduro bikes with a sub-64 head angle use a 49mm offset that feels more intuitive to steer.

Prime Rocket Review. Photos by Tom Richards.
With a 450mm chainstay and 29" rear wheel, you'd think that the Rocket might be a chore to get through chicanes, but it's surprisingly agile.
Prime Rocket Review. Photos by Tom Richards.
And possibly too agile. I found the 54mm offset fork crown on the 63.5-degree head tube tipped too eagerly once a turn was initiated. A shorter option, slacker head angle, or possibly both of those changes, would make the steering less nervous.




Specifications
Specifications
Price $8999
Travel 195
Rear Shock ÖHLINS TTX 22 M.2
Fork ÖHLINS DH 38 M.1
Headset ACROS PRIME DOWNHILL
Cassette SRAM XG-795
Crankarms SRAM X01 DH
Chainguide E13 LG1 PLUS CARBON
Bottom Bracket SRAM DH DUB
Chain SRAM PC-1170
Rear Derailleur SRAM X01 DH
Shifter Pods SRAM X01 DH
Handlebar RENTHAL FATBAR CARBON
Stem RENTHAL INTEGRA
Grips ODI AG-2 LOCK-ON
Brakes SRAM CODE RSC
Wheelset DT SWISS FR 1950 CLASSIC
Tires MAXXIS ASSEGAI 29X2.5, MaxxGrip, DH casing
Seat SDG BEL AIR 2.0 PRIME
Seatpost PRIME AERO



Prime Rocket Review. Photos by Tom Richards.
You can't knock a component checklist like this; Renthal, DT Swiss, Ohlins, and SRAM.
Prime Rocket Review. Photos by Tom Richards.
The more hidden the cables are, the more involved the replacing them will be - tidy but timely.







Test Bike Setup

After studying the geometry of Rocket, I decided that the size large with a 475mm reach, would best suit my figure. I trimmed the bars to 775mm so that my wings still had some length left to shift my weight front to back over the bike as needed.

The bike arrived with a 457 lb/in spring which put me smack dab in the middle of the suggested sag range at 35%. I ended up with two full turns of preload on the spring and the low-speed compression three-quarters of the way closed to reel in how eagerly the Rocket wanted to push into the travel from body inputs. The high speed compression primarily stayed in the "1" position (open) and the rebound dial was nearly wound all the way in due to the energy stored under heavy hits of the progressive leverage.

The Ohlins DH38 is a fork that I’m very familiar with and so I went right to my base pressure settings of 135 psi in the main air spring and 225 in the ramp-up chamber. That kept the ride height of the bars too tall in comparison to how quickly the rear suspension would ease into the travel. Searching for a more balanced ride, I'd jostle with the fork pressures, dropping the main chamber and adding more progression. That led to impressive grip but required more poise as to not disturb the front-to-rear weight balance.

photo
Matt Beer
Location: Squamish, BC, Canada
Age: 36
Height: 5'10" / 178 cm
Weight: 170 lb / 77 kg
Industry affiliations / sponsors: None
Instagram: @mattb33r
From there, I went on to slam the top crown down on the headset top cap.




Prime Rocket Review. Photos by Tom Richards.
Moving the big wheel machine around in between the tight goal posts of the Cypress downhill tracks isn't a chore.

Descending

Wrestling the roots and rocks of weathered downhill tracks isn’t always an advisable method to suss out a new bike, and so I brought the Rocket over to the Coast Gravity Park with its manicured berms and jumps on the inaugural outing. Those trails taught me all about the balance of the Rocket and the fork changes I’d need to make before tackling any natural forest puzzles.

There’s a common theme that runs in Prime Bicycles: the rider is positioned in the bike rather than on the bike. On paper, the BB drop and stack height appear within normal parameters, but that’s where the larger sag value comes in. This drops your feet well below the axles of the two 29” wheels for a secure, standing position. I’d still like to relax the head angle by a degree in order to create space between my hands and the front axle, slowing down the steering at higher speeds.

The Rocket doesn’t take much muscle to point in the right direction, which is surprising for a 29er in the new era of mullet DH bikes. It carries speed best when you let the suspension do the talking by keeping still and centered on the bike. If you try to be too dynamic and push into compressions, manual through rollers, or generally be overly enthusiastic on the bike, you’ll end up using too much energy pushing into the suspension's supple top end.

Prime Rocket Review. Photos by Tom Richards.
Standing low, in between the 29" wheels, is the Rocket's secret formula to cornering stability. I'd love to take this bike to the next level with an angleset to push the front axle further forwards and open up the wheelbase.

When it’s time to shut it down, the rear wheel floats actively under braking, although the Rocket does move the rider's weight about more than high pivot bikes, like the Antidote Darkmatter. It's a comprise that some riders can adjust to, and a trade-off for extra grip when the binders are pulled.

Some of those braking bumps are felt, and heard through the frame - it’s more about the large thin carbon tubes that resonate the vibrations rather than the chain feedback as the rear triangle is well padded. The frame itself is a stiff ride and I appreciated having those alloy DT Swiss wheels when bouncing through off-camber sections of trail.




Prime Rocket Review. Photos by Tom Richards.
The Rocket's angular lines are capped off by an aerodynamic, and proprietary seatpost. You likely won't find a replacement for one of these at your local bike park.
Prime Rocket Review. Photos by Tom Richards.
With the right crowns, the Ohlins DH38 remains my favorite downhill fork. Take the time to balance the main and ramp chambers and you'll feel like you're cheating.


Technical Report

Ohlins DH38 fork: The DH38 is still the cream of the crop when it comes to downhill forks if you ask me. Tuning the air springs does take some trialing. They are sensitive to a few psi in change, but the grip is top notch. Somehow, they always feel too soft in the parking lot yet offer support deeper down - maybe I’m just used to running other forks too firm to achieve what the DH38 provides.

Ohlins TTX22M.2 shock: The Ohlins coil sprung damper on the Rocket is full of juicy control, except for one small issue: top out. This isn’t the first TTX coil damper I’ve experienced this problem on either. When the bike is tracking the ground, you can’t feel this hiccup - only when you preload the suspension and hop the bike off the ground can you notice the tap of the coil returning to full travel.

The rebound tune could possibly be made slower too, since that adjuster was nearly closed.

Prime's Aerodynamic seatpost: I dig the looks, and fixed alignment of the aero seat post, but what happens if that proprietary carbon post becomes compromised in a tumble? Ironically, the Rocket fell victim to a transportation incident when an unsecured tonneau cover smashed down on the saddle hard enough to pull the fixing bolt through the head of the carbon post. Thankfully, a spare washer in the toolbox provided enough purchase on what was left of the post to salvage the next two days of riding in a rural riding location.

This may have been a freak accident, but from time to time, bikes can get catapulted in a crash. Toting a spare post around would be highly recommended. Prime has since added the seat post to their 5-year frame crash replacement program and is included in the lifetime warranty against defects.




photo

Which Model is the Best Value?

I won’t lie - I love riding fancy bikes and am willing to shell out my own money on them too. Often there are more sensible choices on tap though and that'll leave extra funds to spend on critcal items like spare tires. There aren’t any aluminum frame options here, so the Rocket isn’t the most affordable bike, but you can save some cash and still get quality parts with the “S” build kit.

The savings are earned by resorting to alloy handlebars and a GX DH drivetrain. Spending money on a derailleur for your downhill bike probably isn’t the first item on your priority list anyways. The rest of the components still include the superb Ohlins DH38, durable DT Swiss FR 1950 wheelset, and the adjustable Code RSC brakes found on the "R" build kit.




Prime Rocket Review. Photos by Tom Richards.
Prime Rocket
Atherton Bikes AM.200M.1 Review. Photos by Alex Hinkson.
Atherton AM.200M.1

How Does It Compare?

Take the Atherton 200M and stand it side by side against the Prime Rocket - they’re not too dissimilar with their rocker link driven shocks, but that’s about where the overlap ends. The suspension designs and frame construction are worlds apart.

The SHRED Dynamics of the Rocket uses a dual-link design, whereas the AM.200M features the complex DW6 with a floating chainstay. Both bikes carried speed well across chatter and staved off hard bottom outs, but the Rocket wasn’t as responsive when the trail required you to pull the bike off the ground.

The AM.200M’s braking characteristics also outperformed the Rocket. Although the Prime stayed fairly active, the Atherton remained on the ground and composed, not jostling the rider’s weight distribution forward. No doubt both bikes can be ridden hard, however, as a shorter rider who moves around the bike more, I found the Rocket a little “rocky” at times.

When talking about the carbon frames, the Rocket gives off a more hollow feel from the thin and stiff angular tubing. On the Atherton, the round tubes seem to help mute any feedback from the trail.

Looking at the frame specs and build options, the Rocket has fewer frame sizes to choose from, although neither bike has any geometry adjustments. In the AM.200M’s case though, the chainstays do vary depending on the frame size.

When choosing a build kit, Prime wins out on the options, and value, at least in terms of components. The Rocket’s killer S-build that we mentioned comes in at €1000 EUR cheaper than the AM.200M.2 and levels up on the suspension.




Prime Rocket Review. Photos by Tom Richards.
Bomb, brake, bomb - that's the nature of the tracks in our corner of the world. On a bike with such high progression as the Rocket, the suspension can load up and fire back if your weight balance isn't perfect. The grip and cushion are there when you time it right though.


Pros

+ Sensitive suspension tracks well through technical sections
+ Lightweight frame isn’t laborious to whip around corners, despite 29” rear wheel
+ Deep riding stance feels secure (when aiming straight down the trail)

Cons

- "Steepish" head angle and 54mm fork offset can lead to reservations when cornering at higher speeds
- The top-out experienced on the Ohlins TTX22 detracted from its otherwise stellar performance
- You won’t find a replacement for the proprietary seat post in your local shop


Pinkbike's Take

bigquotesPrime has built a responsive, well-packaged downhill bike that hints at serious speed (keeping a spare seat post on hand isn't a terrible idea, though). Surprisingly, even with the dual 29" wheels, the Rocket's lightweight and stiff frame responds to direction changes well - the mention of a 27.5" rocker link will no doubt entice shorter riders. Reducing the head angle with an angle-adjusting headset and trading out for a shorter crown offset would increase the high speed stability further. Matt Beer







Author Info:
mattbeer avatar

Member since Mar 16, 2001
360 articles

126 Comments
  • 36 1
 "For the keen-eyed World Cup fans out there, you may have spotted this stealth midnight blue bike under the guise of the British pilot, Taylor Vernon."

These words, they do not mean what I think you think they mean.
  • 33 0
 Unless of course Taylor Vernon isn't Taylor Vernon at all but an impostor! Plot twist, the bicycle was posing as Taylor Vernon and only Matt Beer was sharp enough to catch it.
  • 22 3
 @heyj: That was a typo! "Guide" not "guise".
  • 5 0
 @mattbeer: I figured Smile , a very good one though haha!
  • 12 2
 @mattbeer: grammar cop sez the word “Guide” would have also been used incorrectly, as it should be “under the guidance of…”
Pedants rejoice.
  • 7 1
 @RobbyRideGuide: Alas, under the guidance of is *also* incorrect as this expression refers to a sentient being receiving tutelage. Bikes are and can do many things; they can be piloted, they can be ridden, then can be operated, but they can not be under someone's guidance.
  • 6 0
 @RobbyRideGuide: I find when one tries to make a good pedantic comment on this site, you will be quickly one-upped with further pedantry.
  • 1 0
 @mattbeer: I figured, sorry for being and internet jerk.
  • 16 0
 Awesome bike and review. Just out of curiosity, what limits DH bikes to 200 mm of travel? Is it that for current DH tracks more is not needed or slower? Thanks
  • 9 1
 Good question.
200/210mm is simply OK so far. Also a longer travel means a higher bottom bracket which is properly awkward.
(...)
  • 4 7
 Completely guessing, but it could be due to stroke lengths in shocks as well as not wanting to upset the front to rear balance with the lack of forks above 200mm. If forks were longer it only makes sense for rear travel to increase aswell but nothing like that yet
  • 17 0
 @Grady-Harris: we had stuff like the Scott voltage and the v10 running 10 inches of travel out back in not very distant memory on shocks that are still available today, so that's probably not it.
  • 4 0
 There's has been a lot of testing with the amount of travel, it seems for DH, 200mm is the ideal 'sweet spot' errr 'compromise' depending on how you look at it.
  • 4 20
flag rojo-1 (Sep 11, 2023 at 8:58) (Below Threshold)
 Industry too lazy to test increased fork travel and all of the geometry changes required to give this concept a real chance.

XC, Trail, Enduro, DH all running 29" front wheels... seems like they should be trying larger but they don't bother!
  • 9 0
 Many ways to answer this question. One answer is: Nothing. There have been bikes with over 200 mil of rear travel. The 2015-2017 Canfield Jedi (the 27.5 model) had 228 mm of vertical travel. They're not the first or only brand to have more than 200. The actual answer as to why the industry settled on 200 is not something any of us in the comments really knows, but we can guess at. Here are some of my favorite ideas. 1) The factories overseas can produce parts more cheaply if they all have roughly the same dimensions. My personal conspiracy theory is that rear air shock parts all come from the same factory in Asia. When you take apart a Fox or DVO or Rock Shox you start to realize they all look identical, with only minor differences. 2) Another reason is consumer expectations. People want a 200 mil bike when they buy a DH bike. 3) How much travel do you *really* need? However you quantify it, it could be enough for "most" bike park features. 10+ ft drops and high speed 40 foot tables all well within spec. Now, if you're hucking it off an iconic free ride drop, maybe you need like...300 mm to really spread out the impulse. But no one does that, so you can't sell parts with that travel. 4) insert your own theory here>
  • 34 0
 Vorsprung has a good video explaining why modern mtbs generally max out at 200mm travel. Essentially it's a compromise between squishy plushness and having something to push off/ pump, corner, jump.
youtu.be/CsbMU-JTCJI?si=DmSNnDKpg-eK9tH9
  • 4 0
 @rojo-1: I’m with this guy, getting a nonstandard suspension setup to the global market is expensive, and using a small handful of racers to prove your prototype is the better bike is… tricky. Innovation is really hard sometimes with so many hands involved in bike design. Kinda crazy to think how much influence the big component brands have, our frames are really just following what parts are for sale
  • 2 0
 From what I know, mainly geometry. Bb height, chainstay length and seat tube angle would all have to change significantly to have much more than 220mm of travel, and in the era of big wheels, that's just not possible while keeping 'good' geometry. a lot of 29er variants already have less travel than a 650b counterpart, because the wheel would hit the seat tube. Its all a finely balanced compromise.
  • 1 0
 i'd say for the major part, lack of forks with matching travel. tired the v10 in the 10" setting, it's just way overkill compared to the front because the front can't take it, only really useful if you're looking for extra grip on off camber. now if you had a 10" fork it would likely be a different story.
  • 1 0
 I would say that more travel means more BB height and higher center of gravity. DH bikes are still awesome, thanks for continuing to make new models.
  • 15 0
 It's because 200mm is ~ 8 inches, and years ago, PB made a ton of money selling shirts that said "I love 8 inches in the rear".
  • 2 2
 @Saidrick: easily taken care of by longer wheelbase
  • 3 0
 Because pogo sticks
  • 3 0
 @baca262:

I mean I guess, even longer wheelbases are a good thing… unless you need to turn.

I feel Like 200mm is a good compromise point for the overall balance of the bike in all directions. I have never thought to myself: my dh bike would be better if it had more travel. I have noticed that it would be better with a better pilot, but I digress…
  • 1 0
 @whislander: This indeed. As Steve explains, more travel increases the force at bottom out unless you start at so low spring rate that the fork feels mushy and wallowing.
Maybe there is a clever regressive damper setup that could counter this? I remember the video but don't recall if that is addressed.
  • 2 0
 My Intense M16c can be run at both 215mm or 240mm via a flip chip. I prefer to run it at 210mm because I find I can go faster for some reason. It allows me to pop and move the bike around more and I feel like the 240mm setting doesn't really give me much more traction or control in the rough. (Yes I set up my shock appropriately for the travel). It's a balance thing between pop/control and ground contact/traction.
  • 1 1
 @Saidrick: idk if the limit of practicality has been reached with modern bikes, when you take a look at commencals, they're like really long.

still, no one has tried 10" front and back bike otherwise it would be all over the internets. more travel would be useful for gnarly parts and take some away on the flowy jumpy parts but this could be taken care of by low speed compression done right. the bike would be more of a handful to throw around but smash better. i'd experiment with 10" all around because the v10 in 8,5" setting isn't "too much bike" to throw around and i'm only 5'8".
  • 2 0
 More is not needed and to use more travel you end up with a bike that's less stable or harder to pick up
  • 1 0
 @fewnofrwgijn: you might be surprised at how often frame manufacturers insist that component suppliers make proprietary parts as a condition of purchasing said components. When customers complain about it (rightly in most cases IMHO) the name on the component is the name they blame. Since component manufacturers don’t want to hurt the relationship between them and their OE customers, they take it on the chin for them rather than either place the blame where it’s due or throwing the customer under the bus (depending on how you choose to view the situation).
  • 12 0
 "aerodynamic" seatpost in the wake of the frame, bars and so on. Yeah for sure, who are you kidding?
Also, the cross-section profile of the post would be more aerodynamic turned 180 degrees
  • 4 0
 Haha you are bang on correct! Someone at Prime skipped aerodynamics 101
  • 3 0
 I believe it’s more about the seat not twisting around in a crash, so if you’re racing you can get up and go quicker. That’s what they said at least
  • 2 0
 @B-foster: Yeah but then don't call it aerodynamic, because it surely isn't
  • 1 0
 @B-foster: that explanation makes more sense, cheers
  • 1 1
 I suspect that it's because (just like 99% of mountainbike "innovation") some graphic designer thought it looked cool, and then the marketing team came up with reasons for it later.
  • 2 0
 @B-foster: Sounds like a recipe for a cracked seat tube.
  • 11 1
 Hey @mattbeer can you explain this: "however, as a shorter rider who moves around the bike more, I found the Rocket a little “rocky” at times."
At 5'10" you're not short at all, and slightly over north American average I believe. So what gives?
  • 14 2
 I'm only 5'17".
  • 5 0
 @BarryWalstead For a 29er DH bike, I'd say I'm on the smaller size of riders choosing that setup. I should have written, "as a rider with shorter limbs (I'm all torso)".
  • 1 0
 @mattbeer: really? Huh, I thought 29er DH bikes were available down to size medium in most ranges.
  • 5 0
 I'm 5'10" and consistently feel "short" in the mtb world based on what I read, popular riders, bike sizing, etc.
  • 3 1
 Yeah, this statement is made in the context of a bike review.. medium sized dude rides a size large bike. He's a bit small for the bike being reviewed. Kinda self explanatory
  • 3 5
 @flattoflat: well you aren't, and that's a fact. 5'10" is taller than north american average male height by an inch.
And @uponcripplecreek he's not at all small for the bike being reviewed. It's right within the size range, and at 475 for reach really isn't that long. And his height is not 'medium' but taller than average.
Facts people, facts.
  • 8 0
 @BarryWalstead: facts are so last millennium. It's just vibes now boomer. /s
  • 1 0
 Replying to you, but also anyone else commenting: Any sport will have its own average criteria for weight and height. The average height/weight of the general public doesnt necessarily match the average of folks buying DH bikes.
  • 1 0
 @jackfunk: source for that information?
  • 12 0
 lighter than the Trek Slash
  • 14 1
 Nicer looking,to.
  • 13 5
 @mattbeer Poland is not in eastern Europe, it is bang on in the centre of Europe, so it is a central european country. An equivalent of what you did here would be
calling Manitoba an eastern province or Minnessota being called eastern/atlantic state.
  • 55 4
 Eastern Europe is a state of mind not a geographic area.
  • 13 0
 @heyj: but there are too many eastern Europeans who don’t like to be adressed that way. So central Europe has been created to comfort them
  • 10 0
 @heyj: Not unlike the "MidWest" in USA.
  • 3 2
 It depends who name them ... for italians they are eastern Europe Smile
  • 12 3
 Got lines like a Transition.
  • 5 0
 Like bikes too
  • 7 0
 Never owned a downhill bike. But the looks of this thing caught my eye instantly. Love the lines and color.
  • 6 1
 I think that seat post design is brilliant ! Why are seat posts round anyway ? Its not like you need side to side adjustment. Pretty sure everyone runs there saddle perfectly straight. Or attempts to.
  • 32 1
 Stealth benefit of a round seatpost is that it can rotate a bit in a crash to absorb some energy, instead of all that force going directly into the head of the seatpost or the internals of the dropper.

Regardless, for me proprietary=hard no.
  • 1 0
 Saving money for new parts
  • 1 0
 @sofarider1: Your biology can require a slight left or right rotation of the seat post. Fitters will occasionally do that to eliminate discomfort. Obviously not an issue on a bike you're never really sitting down on.
  • 7 0
 crazy that a 63.5* HTA is considered steep
  • 1 0
 Yes, but, also no, not crazy. Mainstream downhill bikes have had head angles around there for about a decade at this point. The 2013 V10 could go as slack as 63 degrees after adjustment. 63.5 is also the same as the Norco Aurum of that year. The 2011 Evil Undead could go even slacker, to 62.9. 13 model years ago! Even the session was in that ballpark.
  • 1 0
 @j-t-g: so still 63-64 is the standard not steep.

Also Banshee legend was at 64 in 2010. Mondraker and Orange too.
  • 3 0
 Calling that seatpost "aero" is pushing the limits of "marginal gains". A whole inch and a half of "aero shaped" tubing is in the margins of marginal, ie: nothing if you're not already in a skin suit. Is it even more aerodynamic than a round tube? It's oriented reverse from the truncated fool used on road bikes, so that's quite questionable.
  • 4 1
 Good luck getting a hold of them if you do need another seatpost, my bud has been waiting 3 weeks for a reply to his email about getting a new derailleur hanger for his Thunderflash. Nope.
  • 18 15
 I find it intriguing that 99% of customer service complaints on pinkbike are always "my friend...." and very rarely first hand.
  • 85 2
 @RonSauce: I know more people with bikes than bikes I own myself.
  • 3 0
 So far i have only good experiences with the customer support of Prime. My request for two new derailleur hangers for my Thunderflash was answered the next day.
  • 10 1
 A proprietary seatpost is a dumb idea, and across all of those frame sizes, and with bike companies folding right and left, yeah, dumb.
  • 1 0
 @davidrobinsonphoto: Cool....... I'm the other way around
  • 2 3
 @RonSauce: Also "an email". You don't wait 3 weeks if they don't get back to you. You phone or email them again or reach out on another of many electronic means of communication, but hey not being proactive and waiting for them then bitching about it online afterwards is muhc more fashionable.
  • 1 0
 @Blacksnowman: Same here! Good guys, always keen to help out.
  • 2 0
 Just thought you should all know that the Prime Rocket S bike is currently available at £4035.11/$5049.99...comes with the Ohlins fork & shock too.

primebicycles.com/product/rocket?color=1&build=S&size=XL

Bargain
  • 1 0
 30% off both the prime bikes, look pretty good deals
  • 7 5
 “the mention of a 27.5" rocker link will no doubt entice shorter riders.” How about entice shredders. Know way more dudes that rip on 27.5 over 29. Sucks to see the industry only catering to racers on the DH bikes rather than freeriders too. Miss the days when a DH bike was perfect for both. No need for a XXXL 29 DH bike for park riding.
  • 1 0
 for real. DH bikes are for so much more than just racing
  • 2 0
 What's up with the super grainy main image? It's shot at ISO 3200, same as the other detail shots on the article. Is it under exposed a lot to get a fast shutter and pushed a lot in post?
  • 1 0
 Says 1D probably 20 years old. So less than 10MP, 1 stop dynamic range. I'm not sure why he shot at 1250/3200 in decent light. Maybe he's just chasing grainy to hide blemishes... or too many Beers.
  • 1 0
 @klunky: Says 1D X Mark II which is 20MP, has an ISO-range of 100-51200 and was released April 2016.
All the images in this article was shot at ISO 3200, so they should be equaly noisy unless being pushed a lot in post.
  • 1 0
 Every time I see this bike at the races I think its the most beautiful bike at the race! Taylors one always looks planted and he is pinned on it, under 1 rider it has the results to back up its looks too. Have seen a few normal folk on Atherton frames and they seem to suffer from the rear end stepping out, might just be due to lesser riders on the Atherton bike and nobody on the prime. I wish my session looked as pretty as the prime. Would love to back to back test them against the clock.
  • 1 0
 "although the Rocket does move the rider's weight about more than high pivot bikes,"

This doesn't make any sense. High-pivot does not automatically mean that anti-rise always the same. That's part of reason why some HPs designs are using split-pivots or inverted-horst: to tweak and overall reduce the anti-rise vs a plain single-high-pivot.
  • 1 0
 Anyone have a solution to this top out issue with the TTX? I love the shock but the harsh topout is very noticeable to me any time the wheels leave the ground. It drives me absolutely f*cking nuts during riding. Cheers
  • 6 2
 Looks like if a Transition and a Canyon had a baby.. beautiful.
  • 4 0
 man i love boutique DH bikes
  • 3 0
 50% progression and 40% sag is pretty wild.
  • 1 0
 Matt is evidently referring to the SAG ZONE, which lies between 30% and 40% of the entire travel. This, however, equates to 25%-35% of the shock stroke.
  • 3 0
 Eastern Europe or western Canada?
  • 2 0
 @Mntneer: Western Canada is also a state of mind.
  • 3 3
 @mattbeed FYI, Poland is in central Europe, not eastern Europe
  • 2 1
 @parallaxid: Central Europe is a recent invention. It's a way for emerging economies from former communist rule to distance themselves from those lagging.
  • 3 0
 @parallaxid: central Europe is Germany, Austria,Holland, Belgium .... everything that was other the line of cold war is eastern Europe Big Grin
  • 1 1
 @blacktea: I dunno man, maybe if Euros weren't so shitty about acting somehow superior to people who were stuck behind the iron curtain for 50 years, Eastern Europeans wouldn't try to distance themselves from the label.
  • 2 1
 @withdignityifnotalacrity: we were no shitty, we were just living our style. Eastern nations had embraced communism... sad and poor
  • 3 0
 @blacktea: if by "they embraced" you mean:their survivors of Ww2 had it forced upon them at gunpoint, then you'd be correct.
  • 2 0
 @blacktea: they were literally under occupation of the Soviet Union genius. With a couple uprisings brutally suppressed. And got away from communism as soon as they could.
  • 2 1
 "Somehow, they always feel too soft in the parking lot yet offer support deeper down"

WAT?! Emotional breakdown on the way for Matt Beer. LOL!
  • 3 1
 Not a single transformer joke yet, I'm optimustic that autobots will unite and correct this.
  • 2 0
 So the bike built like a Titan sub is still better?
  • 1 0
 This has the same slightly squashed effect that the V10 has- super close to a continuous line, but a bit off
  • 1 0
 Stoked to see more Eastern European brands get exposure. Big world out there, lots of cool bike we've never heard of.
  • 1 0
 Looks like the Cube until they went high pivot or mud pivot...that front triangle looks the exact same
  • 2 0
 Dang. She’s purty
  • 1 1
 @mattbeer

What sort of compression and rebound settings are you hovering around on the DH38 m.1?
  • 1 0
 looks like an (old) operator
  • 1 0
 seatpost thicker than my frame lol
  • 1 0
 Thicker than the fork stanchions too ........
  • 2 1
 Chodepost
  • 1 0
 Has Matt been hitting the gym? He brought the gun show in a couple pics.
  • 2 5
 "Changing the housing is an involved process due to the amount of clamps that hold them in place, but that’s a trade-off for eliminating any rattling noises or paint chafing."

PB your reviews are a joke. I can't believe you're trying to justify this kind of bullshit on a bike.

Cock for cash much?
  • 1 0
 Soon we'll be buying DH bikes again Smile
  • 1 1
 looks like the child of a gambler and sender.
  • 1 0
 Matt Beer drags brake
  • 1 0
 it's CENTRAL Europe Smile
  • 2 2
 Looks like a Sender.
  • 2 0
 omg ...
  • 4 4
 Looks like a Transition
  • 6 0
 Because blue?
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