ROCKY MOUNTAIN INSTINCT POWERPLAY ALLOY 50 (2019)

Nothing sums up the intent of the new 2019 Instinct Powerplay like its own definition:

“Tactics exhibiting or intended to increase a person's power or influence.”

That’s off Google, by the way. So, the boffins at Rocky Mountain have delivered an E mountain bike that lets you ride further, and with more power. Sounds good.

But why should you buy the Instinct Powerplay over a myriad of electric mountain bikes in the current - very competitive - industry? Because it’s the best. Simple. I’ll explain why. That’s not so simple; because you have to, first, understand what drives Rocky Mountain.

When Rocky set out to build an E-MTB, they bought all the leading E-MTB’s in the industry. And destroyed them. None met their requirements for handing, pedalling efficiency and small bump sensitivity. There was a naturalness that was missing from these bikes. A massive compromise.

As the manufacturer of some of the best mountain bikes in the world, this compromise is unacceptable. So they directly modelled their new electric mountain bike range off their non E-MTB’s. The first one in line was the Altitude, one of the most successful trail bikes ever produced. Then as the Instinct platform also underwent a makeover, the Powerplay version wasn’t too far behind.

But, where and how do fit the drive system so that it seamlessly integrates with the rest of the bike? Well, you engineer a custom drive system from scratch, so that the bike’s handling and suspension kinematics aren’t affected. An infinitely more difficult task, and the only one that will not compromise on performance.

FRAME AND BATTERY

The Instinct Powerplay frame is engineered for 29-inch or 27.5+ wheels. It’s sold as a 29 wheel platform in Australia. Exactly like the non electric version, the Instinct Powerplay also delivers 140mm of rear wheel travel and is matched to a 140mm travel suspension fork.

There are 2 battery options and 2 models sold in Australia. The Instinct Alloy 50 ($7,499.00) uses the 500Wh battery and the Instinct Alloy 70 ($8,999.00) uses the 632Wh. Both fit into the exact same dimensions, so riders can upgrade to the 632Wh, if required.

Every pivot location uses the best pivot bearings from Enduro Bearings. This significantly minimises friction when the rear shock is under load; allowing it to react to several impacts within seconds smoothly.

Another key aspect of the Instinct Powerplay is Ride 9. It’s a concept that you probably have never heard of before - or thought existed. It’s a square chip built into the frame. And it completely changes the way the Instinct feels, depending on the position.

At its heart, the Powerplay’s drive is the super unique Dyname 3.0 drive system. In development since 2010, this high end Canadian drive system is the critical element in the Powerplay’s engineering chain. There are 2 ways Rocky Mountain could have attempted to produce the Instinct Powerplay. One, to source their drive system from any number of manufacturers (Shimano, Panasonic, Bosch, Yamaha…) but there will have been compromises to the Powerplay’s handling, control and suspension kinematics. An infinitely more difficult direction was to build their own custom drive system. But if they got it right, would allow Rocky Mountain to maintain their superb bike handling standards and ride quality.

A HOLISTIC APPROACH

The huge amount of engineering that went into designing the Dyname 3.0 drive system is what has made the Powerplay one of the benchmark E-MTBs. Why? It’s the most natural feeling E-MTB - in both handling and power delivery.

"...the Powerplay will amplify everything you do right as a mountain biker - and it will amplify everything you do wrong."

The power delivery is crucial. An intricate torque sensor helps deliver gradual and sustainable power between 60RPM to 80RPM pedalling cadence range (considered the ideal range for mountain biking). Most riders get excited about ‘instant’ power delivery. This is not always a good thing because power that comes on too quickly when you’re pedalling up switchback climbs will cause understeer - usually into some immovable object, like a tree.

So the power delivery is crucial. The Instinct Powerplay delivers power smoothly, building to peak power.

The Powerplay uses an intricate torque sensor and algorithm. Essentially, the more you push down on the pedals the higher the torque that will be delivered to the back wheel - generating more forward motion. The Powerplay has the highest torque figure out of any dual suspension E bike (174N.m).

The Powerplay uses an intricate torque sensor and algorithm. Essentially, the more you push down on the pedals the higher the torque that will be delivered to the back wheel - generating more forward motion. Because of this, as soon as you back off on the pressure (at the pedals), the torque (or pulling power) gets reduced too. This is perfect because it replicates how you would ride in the real world.

There is a downside to this - especially if you’re not a ‘smooth’ pedaller. You see, the Powerplay will amplify everything you do right as a mountain biker - and it will amplify everything you do wrong.

What this means is that if you don’t pedal in smooth circles and start mushing your way through the stroke, the power output will also feel mushy. The upside is that the Rocky will provide this feedback instantly, giving you a chance to correct your technique and in the process help you become a better rider.