Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay

93/100
BikeRide Score
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Facts

Gender
Release Year
Charge Time
5, 10 Hours
Top Speed
20 mph
Watts
250 W
Torque
108 Nm
Volts and Amp Hours
36V 20Ah
Class
Drive
Wheel Size
Number of Gears
Gearing Type
Weight
54.3, 54, 51.7 lb
Suspension
Brake Type
Frame Material

Summary of Reviews

We have read all expert and user reviews on the Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay. In summary, this is what cyclists think.

15 reasons to buy

  • The Altitude Powerplay is available in five builds: two carbon (C70, C90) and three aluminum (A30, A50, A70).
  • Reviewers say the Dyname 4.0 mid-drive motor offers a “natural,” “responsive” feel when pedaling.
  • The RIDE-4 and chainstay flip-chips provide eight distinct geometry modes.
  • Testers appreciate the Altitude Powerplay's versatility for a long-travel enduro e-bike.
  • The large 720Wh battery provides solid range and depletes steadily in tests.
  • Reviewers praise the inclusion of CushCore tire inserts on the A70, C70, and C90.
  • Experts highlight that the bottom bracket is separate from the mid-drive motor, which means cheaper and easier replacement.
  • Testers relish the climbing ability, especially on steep, technical trails.
  • Reviewers enjoy taking on steep, gnarly descents, saying the Altitude Powerplay is “built to plow.”
  • The Altitude’s ability to handle tight flow trails surprises experts, given its weight and long wheelbase.
  • The Jumbotron display built into the top tube offers easy control of motor settings and PAS level.
  • All builds (but the A30) come with “burly” Maxxis Assegai MaxxGrip and Maxxis Minion DHR II MaxxTerra tires with DoubleDown casing.
  • Excluding the A30, all builds come with a 4A fast charger.
  • The Altitude Powerplay can be made mixed-wheel-ready with the Rocky Mountain MX Link (purchased separately).
  • Testers appreciate the generous integrated frame protection.

7 reasons not to buy

  • Reviewers say the Dyname 4.0 motor demands more physical effort than competing mid-drive motors, so “soft pedaling” uphill isn’t as easy.
  • The proprietary motor design could make repair and servicing inconvenient.
  • Testers are disappointed by the “basic” GRIP fork damper on the A70 and C70 builds, given their pricing. This damper offers fewer adjustment options than the superior GRIP2.
  • Gravity-focused reviewers feel the chainstay length is a bit too short for the steepest descents.
  • Experts find the combination of a low bottom bracket and 165mm (S, M) and 170mm (L, XL) cranks causes frequent pedal strikes when climbing techy terrain.
  • Testers complain about the measly dropper travel across all sizes.
  • Some reviewers find the bar-mounted PAS controls “light to the touch,” occasionally resulting in incorrect selections.

Bottom line

The Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay is a “versatile” and “aggressive” enduro e-bike with 170mm front and 160mm rear travel. It’s available in five builds, with carbon and aluminum options. Highly adjustable geometry helps the Altitude Powerplay adapt to different terrains and riding styles. Experts praise the responsive, “natural” assistance and ability to “plow” down “gnarly” descents. They also consider it an excellent climber. Complaints include frequent pedal strikes, inadequate dropper travel, and relatively demanding pedal assist. Overall, the Altitude Powerplay is deemed an “excellent” electric enduro MTB option, albeit with the price tag to match.

Expert Reviews

89/100 based on 3 rated expert reviews
85
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This review has been given a score. Read more here
Flow Mountain Bike

Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay Review | Power is Nothing Without Control

There’s a heap of adjustability on offer, and once I found my sweet spot, I was rewarded with a comfortable riding position and exceptional weight distribution that made the Altitude Powerplay both agile and predictable across a wide range of conditions.

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100
EMTB-News.de

Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay C70 in the Test: The Best Power E-MTB? [German]

With lively geometry, successful handling, and enormous motor power, this e-bike is a lot of fun both uphill and downhill. This e-mountain bike dances lightly over the trail and cuts a fine figure on any terrain.

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Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay C70 2023 Review [French]

In short, it’s an excellent enduro e-MTB for everyone who can afford it because the Rocky’s are still quite expensive, but given the prices of e-MTBs in general, we are in the average range for high-end bikes.

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The Loam Wolf

Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay C70 E-Bike Review

The Altitude Powerplay C70 is one of the best e-MTBs we’ve ridden, we just wish it was a bit lighter!

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Singletracks

Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay Review: Seamless Power for a Lot of Play

The Altitude Powerplay is a lot of bike, and there’s a lot to like about it. The motor is seamless and quiet… The geometry is confidence-inspiring on the descents and still agile enough when [track] is narrow.

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Revolution MTB

E-Bike Review: Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay

When I rode this thing, I was actually blown away at how akin it actually feels to the handling of your normal enduro-style bike.

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Ethan Baughman

Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay Review After Five Months Ownership – Mountain Bike MTB

A great mountain bike for trail and aggressive enduro use… I’ve never run out of battery or had mechanical issues.

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Sam's Bikes

Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay Review 2023

It is a really, really powerful motor, but it needs a powerful rider to unleash the power of that motor.

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Evel KeStriegel

New E-Bike Day! Meet My Rocky Mountain Powerplay Altitude A30

The Dyname 4.0 Rocky Mountain motor is a proprietary design for them with 108Nm of torque, [a] big 720Wh battery in this small little thing… this bike doesn’t really have that big e-bike look to it, which I love.

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Best Day Ever MTB

This Bike Has a Ludicrous Mode – Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay Carbon 90 Rally Edition Review

The motor, especially in the high power settings… does feel different. The output of power wasn’t something I was in love with while riding the bike, but I’m sure I would get used to it. Overall, though, this is an amazing bit of kit, and it looks awesome.

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2022 Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay – First Look

I pumped out 24 miles, 2,000 feet of elevation, and it dropped about 40 percent of its battery life…

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2022 2023 2024 Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay Owner Review

It plows. It basically has the same geometry as their normal Altitude, so [it’s] not a poppy bike, but it definitely just plows; it can handle a lot.

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E-MOUNTAINBIKE

Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay Carbon 70 – In Our Big 2022 E-MTB Group Test

Without a doubt, the perfect fix for downhill junkies with a penchant for fast and rough trails… with its narrow and clearly-defined range of applications, the Altitude can’t hold its own against the many versatile all-rounders.

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2022 Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay Review

Most of the other elements that distinguish the Rocky Altitude Powerplay from the herd relate to the Dyname 4.0 motor and the accompanying hardware and software. It really does perform spectacularly well…

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Canadian MTB

Long-Term Review: Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay Delivers Quick Power and Good Times

There is the occasional feature that might not match personal preference, though that’s true of any bike. But the Altitude is very capable of delivering a good time on anything from tech and flow to the steepest near-DH enduro trails around.

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Review: Rocky Mountain Bikes’ 2022 Altitude Powerplay Is a Powerful, Long-Travel Beast

The motor delivers plenty of power smoothly and predictably, the battery offers tons of ride time, and the electronic functions are easy to operate. Put all this onto an enduro frame with proven geometry and suspension, and you’ve got one killer e-MTB that can handle any terrain.

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Velomotion

Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay C90 Rally: Almost Perfect E-Enduro With a Canadian Cult Factor

Hardly any other e-MTB on the market embodies the enduro spirit as convincingly as the Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay…. Unfortunately, the price of the top model tested is tough.

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User Ratings

96/100 based on 5 ratings
  • 5 star
    80%
  • 4 star
    20%
  • 3 star
    0%
  • 2 star
    0%
  • 1 star
    0%

Bike Comparison

Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay in comparison to averages
Rocky Mountain Altitude Powerplay
93

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