Rocky Mountain Altitude 30

This may be the most beautiful mountain bike I have seen. It has a deep metallic blue paint over a flowing set of tubes, I almost wanted to hang it up as art instead of riding it. Notice I said “almost”. Riding the altitude was almost like watching a romantic comedy. You know what will happen in the end, but you also know that there will be some bump in the road that will be resolved somehow.
The bump in the Altitude’s road was the spec tire, not offering good traction when encountering wet roots or the muddy side of a water crossing. But when the tire slipped, the bike stayed upright and stable, and once you found traction it continued climbing. This bike is the epitome of balanced. It has a very natural feel to it, is easy to hold a line, and very easy to control going uphill, down, or on flat ground. This bike also takes to the air very well. On small jumps, like the kinds found on local cross country trails, the bike stays very level in the air, and absorbs the landing very well. It pedals very well without the need for ProPedal, which is good because the lever is mounted near the bottom bracket making it hard to reach while riding. I left the shock open the entire time and experienced no ill effects of a lack of platform. This bike definitely rewards smoothness, asking that you stay in the seat and spin rather than mash the pedals and yank the bars. I did both, and can say that it does prefer the rider to stay seated, standing and manhandling the bike produces results too.
The bike felt a bit short in the top tube. I’m 5’11” on a good day, and I slid the seat all the way back on the 18” frame I rode, and still felt a bit cramped. The front tire also had a tendency to lift a bit while climbing in the seat, but it was easily controlled and brought back to the ground. Overall I would call the Altitude 30 an excellent bike for someone new to riding, or looking for an upgrade bike that performs well no matter how you ride it. Or you could pick it up just to stare at it, this bike is stunning. Don’t forget to wipe off the drool when you’re done.