- Frame
- Easton Custom Elite H.B.O. taperwall
- Groupset
- Shimano Deore XT/LX
Velopedia Bicycle Archive
Compare Bicycles
Compare published geometry, gearing and specifications for up to three bicycles.
Edit comparison
Add a bicycle
Search the Archive without leaving this comparison.
1 of 2 bicycles
At a glance
Key differences
Supported differences are shown below. Data limitations are labeled separately.
- Gearing
1998 Rocky Mountain Thin Air has a 7% lower climbing ratio than 1996 Rocky Mountain Thin Air.
A lower ratio gives more mechanical advantage; rear-wheel rollout determines distance per crank turn.
- Identity & price
1996 Rocky Mountain Thin Air had an original MSRP $494 lower than 1998 Rocky Mountain Thin Air.
Original MSRP is the published list price when new, not today’s used-bike value.
Gearing comparison
Lower gears help on climbs. Higher gears suit higher speeds.
RPM
RPM = pedal turns per minute.
Lowest0.79:1Highest4.00:1Total range509%
Estimated speed at 90 RPMLowest gearHighest gear
Rear tire: 26×2.1.
Lowest0.73:1Highest4.00:1Total range545%
Estimated speed at 90 RPMLowest gearHighest gear
Uses front tire 26×1.95; rear size isn’t listed.
How it works
Ratio = front teeth ÷ rear teeth. Hub gears also include the hub’s internal ratio. A 400% range means the highest ratio is four times the lowest.
Speeds are estimates from tire size and pedal cadence. Actual speeds vary.
Complete specification tableShows different published values and gaps where a bicycle lacks data. Different wording reflects source language, not necessarily different components. Swipe for more columns.
Specification
1996 Rocky Mountain Thin Air
1998 Rocky Mountain Thin Air
Overview
Model Year
1996
1998
Brand
Rocky Mountain
Rocky Mountain
Model
Thin Air
Thin Air
Bicycle Type
Mountain bike, front suspension
Mountain bike, front suspension
Original MSRP
$1,445.00
$1,939.00
Colors
Pure gold
Red
Sizes
16", 17.5", 18.5", 19.5", 21"
16", 17.5", 18.5", 19.5", 21"
Weight
24.2 lb
24.4 lb
Frameset
Frame Construction
Welded aluminum
Welded
Frame Material
Easton Custom Elite H.B.O. taperwall
Easton Custom HBO aluminum
Fork
Rock Shox Quadra 21R
Marzocchi Bomber Z-2
Fork Material
Magnesium, triple-clamp crown
Aluminum, triple-clamp crown
Drivetrain
Component Group
Shimano Deore XT/LX
Grip Shift ESP 9.0SL/Shimano Deore XT
Shifters
Grip Shift SRT-600
Grip Shift ESP 9.0SL
Front Derailleur
Shimano Deore XT top-swing, top-pull/clamp-on 31.8 mm
Shimano Deore XT top-swing, top-pull/clamp-on 31.8mm
Rear Derailleur
Shimano Deore XT SGS
Grip Shift ESP 9.0SL
Crankset
Race Face LP Compact, 22/32/44 teeth
Race Face Turbine LP, 22/32/44 teeth
Bottom Bracket
Shimano BB-UN52, 118 mm spindle
Shimano BB-UN72
BB Shell Width
73mm English
—
Rear Cogs
8-speed, 11 - 28 teeth
8-speed, 11 - 30 teeth
Chain
Sachs SC40, 1/2 x 3/32"
Taya TB-700, 1/2 x 3/32"
Pedals
Ritchey Logic (clipless)
Ritchey Expert
Brakes
Brakes
Shimano Deore LX M-System brakes, Dia-Compe PC-7 levers
Shimano Deore XT V-Brake brakes, Grip Shift ESP 9.0 levers
Cockpit & Contact Points
Headset
1 1/8" threadless Dia-Compe Kontak Aheadset AL-2
1 1/8" threadless Ritchey Fuzzy Logic
Handlebar
RMB Stratos 3
Syncros
Handlebar Extensions
Not included
Not included
Stem
RMB custom 6061 alloy
Syncros
Saddle
Vetta TT Tri-Shock, manganese rails
Selle Italia Future Race
Seatpost
RMB Stratos 2, 26.8 mm diameter
Syncros
Wheels & Tires
Hubs
—
Shimano Deore XT
Rims
Ritchey Rock 415, 32-hole
Sun Rims CR17A
Spokes
DT stainless steel, 1.8mm straight gauge
DT stainless steel, 2.0mm double-butted
Spoke Nipples
Brass nipples
—
Front Tire
26 x 2.10" WTB Primal Raptor kevlar
26 x 1.95" WTB VelociRaptor 44/50 kevlar
Rear Tire
26 x 2.10" WTB VelociRaptor kevlar
—
Wheel Size
26" wheels
26" wheels
Geometry · choose a size for each bicycle
Geometry size
Head-tube angle
71°
71°
Seat-tube angle
73.5°
73.5°
Chainstay / rear center
422 mm
—
Fork offset / rake
38.1 mm
40.6 mm
Historical specifications are presented as an archival reference. Components may have varied by market, size, or production run. Legacy reference geometry is model-level historical data whose corresponding frame size is not identified; compare those dimensions as reference values rather than size-normalized fit data.