- Frame
- Easton aluminum, RMB-designed, taperwall
- Groupset
- Shimano Deore XT/LX
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Compare published geometry, gearing and specifications for up to three bicycles.
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1 of 2 bicycles
At a glance
Key differences
Supported differences are shown below. Data limitations are labeled separately.
- Gearing
2003 Rocky Mountain Element has a 12% lower climbing ratio than 1996 Rocky Mountain Element.
A lower ratio gives more mechanical advantage; rear-wheel rollout determines distance per crank turn.
- Identity & price
1996 Rocky Mountain Element had an original MSRP $515 lower than 2003 Rocky Mountain Element.
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
Uses front tire 26×2.1; rear size isn’t listed.
Lowest0.69:1Highest4.00:1Total range582%
Estimated speed at 90 RPMLowest gearHighest gear
Uses front tire 26×2; 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 Element
2003 Rocky Mountain Element
Overview
Model Year
1996
2003
Brand
Rocky Mountain
Rocky Mountain
Model
Element
Element
Bicycle Type
Mountain bike, front & rear suspension
Mountain bike, front & rear suspension
Original MSRP
$1,495.00
$2,010.00
Colors
Near Silver/Violent yellow
Black
Sizes
16.5", 18", 19", 20.5"
15", 16.5", 18", 19", 20.5"
Weight
26.9 lb
—
Frameset
Frame Construction
Welded aluminum
TIG-welded
Frame Material
Easton aluminum, RMB-designed, taperwall
Easton Ultralite
Fork
Rock Shox Quadra 21R
Rock Shox Duke XC, 80mm travel
Fork Material
Magnesium, triple-clamp crown
Aluminum/magnesium, single crown
Rear Shock
Fox Vanilla, 3.0" travel
Fox Float R, 3.6" travel
Drivetrain
Component Group
Shimano Deore XT/LX
Mountain Mix
Shifters
Grip Shift SRT-600
Shimano Deore LX RapidFire SL
Front Derailleur
Shimano Deore XT top-swing, top-pull/clamp-on 31.8 mm
Shimano Deore LX, top-pull/clamp-on 31.8mm
Rear Derailleur
Shimano Deore XT SGS
Shimano Deore XT GS
Crankset
Sugino alloy, 22/32/44 teeth
Shimano Deore FC-M510S, 22/32/44 teeth
Bottom Bracket
Shimano BB-UN52, 113 mm spindle
Shimano BB-ES30, 113mm spindle
BB Shell Width
73mm English
73mm English
Rear Cogs
8-speed, 11 - 28 teeth
9-speed, 11 - 32 teeth
Chain
Sachs SC40, 1/2 x 3/32"
Shimano CN-HG53, 1/2 x 3/32"
Pedals
Ritchey Logic (clipless)
Shimano PD-M515 SPD
Brakes
Brakes
Shimano Deore LX M-System brakes, Tektro alloy levers
Shimano Deore M525 hydraulic disc brakes, Shimano Deore M525 hydraulic levers
Cockpit & Contact Points
Headset
1 1/8" threadless Dia-Compe Kontak Aheadset ST-2
1 1/8" threadless Ritchey Logic
Handlebar
RMB Stratos 2
Race Face Prodigy
Handlebar Extensions
Not included
—
Stem
RMB custom 6061 alloy
Race Face Prodigy
Saddle
Vetta TT Tri-Shock, chromoly rails
Selle Italia Custom
Seatpost
RMB Stratos 2, 26.8 mm diameter
MTN Lite, 26.8mm diameter
Wheels & Tires
Hubs
—
Shimano Deore disc
Rims
Ritchey Rock 440, 32-hole
Mavic X223 Disc, 32-hole
Spokes
Chung Nan stainless steel, 1.8mm straight gauge
DT stainless steel, 15ga. (1.8mm) straight gauge
Spoke Nipples
Brass nipples
Brass nipples
Front Tire
26 x 2.10" WTB VelociRaptor
26 x 2.00" Hutchinson Python Air Light
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
425 mm
425 mm
Wheelbase
—
1070 mm
Fork offset / rake
38.1 mm
38.1 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.