{"id":20169,"date":"2015-04-16T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2015-04-16T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/2015\/04\/16\/rocky-mountain-announces-sherpa-overland-bike-r2392\/"},"modified":"2023-02-08T11:03:40","modified_gmt":"2023-02-08T11:03:40","slug":"rocky-mountain-announces-sherpa-overland-bike-r2392","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/rocky-mountain-announces-sherpa-overland-bike-r2392\/","title":{"rendered":"Rocky Mountain announces Sherpa overland bike"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rocky Mountain Bicycles is excited to announce the new Sherpa overland bike. Bikepacking has been around for a long time, but the Sherpa puts a Rocky Mountain twist on the concept. We wanted a bike that could tackle more challenging terrain and would let us get a little rowdy\u2014even loaded down for multi day self-supported adventures. The Sherpa will carry you and your gear to the ends of the earth, far from the nearest Strava segment and through whatever ambitious backcountry route you didn\u2019t know you were planning.<\/p>\n

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Development<\/h2>\n

The inspiration for the Sherpa came from our lead product guy Alex Cogger, whose own rides were getting longer and weirder and more rugged. Through strategic cooperation with WTB we were the first to experiment with 27.5+ tires and rims, and over the last few years we prototyped several bikes to test the capabilities of the wheel size. It was immediately clear that the increased float and traction was a great match for overland bikepacking.<\/p>\n

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The Sherpa debuted as a concept bike at Sea Otter 2014\u2014complete with a custom Tibetan Snow Lion paint job. It generated an overwhelming response from riders wanting to expand their exploration capabilities, and convinced us to bring it to production.<\/p>\n

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Characteristics<\/h2>\n

Fully loaded overlanding requires an extended gear range. We began with our proven Element carbon front triangle and designed a wider rear end to ensure that a front derailleur would clear even the widest tires.<\/p>\n

The wide footprint of WTB\u2019s 27.5+ x 2.8 Trailblazer tires gives the Sherpa confidence and stability in choppy sections\u2014important when you\u2019re loaded down with gear and going mach chicken over high desert chunder. They also have surprisingly low rolling resistance and excellent roll-over characteristics.<\/p>\n

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We matched its 95mm of rear travel to an increased 120mm of front travel for more capability and loaded stability. Rider position was adjusted to be more upright, making long days in the saddle more comfortable.<\/p>\n

It is critical for suspension to react in tandem with high volume tires. We worked with Manitou to spec supple suspension for excellent response off the top. The Magnum fork has a wide stance for better tire clearance, and the Mcleod requires lower air pressure, allowing a fully loaded rider and bike to remain in the shock\u2019s \u201csweet spot.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

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