"I found it impossible to take riding seriously aboard this hardtail, and that’s a good thing"
- bikemag.com
The OG trail tool
Rootdown
The new Rootdown is a continuation of a story that has been evolving ever since we first started making hardtail frames over 20 years ago. We love the simplicity and purity of hardtails and revel in how capable and versatile they can be. The Series VI represents everything we’ve learned and evolved into this model to date! The Rootdown can be a bike for almost any type of ride and if you are looking for a 29er hardtail that delivers confidence and versatility in some of the most demanding terrain, the Rootdown is ready to deliver.
The Series VI carries forward the tried and tested geometry the Rootdown is known for with all sizing spec. remaining consistent to the previous version. New for 2024 are updates to tubing, materials, finishes, machined junction and interfaces.
160mm
29"
Steel
3 Year Warranty
"The new Rootdown continues a story that has been evolving since Chromag started making hardtail frames over twenty years ago"
- The Radavist
Builds & Specs
• Fork // Rock Shox™ Lyrik Select+ 160mm Boost 110x15mm
• Stem // Chromag HiFi BSX 40mm
• Bar// Chromag OSX 25mm Rise, 800mm
• Headset // Cane Creek Forty ZS
• Crank // SRAM™ Eagle 90 Transmission 165mm 30t
• Brakes // SRAM™ Motive Silver
• Rotors // SRAM™ Centerline 2.0 200mm
• Shifter // SRAM™ Eagle 90 Transmission
• Cassette // SRAM™ Eagle 90 Transmission
• Derailleur // SRAM™ Eagle 90 Transmission
• Rims // Chromag 29" Phase30
• Hubs // Chromag R4
• Tires // Maxxis Minion DHF/DHR
• Seatpost // OneUp V3 - S 150mm; M 180mm; M/L, L 210mm; XL 240mm
• Saddle // Chromag Trailmaster Black
• Grips // Chromag Format Black
• Chain // SRAM Eagle 90 Transmission
Build options are subject to availability and liable to change without notice.
• Wheel Size // 29" or 27+
• Recommended Fork Travel // 160mm (±10mm)
• Material // 4130 Chromoly Steel
• Frame Weight (M/L) // 7.13lbs
• Hub Spacing // Boost 148mm
• Headset // 44-56 Semi Integrated
• Seat Clamp Size // 35mm
• Seat Post Size // 31.6mm
• BB // BSA 73mm Threaded
• Hanger // UDH (Included)
• Rear Axle // 180mm, M12 X 1.00mm - Boost 148 UDH (Included)
• Brake Mount // 180mm Post
• Frame Origin // Taiwan
The Rootdown Series VI
4130
The Rootdown is made from quality 4130 chromoly steel tubing. Chromoly is an abbreviation for chromium-molybdenum indicating the materials that the steel is alloyed with.
The added chromium helps increase the steels hardenability and also provide some corrosion resistance.
The molybdenum helps to increase the toughness of the steel.
It has a high tensile strength but is also malleable which is what gives our frames their notorious ride quality and feel. Chromoly is often used when more strength is required than that of mild carbon steel.
It falls under the AISI (American Iron & Steel Institute) 41XX designations which is where the “41” comes from. The “30” indicates it contains approximately 0.30% carbon by weight.
Chromoly is much stronger than traditional 1020 steel and it has a higher strength to weight ratio and high tensile strength, which means we can use less material and achieve a product that can withstand the abuse that riders love to throw at it.
Electrophoretic Deposition
ED (Electrophoretic Deposition) coating is the process of applying a thin layer of coating to all surfaces of a part, both inside and out.
Our ED coating is applied by fully submerging the frame in a liquid, to which, an electric field is applied (a bit like anodising). Not only does this completely envelop the frame inside and out, but it provides an incredibly even layer of protection.
This gives our frames great corrosion protection as the inside of all tubes are also coated.
The ED coat also acts as a great primer for the paint to adhere to.
The 6th series of the rootdown has post brake mounts, threaded bb, and our new E.D. undercoating
key features
We've never tried to hide the fact some of our products are made in Taiwan, in fact, we're proud of it.
Our Taiwanese partners are incredibly skilled and some of the best in the business.
As you would expect, these products are held to the same strict standards that we're renowned for.
Your bike is special. The head tube badge is the finishing touch so we’ve always made a point of taking the time to do something interesting with it. Our head tube badges have changed over the years and are an indication of the time each bike was made.
Whether it’s a cast bronze, or polished stainless steel, water cut aluminum or a 3D CNC carving, each one represents our commitment to detail.
New on the series 6, are post brake mounts and 73mm threaded BB.
Post mount tabs reduce hardware and the need for adaptors. If you are running the stock 180mm rear rotor you won't need an adapter at all.
Yes, steel might be a little heavier than it's
more flashy contemporaries, but these bikes are built to last. We use high grade 4130 Chromoly steel which is durable and contributes to a great feel as well. Steel tubes are known for their compliance and lend a calm, vibration-absorbent feeling to the ride of the frame.
Steel can theoretically last forever provided it's ridden within the scope for which it was intended.
The UDH is designed to optimize shift performance across all bikes as well as create a sensible solution for replacing damaged hangers. The UDH has been widely adopted throughout the cycling industry with hundreds of models already featuring it.
Whether you get your bike in a box, or roll it out the front door here at Chromag HQ, you can rest assured your bike has been pored over with pride, and built with the utmost attention to detail by one of our extremely talented mechanics.
Threads are chased, seat tubes are reamed, head tubes are honed, fits are checked and checked again, all to make sure when you get your bike, everything is absolutely dialed.
The one stop shop aggro hardtail.
geometry
The Rootdown is the latest evolution of our take on an aggressive do it all hardtail. Comfortable enough for all day adventures and capable enough for any mission. Many have tried to impersonate the long standing Rootdown.
| Frame Size | STypical Rider Height: 155cm - 165cm | MTypical Rider Height: 163cm - 174cm | M/LTypical Rider Height: 172cm - 183cm | LTypical Rider Height: 181cm - 192cm | XLTypical Rider Height: 190cm - 200cm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 630 | 630 | 639 | 648 | 657 | |
| 421 | 446 | 463 | 487 | 503 | |
| 578 | 603 | 622 | 648 | 667 | |
| 105 | 105 | 105 | 115 | 125 | |
| 1177 | 1202 | 1223 | 1251 | 1272 | |
| 50.8 | 50.8 | 50.8 | 50.8 | 50.8 | |
| 320 | 320 | 320 | 320 | 320 | |
| 677 | 714 | 738 | 762 | 799 | |
| 425 | 425 | 425 | 425 | 425 | |
| 368 | 406 | 431 | 456 | 494 | |
| 188 | 226 | 251 | 276 | 314 | |
| 64° | |||||
| 76° | |||||
| 29'' | |||||
* Max. post insertion based on Rockshox Reverb
THIS IS AN APPROXIMATE GUIDE, SOME PEOPLE HAVE LONGER LEGS THAN OTHERS!
Sizing
If you're between sizes, it's a good idea to try to ride them both, either by hopping on a demo or stealing from a close friend. If that isn't an option, examine reach, stack and ETT numbers on your current bike and compare. If in any doubt, please get in touch and we'd be happy to chat about it with you.
You could also check out the review section, to see how this bike fits other people.
Catch a rare glimpse of the rootdown out in the wild.
gallery
Questions?
Buying a bike is a big deal.
Don't hesitate to reach out with any and all questions!
Worldwide shipping
We ship bikes anywhere in the world with competitive rates from UPS and FedEx. Alternatively you can pickup right here at Chromag HQ.
Warranty
All of our bikes are backed by our 3 year warranty.
After that, we still have your back with our crash replacement program.
FAQ's
This is possible but does notably change the geometry. The change results in approximately 1° slacker head and seat tube angles, 20mm shorter reach and BB height 10mm closer to the ground.
A 2.5” Maxxis fits with appropriate room around it.
No, there are no ISCG mounts on the Rootdown.
All our frames can work with +/-10mm of fork travel. To generalise the geometry change is around a 0.5° slacker head tube and seat tube angle for every 10mm added.
All geared hardtails run a standard boost chain line (52mm)
With a 52mm chainline (SRAM boost standard), the Rootdown can fit up to a 34-tooth chainring.
For context, most of us here are running a 30t, with a 10/52 cassette.
There is a serial number on the back of your fork arch, adding this to Rockshox Trailhead app along with your weight gives a good baseline setting.
Post mount brakes are a much more common standard these days, which means in most cases this negates the use of an adapter.
We were seeing a great deal of variation in diameter from BB manufacturers. This is very hard to account for with a press fit.
Threaded BB's (and threads in general) are much more standardised, which means less variance from one to another. Also, the action of tightening down the cup into the frame more easily accounts for variations in thread quality from different BB manufacturers.
We chase the BB threads on every frame, ensuring good fit with both OE and aftermarket bottom brackets.
It does, however the specific blend of steel we use (CR-MO) has very good corrosion resistant properties.
The Rootdown also has our ED coating inside and out which further helps protect it from the elements.
Nothing of note on this frame. Please let us know if you have tried to fit a more obscure component and faced issues.
Greasing your seat post prevents this issue, we strongly recommend re-greasing every 6 months at a minimum.
Check out this guide.
Not much! Here's what you need to do if we shipped your bike to you:
• Inflate tires to desired pressure. (Sealant is already installed)
• Install brake rotors, tightening bolts to 6.2Nm.
• Attach derailleur to frame, tightening to 9Nm making sure that the B-tension tab rests properly against the derailleur hanger stop.
• Grease headset bearings, install fork and handlebar, positioning the headset spacers above or below the stem according to rider fit.
• Align handlebar stem, preload headset and tighten stem pinch bolts to 8Nm.
• Install wheels, tighten axles.
• Install chain with quick link.
• Grease pedal threads and install pedals using pedal washers supplied.
• Adjust brakes, shifters, saddle position and height for personal preference.
• Set up suspension.
• Bed-in brakes. (Roll down a gentle gradient dragging one brake at a time. Avoid locking them up.)
• Go ride!
Note: If you had to Google "Nm", or you don't know which way to install your rotors, you should probably get a qualified mechanic to build your bike!
Here's what's been done:
• Chain length adjusted.
• Gears adjusted.
• Brakes set up and bled.
• Handlebar tightened to 6Nm.
• Grips tight on handlebar.
• Crankset tight, bottom bracket tight/adjusted.
• Saddle and seatpost tight.
• Seatpost greased *make sure to re-grease every 6 months!
• Tire sealant installed.
• Cassette tight.
This bike absolutely rips. The geo has been perfectly dialed for all the trails here in the PNW. Rowdy enough for the steeps but climbs great. The quality/fit & finish of the frame is superb. The frame gets a lot of compliments.
After riding exclusively full suspension MTBs for the past 7 years, I decided it was about time to get myself back onto a hardtail. I’ve always dreamed of having a Chromag frame, having run several of their components on other builds of mine over the years, so I picked up a Rootdown frame!
While I’m certain my spec choices of a compliant wheelset build and wide 29x2.6” tires play a role in this, the chromoly frame really helps to dampen out the trail chatter while still obviously riding like a hardtail, as well as reduce the harshness of some harder impacts, which I really appreciate with no longer having a rear shock to make up for my poor line choices
Geo is dialled and handling is great, especially on some of the steeper sections I’ve ridden so far, and corners like a champ! I’m running a 150mm fork, so slightly steeper than the 160mm-based figures, but it’s still the slackest trail bike I’ve owned by 1° (and just 0.5° steeper than my park bike)
And all that not to even mention just how sick this frame looks! I particularly like the straight top tube with a gusset at the seat tube on my size L frame, and always love the cool head tube badges
The only minor nitpick I have is that I wish it had ISCG-05 tabs so I could mount a bashguide to protect my chainring and ensure the chain stays on (but I haven’t had any issues without one here so far)
Overall, I don’t think I could have made a better choice for getting myself back onto a hardtail! Would definitely recommend :)
I’ve always wanted a Rootdown…what took me so damn long! Tech climbs, check, stability at speed check, corners like an F1 car, check. I’m guilty of owning a few different bikes, I’ve ridden nothing but my Chromag since I built it up. Proud to ride such a great product from a renowned Canadian company!
XL fits my 6’1” frame just fine… No problem putting on 27.5x3.0 surly tires. Bike was specked with top notch components and looks sweet…. Time to get riding ! Thanks, Shawn
While full suspension bikes are fun and allow more errors, a good hardtail does everything you'll ever need it to.
...and this is a good hardtail.
We built ours up from a frame, 160 fork, other bits and doodads and it is so much fun.
I've ridden all mountain fullies in the past, but after 2-3 years off I figured I'd get a hardtail again to hone back in some skills. Jokes on me I guess because I don't want a fully anymore. I've been riding this bike on trails and at the Atlantic Canadian bike parks and it does everything sooooo good. Yeah, I could maybe be more reckless with a fully, but the Rootdown's geo is dialled that it rides it all with ease. Flow trails? Nothing is more fun than a hardtail for pumping, manualing and airing. Tech? Point this whip at the line you want and it'll do it.
A lot of people won't get it because they're set in their ways re the need for suspension, but once you ride one of these, you'll see the light.
I could go on and on and on, but if you've gotten this far (reading reviews) into thinking about getting a Rootdown, just get one and never look back. It'll make you smile day in, day out.
(I called the HQ for sizing insights last year and a UK accented employee suggested a large for my188cm (6'2") self and it's perfect)
So stoked! Very happy with my purchased. Nice clean welds.
Really fun bike that likes to go fast!
Always wanted a steel Hardtail. Being a Hardtail fan for years, I have ALWAYS had the desire to get one of these. Steel IS Real, and the team at Chromag knows how to make one heck of a hardcore Hardtail. The way this rides is different than anything I have ridden before from years of owning aluminum and carbon. Love my new Rootdown!!
Title says it all! Love the bike and the customer service when i ordered was amazing, thanks again Dave! I ride predominately on the North Shore and the Rootdown has the geometry to ride just about anything smoothly. Been putting it to the test for the last 4 months and its proven to hold up well, stoked to rip it for many years to come!
I bought a Roodown last summer and used it as my primary rig for everything from Wednesday trail group rides to bike park days out in there Maritimes. I loved it. It could do literally everything. Sure it gets rowdy fast when your trying to open it up through tech-black trail jank, but it is doable. ...and fun! Also, it is always fun hearing other people make the classic line "you rode that on a hardtail ?". Then you downplay it because your humble and you know that the bike is designed for that.
The only con from owning a Rootdown is that I felt compelled after 1 season on it to get a Primer. The Rootdown is amazing. Truly. But after falling in love with it, i felt the next logical thing to do was to sell the frame and get the Canadian Made version. The positive to this is that the Primer felt like home instantly.
Get a Rootdown. Open your mind.
Well, I procrastinated for a while, the M/L was out of stock & I finally understand why it was. I thoroughly enjoy this frame... For other, if you are on the fence - just fall my friend, you will not regret this. For spec reference, I stand 178cm (5'10"?) with a 81cm inseam. Currently it has a 175mm dropper, 165mm crank & 160mm fork, 38cm stem with a 16 degree sweep bar. This, this is an amazing feel, at pump, park or trails! Enjoy the ride...
I've never been so surprised with how much I've loved a first ride. Climbs as well as I do, but I didn't feel any front wheel flop on the steeps going up. Going down I had zero issue pointing and shooting over obstacles, it honestly only took about maybe 50ft of my first descent before I realized how easily and confidently I could throw it around. After a few runs down hill I brought it to the pump track and dirt jumps and was equally impressed. The short rear end makes manuals through rollers easy and I could control the bike in the air about just as well as my dirt jumper. I'm truly more excited to go riding again because I get to do it on this bike. Thanks for making it Chromag.
loving the geometry of the bike, setting up the rear suspension was tricky but I got it figured out and the bike is a monster! Feels every bit as capable a much bigger travel bike than it is, eats everything I've thrown at it so far.
This is a sweet ride - I had to remind myself it was a ‘hardtail’ - ripped around Whistler on a variety of trails - this bike does it all, is responsive and is quick. Love it.
I’ve been riding it for a couple months now and have nothing but good things to say about it. With 170mm forks it feels like it can tackle any downhill, but still climbs great.
We've been a Chromag family for many years and LOVE their product, their crew, and everything else in between (bikes to apparel, components to more bikes). Can't say enough good about them and their support.
I love this bike, you can do anything you put your mind to it! It's a great option for cardio laps, gnarly trails, it's fast on the climbs and rips on the descents. This is also one of the best bikes you can bring to the Chilcotins. Throw some wide tires to it and it's even better!
As this bike is different than what I am used to riding there has been a learning curve that just keeps getting better. After 30 years of riding this is the most fun on a bike I have had in a long time. Cheers to the people at Chromag for there excellent bikes and the experience was fantastic.
I don't know how Chromag have built a Hardtail that makes me more confident and faster on the Whistler trails than my Full suspension enduro rig.
It's got awesome geometry for descending and climbing and just stays super stable, i ride with mu buddies all on full enduro rigs and keep up even on the Blacks.
The only reason I'll stop riding this bike is if i buy the Chromag Lowdown.
Wild!
It's one of the greatest hardtails you will ever ride. I am an aggressive rider and love this bike. This thing flies through everything. Fantastic on the uphill, I highly recommend this bike especially if you are a hard-tail guy.
Bike is light and tight! looking forward to many trail rides and pump track sessions with this one
This is the first hardtail I've had in years. I'm so impressed with the geometry of this bike and it's ability to handle anything you through at it- insane climber, even better descender. Nothing lacking on this bike. Most of what I ride is quick ups and downs, dirt trails, rocks, and lots of roots. Any challenges on the trail is not due to the bike- this bikes ceiling is incredible. Amazing build group and amazing customer service!
I recently upgraded to my second Rootdown, and I couldn't be happier with my decision. Having owned the 2017 model previously, I was pleasantly surprised by the subtle yet impactful refinements in the geometry of the latest version.
The slacker head tube and steeper seat tube contribute significantly to my confidence as a rider. I feel more in control and comfortable when climbing and descending.
Moreover, my experience with Chromag has been nothing short of exceptional. Their professionalism, promptness, and unwavering support have truly set them apart. It's reassuring to know that I'm not just purchasing a bike, but investing in a relationship with a company that values its customers.
I look forward to seeing what Chromag has to offer in another 5-10 years. I will be back for more!!!
Big money dollars quality swag sick doppeddidy dope dog
