Santa Cruz Bicycles just rolled out a new crop of bikes that are a bit more wallet friendly than the top-tier carbon models you’ve already seen. There are new aluminum versions of the Bronson, Tallboy and 5010. There’s now also a complete range of Carbon C models (Bronson, Tallboy, Hightower, Stigmata…you name it) that bring the price point on complete carbon bikes down a good bit.
As for the clicking and whirring bits, both Santa Cruz and Juliana are offering up new build kit options at both the high end (SRAM Eagle at the XO and XX1 levels) and the low end (SRAM NX). That’s the quick and pithy intro. Now to get a bit nerdier…
GOING METAL Not everyone is a fan of carbon. Or maybe their bank account isn’t. Either way, Santa Cruz is now offering the latest-generation Bronson, Tallboy and 5010 models in aluminum. Frame-only options will sell for $1,899. Complete aluminum models will have entry-level prices ranging from $2,599 (5010 and Tallboy) to $2,999 (Bronson).
If $2,999 doesn’t sound like a smoking deal for a ready-to-roll aluminum Bronson, it’s worth noting that it’s the same price as the high-end Carbon CC Bronson
frame.
Which Santa Cruz models
don’t currently have an aluminum counterpart? Those would be the V10, Highball 27.5 (though the 29er version does come in aluminum), Hightower, Nomad and Stigmata.
LESS-EXPENSIVE CARBONSanta Cruz has been offering a lower-tier carbon frame option on select models for a few years now. The Carbon C frames weigh, on average, about 250 grams (half a pound) more than the pimpier Carbon CC frames. According to Santa Cruz, the Carbon C frames are just as stiff as the Carbon CC versions. I’ve ridden several of the Carbon C frame and can say that the price saving is more noticeable than the weight increase.
To put all this into context, the base-level Carbon C Hightower (outfitted with SRAM NX, a Fox Rhythm 140 fork, and SRAM Level T brakes, etc.) now sells for $3,599. That’s about $600 more than what you’d pay for the half-pound lighter Hightower CC frame alone.
There are now Carbon C versions of the 5010, Nomad, Bronson, Highball 27.5, Highball 29, Hightower, Stigmata, Tallboy, and V10. Juliana offers Carbon C versions of the Joplin, Furtado and Roubion.
NEW BUILD KITSSanta Cruz was one of the early companies to start designing bikes exclusively around a single chainring drivetrain (Kona beat everyone to the punch with the Honzo, but Santa Cruz wasn’t far behind). The goal? To make rear ends shorter while still allowing for decent mud clearance with bigger tires. While plenty of riders have been on board with that, there have been hold outs who contend that a 10-42 wasn’t offering enough of a granny or, conversely, a high enough gear for their massive, race-shattering quadriceps. Well, while Eagle is still a new commodity, it does effectively offer a lot more range on both sides of the cassette. Both Juliana and Santa Cruz are offering the 12-speed Eagle XX1 and X01 kits to their spread of build options. The kits include Eagle shifters, chains, cassettes, and cranks. The only X01 build kit not going Eagle is, no surprise, the downhill-specific, 7-speed X01 group on the V10s.
What about riders who don’t have the cash for Eagle? Santa Cruz and Juliana are offering an entry-level “D kit” that consists of SRAM’s NX 1x11 drivetrain. NX will show up on the base-level aluminum Bronson, 5010 and Tallboy. Juliana is offering it as well on their entry-level, Carbon C-framed Furtado, Joplin, and Roubion. Still not into the single-ring thing? Santa Cruz and Juliana are also offering 2x kits on several models.
JULIANA SHOCK TUNES While it doesn’t get a ton of press, Juliana specs all their models with a lighter shock tune than the corresponding Santa Cruz versions. In other words, while the Roubion sports the same frame as the Bronson and the Joplin is, for all intents and purposes, the latest Tallboy, the Juliana versions have different shocks since women are, on average, lighter than men of an equal height. The different shock tune and different cockpit components are what truly set the Juliana models apart from the Santa Cruz versions. Why doesn’t Juliana offer bikes with female-specific frame geometry as well? They just published their stance on it
here.
NEW FRAME FINISHES Colors—Santa Cruz has some new ones on tap for the following models:
5010 – Gloss Red & Mint; Matte Carbon & Yellow
Bronson – Slate Blue & Orange; Matte Carbon & Slate Blue
Highball 27.5 & 29 – Grey & Red; Matte Carbon & White
Stigmata – Yellow & Mint; Matte Carbon & Slate Blue
Learn more at
www.santacruzbicycles.com
MENTIONS: @vernonfelton
The thing that I find funny is that companies tend to paint their aluminum bikes extremely ugly colors whilst the carbon models always tend to get some trick color scheme. When companies invest time into their aluminum and don't weld the bikes sloppily they tend to turn out really well. Trek's Alpha Platinum aluminum is almost indistinguishable from carbon.
yes, good advise, I always buy the complete bike for the "frame", if you do your research you can find out what you are really buying under the paint.
I bought my new 29'er hardtail complete bike (GBP £1400) to get the frame, there was the same T-700 carbon fibre frame use across that model's range
buying the base model and flogging off all the parts pays a big chunk off the bike cost - cheap way to get a quality frame which is not available aftermarket.
Of course it won't even cross my mind when I'm riding down the French Alps on my Nomad C in 2 weeks time!
Alu bronson, S kit (what I would probably get), 30.6 lbs
Carbon C bronson, S kit, 30.42 lbs
Carbon CC bronson, XT kit (their lowest version of this bike), 28.74 lbs
I guess 0.18 lbs (82 grams) isn't trivial when you are spending thousands of dollars, so maybe my original statement should read "the alu frame weighs only slightly more than the carbon C".
They don't state it, but historically SC would provide weights of a medium bike without pedals.
My recollection from about the same era was the Carbon frames (when they only had one grade) were about 1.5 pounds lighter then aluminum and if one had the $ it was a cheaper way to save 1.5 pounds then going to a higher build level (cheaper spec. on a carbon frame was cheaper and still lighter then the next higher build on aluminum). At the time I was of the mindset that carbon was better option as the cheaper parts would be upgraded in time but I'd keep the frame for much longer, but I couldn't afford either so I got the cheap build on aluminum! But that was then and this is now...
Funny thing - I rode both a Bantam and a Heckler, and damn, those bikes felt really good. Climbing, yes, the Heckler got a little spongy and you had shock platform to make that work OK, but downhill they were just smooth as can be. I ended up with a Process 111, which has a similar feel downhill - a well designed single pivot is a beautiful thing, and you can't argue with the ease of maintenance if you've got fewer moving parts.
But if it is true, would it be because of Orange? They retired the Bantam when Orange probably started the development of the Four. And now that the Orange Five got curvy, the Heckler had to go? Competitive, this single pivot market.
I had a 2009 Heckler that is still running on 1 bearing swap in 6 years. It's been retired to my father, but the thing was serviceable in 15 minutes and with a modern shock the bike was equally as capable as any of these 10 bearing having, more expensive, more labor intensive bikes. After 1 service on my multi-link single pivot current bike (8 bearings total and near impossible to get out some of them) I was depressed that I gave my Heckler away.
My next frame was going to be a Heckler...now Santa Cruz is dead to me.
Orange, the single pivot world is yours. I know you take pride welding those works of art out of tiny lasercut snippets of aluminium. Now, could you please weld up some rough simple beast with proper geometry for cheap?
Its the first thing a new group owner would do - streamline the range and cut costs...
A lot of people complained about the pinks and magentas so they have dulled the colours down, but now too much imo. Love the reds and yellows in the range, but the new bronson is fuggin dull.
Santa cruz used to be my #1 brand - now I get way more excited by Evil, YT, Intense, Ibis
Maybe they're trying something that's a little bit different. I kinda like the slate color on the bronson even though its not as flashy looking as the black/magenta of 2015 or the kalixmoto of 2016. I just wish would've included a third color in there somehow.
And then a dumbed down drivetrain; GX or SLX
...and then really nice wheels.
Looks like I'll be getting an Alloy frame only and realizing my dream from there. Have demoed many SCs lately and they are mind blowingly good!
I knew the AL Bronson was dropping, but never heard the Heckler was flat getting dropped.
Maybe either a Boost or a DH std rear hub Heckler version will surface, but I know I'm lying to myself. No more single pivot SC's.
Sadly my old Heckler was a solid 80% of my Bronson2, and a Heck was better to me than the Bronson 1 - from a guy who owned all 3, no bias.
Pretty sure the current nomad teal/yellow is more offensive to yeti than the highball
I don't feel the need to ever replace it, I've not noticed anyone keeping up better on what ever latest / greatest bike they're on.
Chris king hubs and headset, hope brakes and Santa Cruz frame is a bike for life. no bearings to worry about and everything is user serviceable.
Disappointed the 5010 looks like butt (when it was so hot last season).
Its been too long !!!