Review: 2023 Santa Cruz Nomad - Yes, It's Very Good
There's been no shortage of new bike launches from Santa Cruz this year – nearly every model in their lineup received at least some update, typically in the form of in-frame storage and slight geometry tweaks. The Nomad's revisions were a little more substantial, thanks to the change to a 29” front wheel.
Version 6.0 still keeps the 170mm of front and rear travel that was present on its predecessor, but it's grown a touch slacker and a little longer for this iteration. Carbon is the only frame material available, in one of two flavors – CC or C. The CC models are lighter than their C counterparts, which not surprisingly comes with a higher price. Both frame options are said to have the same strength and stiffness, and both come with a lifetime warranty.
Version 6.0 still keeps the 170mm of front and rear travel that was present on its predecessor, but it's grown a touch slacker and a little longer for this iteration. Carbon is the only frame material available, in one of two flavors – CC or C. The CC models are lighter than their C counterparts, which not surprisingly comes with a higher price. Both frame options are said to have the same strength and stiffness, and both come with a lifetime warranty.
Nomad 6 Details
• Wheel size: 29" front / 27.5" rear
• Travel: 170mm
• C & CC carbon frames
• 63.5º head angle (low)
• 77.6º seat tube angle (size L, low)
• 444mm chainstays (size L, low)
• Sizes: S, M, L, XL, XXL
• Weight: 33.5 lb / 15.2 kg (size L, X01 AXS RSV)
• Price: $11,199 USD
• santacruzbicycles.com
• Wheel size: 29" front / 27.5" rear
• Travel: 170mm
• C & CC carbon frames
• 63.5º head angle (low)
• 77.6º seat tube angle (size L, low)
• 444mm chainstays (size L, low)
• Sizes: S, M, L, XL, XXL
• Weight: 33.5 lb / 15.2 kg (size L, X01 AXS RSV)
• Price: $11,199 USD
• santacruzbicycles.com
There are a total of 10 complete bikes in the Nomad range, with prices starting at $5,649 USD and going all the way up to $11,119 USD for the model reviewed here, the X01 AXS RSV build kit. No matter how you look at it, Santa Cruz's current prices are on the higher end of the spectrum, and there's not really a model that could be considered budget-friendly.
 | With the new Nomad, it's a story of continual refinements, and this is easily the best version yet. |
Frame Details
Santa Cruz's prices may be high, but there's no denying that the frame features are very well executed. The new Nomad ticks all the boxes when it comes to what you'd expect to find on a frame at this pricepoint – there's internal tube-in-tube cable routing, universal derailleur hanger compatibility, room for longer travel dropper posts, plus generous chainstay and downtube protection. It's also great to see a bashguard come as a stock option – smashing the teeth off an expensive chainring is never a good time.
The frame uses a 230 x 65mm shock, and is compatible with air or coil options. One thing the frame isn't compatible with is a dual crown fork – it's not built to withstand the side impact loads that can arise during a crash with a dual crown. You can run a 180mm single crown fork though, which should be enough travel to fulfill the needs of most freeriders.
The Nomad now has plenty of room for storing snacks and spares inside the frame.
A flip chip for the most sensitive of riders provides a .3-degree head angle adjustment and 3mm BB height change.
A shuttle guard and a downtube protector help keep the carbon frame safe.
Geometry & Sizing
As I mentioned, the Nomad is a little longer and slacker than before, but not by much. In the low setting the head angle now sits at 63.5-degrees, or it can be raised a smidge to 63.8-degrees by changing the orientation of the flip chip at the rear shock mount.
The chainstay length has increased by approximately 8mm compared to the previous version, and now ranges from 439 to 450mm depending on the size (sizes run from S to XXL). The size large I tested has a reach of 472mm, 443.8mm chainstays, and a 77.6-degree seat angle.
Suspension Design
Santa Cruz decreased the Nomad's initial leverage rate slightly, along with lowering the amount of progression and anti-squat, alterations that were done to give the bike a more consistent feel throughout the entirety of its travel. Other than those changes the basic layout of the VPP design remains the same - two counter-rotating links connect the swingarm to the front triangle. There's a grease port on the lower link for quick maintenance, and Santa Cruz offers a free lifetime replacement program for all of the bearings.
| Specifications | ||
| Price | $11199 | |
| Travel | 170mm | |
| Rear Shock | Fox Float X2 Factory 2-Position lever | |
| Fork | FOX 38 Float Factory, 170mm | |
| Headset | Cane Creek 40 IS Integrated Headset | |
| Cassette | SRAM XG1295 Eagle, 12spd, 10-50t | |
| Crankarms | SRAM X1 Eagle Carbon DUB 32t | |
| Chainguide | OneUp Bash Guide | |
| Rear Derailleur | SRAM X01 Eagle AXS, 12spd | |
| Chain | SRAM X01 Eagle, 12spd | |
| Shifter Pods | SRAM GX AXS Controller | |
| Handlebar | Santa Cruz 35 Carbon Bar, 800mm, 35mm Rise | |
| Stem | Burgtec Enduro MK3, 42mm | |
| Grips | Santa Cruz Bicycles House Grips | |
| Brakes | SRAM Code RSC | |
| Wheelset | Reserve 30|HD carbon | |
| Hubs | i9 1/1 | |
| Tires | Maxxis Assegai 29"x2.5" 3C MaxxGrip, EXO+ / Maxxis Minion DHR II 27.5"x2.4", 3C MaxxTerra, EXO+ | |
| Seat | WTB Silverado Medium Ti | |
| Seatpost | RockShox Reverb Stealth | |
Test Bike Setup
The majority of the Nomad's cockpit components were a perfect fit for my height and preferences. Other than trimming the bars down to 780mm I didn't need to make any changes at the front of the bike – the 35mm rise bars and 40mm stem are exactly in line with what I'd run on a personal bike.
As testing progressed I did end up swapping the 175mm RockShox Reverb post for a different post with 200mm of drop. 175mm is fine in most cases, but on extra-steep trails I want my seat as far out of the way as possible. I do wish the size large Nomad came with a post with more drop, and if it was cable-actuated with adjustable travel that'd be even better in my book.
The final change that I made was to the tires – I swapped out the Maxxis EXO+ casing tires for a set with a DoubleDown casing, knowing that there were lots of Whistler laps in this bike's future. That swap added ½ pound to the total weight, a penalty I'm more than happy to take for increased peace of mind. It's interesting to see that the coil-shock versions of the Nomad come with DoubleDown casing tires, and the air-shock equipped ones don't. At the very least, I wish all the models came with a DoubleDown rear tire.
Mike Kazimer
Location: Bellingham, WA, USA
Height: 5'11" / 180cm
Inseam: 33" / 84cm
Weight: 160 lbs / 72.6 kg
Industry affiliations / sponsors: None
Instagram: @mikekazimer
Location: Bellingham, WA, USA
Height: 5'11" / 180cm
Inseam: 33" / 84cm
Weight: 160 lbs / 72.6 kg
Industry affiliations / sponsors: None
Instagram: @mikekazimer
As for suspension settings, Santa Cruz's recommended settings provide a great starting point. I settled on 185 psi in the Float X2 for 19mm / 29% sag, and 83 psi with one volume spacer in the Fox 38 fork.
Climbing
Compared to the Megatower, the Nomad's smaller rear wheel doesn't give it quite the same roll-over-ability, and when it comes to pure uphill speed I'd give the Megatower a slight edge. The Nomad's no slouch though, and the trifecta of a slack head angle, moderately long chainstays, and a relatively steep seat tube angle helps create a very centered, balanced climbing position. That sense of balance means there's no need to make dramatic weight shifts to maintain rear wheel traction.
It's not exactly a bike that encourages out-of-the saddle sprinting while climbing (after all, we're talking about a 170mm bike with DH-oriented geometry), but it's a very calm, composed climber; I never felt like I was struggling to get around tight turns or up rooty steps. The Nomad hides its 170mm of travel well on the climbs, and while it's not going to be the bike to choose if all of your rides are rolling XC laps, it's certainly manageable on rides that don't totally peg that gnar-o-meter.
When it comes to efficiency, there is a little bit of shock movement, but I really only reached for that climb lever on paved road climbs – off-road, I kept it in the open position to maximize the amount of rear wheel traction. Santa Cruz has been reducing the amount of anti-squat over the last few years, honing in on the sweet spot between grip and efficiency. Too little and a bike can become a wallowy mess, and too much and it can feel overly harsh. With the Nomad, I'd say they've found the sweet spot – the shock moves when it needs to, but there was never a distracting amount of motion.
![photo]()
Compared to the Megatower, the Nomad's smaller rear wheel doesn't give it quite the same roll-over-ability, and when it comes to pure uphill speed I'd give the Megatower a slight edge. The Nomad's no slouch though, and the trifecta of a slack head angle, moderately long chainstays, and a relatively steep seat tube angle helps create a very centered, balanced climbing position. That sense of balance means there's no need to make dramatic weight shifts to maintain rear wheel traction.
It's not exactly a bike that encourages out-of-the saddle sprinting while climbing (after all, we're talking about a 170mm bike with DH-oriented geometry), but it's a very calm, composed climber; I never felt like I was struggling to get around tight turns or up rooty steps. The Nomad hides its 170mm of travel well on the climbs, and while it's not going to be the bike to choose if all of your rides are rolling XC laps, it's certainly manageable on rides that don't totally peg that gnar-o-meter.
When it comes to efficiency, there is a little bit of shock movement, but I really only reached for that climb lever on paved road climbs – off-road, I kept it in the open position to maximize the amount of rear wheel traction. Santa Cruz has been reducing the amount of anti-squat over the last few years, honing in on the sweet spot between grip and efficiency. Too little and a bike can become a wallowy mess, and too much and it can feel overly harsh. With the Nomad, I'd say they've found the sweet spot – the shock moves when it needs to, but there was never a distracting amount of motion.
Descending
It might not be the most visually exciting bike – there aren't any idler pulleys or crazy linkages to be seen – but wild designs don't always equate to better performance. With the new Nomad, it's a story of continual refinements, and this is easily the best version yet.
The previous generation Nomad felt like more of an all-mountain machine rather than a bike that wanted to be pushed to the ragged edge. It had plenty of travel and 27.5” wheels, but didn't quite instill the same level of confidence as version 6.0. The larger front wheel on the new Nomad certainly plays a part in that, as do the longer chainstays. There's less of a speed limit - if anything, the faster you go the more alive the Nomad feels.
The reach of the Nomad is a touch shorter than some other bikes in this category at 472mm for a size L in the low setting, but that never felt like an issue, especially considering the slack head angle and moderately long chainstays. I've said it before, but the race to have the longest possible reach seems to have slowed, and in this case the Nomad's numbers equate to a bike that's easy to stick into corners or tight, awkward maneuvers while also retaining its composure when bombing down a steep straightline.
The Nomad's rear suspension provides a supportive platform that leaves enough millimeters of squish in reserve for sudden bigger hits, while also making it possible to get the bike airborne without feeling like you're getting sucked into a waterbed.
As for the mixed wheel setup, I'm a fan, especially on a longer travel bike like this. That smaller wheel is further out of the way on the steeps, which broadens the range of body positions available while descending – getting lower helps add more stability, and makes it easy to carve the bike from side to side on loose trails to control speed.
Racing the Nomad
I raced the EWS 100 in Whistler over the summer in order to see how the Nomad would handle between the tape, and came away very happy with its performance, and medium-happy with mine. The tracks were steep and rough, with plenty of sections that required staying light on the bike to avoid wheel-sucking holes, or to maneuver around a sudden sharp turn.
The whole mixed-wheel vs. 29 debate will likely never end, and at the end of the day I'd say it really comes down to personal preference, and on the track. On a slightly flatter, more pedally course I could see a full 29” bike having a slight advantage, but on steeper tracks that require more aggressive bike maneuvering the mixed-wheel setup definitely has merit. All this is to say that the Nomad can certainly be used as a race bike if you're so inclined, especially if the course is steep and rough.
Santa Cruz Nomad V6
Canyon Torque
How Does It Compare?
Earlier this year I reviewed the Canyon Torque, another 170mm mixed-wheel machine that falls into a similar category as the Nomad. The travel amounts are the same between the two carbon bikes, but there are also significant differences, and not just when it comes to price.
The Torque has a 490mm reach that's paired with 435mm chainstays, numbers that I found made it feel less balanced than the Nomad. I felt more centered on the Nomad, where on the Torque the sensation of having a lot of bike in front of you and not as much out back was noticeable. The short chainstays do make the Torque a lot of fun in a bike park setting, or anywhere that blasting jumps and throwing speed wheelies takes priority. The Torque has 5mm more rear travel than the Nomad, and it's a little more eager to use that travel too – there's not quite as much support, or at least not on the coil-shock equipped version I tested, which makes it ride deeper into its travel.
As for price, the Torque handily wins that battle thanks to Canyon's consumer direct model. The Torque CF8 is $5,399 with a Shimano XT drivetrain and Fox Performance Elite suspension, which is $250 less than Santa Cruz's base model, SRAM NX model. The Nomad's frame does have a few details that the Torque is lacking, like room for a large water bottle and in-frame storage.
What about comparing the Nomad to the Megatower, its 29” wheeled stablemate? Well, where the Megatower never felt like it was taking the edge off repeated hits quite as well as I wanted, the Nomad's extra bit of travel, smaller rear wheel, and slightly different kinematics seem to have done the trick. They look very similar on paper (and in real life - they share the same front triangle), but the Nomad is the one that won me over – the Megatower's ride feel was a little harsh at times, and it seemed to take more effort to hang onto.
The 40mm stem and 35mm rise bars made for a great fit.
A longer travel dropper on the size large would have been useful.
Technical Report
Frame / bearing durability: This Nomad hasn't had an easy life so far. I had one fairly substantial crash in Whistler where I laid the bike down into a pile of rocks and loose dirt at a high rate of speed. A chunk of paint was removed from the top tube, but carbon itself survived, and it's held up to plenty of additional abuse since that spill. I pulled the link to check the bearings, and they're all still spinning smoothly. If they weren't, Santa Cruz offers a lifetime free bearing replacement program.
One frame feature that I wish was a little different is the flip chip. Realistically, I think Santa Cruz could get rid of it entirely and there wouldn't be too many complaints. Barring that, it's a bit tricky to swap the position of the chips without dropping anything – the driveside chip seems to always want to escape.
Fox Float X2: The Nomad's shock developed inconsistent rebound damping after a handful of rides due to aeration, which Fox fixed via a full rebuild and new seals. It's certainly not something that you'd want to happen on any bike, especially one in this price bracket. It does seem as if there has been an uptick in X2 issues lately, although I haven't heard any definitive answer as to the reason why.
Reserve Carbon wheels: I haven't had to touch the Reserve wheels, and that's saying something considering how many bike park laps they were subjected to. I also haven't had any flats (knock on wood), and that's with DoubleDown tires and no inserts at tire pressures in the low 20s.
Noise notes: The Nomad's a fairly quiet bike, although it's not quite as silent as the new Yeti SB160. Some of that may be from the oversized tube diameters - if anything's rattling it gets amplified by the frame. In this case, it was the AXS derailleur that was causing most of the noise. The clutch wasn't as loose as we've seen on other occasions, but it wasn't that strong either, and it didn't keep the chain from flopping around as much as I would have liked.
![photo]()
Frame / bearing durability: This Nomad hasn't had an easy life so far. I had one fairly substantial crash in Whistler where I laid the bike down into a pile of rocks and loose dirt at a high rate of speed. A chunk of paint was removed from the top tube, but carbon itself survived, and it's held up to plenty of additional abuse since that spill. I pulled the link to check the bearings, and they're all still spinning smoothly. If they weren't, Santa Cruz offers a lifetime free bearing replacement program.
One frame feature that I wish was a little different is the flip chip. Realistically, I think Santa Cruz could get rid of it entirely and there wouldn't be too many complaints. Barring that, it's a bit tricky to swap the position of the chips without dropping anything – the driveside chip seems to always want to escape.
Fox Float X2: The Nomad's shock developed inconsistent rebound damping after a handful of rides due to aeration, which Fox fixed via a full rebuild and new seals. It's certainly not something that you'd want to happen on any bike, especially one in this price bracket. It does seem as if there has been an uptick in X2 issues lately, although I haven't heard any definitive answer as to the reason why.
Reserve Carbon wheels: I haven't had to touch the Reserve wheels, and that's saying something considering how many bike park laps they were subjected to. I also haven't had any flats (knock on wood), and that's with DoubleDown tires and no inserts at tire pressures in the low 20s.
Noise notes: The Nomad's a fairly quiet bike, although it's not quite as silent as the new Yeti SB160. Some of that may be from the oversized tube diameters - if anything's rattling it gets amplified by the frame. In this case, it was the AXS derailleur that was causing most of the noise. The clutch wasn't as loose as we've seen on other occasions, but it wasn't that strong either, and it didn't keep the chain from flopping around as much as I would have liked.
Pros
+ Very well balanced geometry
+ Frame details are well executed, from the internal cable routing to the in-frame storage.
+ Excels in steep, rough terrain.
Cons
- High price of entry
- EXO+ tires and 175mm Reverb post don't quite match bike's capabilities
Pinkbike's Take
| The new Nomad has a blend of predictable handling and stability at speed that makes it an extremely enjoyable bike. It's the bike I was on for my most memorable rides of the season, ones where I revisited committing lines that aren't always on the table for me, and successfully navigated challenging new trails. Sure, correlation isn't causation, but the fact that I ended up successfully pushing my limits on multiple occasions while on the Nomad seems worth a mention. Is it expensive? You bet. Does it work very, very well? It sure does. Are there other bikes out there that offer a similar level of performance at a lower price? Possibly, but the Nomad does offer a level of refinement, both in construction and ride quality that isn't present across the board. |
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Must Read This Week
Again, anther reason why progression in suspension is so important.
I liked the part where they say "There's been no shortage of new bike launches from Santa Cruz this year – nearly every model in their lineup received at least some update, typically in the form of in-frame storage and slight geometry tweaks. The Nomad's revisions were a little more substantial, thanks to the change to a 29” front wheel."
Take my moneyz sir! Thank, Carl
What financing rates are you guys getting on your bike loans???
I ride a 2022 Tallboy and agree with every, single, word you wrote here..!
So's your sister, but someone had to marry her
I’ve owned alot of different bikes over the past 27years. My megatower v1 is probably the only one to feel as fresh as the day I bought it (with good preventative maintenance practices of course). Nothing on the frame has come loose, rattled or creaked over the 2 1/2 seasons I’ve been riding it. From 3000’ vert shuttles, 15’+ drops, big jump trails, bike park laps… it just keeps on running like a rolex.
That being said the most recent price hikes are beginning to look tougher and tougher to justify, even being a huge fan; If i were to buy the same build option for a MY22 V3 megatower it would cost me over $1500 more at my LBS than I paid for mine.. and one would think now that they’re using identical front triangles across some models that it would cut production costs quite a bit.. but what do I know
I was in the market for a bike about eight years ago, rode everything I could, and the Santa Cruz tallboy was a complete stand out for me. Felt more like my motocross bike than anything else out there. Recently, a buddy of mine was riding a lot of bikes, because of travel and rentals. He was done with modern geometry, ready to keep his old Trek Slash forever, until he wrote a mega tower!
There is something about Santa Cruz Bikes, I would summit up as just not very fun.
When it comes to my Tallboy, I’d say the hype is real- it’s the downhiller’s XC bike..
I ride it like I did my MX bike- aim for the peak of rocks and get off the brakes!
Santa Cruz bikes seem to smash rather than “pop”. I think of it as a preference rather than a good or bad thing.
I’m on a 2021 Tallboy frame because SC replaced my 2015 frame for a bad threaded insert. For free.
I was riding a berm track that was paved(!) and I messed up big- too much speed and went airborne sideways into the next one.. This should have been a nasty high side, instead that bike stuck, and shot right down to the next one.
Not even a shake. I don’t want another brand of bike..
Well, I’m trying to stay objective, rather than just throw out yet another opinion.
I’ve ridden motorized racing machinery all my life, and I never will make peace with bicycles. I owned a BMX bike for a few years and just gave up riding it. I sucked!
I judge a bike on how it works in an “oh shit moment”. That berm should have cartwheeled me off the planet! I haven’t owned a motocross bike that could keep it’s composure like that. Not even a swap!
This, is how I judge a bike..
There are cheaper cars that are more "exciting" and many cars that are cheaper and work just fine. However, they are really, really good cars.
That sums it up. Perfectly. Doesn’t feel fast until you check the stopwatch!
@KJP1230 I can only go on my own personal experience, but I was a suspension service tech for a few years and the Float X2 was one of, if not the most popular shock to come in for service. Part of that is because they are so prevalent, which is why you probably see them so much on your local trails, as they are part of a lot of complete bike builds. But the other side of it is that they just had so many problems on all the different revisions. You've been fortunate to have a rebuild once a year, but we saw a lot of customers needing rebuilds within weeks. Usually this was due to aeration of the damping oil and generally that seemed to be down to the main shaft seal not having adequate sealing. But we also had a streak of customers who had cracked damper bodies on the trunnion models. We couldn't ever definitively say if this was down to the excessive forces applied to trunnion mounts, but we also never saw the shocks come back with the same problem after we replaced the bodies, so we had suspicions of the bodies being over torqued at assembly time. Again, everyone has different experiences, but it was disappointing to see such an expensive product fail so regularly. For a long time the direct competitor was (and realistically still is) the Rockshox Super Deluxe, and we didn't see the same number of quality issues with those. That's not to say they were perfect, but they were my preference when recommending replacements.
Long story short, I dislike that a top tier shock has notable reliability issues after, what, 4 major revisions?
Every X2 I've had in the past has been reliable. The one I got 10 months ago doesn't like to hold air. Same story with almost everyone I know who's bought one in the last year. No issues with the Float X on the little bike
I did have a couple chain retention issues, however, that turned out to be the b-tension screw backing off on it's own. Once I loctited it, it was all fine.
I really like the thumb paddle for AXS.
Shoutout to Santa Cruz for helping expedite a solution rather than making me waiting for a Fox service. The replacement feels awesome, but now I'm just keeping my fingers crossed it doesn't blow again.
Also, my XL came with a 210mm OneUp dropper (I'm assuming they ran out of Reverbs), and I'm stoked!
It is a piece of crap, I couldn't possibly recommend anyone attempt to fix it, even Fox themselves are struggling with enormous repair wait times. Just get a shock that won't waste your time blowing itself up.
Probably won't run it again, just sitting in a box by my desk.
It did need the complete gambit of a new damper, tube, and seals though. And I'm sure it will happen again soon
I was just thinking the other day when I was rebuilding my sisters failed 2020 float X2 about how bike media seem to pretend this (and other issues with other products) issue doesn't actually exist. The fact that this is being just mentioned now by Kaz really highlights how bad the problem has become.
Some other examples:
Fox CTD dampers that almost killed people, media really only admitted they were garbage after new fit damper was released
Shimano wandering bite point (literally ignored for 5+ years before media started admitting this was an issue)
Sram Eagle-chain riding up on biggest cogs of cassette (only noted 2-3 years after eagles introduction)
Maxxis Exo+ casing tires that died rampantly by pinch flats on the rim (only ever noted AFTER the new EXO+ revision came out this year, also will note these tires were used and likely died frequently within all of field tests as control tires with no mention of their reliability issues)
Shimano 12spd clutch failures (known issue rarely mentioned)
etc.
etc.
etc.
One could argue that some of these issues may not have been picked up during a short-term bike test or review. But, having experienced all of the above, I can tell you that they were all readily apparent rather quickly and thus sugar coating and ignoring issues with products is one of the most ubiquitous problems with Mtn bike media (quite frankly this has been happening since the 90s)
It's kinda like selling BMWs. You pay a premium for an M3 over a similar performing Camero/Mustang, so an M3 can't just be "nice". It has to have some sort of special sauce other cars don't, and accoridng to this review the Nomad has it.
"The Torque CF8 is $5,399 with a Shimano XT drivetrain and Fox Performance Elite suspension, which is $250 less than Santa Cruz's base model, SRAM NX model"
And that bike has a Zeb R and Super Deluxe Select... The comparable Santa Cruz spec is over $1000 more and you still don't even get the same level of suspension. This is against a direct sales brand, but there are lots of non direct sales brands offering substantially more value for the dollar.
And yes, exactly... if I'm going to spend $1000+ more than a comparable bike, then it better be a f*cking amazing bike.... but I've done 3 day demo's each on the megatower and hightower, yes they were very good bikes but their performance doesn't beat out most other bikes at this level, in fact there were times where I didn't get along with Santa Cruz's suspension design. That design is also annoying to clean and keep properly maintained.
I think part of the problem is that mountain bike suspension has kind of reached a point where it's pretty easy to develop a really really good bike these days. So if you're going to charge me $1000+ more for your bike... there better be a very, very good reason. I just don't see it with Santa Cruz.
Good marketing is a powerful thing... staying objective is hard and then self justifying your own terrible choices is very, very easy.
The Canyon that is mentioned here is currently $4,899 and comes with full Shimano XT drivetrain, Fox Factory rear shock, and Fox Performance Elite (all you're missing is Kashima) fork. The closest comparable Santa Cruz Nomad is the $8499 GX AXS, which offers an inferior rear shock (Select+) and the Carbon C frame, although you do get a robot derailleur (otherwise, I'd say GX and XT fairly comparable).
To be clear, that is a $3,600 difference for very similar build kit bikes. The Santa Cruz is 173% the price of the Canyon.
Worried about warranty? Hell - if you get 1 season of riding in before you need to warranty, you can buy a second bike outright and come out roughly ahead financially.
$4500 less.
Santa Cruz has a basic layout that they've worked the kinks out of, and it's flexible enough in concept to tweak into different flavors.
I got a SantaCruz after riding a few bikes. Do I care one iota that the bike looks like other Santa Cruz models? Nope, not one bit.
On the flip side im never buying a bike that expensive anyway I guess haha.
but i am 100% wrong ,because this product are for people with money..and they really doesn't care about the price 8-10-12k its the same .
@RogerMexico I have not had any shock issues, but I am keeping a close eye on it. My aforementioned friend has an S-Works model and the carbon yoke cracked and he blew out the seal on his DHX2. He is a big guy though. I have an alloy yoke on mine and he actually replaced his with alloy as well. Neither of us have had any problems with them since. My shock set up is dumb simple being a Bomber CR with a MRP progressive spring. Not much to it and it feels super solid as well as plenty plush while not blowing through the travel and still having good pop.
And here's another way to look at the pricing:
Prices ranging from a brand new Honda CRF300L to a Beta 350 RR-S.
My 2018 Hightower V2 for example is still relevant with minimal upgrades from SC for 2022. Has two different cascade links available (mullet or longer travel). Pedals really well, descends everything within reason (can be upgraded or beefed up) is around 31lbs and rolls with new bearings every year. As of last week you could buy a brand new 2021 for $5000 on PB buy and sell and there are lots of used ones.
Should anyone ever buy a SC, Trek, Yeti for the sticker price of $12,000? Not unless your passion is affordable at that level. For anyone else the options around the mid tier are amazing pickups. Santa Cruz in particular are perfect in this market even if the name isn't as cool as it used to be.
I think more importantly they've decreased the _rate of change_ in anti-squat around the sag point. Bikes with low and consistent AS might squat, but they stay squatted and truck up stuff. With high and consistent AS, they "stand-up and go" up stuff. It's bikes with low and variable AS that start to feel wallowy, and high and variable AS is inch-wormy, unless you can pedal absolutely perfect circles (you can't).
I expect the X2 to blow up, but luckily there’s a Fox service center about 10 minutes from my house. The issue seems to be more common with the trunnion mount models, especially on the Transition bikes that do not have brace between L/R side of the rocker in front of the seatpost subjecting the shock to greater twisting wear and tear. No experience with the coil set up, but I’ll likely pick up a DPX2 or Öhlins coil soonish.
they reserve the right to not replace your frame or components for _any_ reason and propose a deal instead (eg buy an older frame model from them at a discount).
basically all you really get is free bearings for life (which is nice) and warranty if you're lucky or big on instagram or something.
learned this the hard way, they recommended to warranty my frame then asked money anyway because i use another fork on it and they dont know how i ride the bike or the bike. heh.
5k plus for a carbon frame and full retail for all the parts?
Every comparable GX build from Transition is around $500 less than Santa Cruz’s offerings, with specs that really make the price difference around $2,000. SC puts a mid tier fork/shock and SRAM Guide/G2 brakes on their build, Transition specs Zeb Ultimate/top tier shocks and Code RSC brakes on a bike(s) that cost $500 less. I hate to keep making the dentist joke with some of these brands, but nothing about an SC bike is worth their pricing in 2022 when almost every bike from every brand is pretty excellent and have pretty marginal differences in ride quality.
That said, who cares if “all their bikes look the same”? Almost every brand has this going on, particularly, similarly overpriced brands like Yeti.
You appear to be saying that you prefer a roomier bike than the manufacturers suggest for your height. In that case, you size up or look elsewhere. No bike is made to suit everyone's individual preferences.
Surprised that Santa Cruz hasn’t already figured this out, since all there bikes have similar setups.
To understand what AS is at sag, the chart should show the entire travel. From the included AS chart you don't know if they sent the Bronson chart over (most likely) or just cut off the last 20mm of travel thinking it unimportant.
Furthermore, AS near bottom out does matter, as you want it to be as low as possible.
That being said, you are right that it would make more sense to see the whole curve.
Pacific Islanders need to address this soon.
1.Cook Islands (32.9)
2.Nauru (32.5)
3.Niue (32.4)
4. Samoa (32.2)
5. Tonga (32.2)
6. Tuvalu (30.
7. Kiribati (30.1)
8. Saint Lucia (30.0)
9. Micronesia (29.7)
10.Egypt (29.6)
worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/obesity-rates-by-country