New Santa Cruz XC Machine

Well Santa Cruz jumped back into XC racing this year sponsoring a World Cuo team.

that kinda meant that the outdated Blur was gonna need a refresh.

with the first round of WC XCO racing this weekend....lots of pics coming out of a new rig. Rumor has it, public announcement is coming anytime.

Biggest surprise is that they have ditched the VPP suspension.....looking like a single pivot with flex pivot.

no details as of yet....

 

That looks fast... And spindly!

But still no hardtail love... The Lizard design is two years older than the Blur and seems outdated compared to the direction the industry is headed. But, it's still selling like hotcakes, so why update it...

 

Flexstays are the hot ticket this year.

I was trying to read the decal on the seat stay... Can't make it out..

 

Looks to read Good Life.

Love the simplicity of the Blur. That’s the only thing it’s got on my Ranger as far as I can tell.

 

I'm no expert on suspension but looks like Fox Float DPS Factory Remote shock(?) but I don't recognize the blue and red arrow logo decal on the air can so wondering if it's some new technology?

 

Yeah, lots of unknowns right now.

 

I really like the current Blur TR bikes... Would probably be a better bike for me then the Tallboy 3 for how I ride. Pretty similar geometry, but lighter and with the remote lockout.

 

Yeti ASR suspension.

 

A non-VPP Santa Cruz? Interesting. Looks good. Can't help but notice what look like 3 cage bolt holes on the down tube.

 

My Evo has the 3 holes and a flex Stay. Hhmm..
Pretty sure the holes are for different mounting options for the bottle, which is nice. Larger or smaller bottle within reach. If anyone knows another reason for the 3 holes I'm all ears!

 

I still have nightmares from TheProfessor’s ASR.

 

I've come to associate the three holes with bike-packing friendly brands, like Surly and Salsa. Maybe it is just the way forward for frames that have room for it?

 

This isn't the first SC bike to have 3 holes... The early runs of the Chameleon had 2 on the underside of the down tube, but later runs have 3. You can change cage position, or mount something really big like one of the Blackburn cages.

 

Anybody want to buy a slightly used Pivot Les?

 

Little confused by the chain guide

 

Only 10,000 highway miles!

 

Per the Pinkbike article:

“Chainguides used be big clunky things used only on DH and freeride bikes, but now that 1x driverains have taken over they're used in all disciplines, including the gram-conscious cross-country world. After all, a dropped chain is much more likely to wreck a race than the 35 gram weight penalty that a tiny guide like the chainstay-mounted one found on this bike incurs.”

 

Almost never crashed...

 

OK, so who's gonna get one of these new SC frames when they are released?

 

You can bet I will!!!!



(I'm lying. I don't suffer from N+1 and if I did, this type of bike would not be it.)

 

You're way too cool (living by the beach and all) for this newfangled SC bike, anyway.

 

Who is racing might be the pre-question. I doubt this is a bike for just going out and ripping your local terrain for fun, though it will be used that way no doubt.

 

Each and every one of us is a racer if you take these simple three scenarios into account.

Racing for money.
Racing for fun.
Racing (for PRs) down the mountain.

As you've stated, this bike will do any and all of them, with pleasure.

 

What if I don't do any of the three anymore? Actually, I've only done the middle one, but not since about 2012. And that SC would be the very last bike I would have wanted in the races I did (see avatar).

I never did the first one - neither did anyone else on this forum, other than the OG forum owner. Unless maybe some of you are into wagering.

 

I love that it's newfangled but exactly the same suspension design Yeti used in 2002. At the time, Yetis were longer and slacker than other bikes, so ahead of the curve. Still short and steep by today's standards though. So in that light, yes the SC is "newfangled."

 

I've seen you in videos racing DH (descending a blurry speeds) on your local trails.

 

Nope. I have never raced on my local trails, and I don't think there is video footage of me. I do like to break the park speed limit of 10 mph though.

 

Racing, not in a competitive way, simply "going fast".

Example: The rider was racing down the hill to get back to his car as quickly as he could.

 

I was there for one or two of those.

 

What size is it? I many be interested in the frame only, if that is an option. Do you have pics. You can text or DM me.