Everyone is going high-tech, high-carbon, and high cost these days, but Santa Cruz keeps it real with the all-new Nickel Frame. The Nickel comes equipped with a Fox Float RP23 shock, which provides 5 inches of travel via Santa Cruz's brand new APP suspension technology. APP stands for Actual Pivot Point, and uses two suspension links to create variable shock rates similar to those found in Santa Cruz's famed VPP suspension. APP provides the light weight and simplicity of a typical single-pivot s
When I am not complaining about the brakes, ( Which have been solved BTW by changing the rotors from Avid BR1 to Cleansweep G2 .) Otherwise I love this bike. It has not been completely trouble free going back into the shop for creaks from pivots. But hopefully this is all sorted out now. But a very capable climber and awesome decender.
Strengths: Incredibly fun to ride. Climbs as strong as any bike I've ever ridden and feels solid descending. I've taken this shuttling on chunky dh trails and not felt out of place. No negative squishy traits to speak of (bob, jack, etc). Also a very reasonably price framed.
Weaknesses: By the numbers, the frame is slightly heavy. But I can't feel it riding.
Strengths: awesome geometry, looks cool, pedals great, feels stable in corners....it's a santa cruz, duh.
Weaknesses: not sure
Bottom Line:
I should wait to review this bike because I have only ridden it one time. Although I can tell from my 3 hour ride how amazing the bike is. I'm not sure I've ever owned a bike that I've smiled as much when riding it. It pedals great, it rails corners (and feels stable through the corner), the build kit is really good. I bought this bike on a Sunday morning, and by Sunday afternoon was riding. I will review later when I have put more time on it, but for now it's a winner.
Similar Products Used: Heckler, Parker, Stinky, Chameleon...
Bike Setup: All I changed form the build kit was a shorter stem, wider bars and shorter cranks.
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Submitted by
Eckstream1
a Weekend Warrior
from Reading, Pa USA
Date Reviewed: February 6, 2012
Strengths: Climbs better than any FS bike I've rode, doesn't bob while hammering out of the saddle, handles drops/jumps/roots with ease, great value for the money, gets lots of attention on the trails, the list goes on and on... Truely the best bike I've ever owned!
Weaknesses: Cable routing around the pivot point causes cable rub (fixed with frame patches), no ISCG tabs (big brother Butcher gets em)
Other than those two this bike is perfect...
Bottom Line:
This bike will do anything... From a mellow XC ride to moderate FR. Excels at climbing and at home bombing down your favorite line... Much better value than other bikes in it's class/price...
Bike Setup: 2011 D Build... SLX F/R, Sektor R, Float R, Juicy 3's
Sunline V1 50mm Stem, Bell Dart Saddle, Answer Rove FR Pedals
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Submitted by
Hgth33
a Weekend Warrior
from Jakarta Indonesia
Date Reviewed: November 18, 2011
Strengths: - Burly frame for trailbike category
- Ease of maintenance (pivot bearings easy to clean)
- Ample rear tire mud clearance (important for "wet weather" countries)
- Great looking bike IMHO
- Value for money
- Its a Santa Cruz!
Weaknesses: - NONE (maybe the lack of seabright blue color option for 2012? Also, I like the 2011 letter design better)
Bottom Line:
Awesome bike. I am rider who rides around 70% XC and 30% AM / light FR and the bike is perfect. Fully recommend it to anyone who's cost conscious, wants some brand prestige, but at the same time needs a real "do-it-all-rig". At 7.3 pounds, I can't feel the heft while pedaling (and I haven't used the propedal lever so far). What I like most is how versatile the bike is. Slap some light Maxxis Ikon tires for hilly / flowy XC singletrack riding or Nevegals for AM / light freeride duties at the mountain peaks, it rides like its at home. Much better handling than the previous bikes I have owned. Seem to absorb anything you throw at it. Bumped up the front travel to 140mm with DT Swiss forks with 725mm bars / 70mm stem and it feels fantastic on the downhills, especially with the slacker head angle. The bike is confidence inspiring and I feel that my skill level upped a notch. Rear shock didn't bottom out even though went through various rocky and rooty terrain. Living in a tropical area where mud is common, the ample mud clearance at the rear certainly helps. So far the best bike I have owned, not to forget that it looks good too.
Submitted by
shipcake
a Weekend Warrior
from Knoxville, TN
Date Reviewed: November 15, 2011
Strengths: -CLIMBS! For its weight (28.6lbs is my setup) it tracks uphill like a boss! For all those weight weenies, life is short, so pick up any good bike and build some more muscle.
-SUSPENSION! Fox FTW, I've never had better experiences with the new RP23 Boostvalve, and the Fox Alps up front eats up boulders as if they were small pebbles!
-SMOOTH! Newest Elixir 5 brakes offer NO noise yet tremendous dime-stopping power! Shifters flawless!
-BURLY! Takes several foot drops onto concrete with grace! This bike is built right.
Weaknesses: None yet!
Bottom Line:
A damn solid bike. My first Santa Cruz, so coming from Giant and other stuff, I am unbiased, but what a fun bike!
It eats anything, screw geometry obsessors...at 6 feet even this size large is perfect for me and I go up and down stuff with EASE. One of most worthwhile bikes I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing!
Similar Products Used: 2007 Giant Anthem 0, 2008 DMR Trailstar custom, 2011 Hito 24" Street trials
Bike Setup: Shimano Deore LX, Elixir 5's, Fox Alps 130mm, Fox RP23 Boostvalve, Maxxis Crossmarks
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Submitted by
Tjay
a Cross Country Rider
from San Jose, Ca., USA
Date Reviewed: October 24, 2011
Strengths: -Climbing efficiency
-Can take a beating. It loves jumps/drops and even stutter bumps!! PLUSH all thoughout its travel!
-With the short/med rear derr & stinger chainguide, this bike is stealth! Only thing I hear is the back tire when landing on the jumps/drops.
-With RP23 set at "1" in Pro-Pedal, the rearend stays stiff while I'm on or off saddle and absorbs small (1"-3") bumps while NOT interrupting the pedalling efficiency like hardtail does.
-Slack Head Angle: 68* for 130mm fox float which I plan on getting push'd and extended to 140mm. This should make the HA even more slacker. ;)
-Perfect TT, 23" for Medium! Normally I buy small (21-22" TT) but I like long top tupe (23" at least) so that I can run short stem and wide bars... The seat tube and tt is perfect fit for me!
Weaknesses: -Weight of the frame. 7 lbs for medium (but you only feel this when lifting the bike. Pedalling it, I can't tell the weight penalty.
-My 2012 came with fox float RL rear shocks and it only has pro-pedal and lock-out option. This make the rearend of the bike felt like a hardtail. Idk why SC even bother selling these bike with the RL. It should be JUST RP23!
-Tires. 2.1 really? I slapped 2.4 Pan-FR in the front and 2.25 No-Nic rear. It has less rolling resistance than the tires this bike came with. Try it!
Bottom Line:
Dont let the weight push you away from buying this bike. I'm a weight weenie myself (19 lbs xc & 23 lbs AM/HT) and had to really think about buying this bike, I'm really happy that I did! The bike sits at 31 lbs but I ride it with an added weight of 2 lbs (from bottle water on the bike frame which I normally dont carry on my other bikes.). At 33 lbs, the bike still climbs well. As a matter of fact, it is only 1 minute slower than my 23 lbs hardtail on a 2200', 2.6 mile climb.
Stutter bumps (1-3"), this thing just absorbs it and I have my tire psi set at 30! Before on my hardtail, I ride it at 22-25 psi but never went pass 25 psi. Now with the nickel, I can get away with running 30 psi and still very plush!
3' drops and jumps is plush too! I cant even bottom out the shock. I will release some air on it and see if I can use up all the travel because right now, I have it set to 130 psi and I'm 150 lbs geared with this, I still have 19 mm left on the travel.
Value Rating is 5 chillis because I got this for cheap! $2500 out the door!!
Value Rating is 5 because It is the bike that you would consider, DO-IT-ALL!
Bike Setup: Medium:
-2008 RP23 (bought used but in excellent condition, $160)
-60mm kcnc stem
-740mm answer bar red
-32T bbg bashguard (looks great, lightweight and can take a beating!)
-stinger BB mount chainguide (for stealth mode)
-hawk-racing BB red
-kcnc skewers red
-gravity dropper descender
-2010 specialized phenom saddle
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Submitted by
M-80 Rider
a Cross Country Rider
from SoCal
Date Reviewed: October 20, 2011
Strengths: Great ride, sharp looks, excellent climber
Weaknesses: None so far. If I had to name something, I'd say the Avid Juicy 3 brakes. On big downhills, they can get "grabby." but that doesn't happen often where I ride.
Bottom Line:
I agonized over whether I should upgrade the 12-year-old hardtail or get this. Glad I did. It's opened a whole new world of MTB. The ride is easier on the body, too.
Submitted by
jeepdc
a Weekend Warrior
from Albany, NY
Date Reviewed: October 16, 2011
Strengths: The suspension design on this bike is really good and the bike's geometry is perfect for a trail bike. The bike climbs surprisingly well (yes, better than hardtail) and the downhills are handled by the five inches of suspension. The bike is comfortable to ride and responsive to rider input. There is no noticeable bob.
Frame parts (bearings,hanger, etc.) can be purchased easily from SC.
Weaknesses: You will pay a few bucks more for a SC bike.
Bottom Line:
The Nickel is a fun bike to ride. If you are a trail rider looking for a tough bike, the Nickel is a good option. True, the frame is heavier than other comparable frames but the bike rides lighter than the scale would indicate.
Bike Setup: D XC kit (Sektor fork) with upgraded SLX crank and XT cassette.
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Submitted by
rcharland38
a Weekend Warrior
from New York
Date Reviewed: August 17, 2011
Strengths: This is my first full suspension bike, however, my fear was that climbing would be an issue compared to my hardtail. This was NOT the case. The Nickel climbs quickly, efficiently and goes where you point it. The decents are fast. The bike just wants to go. The rear suspension feels bottomless, setting the sag to 20%. The five inches of travel appear to be perfect for my East Coast rocky/rooty trails. The Avid Elixer brakes have great stopping power, not noisy or transmit any modulation. Seemless and perfect. I added the Chris King tapered headset and I think it makes a difference campared to the Cane Creek I have on another bike. The Maxxis Cross Mark 2.1 tires are good for cornering, however, I really prefer the Kenda Navegals 2.35 from my other bikes and will swap these out after the season. The Lizard Skins lock-on grips are also very good. I am a big fan of the ODI grips on my other bikes, however, I do not feel compelled to swap these any time soon. The SPX xc package is a well thought out mix of exactly what I needed to get started with.
Weaknesses: The overweight rider. I also do notice cable rubs more than I would have expected after only 7 weeks on the bike. I use a camelback so the bottle cage clearence is not a concern for me.
Bottom Line:
I highly recommend this bike for those who ride East Coast trails, have lived on hardtail bikes and don't want to lose the ability to climb, while drastically improving their decending capabilities. The bike weighs in around 29 lbs. and is about the same as my hardtail. This bike really flies fast. The move from hardtail to full suspension really helps stay connected to the trail and float above the trail chatter.
The week after I took delivery of the bike, the model year changed and prices went up. I think the 2012 specs are a little different, but with same or similar results.
Pretty awesome bike for general trail/all mountain riding. Heck, I even take it to the park for slopestyle and dirt jumps. Very good investment if you aren't a biking beast. Only qualm is the Elixir 5's, which can be a bit noisy/shaky if not taken care of.
Submitted by
jcoe8888
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver, CO
Date Reviewed: April 2, 2011
Strengths: Plush rear travel, slack head tube angle eats up everything
Weaknesses: Weight, 1st gen bugs, slack head tube results in less weight on the front wheel during climbs.
Bottom Line:
True, it is heavier than I expected it to be when I first put down my deposit, but I can always break out the old hardtail when I want. I'm not afraid to drop it into the granny gear for a climb. It may be from CA, but it seems ideal for franger trails like Mt Falcon, Hall Ranch, etc.
Being from CO, I REALLY wanted to buy a Yeti. ASR 5 was a little too much of a racing machine, and with less front travel and a straight single pivot design, no where near as plush. The 575 on the other hand was like riding around in a Cadillac with no shocks (and maybe even hydraulics!)...too plush. The Nickel won out in my test rides, and was *just right.*
Watch out for cable rub on the rear triangle, which I noticed after a few rides...such are the challenges with getting a 1st gen bike.
Bike Setup: R xc build kit with RP23, swapped out stock fork for Fox Float Fit RLC 140
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Submitted by
bwp
a Weekend Warrior
from Bandung, West Java, Indonesia
Date Reviewed: January 19, 2011
Strengths: Plush and bottomless suspension feel, none of noticeable pedal-bob (it is very nice to climb on rocky terrains with propedal turned off), very stable on both extra-slow climbs and fast descents, rear wheel traction is excellent.
Weaknesses: Weight, but I don't mind, it's not an xc-racing bike.
Bottom Line:
This is just the right bike for me. I'm 5'7" which is right in the middle of the Medium Nickel's sizing chart. (5'7" is right between "S" and "M" on many bikes so it was hard to choose the size for me). The Nickel seems to have a very well-designed center of weight position as it feels very stable and easy to control. Hi chainstay position is very helpfull and looks cool.
Similar Products Used: Giant Anthem and some hardtails
Bike Setup: RS Revelation Race 140 fork, XT drivetrain, Hayes brakes, Crossride wheels
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Submitted by
sgooch627
a Weekend Warrior
from Long Island, NY
Date Reviewed: January 12, 2011
Strengths: Like the previous reviewer I traded up to the Nickel from my previous Heckler. That being said, it definitely climbs much better (which is one of the reasons why I purchased it) but more importantly I am able to set it up with the show where I get better small bump compliance and yet it has a more bottomless feel when I needed it. I also noticed I am able to ride through the twisty sections we have here on LI much more efficiently due in part to the fact that I can sit lower in the suspension without sacrificing power to the pedals and the bottomless feel.
Weaknesses: Right now I'm the only weakness.
Bottom Line:
Bottom line is this is a great bike that offers many characteristics of a VPP bike with the lower maintenance of a more single pivot type of setup. This is the 3rd Santa Cruz that I have owned (Heckler/Bullit) and I continue to be a fan of their product and value they have in all their bikes.
Similar Products Used: Heckler (which I had for approx 4 years)
Bike Setup: swapped all my heckler parts over along with upgrading my brakes to the newest offering from Formula. Its set up for all mountain - Fox Float RLC, thompson post, mavic wheels, easton carbon bars, XT cranks and derailurs, WTB Wolverine tires.
