The re-engineered Santa Cruz Blur XC has jaws dropping again, offering more innovation and further improvements in the construction of carbon mountain bikes.
Strengths: Best climbing & efficient bike for long rides.
Weaknesses: Frame Sizing
Bottom Line:
This is the perfect cross country bike.
I'm 5' 10" & all my bikes are Medium size frame, the distributor here advice me to get the Medium.
However, the cockpit feel cramp even with a 100mm stem & it is clear that the sizing is smaller than the industry standards. After the bike is build, the distributor agrees that the size is small for me as my lower back hunch excessively in normal riding position.
I love this bike so much that I placed an order for a Large size frame to transfer my component over & It is unfortunate for me that we do have customer satisfaction policy here that I have to dispose my Medium frame via ebay at an anticipate lost.
If you wanna avoid costly lesson, NEVER trust a sales person to fit a bike size by looking at your physical appearance. Instead, write to Santa Cruz to check sizing & these guys read & reply mail promptly,
In a nutshell, this is the bike by which I judge all other full suspension XC bikes. Santa Cruz has nearly a decade of experience building VPP frames and it truly shows with this iteration of the Blur XC. The bike accelerates quickly when you put the power down without undue monkey motion from the suspension. Stand on grind or sit and spin the result is the same, forward motion without bobbing. The Fox shock with Propedal helps in this department, but even with the Propedal at the lowest setting, you still get minimal bobbing. Due to the light weight and dialed suspension, the bike climbs better than any other FS bike I have ridden.
So, you think great, it climbs well, it must suck going down hill. You would be wrong. The VPP suspension soaks up hits like nobody's business when the trail points down. If anything, I think it works better as your speed increases. This bike just soaks up square edged hits and drops (within reason) and lets me descend faster than I would on ANY hardtail. And, when it's time to slow down, you don't have to worry about brake jack like on some other FS bikes I've ridden.
So, how does it handle? Amazingly fast is how it handles. I have the bike set up with a 100 mm fork and can honestly say that it took a bit to get used to how quickly this bike turns in compared to the 2004 Blur that it replaced. The Chainstays are shorter than on the old Blur and this combined with an XC oriented head angle makes for almost instantaneous steering. I kept early apexing turns for the first few rides until I got more used to how fast this thing handles. You can slow that down a bit by putting a longer travel fork on it.
So, it climbs great, descends great, handles great! What more could you want? A lower price maybe, but this is a boutique bike brand and we know we're going to pay more for it than your average Trek or Specialized.
What are you waiting for, go out and buy one. You won't be dissapointed!
Bike Setup: Manitou Marvel Expert fork (Super stiff & aids the awesome handling of the Blur)
Hope hubs laced to Mavic 717s
X9 drivetrain & shifters
Avid BB7 brakes (yea, I have yet to drink the hydro Koolaid)
Thomson Seat Elite Seat Post
Selle Italia Flight saddle
Easton EA70 Stem
LP Carbon handlebar
Shimano 535 pedals (heavy but bulletproof)
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Submitted by
TX_Outdoors
a Cross Country Rider
from San Antonio,Texas
Date Reviewed: January 15, 2012
Strengths: Carbon, if your not on it, you're missing out. Of course it is light and handles great. Everything positive that you have read about this bike is true.
Weaknesses: Cheesy decal/logos
Bottom Line:
I had been riding the original Blur for the last 9 years The original Blur (classic) was my dream bike. It lived up to the hype. Light, quick handling, climbed great, full suspension perfected. In December my frame broke at the seatpost tube above the bottom bracket. This is a common defect according to posts. Santa Cruz was great and replaced my frame with the option of a free super light frame or Carbon Blur for $900 ( fair considering the frame retails for $2499 and my frame was almost 10 years old). Great support from SC. The ride is amazing. Completely happy, didn't know my dream bike could get better. If you havent test riden a Santa Cruz, do it. The bikes are worth the money. I've ridden every make/model out there and nothing compares.
Bike Setup: XT/ XTR, Thompson, race face cranks/bottom brackets, Chris king headset, fox shocks front/rear, mountain kings
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Submitted by
Fiendbear
a Cross Country Rider
from San Mateo County
Date Reviewed: September 28, 2011
Strengths: I have yet to find a flaw with this bike. Light, stiff, fast, stable at speed, quick handling, outstanding component group... the Ferrari of mountain bikes.
Weaknesses: Price of course.
Bottom Line:
Believe the other reviews, the Blur XCc is a phenomenal bike. I beat this bike hard, and it just smiles back and says "give me more". I find the 69.5 degree HA with a Fox F100RLC provides the bike with perfect balance - not too aggressive, not too relaxed, and matches up superbly with the Monarch RT3 in back. The new M980 XTR groupset and Formula The One brakes are icing on the cake.
Once you get the fork and shock dialed in, just set and forget. Love the RT3 on this bike - I run it wide open all the time. It just eats up tight, twisty single track and fast, choppy downhill bombs. The bike climbs equally well sitting or standing and mashing, with no peddle bob.
The Blur XCc is definitely race-worthy, yet easily keeps pace with AM bikes. You will be flying by other riders whether going up or downhill. You can't possibly go wrong with this bike.. it truly is the best XC bike available.
Submitted by
Steve
a Weekend Warrior
from Mountain View
Date Reviewed: August 26, 2011
Strengths: Clever Component Groups
Weaknesses: Avid Elixirs
Bottom Line:
If you love the feel of VPP, you'll love this bike. I love it, but the anti-squat nature of the VPP bugged one of my riding buddies and he ended up on a Yeti, so ride before you buy, even it it's just around the parking lot.
One thing Santa Cruz has always done is to come up with really clever build kits. My SPX xc kit was 1 lb heaver than XTR, but the components that matter - contact (bars and seat) and swing weight (stem, seatpost, rims), are the same, so I opted for durability over weight, not to mention saving $1200.
I am not so crazy about the Elixir brakes. The reservoir is small, so I end up bleeding the levers every six months or so. And the brakes came with metallic pads, which were OK on the front, but terrible on the rear (grabby with poor modulation). Organic pads fixed the rear - turning the brakes from terrible to wonderful. But this is largely moot, since the new SPX xc kit uses XT brakes. I read this past year that Avid has addressed the reservoir problem in the latest iteration of the Elixirs. Stil, I would the try XT next time. The non hygroscopic nature of mineral oil is appealing.
Similar Products Used: Santa Cruz Superlight (10 years)
Specialized Epic (parking lot test ride)
Santa Cruz Blur LT (parking lot test ride)
Ibis Mojo (parking lot test ride)
Bike Setup: SPXc - XT level with Sram drivetrain
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Submitted by
OffTheGrid
a Cross Country Rider
from Seattle, WA, USA
Date Reviewed: August 2, 2011
Strengths: Climbs, descents, tracks like it is on rails, looks, simplicity
Weaknesses: Price (you get what you pay for on this frame though)
Bottom Line:
BELIEVE THE HYPE. This is absolutely the best performing xc bike I have ever ridden. I was skeptical of all the hype surrounding the climbing capability of this bike. One ride in a pack and I am a true believer. I pass guys who used to beat my butt on climbs like they're backing up. I can't believe the way this bike responds on an angle. It also tracks like it is on rails and soaks up the bumps like a 5"+ bike. I rode a Specialized FSR XC for several years thinking there was little to gain in buying a new rig. WOW was I wrong. I just wish I had done it sooner. I have taken this bike down Crank It Up and B-Line with no problems whatsoever and have confidence it can handle more (I don't push the airs too much). The bike is truly at home on lonely epic singletrack or on the xc course at Sea Otter. I absolutely love the simplicity of the XX 2x10 setup too. I'm 5'11" and 173lb and I ride primarily technical singletrack on a LG frame in the Pac NW on dry to sloppy conditions. Buy it if you ride xc and want to beat your buddies handily both up and down. Skip if you are less inclined to earn your DH the old fashioned way.
Similar Products Used: Specialized FSR XC full XTR kit; Klein Palomino; Gary Fisher Sugar 2
Bike Setup: SRAM XX group (ders, brakes, shifters, chain, bb, crankset), SID XX 120mm fork, Fox RP23 shock, Thompson Elite Seatpost and Stem, Easton EC70 Bars, WTB Rocket V SLR Saddle, Dave's SpeedDream King Disc/Stans Tubeless Wheelset, Kenda Nevegal UST tires, Cane Creek S8 headset, ODI grips. ~22.5 lbs
Bike Setup: XT groupset, Fulcrum Red Zero wheelset, reba race.
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Submitted by
Oddbjorn
a Cross Country Rider
from St. Paul, MN
Date Reviewed: June 18, 2011
Strengths: Stiff, fast, easy to service. Adaptable for racing, riding epics, or just messing around on local trails. Super easy to make a super light bike if that's your thing.
Weaknesses: Too pretty to ride!
Bottom Line:
I've put a lot of miles on this bike in the past 18 months and it's still a sweet, grin-inducing ride regardless of terrain. Great climber, but really shows its pedigree when swooping loopy single track at a fast pace. It's a speedy fun ride that has been well worth the bucks.
Similar Products Used: Santa Cruz Superlignt for many years
Bike Setup: SRAM XO shifters and rear derailleur; AVID Elixir brakes with 6 inch rotors front and rear; Easton XC One wheels; XTR crankset with eggbeater ti pedals; Reba Race on the front and Fox RP 23 on the back.
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Submitted by
pluzall
a Cross Country Rider
from san francisco
Date Reviewed: April 11, 2011
Strengths: i "regressed" to this frame from 5.5 to 4" travel - no regrets!- after having had an ibis mojo sl for 2 years - i never loved the ibis - it always felt like a newborn horse- not quite in control of its long legs - Blur is not as plush as the ibis - but it sure makes up with much better handling - i can pick lines i could never do with the ibis - near telepathic, i no longer have to guess if it will stick through the turn - Blur frame craftsmanship is amazing - makes ibis look like a garage carbon job - details, finish & alignement are fantastic - did i mention the frame is stiff? - ibis wasnt nearly as stiff, even w lopes link
- i have been riding bikes from the mid eighties, and there were several "pivotal bikes" through the years - Blur xc carbon is another one
A word on 2011 xtr - shifting is superb - whole groupo is very quiet smooth - brakes are insane, way better compared to anything avid i had in the past - true one finger braking (trail version)- 180/160 setup is the way to go -
Weaknesses: bit on the firm side - but expected from a super efficient xc platform
Bottom Line:
love this bike - its fast as hell - amazing climber - best out of saddle rear suspension
Strengths: Laterally quite rigid fairly light, sleek looks without looking too wanky.. Frame itself awesome, with the troubles I have had with components on this particular bike, the Frame is the only thing stopping me from selling it all and starting again.
Weaknesses: Pivots require regular attention, The components on my particular bike. (XT derailleur, lasted three months, HG chain snapped first ride, Avid elixir 5 brakes, stop well but lack adjustabillity, Truvative handlebars too much back sweep for a cross country bike, Sid team shocks the most flimsy flexible shock I have used, on third set in three months.
Bottom Line:
Buy the Frame you'll love it but do it justice with good components..
I have ridden this bike for over 3 months and have yet to find any weaknesses. It is stiff and light and is a very efficient climber and an excellent descender.
I used to ride an 2003 Blur and loved it, but this bike is clearly superior. It is lighter, stiffer and better bearings, which are easily serviced.
I have seriously considered all of the high end XC, trail bikes and chose Santa Cruz. At this point, I am VERY happy with my decision.
Bike Setup: FoxShox 120mm, Easton carbon bar and seat post, XTR crank, SRAM XO shifters and deraillier, Magura Marta Mag discs, Stans rims with DT Swiss 240 hubs
Strengths: Super stiff laterally and the VPP platform is the best I've ridden when making transitions from in the saddle to out.
Weaknesses: I was old to check the pivot bolts frequently because they have a tendency to com loose. I just give a quick check before each ride. 10 secs of prevention...
It is an expensive frame, but it's not much different than other high end carbon frames... they're all expensive.
Bottom Line:
This is a great frame with purpose; a stiff 4" travel frame with neutral geometry and a short back end. It climbs the bumpy stuff better than anything I've ever ridden, descending is predictable and stable, and the carbon is beautiful.
Similar Products Used: Test rode Ibis Mojo SL (too flimsy), Mojo HD (thinkin 140travel; almost went that way till i rode the SC), Turner Flux (great if the price was half), Canondale Scalpel (canondale is gay), Trek Fuel EX carbon (gay, but also ridiculously priced for a frame..$3500... Somebody needs a reality check).
Bike Setup: 9spd XT drivetrain, Fox F36 @ 120mm, Sun Charger wheels, Avid elixir CRs. The fork and wheels will be changed soon.
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Submitted by
Specialized_Man
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto
Date Reviewed: August 25, 2010
Strengths: Just about everything, I cannot find a flaw with this bike despite my attempts to push it. I own other carbon bikes and this one blows them away, the design and performance make this a standout for cross country use.
This bike is an amazing climber and descender, it's also incredibly responsive and FAST, laterally very stiff frame with no noticeable flex
Weaknesses: Head tube is a bit short for a large
Bottom Line:
This bike outperforms all direct competitors as far as I am concerned, well worth every cent. Bottom line the best XC FS bike out there, believe it...
Similar Products Used: 2009 Epic S-Works
2009 Trek Top Fuel 9.8
Bike Setup: Full XTR Group, with 2009 XTR Wheels and Hubs, Rockshox Monarch 3.3 shock (very good shock for this bike, not missing the RP23) and Rockshox SID Team up front. 22lb bike
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Submitted by
dubdryver
a Racer
from Miami, FL. USA
Date Reviewed: August 11, 2010
Strengths: Light, Stiff, Plush, no pedal bob, Spot on geometry, Very well built...no shortcuts, flies up climbs with ease.
Weaknesses: More color options...maybe?
Bottom Line:
I have demo'd quite a few frames trying to give some of the other brands a chance before deciding to stay w/ Santa Cruz. The truth is, Santa Cruz is doing everything right with their bike building, and every day on my first Blur was a blast since '05 when I bought it new. I couldn't find any reason to deviate from their product, and still feel that it is the best, especially bang for the buck!
There is no hype that this bike is living up to, it set a new standard in which XC bikes should be measured by. Go to Competitivecyclist.com and watch the review, it truely lives up to the review.
The geometry is absolutely spot on. You can have a slack 69.5 HA running a 120mm on front giving a nice do-it-all all day comfort/marathon ride that gives a lot more confidence on gnarly DH sections. If you want more aggressive, set it at 100mm for 70.5 HA for the more racey feel. The bike flies through everything, and is so compliant over roots and rocks and through rock gardens. I live in Miami, and because the water table is so high, tree roots grow horizontal and there is coral rock everywhere, and I can still ride all day on this bike, the bike is that comfortable!
I consider myself a fairly strong rider, and have rode outside the flatlands of FL, I have rode many trails across the U.S. in my drivetrain setup, and this bike just made me better over my old Blur. I ascend and descend faster with more precision and confidence. I use less energy, and have increased my speed at an average of 1-2mph through every section. That may seem like small gains, but 1-2mph over a 3-4hr ride can be as much as 8mi. at the end. That is a full lap faster on a 10mi. loop on a 60mi. race!
I was a little hesitant to drop $2k on a frame, but after months of contiplating I realized that it is an investment. Mountain bike has been a part of me for almost half of my life (31 y/o), and if you look at MTB as a sport, and not a recreational activity, then you realize the value of a great bike and components. Do yourself a favor and compare the competition, do your research, demo the bikes, but you'll see that it is hard for the competition to stack up against this bike, it is a monster, and even 6mo. of owning this, it still impresses me every time I clip in!
Similar Products Used: Santa Cruz Blur Classic, Spec. Epic, demo'ed many bikes in the same catagory before choosing the BXCc
Bike Setup: Blur XCc Med Bk/Orng. w/ RP23
Stan 355 w/A.Classic,Conti Race King(r) Maxxis Crossmark (fr)
Truvativ Noir Team crank
Truvativ Noir WCS Handlebars
Bontrager XXX Lite Stem
RS Reba Team Fork
Hayes Stroker Gram brakes
SRAM X9 Shifters R/D, XTR F/D
SRAM 991 CrossStep chain
Shimano Ultegra 9speed 12-27 cassette
Easton EC-90 Post w/ Fizik Aliante XM cush
Shimano SPD-540 pedals (they just won't give up)
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Submitted by
kuuk
a Cross Country Rider
from San Carlos,Ca. USA
Date Reviewed: April 27, 2010
Strengths: I'm 210lbs and the frame is plenty stiff. Rear suspension is plush for a 4 inch bike and the carbon fiber dampens the small bumps, much like my carbon road bike. I'm enjoying climbing a 23 pound bike vs my 28 pound BLT.
Weaknesses: None yet, just tweaking the shock settings to get the RP23 dialed.
Bottom Line:
So far so good. Does it handle as well as my Blur LT2 on pure downhills? No. But if the downhill is twisty and involves some pedaling out of corners, the XC carbon is faster. I can't imagine a more fun XC bike to ride and race.
Similar Products Used: Last 10 years: Ventana,Bullit,Heckler,Blur original, BlurLT, BlurLT2
Bike Setup: XTR/XT mix, american classic wheelset,marta sl brakes,king headset and bottom bracket,fox120mm fork w/15mm qr. easton carbon post and bars.
