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Submitted by
'88 All-American
a Racer
from Northport, NY USA
Date Reviewed: November 21, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Stillwell, Glacier Ridge, Belle Meade | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$3500.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike Junkie - Bethpa | | Strengths: | Light(24 pounds), responsive, takes corners fast(even on wet leaves), this bike is a thoroughbred just begging for you to unleash its speed. It climbs great and takes downhills and drops fantastic. This is by far the best bike I have ever raced. | | Weaknesses: | I read other reviews before I bought it, and I was a little concern about the bottom bracket height being too low. It has not been a problem for me so far. | | Similar Products Used: | Santa Cruz Blur XC, Specialized Stumpjumper | | Bike Setup: | SPX xc build up (look at "build kits" on the Santa Cruz Superlight website for exact components), Fox RP-23 shock, Fox F120rlc fork, Shimano XT pedals | | Bottom Line: | I see a lot of Hecklers and Blurs on the trails. I'm very surprised more people aren't riding the Superlight. This is just an incredible machine. If you live on or near Long Island go to Bike Junkie in Bethpage. Doug will spend time with you and size you for your bike like no one else! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Waterat Pat
a Cross Country Rider
from Morgan Hill CA
Date Reviewed: October 4, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | All of 'Em | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Strengths: | Absolutely awesome climber. I could not beleive how big a gear I could push up steep fire roads. Light! Handles very well in corners thanks to the low BB. Yeah I like that! | | Weaknesses: | A bit of peddle feedback when hammering out of the saddle but nothing like the old model its acceptable. Same with brake jack its noticeable but OK. | | Similar Products Used: | 2001 Superlight, Mountain Cycle Zen , Fisher Sugar | | Bike Setup: | 2006 Blur LT Fox & XO all round | | Bottom Line: | The new shocks have transformed the Superlight into a great performing bike. It is so much better than my old 2001. That bike was great on the downhills but the pedal feedback was awful right when you gave max effort. The new Superlight looks stronger and is so simple in design working on it would be a breeze. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chefbigdaddy
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego, Ca.
Date Reviewed: August 12, 2009 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1400.00 | | Purchased At: | Private Sale | | Strengths: | Super comfy ride, simplicity of design, quality, customer support | | Weaknesses: | Too low of a bottom bracket, I keep whacking my pedals on rocks that I normally wouldn't even think about. | | Similar Products Used: | Klein Palomino, Schwinn Straight 6 | | Bike Setup: | Magura Durin Fork,Fox RP23 Shock, Hope Disk Brakes, WTB/Mavic Wheelset, Easton Bars and Stem, Speedplay Pedals | | Bottom Line: | So far absolutely awesome. The frame is perfect for 90% of what we all ride and make each ride more enjoyable and less painful for those of us with bad backs. The frame sits a bit low at the bottom bracket so be wary of corners and big rocks at pedal height. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a bike that does what you want it to and isn't so complicated that you have to be in Mensa to set it up. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Captn.dude
a Weekend Warrior
from Knoxville, TN
Date Reviewed: July 21, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Haw Ridge | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$600.00 | | Purchased At: | Some Dude | | Strengths: | Responsvie, nimble, light | | Weaknesses: | BB height | | Similar Products Used: | Marin Alpine Trail | | Bike Setup: | Reba SL front, Fox float RP23 rear, SRAM x-7 RD, XTR mega 9 FD, Shimano Hydro discs | | Bottom Line: | I saw some complain about the weight. My last FS bike was 37 lbs and this one is about 25 so it feels like a feather to me. I bought it ragged out from a racer and I am progressively getting her back to race shape. That said, the bike is awesome and I'm glad I found it. I'm knockign down to 4 chilis because of the BB height. for some reason it's a good bit lower than some other bikes I've ridden so I keep having pedaling problems on corners. I'm sure it will be fine once I get used to it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
pongkins
a Weekend Warrior
from Canton, MI
Date Reviewed: July 12, 2009 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | swapped used at mtbr | | Strengths: | a lot lighter than my hardtail and my friends' full suspension rigs, great climber(gotta have great tires, co'z my specialized roll x pro race skids), looks good for an '03 model bike | | Weaknesses: | The newer versions look better and I can't afford it. dang! | | Similar Products Used: | Sugar 2, blur, trek Y frame | | Bike Setup: | Small 03 blue anno superlight, Spinergy cyclone disc, specialized roll x pro, xtr rear, xt front, sram 990 cassette, bontrager race x lite carbon cranks, deore hydro front and rear(bit heavy), selle italia on thomson elite setback, race face carbon riser bar. One sweet ride:) | | Bottom Line: | Got this frame as a swap for my jamis xam 1.0 since I only do light single tracks and didn't have a need for loong travel bike and never regretted it. Climbs great. Fairly light on today's standards. Strong. Nice paint job imo. ok cable layout. My brakes have failed me, my cranks have failed me. Hell, my tires have failed me but the frame keeps on impressing. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
waldo wankerman
a Weekend Warrior
from mushroom republic, patmos island
Date Reviewed: June 19, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | tranquility base | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1500.00 | | Strengths: | Always upgradeable, superb quality frame, durable, quick, simple -- in the good way. | | Weaknesses: | It might have been "super" light 10 years ago. Now it's just sortalight. | | Similar Products Used: | Fish Tazz hard tail. Giant Iguana rigid. | | Bike Setup: | 06, Rockshox Reba Race, XTR crank, Cane Creek Terros wheelset, 8" front rotor + 1.9 tires (wierd huh?), Danger Boy levers, Thomson post/stem, Selle Italia slr sp, Chris King headset & some cool light no name Taiwanese flattie pedals. Set up tight highly technical, nearly trials style single track. | | Bottom Line: | Mine is 3 years old now. If your'e just getting into mtb or buying your first dual suspension ride....this one will take you a long way in your enjoyment & skills level. I got the low end D package and enjoyed upgrading the components one at a time to get a sense of what they really did for the ride. By far the best upgrade was the fork, followed by the crank & carbon fiber handlebars. Ebay has been a big ally in all this because you can sell your old components and defray the costs of new ones by a whole lot. MTBR is also good for finding out what real people think about the components you're shopping for. One universal to remember: Component mfrs ALWAYS lie about the weight of their product. Always.
3 years with this bike and I have zero desire to upgrade the frame. Still tight. Still bright. Zero maintenance after getting the Chris King headset. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
kwaldo
a Weekend Warrior
from Wyoming
Date Reviewed: June 15, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Cactus Canyon | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1650.00 | | Purchased At: | Fine Edge, Laramie | | Strengths: | Light, not as light as hardcore racers but for my uses it works very well. Climbs like a mountain goat and descends like a bobsled! Feels very comforatable and shifts like butter. I love it. | | Weaknesses: | It won't fit in the back of my truck! Ha ha. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized FSR XC, Specialized Rockhopper, and a few anonymous Intense bikes. | | Bike Setup: | Black M superlight D XC. | | Bottom Line: | Bottom line-this bike rocks my socks off, i've wanted a FS for a while now and this bike rules! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
timmyberlow
a Weekend Warrior
from cortlandt manor, ny
Date Reviewed: April 13, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | monster, blue mountain | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$3500.00 | | Purchased At: | Briarcliff Bikeworks | | Strengths: | everything. its superlight, super fast, super durable. | | Weaknesses: | none. | | Similar Products Used: | jamis | | Bike Setup: | chris king headset/ hubs, bomber fork 154mm., intense hoops, shimano drive chain( shifting/non hydraulic disk brakes), carbon handles, fox rear suspension, awesome light blue Santa Cruz super light frame | | Bottom Line: | overall great bike. very responsive handling on trails. climbing is pretty nice but downhill makes it worth while. i definitely prefer this bike | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Thunderhill05
a Cross Country Rider
from Phoenix, AZ, USA
Date Reviewed: February 13, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | National/ Mormon South Mountain State Park | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | Purchased from a fel | | Strengths: | Light weight, agile and has the best geometry of any bike I have ever ridden. It works well in any configuration | | Weaknesses: | None that I have found to this point. | | Similar Products Used: | Radium Stump jumper | | Bike Setup: | Radium from shock, Mavic CrossMax wheelset, Rock Shock Psylo, Thompson Seat Post and stem. Easton Monkey bar. Drivetrain: Shimano XTR front and rear Derailure, Shimano Deore XT Crank. Brakes: Avid BB7 front and rear disk brakes. Kenda Nevegal tires 2.1 rear, 2.35 front | | Bottom Line: | The best bike I have ever ridden. I also have a Specialized XC FSR COMP and I like the ride of the Santa Cruz better | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
sidge76
a Weekend Warrior
from wigan, uk
Date Reviewed: January 27, 2009 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Leisure Lakes Bikes | | Strengths: | Plush, confidence inspiring and agile, a great climber, relatively cheap, simple design, very comfortable all day long. | | Weaknesses: | Not that light overall. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Stumpjumper FSR expert, specialized rockhopper, Cannondale taurine, Proflex 855, Stumpjumper hardtail | | Bike Setup: | Fox 120rlc forks, Shimano XT / XTR groupset, Raceface Deus SL bars and stem, Raceface Next post with SDG belair saddle, Hope headset, Avid juicy ultimate 185/160 brakes, Mavic 819 rims, tubeless bontrager mudX tyres. | | Bottom Line: | This bike is absolutely superb. It makes all day rides a pleasure, very comfortable and immediately easy to ride. Uphills it is a dream, shifting the propedal on it stops all the bobbing. I was surprised how good it was downhill with the 120mm suspension fork upfront and 100mm at the back. Very plush and absorbs all the bumps but still gives you positive feedback from the terrain. On the negative side even with all the lightweight kit I've fitted it still isn't light although very agile. Overall i would strongly recommend this bike to anyone who wants a fast, comfortable bike. It may not have all the bells and whistles of other bikes but can certainly keep up. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
trcannon
a Cross Country Rider
from Salem,Va,
Date Reviewed: October 20, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | all singletracks | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1900.00 | | Purchased At: | Just The Right Gear | | Strengths: | Great all around bike, can just about do it all on this bike. | | Weaknesses: | None so far. | | Similar Products Used: | Trek, Cannondale hardtails | | Bike Setup: | R XC package, with smallblock eight tires | | Bottom Line: | This has to be one of the best bikes on the market for a good all around bike, I bought this bike in the spring and decided to do some racing in the local series and the bike done great, when you lock the rear shock its like a hardtail when climbing if not better, it handles the tight single tracks great, then when your not racing just unlock the rear shock and go have some fun. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ed Nawosok
a Weekend Warrior
from Calgary Canada
Date Reviewed: August 30, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Slickrock, Moab | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1900.00 | | Strengths: | Light & Responsive | | Weaknesses: | Paint / Decal Finish | | Similar Products Used: | Trek Remedy, EX7, Gary Fisher Hi Fi, RD Alu 7 | | Bike Setup: | D XC Complete Stock except for upgrade to Fox Float RP32 | | Bottom Line: | I tested a lot of bikes, researched a ton and read reviews for good XC FS bikes that were less than $2k. I used to be a good intermediate rider but had kids and took a bunch of years off. Getting back into it and wanted a decent bike that would break the bank but be difficult for me to outgrow skill wise. I'm 6' and 170 pounds. Narrowed to a Specialized FSR XC expert and Santa Cruz Superlight. They test drove similar, priced close and both had very good reviews. My LBS brought in both for me to ride for the morning. Picked the Superlight due to slightly better responsiveness & feel while. As well, people I knew with Santa Cruz bikes almost pleaded with me to get one they were so passionate about the ride. I have ridden almost every day since buying 4 weeks ago on XC and light to moderate downhill (fair bit of abuse). Climbs like a goat, stunning on singletrack, great on modest downhill runs, very light, responsive, fantastic in every way. The decals are already peeling but who really cares. Now I know why everyone raves about Santa Cruz Superlights. A strong recommendation for this product and I could not be happier. Will try to do a follow up in a year after more miles are put on the frame and components. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
sonomamtb
a Weekend Warrior
from Santa Rosa, CA
Date Reviewed: August 25, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Two Quarry, Anadel | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | craigslist | | Strengths: | This bike has handled the rigor of a hard riding Clydesdale (210 lbs). My first ride I took it up to North Tahoe and just let her loose, this bike didn't flinch. This is my first full suspension, and I cannot compare the difference (I rode a Specialized Stumpy for 10 years, now turning it into a single speed). | | Weaknesses: | It climbs well, but compared to the classic M2 hard tail I'm used too it's tough to compare. | | Bike Setup: | Marzocchi Shiver SC Front fork, XTR Rear Dérailleur, Fox Float Rear Suspension | | Bottom Line: | This bike is an all round beast | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
meythodrider
a Weekend Warrior
from Mountain View, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: July 24, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Skeggs | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1870.00 | | Purchased At: | George's Cycles and | | Strengths: | Versatility, simple design, durable, value | | Weaknesses: | Not as light as I'd like it to be | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized FSR | | Bike Setup: | RXC build, Easton , Fox Float R, Shimano PD-520, Easton EC-70 Monkeylite handle bar, Easton EA-70 stem, XT/LX components, Avid Juicy 5 | | Bottom Line: | Great all around versatile bike for cross country use. I can climb just about anything with this bike and always feel confident going downhill. Handles well in tight hairpin turns going up and down. Rock-solid design, I've thrashed it around and it still holds up well. I brought it to Northstar for some downhill riding. It survived and I was able to ride just about everything, but more travel would have been nice. At the end of the day my arms were beat. Can't beat this bike in value! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
GTCB
a Weekend Warrior
from Sarnia, ON
Date Reviewed: July 24, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1600.00 | | Purchased At: | Reynolds Cycle | | Strengths: | Great design, styling and function - you can almost use this thing to pick up chicks | | Weaknesses: | Somewhat lower ground clearance, cost, funny seatpost size, not much weight savings over previous hardtail | | Similar Products Used: | Blur XC, Kona Four | | Bike Setup: | Rockshox Tora 318, Fox RP23, Shimano XT drivetrain, Mavic Crosstrail Discs, Avid BB7 brakes, Anodized Blue | | Bottom Line: | After four years on a Kona Blast that had been upgraded over time, I decided to get a full-suspension bike after riding a Blur XC during a day outing near Las Vegas. After reading a lot of complaining online about the VPP bearings o the Blur XC and LT, I decided to go with the Superlight, and it has been a good decision. Please note I purchased the frame only and moved everything from my hardtail over.
I have beaten the tar out of this new bike and it has performed superbly. The Fox ProPedal shock works quite well and in concert with my PopLoc control on the fork, gives me a stiff platform for climbing and a compliant one for flying down hills.
Handling is great and the new Mavic Crosstrails are amazing. I do notice that the suspension isn't quite the same as the VPP used on the Blur XC, but there's a cost to be paid for that and I wasn't going to go there.
I have wiped out hard a few times too and the bike has been fine. Me, I'm covered in bruises but at least I know I've earned them.
Bottom line, the new-for-2008 Superlight is a great all-around XC bike from Santa Cruz. Go out and buy one and tear up your local trail. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
stranger
a Racer
from Richmond, ME
Date Reviewed: July 19, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | All of them... | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$1599.00 | | Purchased At: | Sports Center Bicycl | | Strengths: | Exactly that, strenght. | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Rock Hopper | | Bike Setup: | Solar carbon bars, Race Face crank & stem, SRAM X-9, Avid brakes, Kenda Small Block 8's, Crossride rims. | | Bottom Line: | Awhile ago I said that I wouldn't review the Superlight again; I lied. This weekend I finished 2nd at the USA Nationals on the same 06 Superlight that has taken more than it's share of pounding. I'm a technical rider and I've taken this bike through so much sh.t and it has never given me trouble. I have a crease from a 2007 crash at Downieville in the rear frame that the folks at Santa Cruz said would likely fail soon but not having the funds to go out and buy another right away and the limited supply of frames out there, I've kept racing the bike and have had no issues at all other than the frame bearings seizing up. No fault on their part, just a lot of hard riding in tough conditions. I'm looking to replace the frame and plan to stay with the Superlight. Mine is so beat up that it's hard to even read the name on the frame, that's how much abuse it has taken. Carbon would be nice but it would never hold up to what I've put this frame through. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
guzzi
a Cross Country Rider
from sao paulo,sp,brazil
Date Reviewed: July 15, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | antena/k2-joaquim egidio | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1300.00 | | Purchased At: | biketechjardins used | | Strengths: | weight, simple and inteligent project, geometry when used with a balanced fork/shock travel (100mm) 4inches each | | Weaknesses: | maybe old because the companies keep releasing new models every year. | | Similar Products Used: | trek fuel/kona king kikapu/ cannondale jekyll/ scalpel/ spec.epic/etc | | Bike Setup: | hayes carbon hydraulic/fork fox float rlt100/shock float rlc/ mavic crossmax slr disc/ frame blue anodized/ crankset raceface turbine lp/ xt drivetrain/ thomson stem seat post/
huntchison spyder tubeless/ easton monkey carbon sl riser/12.02kgs | | Bottom Line: | i used to have an old set up with a straight handlebar and heavy wheels. now it is crossmax slr disc and easton rise carbon handlebar.why am i saying this? because it was a complete different bike from the actual and shows how our reviews can be dubious... the frame is fantastic, is very resistant, still light and confortable.
by a nice boutique xc frame/project, light carbon cockpit, and the best wheels you can pay. you can't go wrong | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
C-MO
a Weekend Warrior
from Tillsonburg ON
Date Reviewed: July 4, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Fanshawe Lake | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$2000.00 | | Purchased At: | Toronto Bike Show | | Strengths: | Relatively light weight, quick acceleration, nimble handling and smooth ride over rough terrain. | | Weaknesses: | Had some initial problems with the front brake rubbing (Avid Juicy 5's) but that was fixed by my LBS. (Thanks All Seasons Sports!) | | Similar Products Used: | My first go on a full suspension. Previous ride was a steel framed hard tail (Thin Blue Line.) | | Bike Setup: | RXC build kit with Fox Float R shock and F100R forx. Race Face Evolve bars and post. Mavic X117 rims with Shimano XT hubs. LX cranks, front derailler and shifters. XT rear derailler. Avid Juicy 5 disk brakes. Added on are my Thomson stem and egg beater peddles. | | Bottom Line: | Wanted this bike after reading it's review in MBA, January 2007. Got the green light to buy if "a good deal" was found and did! Still getting used to riding a full suspension bike after only previously riding hard tails, but have loved every ride so far. I have 2 herniated disks in my lower back and have found that riding this bike gives me a more comfortable ride without increasing my back pain! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
VivaDnA
a Weekend Warrior
from Los Angeles, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: June 30, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Big Sycamore | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$2100.00 | | Purchased At: | Colorado Cyclist | | Strengths: | Quality construction and simplicity of design | | Weaknesses: | Weight | | Similar Products Used: | Schwinn Carbon | | Bike Setup: | Full XT except for shifters and Juicy 3 brakes. Rock Shox Reba Race and Fox R. Mavic Cross Disc Specific wheels. | | Bottom Line: | Super? kinda, Light? not. Climbs like a mountain goat and nothing seems to shake it going downhill. Overall a very good bike but I wonder if I spent the extra $300 on just the name. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
augustiner
a Cross Country Rider
from Charlotte, NC
Date Reviewed: June 17, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Boy Scout, VA | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1780.00 | | Purchased At: | eBay!!! | | Strengths: | Best handling bike I've ever ridden. Climbs like a hardtail, carves the downhill like a champ...Propedal on the RP23 is amazing... | | Weaknesses: | Doesnt clean itself?? | | Similar Products Used: | 03 Marin Wolf Ridge, Marin Rocky Ridge | | Bike Setup: | Avid Juicy Carbons, Fox Rp23, XT shifters, f and r der., hubs, Mavic 117 rims...Truvativ 3.3 Stylo cranks, Race Face Carbon bar, Thomson stem and seatpost, Rockshox Tora 318 solo air, Selle seat | | Bottom Line: | Best bike Ive ever owned, makes me wish I were a better rider. Im a bigger rider at about 220...but it doesnt faze the Superlight. Ground clearance is a little less than Im used to, but this bike makes you take turns a lot faster than before...I knew there was a reason Ive been craving a Santa Cruz for the past few years. If you dont have one, go buy one now | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave Williams
a Cross Country Rider
from Wakefield, UK
Date Reviewed: April 20, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | anywhere on the North Yorkshire Moors | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Stif Bikes, Leeds | | Strengths: | everything about it, only ridden it a few times but have settled into it really well. 3rd ride on it was a 65km ride (Merida, Builth Wells) in Wales and it rode well!! Climbing is excellent on both road and off road, the back end seems to bite really well off road especially with the RP23 set to maximum bounce. | | Weaknesses: | Only one I can report is the rear brake hose snagging around the rear shock, but no major issue | | Similar Products Used: | Trek Fuel 90 | | Bike Setup: | Ano Blue (which it fantastic), RP23 shock, Rockshox Reba Race, Hope Mono M4, Hope headset, Hope hubs, | | Bottom Line: | Superb! go buy one! If you are into XC riding in a big way and want a full bounce bike then this is the one. I know its early days for me but to get used to a bike so quickly then something must be right. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Foster
a Cross Country Rider
from Boulder, CO
Date Reviewed: March 28, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Rabbit Ears Pass, Steamboat | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1600.00 | | Purchased At: | colorado cyclist | | Strengths: | This bike is comfortable. Forget the components for a second and focus on the geometry of the bike. I'm not sure why, but its immediately obvious that your positioning on the frame is like no other. Gives confidence on descents and climbs efficiently. This in my opinion is what sets it apart. All the other full suspension bikes that I have ridden are all very similar in feel to each other. Superlight has a totally different feel. | | Weaknesses: | None except the lower buildouts like the one I bought (D) are not the lightest components. | | Similar Products Used: | Cannondale Super V
Giant NRS
Specialized Stumpjumper full suspension | | Bike Setup: | Upgraded the fork to a Rockshox Reba (immediately shed over a pound!), switched out the wire bead Kendas for Panaracers and switched out the handlebars to carbon risers. The bike is now 2 pounds lighter than when I bought it. With craigslist these days, switching out components is easy. For example, I bought my new Reba shock for $250 and sold my Tora for $150. Simple $100 upgrade. | | Bottom Line: | I think there may be an impression out there that the superlight is being slowly replaced by the blur and that its basically the same exact bike from years ago. Both of these notions are false. The superlight continues to sell well and every year Santa Cruz makes adjustments and improvements to its all time best seller. This years superlight is much stiffer and the tubing is bigger. The guys at the shop told me that blurs have 10 times the problems that superlights have. Just an awesome bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David Currie
a Cross Country Rider
from Joburg / Brisbane
Date Reviewed: March 9, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Wollongong Escartment | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Westdene Cycles | | Strengths: | Suspension Design, Handling, Hill Climbing, Decents, Cornering. Stock tires Kenda Nevangals grip like super glue | | Weaknesses: | Stock tires Kenda Nevangals do not roll quickly | | Similar Products Used: | Yeti ASR-RL | | Bike Setup: | Fox F100 RLT Fork, Full XT drive train, shifters and brakes. Fox RP23 rear shock. DT Swiss 4.1d rims + onyx hubs. Kenda Nevengal tires. | | Bottom Line: | Handling on the bike is insane. You can pretty much point and shoot. It'll take it both up and down hill. It's a demon on the decents and climbs well too. Cornering wise it's fast, angle the bike and it'll fly round them. Pedal bob is non existant with the RP23 shock. The rear suspension action is smooth and compliant over the rough stuff. The Kenda nevengals have awesome grip even in mud and rocks, they dont roll that fast though, but it's always a comprimise. change tires if you want to race on fireroads, keep the nevangals if you like to ride technical stuff.
I really cant fault the bike. It's more expensive than the main bicycle manufactures products. but with the way it rides i cant fault it. Plus got a bit of a discount on the bike too. so shop around is another bit of advice. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ciaran Mauro
a Weekend Warrior
from St. Helena, California, USA
Date Reviewed: January 29, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Las Posadas | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | The rear suspention is great | | Weaknesses: | Frame gets a bit creaky on hard landings | | Similar Products Used: | Marin Northside Trail/Bobcat Trail
Trek Fuel-70
Diamondback Sorrento | | Bike Setup: | Marzocchi MZ-3 fork
Ritchley headset
Fox air in rear
Shimano Deora (front) Shimano Acera (rear)
Hayes MX2 disc and mechanical on 26" Alex Rims | | Bottom Line: | A great bike for trails and a bit of everything. I got the frame free from a friend when I traded him a video camera. So far it's the best of the MANY bikes I've had. Five flammin' chilis because I truly can't find anything wrong with it to decrease that rating. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul M
a Cross Country Rider
from San Jose,CA
Date Reviewed: December 7, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$3500.00 | | Purchased At: | Reeds | | Strengths: | Durability and frame design | | Weaknesses: | Gets a little bit creaky as it ages | | Bike Setup: | Race face Next lp- Sid | | Bottom Line: | This bike is amazing. Mine is almost 8 years old and has held up like a champ. It climbs like no tomorow and is reliable. From Soquel Demo to Moab Utah, this bike seems to do it all. Maybe not the fastest descender but it is not a true down hill type bike anyway. If possible and budget permitted- I would but another Superlight in a second. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James
a Cross Country Rider
from Costa Mesa, California USA
Date Reviewed: November 28, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Anything that I can ride. | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$1100.00 | | Strengths: | Lightweight, not too expensive, and hey it's a Santa Cruz! | | Weaknesses: | Just like any bike, its expensive to build up. But other than that, no known weaknesses. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Stumpjumper FSR, Specialized Stumpjumper HT, Specialized Hardrock HT, and my Schwinn Cruisers. | | Bike Setup: | 2006 Santa Cruz SL Medium Frame, 08 XT cranks & cassette, 08 XTR chain, Deore shifters, Deore Disc brakes, XTR hubs w/ Mavic 717 disc rims, Truvativ XR stem, seatpost, & handlebar, WTB saddle, and a Rockshox 318 Tora. | | Bottom Line: | Hey I love this bike. At this setup, the bike currently weighs in at right around 27.5 lbs. The SL climbs super well with the aid of the Fox RP3. I don't really notice any pedal bob and the SL does just fine on the downhills. I weigh 160 lbs and find that it is just perfect for the trails that I ride (Whiting Ranch, Santiago Truck trail, The Luge, Aliso Woods, and San Juan). Just as someone had mentioned before, I would recommend purchasing the best kit you can possibly afford as building this bike has costed me a decent amount of change. I got the "D" package and ended up changing the wheelset, cranks, cassette, and chain. And I am in the process of purchasing a new Thomson seatpost, stem, and Control Tech handlebar. But I wouldn't be investing more money into the bike if I didn't love it. Can't go wrong! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sean Davidson
a Racer
from Monterey, CA
Date Reviewed: October 15, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Downieville | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1599.00 | | Purchased At: | Sports Center Bicycle | | Strengths: | Strong design, through many challenging rides; Downieville, Toads Wild Ride, Old Mine Trail, 35 miles of downhill at Mammoth Mountain (in one day), and Mt Shasta, this frame has never given up. Not much else to say here but get one. | | Weaknesses: | Since new, I've not found any particular weakness, but if you want a great bike out the door, go with the upgraded prebuilt, unless you have a friend inside, self upgrades are expensive, just ask my wife. I have found it difficult to replace the front derailer due to the 06 SL design, but the folks at Santa Cruz have apparently fixed that in the 07 design. | | Similar Products Used: | not applicable | | Bike Setup: | Solar carbon bars, SRAM shifters, cassette, chain, rear derailer, AVID Juicy 7 brakes and rotors, Mavic Crossrides, Race Face stem and cranks, FSA headset, Kenda Nevegals, Fox Float RLC. | | Bottom Line: | *** Last review after a year of abuse ***
This should be my last review on my 2006 Superlight. I've raced and tortured my SL for a year and 2500 miles on anything from easy fire road rides/races to the famed Downieville Classic. I've managed to place first in all technical races (beginner and sport) thanks to the full suspension, in the top 3 of all races for the entire year. My SL has been a perfect fit. For those climber races, hard tail carbon folks seem to have the edge, no chance on anything real technical. Santa Cruz is the leader in the industry, attend any race and see what the winning riders are on: Santa Cruz. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin
a Cross Country Rider
from Coventry, RI, USA
Date Reviewed: October 7, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$4000.00 | | Purchased At: | Providence Cycle | | Strengths: | This bike lives up to its' name...it's Superlight. The bike is very fast. Strong frame design. Bike has a simple (virtually maintaince free) pivot design. Excellent feel and handling. Able to climb better than ever because of the light weight. Overall the bike's design is strong from front to back. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Trek Fuel 80 Full Suspension | | Bike Setup: | Front Fork Fox 32 F100 RLC, Rear Shock Fox Float RP23, Rear Der. XTR, Front Der. XTR, Shifters XTR, Crankset XTR, Cassette XTR, Chain XTR, Brakes XTR hydraulic, Brake Levers XTR, Bars Race Face Next low rise, Stem Thomson, Grips Lizard Skin, Headset Chris King, Seat Post Thomson Masterpiece, Saddle WTB Rocket V Sealth, Wheels DT XR 4.2d rims, Hubs DT 240S with DT 14/15 Spokes, Tires Panaracer Fire XC Pro 2.1, Pedals Crankbrothers Eggbeater SL. | | Bottom Line: | This bike is absolutely flawless. This is one bike design that Santa Cruz hopefully will always produce. If you are looking for a cross country full suspension bike you can't go wrong with this one. Santa Cruz was out of stock with the frame size I needed so I had to wait a little while after I ordered the bike...but it was worth it. I was originally looking at the Blur XC, but found out that its' pivot system requires a lot of maintaince so I went with the Superlight. Get this bike! Thank you Leslie (my Fiance) for buying it for me and thank you Santa Cruz for designing this bike! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bryan Scott
a Cross Country Rider
from Napa, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: August 16, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Rockville | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$2000.00 | | Purchased At: | Village Peddeler, Larkspur, CA | | Strengths: | Weight, components. | | Weaknesses: | None to date. Had to change the stock tires, but I have no love for Kenda. | | Similar Products Used: | Giant Anthem 2, Specialized Stumpjumper FSR, SC Blur | | Bike Setup: | R build kit, WTB Weirwolf tires | | Bottom Line: | It is my first venture into the FS bike. Think it was a wise choice. Great componentry for the price. Rides like a dream, very little peddal bob even up the steeper inclines. Biggest factor was how well the bike fit and the handling. Goes where I want it to., only drawback is it doesn't have any sense and tell me that's not the route I should be taking. I weigh 240, and have yet to have and rigidity issues with the frames even at speeds on corners. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Neil S.
a Cross Country Rider
from Bay Area, Ca.
Date Reviewed: July 9, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Porcupine,National,Toad's | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | 7 years and going strong!
Simple, strong, and fast. | | Weaknesses: | original sid fork was a piece of junk. | | Similar Products Used: | tested and ridden many full susp. though none long term | | Bike Setup: | fox 100 rlc, fox rp23,mavic crossmax xl,hayes mag discs, lx shifters, xt der., easton bar+post | | Bottom Line: | Seven years and still going strong. I have beaten this bike on a regular basis. Once I replaced the original fork, it really began to shine. Last fall I upgraded to the RP23 rear shock-WOW! now it is rock solid up hill and comfortable on the downhills. I just had it re-powder coated, upgraded the wheels and switched to disc brakes.
Before the switch, I was still on the original front wheel. I am still using the original LX shifters. I only changed bearings because I took the bike apart to paint it.
This bike will not stop!
All my friends got new bikes, but I could not justify a new one for myself when my superlite was still going strong.
The new frames look even burlier than what I am on.
I like the technical trails and have never felt that I am holding back or need to go easy, even when riding with the longer travel crowd. This bike can get you uphill quickly and downhill with confidence and speed.
Anyone looking for a good bike for your trail riding needs(not big jumping or black diamond runs), and desire a simple, easy to maintain ride should check this bike out. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
d b
a Cross Country Rider
from Wa
Date Reviewed: June 21, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Lewis River Trail, WA | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Purchased At: | Cambria | | Strengths: | Lightweight, great geometry, simple single-pivot design, low maintanence and looks cool anodized. | | Weaknesses: | The derailluer hanger is welded on, no bolt-on replacement available. I tore a hanger off of a Ti hardtailand had it fixed but it blows whenever your ride is down dor repairs. | | Similar Products Used: | Rocky Mountain Instinct, Specialized Epic '04 before rear shock upgrade in '05, Salsa Caballero, Santa Cruz Blur and then there are the hardtails... | | Bike Setup: | XTR, Daves Speed Dream Wheels, Fox RP3, Fox 100 RL.... | | Bottom Line: | I love hardtails and mainly ride one. This is the best full suspension bike that I have owned hands down. The RP3 shock gives this bike 2 distint rides. With the RP3 shock locked out, the bikes rides like a hardtail unless your rear tire hits something, shock kicks in, and your arse is thankful you have a full suspension bike. In the ProPedal modes the bike is an efficient cross country ride but IMO not as fast as a Ti hardtail.
I owned a Blur full XT with 5th element and within 1 year the bushings needed replacing twice. For some reason I felt more confident jumping with the Blur even though the Superlight appears burlier in build. I realize the RP3/RP23 would make the Blur a more efficient ride, there is a better choice...The Superlight.
db
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve Hubbard
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Cruz, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: June 12, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Domino Pond/Cattle Duster/Grapevine | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$2800.00 | | Purchased At: | Family Cycling Center | | Strengths: | Light (26 lbs. for the large SPX build), simple design (fewer bushing and moving parts in back), quick handling, decent parts spec on the SPX build. | | Weaknesses: | The Juicy 7 breaks have been fussy (rubbing in the back, and a squeak in the front), but I can't complain about the bike itself. Also, I wish the seat post was offset, as I now have the seat slid all the way back on the zero offset Thompson, and could use another 1/2" or so. | | Similar Products Used: | Demo'd a Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Elite for a couple of days, and realized I needed a full suspension bike. Wanted something lighter and simpler than the Stumpy (I like things simple). My pervious bike was a fully rigid Bridgestone MB-1, which I rode for just about forever, and often. | | Bike Setup: | I have the '07 SPX XC build, which is Shimano XT drivetrain, Fox F100 RLC forks, Fox RP23 rear shock, DT Swiss wheels, Race Face stem and bars, Avid Juicy 7 brakes, Kenda Nevagal 2.1 tires, WTB saddle, Thompson seat post. | | Bottom Line: | While I realize that this bike has limitations, being a 4" travel single pivot XC bike, I can't imagine needing more travel for the riding I do. This bike works great on long rides (did a 9 hour death march last month), and it flies down twisty single track nice and fast. I catch modest air on occasion, but avoid the big drops, and it works just fine for that. Comparing it to my old steel rigid bike, this thing is like riding a flying couch. I was happy to also find that it climbs real well, even without using the rear shock's Propedal. Yep, 5 Chilis. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steven
a Cross Country Rider
from Jay, ME
Date Reviewed: June 5, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Wyman Loop | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Weight, durability, and performance | | Weaknesses: | None really, as long as its used as it was designed. | | Similar Products Used: | Amp B-2, Caloi Team (solid-great performing mac-strut), Klein Attitude & Palomino (sold it- liked it, just a bit heavy), Dean Colonel, McMahon 3-25(sold it- what was I thinking?!!), Kona Hot. I do love my hardtails. | | Bike Setup: | As she sits now...Minute 2 (100mm), Avid Juicy brakes, AC disc hubs laced to DT Swiss rims, SRAM x9 drivetrain with Truvativ Stylo cranks.....25.0 lbs. | | Bottom Line: | I've had this bike for several years now and it has never let me down. I bought the Superlight as a frameset to replace/retire the Amp (which I still have an ride occasionally). I set the SC up in it's first iteration as a lightweight xc racer, at which it performed admirably. It has since, over the years, morphed into more of an epic trail bike/marathon racer that seems to be suited perfectly to long hours in the saddle.
As a cross country bike (it's true intended purpose), you would be hard pressed to find a more reliable or competent frame design. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jussi
a Cross Country Rider
from Finland
Date Reviewed: May 11, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Frozen Botnia sea | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$750.00 | | Purchased At: | Speedgoat | | Strengths: | Light, low maintenance, good paintwork. No chainsuck, v-brake bosses. Fast, agile, good for racing. | | Weaknesses: | shocks bolt snapped once in Norway Lappland. Was able to ride back to car, and finish my journey. No other broblems. | | Similar Products Used: | Marin Eldridge hardtail -99, K2 Zed Team 2001, Nishiki Bigfoot X-29 - 29", . | | Bike Setup: | Fox 100 RLT fork, Thomson Elite seatpost& stem,Titec Enduro xc bar , Avid Juicy seven brakes, Truvativ Stylo Team isis-cranks, Shimano xt tubeless wheelset, Schwalbe tubeless tires, XT-derailleurs , -99 lx-shifters, Fizik Gobi-saddle, Fox rp3 shock (upgrade...?),etc... | | Bottom Line: | Nice bike. I got frame from Speedgoat, dollar was weak, so i made a good deal.
I liked the bike more when i had 80 mm Marzocchi Marathon fork and v-brakes on it. maybe 80 mm fork is better for older frames...
I dont like extra weight coming with discbrakes and -wheels. Maybe going back to v-brakes and Marzocchi...
Good bike for marathons and adventure racing.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andy
a Cross Country Rider
from Berkeley, Ca
Date Reviewed: May 10, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | B-17+ | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$3.00 | | Purchased At: | Solano Avenue Cyclery | | Strengths: | No frills, tight cockpit feel, aggressive geometry for snappy turning, & well-placed pivot all but eliminates pedal squat. Also, bombproof pivot - no maintenance, ever. | | Weaknesses: | Soft powdercoat - watch them pebbles. | | Similar Products Used: | Yeti AS-Rslc, GT Zaskar | | Bike Setup: | R7, float R, full XTR, XTR/Mavic wheels. Avid mech discs. 38cm carbon flat bars. | | Bottom Line: | I ride trails either every day or every other day; race almost every weekend and wrench on my own bikes - this bike is perfect! I've been training for 24hr and 12hr races, and this bike is light, predictable and not too painful at hour 9...
If you're looking around for a full suspension rig, and you don't want to spend 13 billion zlotys, check the superlight out! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steven
a Weekend Warrior
from Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Date Reviewed: May 3, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$2000.00 | | Strengths: | Superlight and superfast! | | Weaknesses: | Front and Rear travel seem a little weak for serious downhill trails, but that is not what the bike is meant for. | | Bike Setup: | R XC Complete. I had the bike shop switch out a Anodized frame from another bike because I read bad things about the powder coat | | Bottom Line: | This is my first bike after riding a hard-tail for 6 years. It was a much easier adjustment than I expected. At a nimble 27lbs I don't feel any added weight, and it seems to climb even better than my hard tail. I'm instantly able to go at lot faster on XC and downhill trails. I'm now hitting the trails almost daily because I'm having so much fun on this bike! I would recommend this bike to anybody who is switching from a hard-tail and rides a lot of cross country. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
tnscoop
a Cross Country Rider
from Washington, DC
Date Reviewed: April 17, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Hoodoo | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$2000.00 | | Purchased At: | Blackwater Bikes in Davis, WV | | Strengths: | The Superlight won out in tryouts from several other cross country mountain bikes, including both full-suspension and hardtail models. I liked the handling and the lack of springiness in the rear suspension system. I came into this thinking I wanted a hardtail and this bike kept me from getting a beautiful steel Rocky Mountain. The frame is the obvious high point - stiff, snappy and well balanced. The overall component grouping is also nice. I have the R XC package, which has overall performed very well for me. The rear shock - a Manitou 3 Way - performs beautifully and the Fox hopefully will be a great item now that it has been rebuilt. | | Weaknesses: | There have been a couple silly problems that I chalk up to issues with making the price point for the component package. The headset spacers were plastic and compaction of these, perhaps with overall headset weakness, apparently contributed to the scoring of the fork steerer despite my best efforts to keep the headset tight. Fox rebuilt the fork (it also needed a rebuild of the right shock) but this was only partially covered by warranty. After six months of mostly weekend and some after work use I've also replaced a worn tire and the bottom bracket bearings. Hopefully that means I'm simply riding hard. | | Similar Products Used: | Owned a hand-me-down Trek carbon Y bike of 1990s vintage as my first mountain bike. Tried Cannondale Rush, Rocky Mountain Hammer and Blizzard and a few other models. | | Bike Setup: | 06 Superlight w R XC package. Shimano XT drivetrain. Juicy brakes. Mavic rims. Only a few substitutions so far. | | Bottom Line: | This is a great bike and I hope to be riding it for some time. I've advanced quickly and find it a joy as I learn to ride technical single-track. The package price is hard to beat and most of the components are holding up so far. Santa Cruz made some needed updates to the 07, so I'm a bit bummed I got a pre-overhaul model. I don't look forward to breaking a derailleur hanger and replacing the entire rear triangle. But for new owners that's not an issue. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bert Boutte
a Weekend Warrior
from Houston, TX
Date Reviewed: April 10, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | a dry weekend | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1500.00 | | Purchased At: | Ride Away Bicycles | | Strengths: | Great build and a stong frame. | | Weaknesses: | Product selection and limited colors | | Similar Products Used: | Own a blur, sugar 3+, trek HT, gary fisher HT, cannondale | | Bike Setup: | Made a few changes read below. | | Bottom Line: | My review is more of a question...when I bought this bike it came in at 29 lbs. Unacceptable! Changed to King headset, XTR hubs and rotors on bontrager mustang rims, R7 fork, butyl tubes, IRC XC tires, XT cranks, XT cog, HG93 chain, XTR shift cables, Easton 50 stem and monkeybar handle bar, thompson elite post and a light weight cheap bontrager saddle. Whew! Found a lot of this stuff on closeout around different websites and my LBS. Finally dropped the weight down to 26.5lbs. Now I really like riding this bike. What I was wondering is how the heck can I get this down to 24 lbs without selling my first born? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andrew Curtis-Cody
a Cross Country Rider
from New Zealand
Date Reviewed: April 9, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | QCT | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1500.00 | | Purchased At: | Burkes Cycles, Wellington | | Strengths: | This is for the '06 frame. Medium, orange paint with Fox RP23. Bought for NZ$1900 from LBS, Burkes Cycles in Wellington. Some hassles ordering the frame, took months to arrive and then wrong size. Another month went by then correct frame turned up fitted with RP23 shock. Think this may be the guy who imports the frames rather than the bike shop.
Quality is top notch. Beautifully made and finished. Spent some time setting up the shock. I'm 80kgs and 105psi gives exactly half inch of sag. Haven't touched the shock since. Left in the active setting bob is minimal and with the Pro pedal it just about dials it all out. I have it on the lightest pro pedal setting.
Handling is very good, can't fault it. Some reports mention brake jack with single pivot bikes. If the Superlight does it then I haven't noticed. Rear suspension feels active when braking downhill. Handles all trails brilliantly. From extended climbs to single track to technical downhill stuff. | | Weaknesses: | None so far. | | Similar Products Used: | Santa Cruz Blur | | Bike Setup: | Marzocchi MX pro eta '06, Mavic XM819 on XT hubs, Hutchinson Scorpions, XT/XTR transmission, XT 4 pot disc brakes, RaceFace bars, stem and post. | | Bottom Line: | Fantastic bike for my style of riding i.e. mixture of XC, trail, enduro type stuff. Light, sturdy, reliable and with brilliant handling. It was a toss up between this and the Blur. Chose the Superlight for less maintainence and level of positive feedback on this site. Would recommend to anyone looking for F/S trailbike and for those epic rides. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sean Davidson
a Cross Country Rider
from Monterey, CA
Date Reviewed: March 19, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Still Old Mine Trail, Calistoga | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1599.00 | | Purchased At: | Sport Center Bicycle | | Strengths: | Frame, Fox shock, Toro forks, Avid brakes, and WTB seat are the last remaining original equipment, I've upgraded everything else to Race Face, SRAM, and FSA components, the best are probably the RF Deus cranks and FSA headset (UF). The SRAM X-9 derailer with x-7 shifters are also a great upgrade. Even with all the upgrades, the bottom line is that the Superlight has held up perfectly. I had a few worries with noise but tightened my lower suspension bearing bolts and make sure to keep it clean and lubed and all is gravy. | | Weaknesses: | I've eliminated the weakest links, if I had any other weaknesses to mention it would have to be the finish. Everything takes off the blue finish, brake cable rub, bike mount rub, rocks of course, or whatever comes in contact with it. Good news...treat them like scars and talk about them. | | Similar Products Used: | covered this in previous post | | Bike Setup: | Superlight, Rock Shox Toro Air, Mavic Crossride, Race Face cranks and stem, Solar Carbon bars, SRAM X9/X7 components, FSA headset, (looking to upgrade fork to Fox) | | Bottom Line: | I've raced my Superlight 3 times, placed first 3 times, it doesn't get any better for a beginner. The Sea Otter is next; look out, track, on your left, that's me passing you.
Final post on my Superlight, after 1,200 hard miles in 6 months I have no regrets, get yours now. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David
a Cross Country Rider
from Greensboro, NC
Date Reviewed: March 5, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1700.00 | | Purchased At: | Tri Sports, Fresno, CA | | Strengths: | durable, light and quick, climbs like a hardtail | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | Klein | | Bike Setup: | XTR derailleurs and shifters, Dave's Wheels w/Chris King Hubs, Manitou Skareb fork, XT hydro brakes, Thompson seatpost, MonkeyLite handlebars, etc. | | Bottom Line: | I've ridden this frame for 6 years, on thousands and thousands of miles of tough singletrack. Replaced components several times to current setup. Bottom line: the Superlight is as superb a ride as the day I purchased it. I've beat on this bike all over the west and now NC, and have never wished for another ride. What a sweet bike! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Leonardo Bandiera
a Racer
from San Rafael, Mendoza, ARG.
Date Reviewed: February 6, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Rock'n'Roll | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1900.00 | | Purchased At: | Friend | | Strengths: | Great handling - Excellent ride up & down - Strenght of the hole bike | | Weaknesses: | The paint is too weak and when little rocks crash the frame they leave the marks on it, and it´s quite annoying that.. Appart from that everything is excellent | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | Rock Shox Duke fork, avid v's, mavic rims, maxxis, Shimano XT, LX & XTR, Fox Float R. | | Bottom Line: | Great bike for XC, extremely good handling, super sweet climbin and great downhilling. The superlight is a really great bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff Kuckenbaker
a Cross Country Rider
from Irvine CA US
Date Reviewed: February 2, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1300.00 | | Purchased At: | The Bike Company | | Strengths: | Light weight, pedal effeciency, agile, and responsive. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Giant NRS | | Bike Setup: | XT,XTR drivetrain, Large frame, Answer fork | | Bottom Line: | The 2007 Superlight is finally here for riders over 150lbs. Light, fast, and black.....best frame for cross country with 4" of travel for downhill. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sean Davidson
a Cross Country Rider
from Monterey, CA
Date Reviewed: January 29, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | so far...Old Mine in Calistoga | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1599.00 | | Purchased At: | Sport Center Bicycles | | Bike Setup: | Upgraded components: Solar Carbon bars, lighter Mavic rims, Race Face stem | | Bottom Line: | - - - - - This is an update from my first review - - - - -
The stock stem on the Superlight D had to go when it popped off the fork after a jump.
The headset (Cane) bearings have rusted after two months, soon to be swapped out.
Took maybe 2 lbs off bike with new bars, wheels, and stem, still looking to drop another 2 somewhere...
Uncomfortable with new noise my SC is making, almost as if the frame is cracked somewhere...creaking metallic sound. Could be the cranks ($64 shimano deore, yuk)
Shimano rotor came loose after every ride, my dealer fixed/changed lock rings several times, I finally moved to bolt on rotors.
Terrible cables, rusted, had to be replaced.
Very bottom line, take a good frame and throw crappy components on it, kinda gives the originator a bad name, throw better components on it, nobody can afford it. I'm happy with the SC, and enjoy making it a better bike but for those that can't afford to do this, shop around for a better complete ride not a project in perfection. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jim beam
a
from scaramento
Date Reviewed: January 22, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Light weight, Simplicity, Cost | | Weaknesses: | Der. hanger bent out of box. Low bottom bracket. | | Similar Products Used: | Bullit, Heckler, Nomad | | Bike Setup: | Fox 100rlc, full 07 XTR, King disc, Mavic | | Bottom Line: | This is a review for the 07 version. This bike rips. Climbs, decends, everthing you could want in a cross country bike. The only issues I have is the bent der. hanger. Used staightening tool to fix but, had major shifting issues on first ride. Hanger does not seem to line up all that well the dropout. E-mailed SantaCruz, waiting for reply. I'm sure they wiil resolve for me. Customer service is great there. The other issue I had is that the bottom bracket seems kina of low. Cranks would hit rocks as I was pedling. I can deal with that considering how well the bike rides. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
muzza
a Weekend Warrior
from dallas, bushragua
Date Reviewed: December 20, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | classified means and methods | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1500.00 | | Purchased At: | Santiam | | Strengths: | This is an updater on an '06 in D-format. In a D-suit Superlight not superbly light, but sorta light & strong & simple & still highly cool. My powdercoat is durable, the decals too. Other posts complain about both wearing off. Cosmetically mine is still purdy, despite hard use, minor bingles and lots of slide around time in the pickup bed. | | Weaknesses: | A minor thingie: The lbs crew...very cool & patient guys...especially to a lazy no-tech dummo, couldn't tune out a early occuring front hanger chain clack, although they,uh, screwed lightly with it's G-spot 3 or 4 times at no charge. Eventually the clack just went away on it's own. I'll be philosophical when it comes back. | | Similar Products Used: | A tricked out Fish Tazz hardtail , which the wife still doesn't want. This is OK, since the Sortalight-D is in the shop getting a wheelset upgrade, which is taking longer than anticipated. Rumsfeld must work there now. | | Bike Setup: | The stock Sortalight D now has Easton Monkey Lite cf bars, Cane Creek Terros disc wheelset (well, maybe it will by next week, disc rotors on order), Panaracer XC Fires 2.1, Wellgo .45cal CZ-97Bs or whatever you call them. The googly bits remain the stock Low-mano factory D package. And the 'low end' brakes are at least the equal to Hayes Nine HFX, which used to be the hot thingie back in the day...which was, as is the case in the overheated mtbking world, about 6 weeks ago. | | Bottom Line: | Based on the true facts as I know them now, I'd fund this project again. Rev. Cunningham says the reconfigured 07 Superlight still has the legendary rider appeal of the "old" boxed framers. And the 07 SL frame claims to be a whole cheeseburger lighter because the rear triangle is all swooped out, as only the Taiwanese can affordably (hydro?)form it. I already asked the Santa Cruz factory gnomes about simply switching out the 06 rear triangle for the 07, since that's where most of the percieved improvements lie. Can't be done, the say.
"That would be, you know, sensible and economic," said Santa Cruz's chief mushroom picker, S.I. Hiakawa.
So they deliberately changed a few bolt holes to make a switch out impossible. I'm sure marketing has penned a geekoid engineering justification for this naughty tactic, which they'll trot out as soon as they see this.
Rev. Cunningham also says there is less frame flex in the 07. Some of us XC whimps kinda like frame flex, Ritchie. Oh well.
Mtbking is all about realizing incremental performance gains from your 1/3 to 1/2 horsepower motor (you) through use of space age materials & obsessive engineering... all of it sold for excessive prices that only a geek in Lycra would shell out. Well, I don't do Lycra....yet.
In basic concept, the Santa Cruz Superlight, old version or new, turns down the hyper-tech marketing knob just a skosh. I think even Cunningham realizes the marketing bullsh*t is in danger of sparking insurrection among us pesky bill paying enthusiasts.
Anyway, I still love my old, boxy, crapped out six month old Superlight. It squishes when it's supposed to and gets me over the irrigation pipes and through my entire Ipod songlist without complaint.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
matt hill
a Cross Country Rider
from bristol england
Date Reviewed: November 23, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | broken axe | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$2000.00 | | Purchased At: | cycle city | | Strengths: | climbing ability but can still bomb it dh | | Weaknesses: | almost perfect, graphics need work | | Similar Products Used: | gaint anthem | | Bike Setup: | crossmax wheels sram x-0 reba world cup forks race face cranks xtr bb egg beater pedals easto ea 70 bars | | Bottom Line: | UNSTOPABLE | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chuck
a Cross Country Rider
from Boise, Id
Date Reviewed: November 4, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$800.00 | | Purchased At: | online | | Strengths: | Looks good, fun to ride. You can jump it higher than a hardtail and stay under control while going faster. | | Weaknesses: | I can't think of any. | | Similar Products Used: | This is my first dual suspension. | | Bike Setup: | SC Superlight, about 26 pounds. | | Bottom Line: | I'm not a downhiller but there's this section, on one of my favorite trails, that I've always wanted to do without touching my brakes. I could never do it on my hardtail because it got too crazy and fast, but a few days ago I made that section without braking on my Superlight and I barely got an adrenaline from the speed, jumping and cornering because this bike makes me feel so under control. It's also nice how the rear wheel stays on the ground while climbing on rough terrain where a hardtail would bounce and lose traction. I can comfortably leave my ass on the seat while riding through washboard sections. Sometimes I leave my ass on the seat when landing jumps of about a foot high, just because I can. I decided on buying this frame because you can't beat $800 for a dual suspension SC frame (I don't know if that deal is still out there) I'm looking forward to the low maintainance of the single pivot design. It's one of those things I've bought that every time I look at it I think, 'Hell yeah, that's exactly what I wanted." I rode about 7 years on a hardtail and it was fun but I didn't know what I was missing until I got this. One piece of advice: If you're riding on a 200 gram rock hard seat all the suspension in the world won't prevent your ass from hurting. I'm using a specialized rival. It's a shade under 300 grams, it adds a lot of comfort to my ride and looks cool too. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dino Dino
a Cross Country Rider
from Littleton, co 80122
Date Reviewed: November 3, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Colorado Trail -All segments | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Santa Cruz Warranty Frame | | Strengths: | Light weight, handling (with the right set-up), simplicity, reliability, fit, comfort, feel, looks, company behind the product. | | Weaknesses: | Handling (with the wrong set-up), decal peeling. | | Similar Products Used: | Many | | Bike Setup: | Manitou R7 100mm fork, Bontrager, Easton, Sram X.9 and Shimano XT | | Bottom Line: | I picked-up a Medium sized Superlight frame from Santa Cruz in December of 2005 to replace my 2000 Superlight which had a few dents and much wear and tear. The 2006 model is a bit heavier (no more than 1/4 pound) than the old Sperlight,with slightly smaller diameter (and thicker walled) top and down tubes.
There is a BIG diffenence between the 2000 and 2006 models in geometry and handling, if you use an 80 mm front fork. The old Superlights were built around an 80 mm fork, and handled with both stability and agility. When I put my 80mm Duke race fork on the 2006 Superlight frame, the steering was really fast!! This is OK in some instances but be prepared if you do fast downhills over technical terrain. It will be a white knuckle experience. This can be remedied with wider bars, longer stem or a 100 mm fork -which lifts the front end and makes the head angle more slack.
After I put a 100 mm Manitou R7 front fork on my '06 Superlight, the handling and weight distribution became much more trailbike like and,in my opinion, more reasonable for all conditions.
I love my 2006 Superlight frame and bike. I just wanted to point out that the characteristics of the bike will change greatly depending on what fork you put on. And, somewhere along the line, Santa Cruz changed the design of the frame to be more compatible with longer travel forks.
I understand that Santa Cruz just redesigned the Spuerlight frame again for 2007 with all an all new swingarm, and all new geometry. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James
a Cross Country Rider
from Southern California, USA
Date Reviewed: November 1, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Whiting Ranch, Aliso Woods, and The Fullerton Loop | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1100.00 | | Purchased At: | Craigslist | | Strengths: | Not too heavy, great craftsmanship, and nimble for technical XC. Great climber! | | Weaknesses: | None that I can think of at the moment. | | Similar Products Used: | 1995 Motiv HT, 1999 Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Comp, 2006 Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc. | | Bike Setup: | Rockshox Tora 318 fork, Fox RP23 rear shock, Shimano Deore crankset (Hollowtech), Shimano LX front derailer, Shimano XT rear derailer, Shimano rapidfire deore shifters, Shimano 535 hydraulic disc brakes, Shimano SPD pedals, Aheadset headset, Mavic disc rims (dont know model number), Kenda Nevegal tires, Truvativ XR stem, Truvativ XR handlebar, Truvativ XR Seatpost, and WTB Rocket Seat. | | Bottom Line: | Review is on the 2006 Santa Cruz SL. This is a gr8 bike. Bought it used from a seller on craigslist. Was only 4 months old when I purchased it, so it was practically still brand new. Was using my 1999 SJ FSR for many years and thought it couldn't get any better. Well, I was wrong, the SL is simply amazing. This thing can climb like no other. Steering w/ the Rockshox Tora is spot on. I can take virtually any technical XC line that I want. During the climbs, it handles and tracks really well. The actually frame is simply beautiful. The welds look like a roll of nickels. Rock solid and beautiful. This is gonna be my last bike for a while. Next I will change the front fork, stem, handlebar, and seatpost to make the overall bike a little lighter. Gr8 buy for those who want a XC bike w/ a proven design (single pivot rules)! 4/5 chilis b/c it could be a little lighter. Weighed the bike and it comes in at 29 lbs right now. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sean Davidson
a Cross Country Rider
from Monterey, CA
Date Reviewed: October 26, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Not yet found | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1599.00 | | Purchased At: | Sports Center Bicycle | | Strengths: | Handles great, hugs the turns even over the potholes. Took 50 seconds off a 5 min 50 sec single track downhill compared to my Specialized Rockhopper hardtail. | | Weaknesses: | Chain occasionally jumps gears on very rough terrain, otherwise great improvement. Would prefer stock quick release on seat post clamp to lower the seat to bomb the downhills, then raise for climbing. | | Similar Products Used: | First full suspension, otherwise road GT aggressor, yuk. Also ride Specialized Rockhopper, fun, light, easy to maintain, but doesn't compare to the Santa Cruz. | | Bike Setup: | Basic Superlite, D, medium size frame, FOX-R shock, hydraulic disk; "french rims" worry me. | | Bottom Line: | I'd recommend this bike to anyone under 200 pounds. Jumping good so far, tomorrow I put it to another test in Fort Ord, especially trail 42. Rims are tight, frequent abuse shows no signs of stress. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Robo Hamelin
a Cross Country Rider
from Canada
Date Reviewed: October 15, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | minasing | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1500.00 | | Purchased At: | Freewheel Cycle Canada | | Strengths: | Ability to climb like the wind. | | Weaknesses: | Can't stay off the dam thing. | | Similar Products Used: | trek giant canondale | | Bike Setup: | full xtr. mavic 3.1 rims. minute 2 fork. fifth element air shock. | | Bottom Line: | I've ridden alot of bikes. Nothing compares to the Superight.wonderfull bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bert Boutte
a Cross Country Rider
from Houston, TX
Date Reviewed: October 9, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | anywhere | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1600.00 | | Purchased At: | Ride Away Cycles | | Strengths: | Well built bike, I have a blur as well and find this bike climbs just as good. | | Weaknesses: | Bought the bike on a budget kit which made this bike a 28 pound cruiser. I really think lighter parts could be found in the same price range. | | Similar Products Used: | Trek hardtail, Sugar 3+, Cannondale Jekyll, Fisher Big Sur, Blur | | Bike Setup: | Tora 302 solo air, deore parts, fox r shock | | Bottom Line: | I really like this bike, aside from the 28 pounds, this bike is a fantastic performer. The superlight performs well on climbs especially if you stay seated. I don't really know about all the beefy parts. I really miss the "Duke XC" line of forks. The tora is a 4.3 pound, while the Duke was a 3.5 pounder in the same price range. I'm impressed with the Fox R shock...there is barely any bob, but works awesome in rough areas. I own a Blur which is in a catagory all by itself, but if I had bought the Superlight before the Blur, I really don't think I would have forked over the cash for the Blur. I'm a 5'7" 155 lbs. rider and finding a bike with geometry to fit my profile (small frame size) for some reason is hard. Hats off to Santa Cruz, because their brand of bikes fits right. The only thing negative that I can see is the overweight D kit. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve
a Cross Country Rider
from Mountain View
Date Reviewed: October 3, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | TRT | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$2300.00 | | Purchased At: | Bicycle Outfitter | | Strengths: | Simple - low maintenance | | Weaknesses: | None for what it is | | Similar Products Used: | Blur | | Bike Setup: | Stock | | Bottom Line: | I've been riding this Superlight for almost 7 years and 9,000 miles. The frame, XT front derailleur, Avid brakes and LX crankset are the only original components. A 100 mm fork made the bike a bit less racy, but good for general XC handling. I've ridden a Blur, but since I don't feel the pedal bob on the SL, it's hard to get motivated to upgrade. The bike just does everything I ask of it and more. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ray
a Weekend Warrior
from Ireland
Date Reviewed: September 8, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Glentress, scotland | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$750.00 | | Purchased At: | new on e-bay | | Strengths: | Light, tough, going up, going down, handles great, very low maintanence. | | Weaknesses: | Powder coat paint job not great, easily scuffed, bit more lateral swingarm flex than I would of expected. | | Similar Products Used: | Diamond back xr1, old slayer.. | | Bike Setup: | Marzoochi mx comps up front, 5th element air shock rear, hope mavic wheels, and an asortment of other bits and bobs that Im slowly replacing. I built up the frame myself. | | Bottom Line: | After owning a 4 bar machine I wanted something that would be low maintanence, and it really is. It climbs amazing well with the 5th element shock on, hardly any noticable bob at all. I absolutely love this bike and intend to keep it running for a long time to come. I love the simplicity of the single pivot design. It would be very hard to see how a more complicated design would have any real benefit over this exelent and simple design. Possably only if you are racing at the top elite level. Great trail bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
muzza
a Weekend Warrior
from Dallas, Busharagua
Date Reviewed: August 31, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Classified Means and Methods | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1500.00 | | Strengths: | Once you've had shock you'll never go bock. Lighter, quicker, faster, more posh than my Fish Tazz hardtail. Superlight climbs just as well. It says Santa Cruz right on the side,dude! Cockpit fits like a $1000 suit. It's orange.
| | Weaknesses: | Uuuhh. The Tora fork/shock pump looks kind of clinical. Otherwise time will tell. | | Similar Products Used: | Superlight is my first dualie. The '05 Fish Tazz hardtail was tricked as far as you can go and not be stupid about it. Was going to keep the hardtail for sentimental reasons. Now? Pfftthht. Maybe I'll hose it down and give it to wife for a minor holiday. Save some bucks on flowers. | | Bike Setup: | Stock C level (mostly Shimano) except for Panaracer 2.1 Fires, a personal pref. Most would say the factory Kenda Nevs are fine, maybe even superior. Red stripe on the Pana's looks way lurid next to the orange powder coat. | | Bottom Line: | Drove 20 miles to the Big Damn Shop coz I read all about the $1600 Heckler. See, you'd have to be an idiot not to buy one. Santa Cruz hyped 'em just in time to run out factory components to actually make and sell a few. Then the A-team flees the Mushroom Republic for an overseas trade show. Hmmm. So I rode and bought a Superlight for $100 less. Got the powdercoat I wanted in just five days from the leftovers on the Santa Cruz B-team. First ride: Superlight ate the hour long scoot up Classified Means and Methods in 50 easy minutes. This left enough in the tank for a fast shot up to Tranquility Base. Kept wondering why all the lumpy bits grew so tame. The whole world has suddenly gone Pluto... flatter and smaller. And I am a mtbiking god. Khyber pass? Pfft. Heckler, smeckler. Stick with a classic, especially if you mostly like aggressive single track.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Asheville, NC
Date Reviewed: August 28, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Greens Lick | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$2200.00 | | Purchased At: | Carolina Fatz | | Strengths: | This bike, although built like a tank, stays true to its name. My setup probably weighs less than 27lbs. Crisp handing, excellent brakes and component group for the money. Lots of suspension adjustability. | | Weaknesses: | Like everyone has said, the Santa Cruz logo on the down tube is just a sticker. Water bottle mounts are plastic. | | Similar Products Used: | Almost went all-mtn. I'm glad I didn't. | | Bike Setup: | D package, Fox F100 RLT, Easton EA50 bar, Ritchey stem, Mavic X717 discs. | | Bottom Line: | I set the fork and shock to the suggested specs and haven't touched them yet (it feels great). Simply put, this bike climbs and handles better than my old hardtail, and eats up single track like nobodys business. After getting a good 3.5+ feet of air on several occasions this bike seems plenty strong. It has survived three crashes without a scratch. On every trail and every terrain I've ridden, this bike is just fast! fast! fast! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sim
a Weekend Warrior
from Singapore
Date Reviewed: August 16, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$3500.00 | | Purchased At: | TWA | | Strengths: | fantastic climber, light weight, almost maintenance free pivots. | | Weaknesses: | Lousy anodized coating, expensive frame ($1150) compared to other brands | | Similar Products Used: | Alite4000, scotts racing, racer-X | | Bike Setup: | M-size, full XTR, 2007 RLC, Crox-max SL V-brakes, Thomson master piece, candy SL, crossmark UST (24.8 lbs) | | Bottom Line: | The bike is great in both climbing and descending. No complains about the performance. I can climb better compared to previous hardtail, all you need to do is sit and pedal. Some section of the trails that I have to get of the sit to push........... I can climb now. My timing is improving every since I switch to this bike. I can descend faster than ever.
Only big problem is the coating.... I need to use decals to protect them. The coating is gone after a few rides, any part that is in contact with the cables. The coating is also gone at the chain stay with my shoes has contact with occasionally during pedalling.
In terms of performance, it ROCKS!
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jake
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver, CO
Date Reviewed: August 9, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$2100.00 | | Strengths: | Everything | | Weaknesses: | Only weakness is that you never feel that a hill is really a hill in this bike. So, it's more like a strenght. | | Similar Products Used: | GIANT AND IRONHORSE | | Bike Setup: | everything fox and sram | | Bottom Line: | this bike is awsome ... really good quailty and price ... couldn't ask for more | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pedro Bento
a Cross Country Rider
from Azeitão, Portugal
Date Reviewed: August 7, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Serra da Arrábida | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Purchased At: | Arrábida Bikes, Setúbal | | Strengths: | Excelently built, top quality materials, proven and flawless design. It's a SANTA CRUZ!! | | Weaknesses: | A bit low clearance. In the beggining, the pedals would hit obstacles often when your ovetake pronounced bumps and crests on the trail. Now that I'm a bit more used to it, I tend to stop pedalling when I overtake an obstacle and it seems to work. However, this is just a minor nuisance, not a real problem. | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Superlight (size L), Fox Float RP3, Marzocchi Bomber MX Comp Air, Mavic x819 UST Wheels, Maxxis Ignitor UST tires, Deore Hydraulic Disk brakes, Dual control levers, Truvativ cranks | | Bottom Line: | This is an update to my previous post. I've had almost 250 km with the bike now. The frame continues to perform superbly! The Fox Float RP3 for the rear suspension together with the Super Light's frame design are 100% effective at absorbing the terrain and avoiding pedal bobbing. I'm not even sure if I've faced this problem yet, since the bike pedals just like my previous hardtail, sitting or standing up and hammering the pedals down. No difference whatsoever. The bike now climbs relentlessly any king of climb and terrain I've found: loose terrain, rocky terrain, hard terrain, bumpy terrain, you name it! It clings to the ground truly like an ant on a wall. Very impressive! This frame has made me a better climber, a faster descender, I'm having a lot more fun on the bike, and would buy another Santa Cruz Superlight without a doubt if I needed a new frame. What can I say: Get it, 'cause you won't regret it! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
G
a Cross Country Rider
from California
Date Reviewed: July 23, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1499.00 | | Purchased At: | cyclesport | | Strengths: | Santa Cruz frame | | Weaknesses: | Components,
Santa Cruz stickers | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized, Cannondale, Giant XC bikes $1500 range | | Bike Setup: | All Stock, Superlight D package.
| | Bottom Line: | Not the greatest components with the D package, but don't let it fool you, the bike is a superlight, and it is super fast, a lot faster then my old giant and cannondale hardtails, i was flying downhills w/out using my breaks and turning tight corner like never before, and soon, i'll upgrade to xtr parts. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bernie
a Cross Country Rider
from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Date Reviewed: July 17, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$2400.00 | | Purchased At: | Hub Cycles | | Strengths: | Frame, paint, pivots - just about everything! | | Weaknesses: | Santa Cruz stickers are just "stickers", not the name painted on the frame with a clearcoat over it. There is already a crease in one of the stickers on the downtube. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized S-Works hardtail, Diamondback Axis | | Bike Setup: | XT rear derailleur and crankset, LX front derailleur, Fox RP3 shock, Rock Shox Tora fork, Deore hydraulic disks, Easton EA50 post, Truvativ XR stem and bars, Selle Italia SLR XC saddle, Eggbeater pedals, Specialized Roll X D2 on front and a Fast Trak Pro D2 on the rear | | Bottom Line: | The more that I ride the bike, the better that it feels. It handles great and will take anything and everything that I throw at it. The paint seems to be as tough as nails. It's a bit on the heavy side, at the moment, but I will get it down there with some careful replacement bits as money becomes available. It has been such a change from my hardtail that it feels like learning to ride all over again - great fun.The best XC bike that I have ever owned or ridden. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
wade
a Cross Country Rider
from truckee, CA
Date Reviewed: June 20, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | holeintheground | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$900.00 | | Purchased At: | cyclepaths | | Strengths: | simple, quiet, light, no brain damage | | Weaknesses: | not | | Similar Products Used: | had haro XLS a couple of years ago, had a superlight 7ish years ago as well | | Bike Setup: | 9 speed drivetrain, XO shifter and rear derailer, fox 07 f100r, float r, other light stuff, 24.3lbs | | Bottom Line: | so, as i'm getting older and realizing i don't spend enough time on the bike to justify my single speed (i've ridden SS 90% of the time for the last 5 to 6years),
i wanted a quiet light good handling trailbike.
i tried a trance for a month, to dead, i couldn't move it around quick enough, the haro xls was good, but a bit long and heavy, so i went back to the superlight.
after riding it, i don't know why i ever left. it is just a great riding bike that make me smile time and time again. intuitive, quick but stable, it's a winner. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a Cross Country Rider
from PA
Date Reviewed: June 16, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$900.00 | | Purchased At: | Speedgoat | | Strengths: | light, roomy, reliable, handles well, durable (all things considered), looks great | | Weaknesses: | only a 100mm fork, small tire clearances, steepish head angle. | | Similar Products Used: | GF Procaliber hard tail (now SS), Giant NRS (terrible bike IMO), GF Paragon 29er (great Bike IMO), GF Fat Possum | | Bike Setup: | Marz X-fly, Mavic, avid BB7, XT-XTR, 26 lbs | | Bottom Line: | This is everything a Cross Country bike should be. Light, reliable, comfortable. It was cutting edge when I got it, but Now I am more interested in other types of riding and I just have outgrown this platform. It is still a stellar XC bike and a great value. SC nailed it with this bike, but with newer more advanced platforms out there people easily brush off the Superlight as being outdated. Im here to tell you its not, provided you use it for its intended purpose.
I have shifted my riding style more to the trail end of the spectrum and the 4 inch superlight works OK, but its steep angles, limited tire clearance and limited fork choices remind you all too often that it is a race day machine first and foremost.
If you are an aspiring racer on a budget or a veteran looking to do 24 hour events and some agressive XC riding, you could do a lot worse than the superlight. With the right rear shock, this is a great riding bike. I will be moving on to a Motolight or a BLT, but still contend that the venerable superlight is a fantasic choice. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pedro Bento
a Cross Country Rider
from Azeitão, Portugal
Date Reviewed: June 14, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Serra da Arrábida | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Purchased At: | Arrábida Bikes, Setúbal | | Strengths: | Excelently built, top quality materials, proven design, flawless design. It's a SANTA CRUZ!! | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Superlight (size L), Fox Float RP3, Marzocchi Bomber MX Comp Air, Mavic x819 UST Wheels, Maxxis Ignitor UST tires, Deore Hydraulic Disk brakes, Dual control levers, Truvativ cranks | | Bottom Line: | Top notch frame. On a first analysis (40km), it climbs like an ant on a wall. I have climbed up hills I had N E V E R been able to climb before in over three years. The more power you aply to the pedals, the more the bike seems to crouch and cling to the ground, climbing relentlessly over any sort of rough terrain I found. I am SOOOOOOOOOOO impressed with the frame's performance. It climbs and, climbs, and climbs... Of course it also goes down with excelent handling, but we all know that it's the climb that kills the momentum, not the descent ;-). I'll update this review after I have had more kms on the bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Will
a Cross Country Rider
from San Jose, CA
Date Reviewed: June 12, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Light, strong and handles well | | Similar Products Used: | Blur LT | | Bike Setup: | rp3 rear and rock shock 318 | | Bottom Line: | The bike is great, but I would recommend getting something else instead of a rock shock 318. Pay the extra money and get a little higher quality shock. Bikes fast and super good. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bill
a Cross Country Rider
from Towson
Date Reviewed: April 27, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Loch Raven and Patapsco | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$2600.00 | | Purchased At: | Fleet Street Cycles Baltimore | | Strengths: | Light and Fast and so agile. | | Weaknesses: | Its little brother, Blur, is the center of all the attention these days. | | Similar Products Used: | Blur,Indy Fab, Cannodale, Anthem, Trance, | | Bike Setup: | Sram X9 DT Swiss 340 wheels, Fox vanilla RLC fork 100 travel, Fox RP3 shock Truvative Crank liquid Blue. Thompson, Race Face | | Bottom Line: | I am in love with this bike. Use Santa Cruz fit guide. It put me on a large with a 33 inch inseam. This bike is decends and climbs like a YZ250. For XC riding this bike can not be beat. I am overtaking my buddys all over the trail or on their rear wheel ready to stomp. The Blur is nice too, but for the extra cash, the difference is too subtle. This bike climbs better than a hard tail. Do this great frame justice by choosing good components. Anybody that trashed this bike should be ashamed of themselves. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Lucas
a Cross Country Rider
from edmonton
Date Reviewed: April 11, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | lake minewanka | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$2.00 | | Purchased At: | pedal head | | Strengths: | simple fast and cheap | | Weaknesses: | this is the second superlight frame, its close to 4 years old and has started developing cracks, I can't complain too much cause it was free from santa cruz on warranty but am still disapointed cause I didn't abuse this frame and it still broke | | Bottom Line: | this bike is cheap and you get what you pay for, this is the second superlight frame I have broken and am probally going to get another one cause the crash replacent is cheap, but don't expect it to last if you ride lots, I'm very heavy but am aggressive, no jumps or drops on this one but it still broke, I rode it hard for 3 1/2 years so I can't wine too much | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Luke
a Cross Country Rider
from edmonton
Date Reviewed: April 5, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | lake minewanka | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Purchased At: | pedal head | | Strengths: | light, simple nothing to go wrong, cheap for a good chasis, pedals really well, santa cruz has good warranty/crash replacement | | Weaknesses: | brake jack like all single pivots, I have busted one frame(they are not made for jumping) | | Similar Products Used: | heckler/ other light single pivots | | Bike Setup: | fsa wheels, fox fork, swinger 3way, hayes and other durable parts | | Bottom Line: | the bike is an all round great trail bike, not as plush as linkage designs but its not as expensive either, accelerates better then most and is fun to ride trails with, stay away from drops and jumps the frame can't take it, easy to build a light ride cause the frame is so light, can be a little flexy though, if you ride hard check bushings often, and replace once a year, not a bad bang for the buck, has been good to me and I destroy bikes and components, this is my second frame, first one lasted two years of serious abuse, and this one is 4 years old and has seen lots of action with no big airs, and has no problems | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marcel Trepus
a Cross Country Rider
from Orange, CA
Date Reviewed: March 31, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Old Camp | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$2000.00 | | Purchased At: | Used Private Party | | Strengths: | Superlight, Fast, responsive, smooth, Agile, Sweet | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Stumpjumper | | Bike Setup: | Mostly XT, RPS, SID AIR, | | Bottom Line: | This is the only XC Bike out there. Simple bullet proof. The only problem you may ever have is with the stuff made by Shimano. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
J K
a Cross Country Rider
from wellington
Date Reviewed: March 28, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | lbs | | Strengths: | simple, light, beautiful | | Similar Products Used: | first fully | | Bike Setup: | xt hydros, rebas etc | | Bottom Line: | I am loving this bike. It handles brilliantly and fits me well (an XL I am 6'2). nice and light and is great for longer rides and races. the lower back pain I had from my hardtail has gone.
I don't have heaps of experience with full suspension bikes but find it just right. The RP3 is great for removing any bobbing on the climbs but if you flick it into the softer mode it is nice an soft for the downhills and the middle setting is good for being able to stay seated and plough through the rougher sections. It isn't as plush as a blur but as an xc bike I am happy to trade that for the weight, simplicity and price. The only downside with the suspension I have noticed is that on the brakes in steeper technical sections the suspnsion isn't as responsive as other bikes I've ridden. though the solution to that is to get off the brakes.
My only other worry is that with the rear suspension and the rebas working so well I can ride rough downhills so fast I am worried that I'll break, and that I should have got a heckler. time will tell how tough it is. Overall it is a brilliant bike. highly recommended.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bramy
a Cross Country Rider
from Venezuela
Date Reviewed: February 16, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$3200.00 | | Purchased At: | The racer's edge (Fl) | | Strengths: | maintenance free (just the usual lube), reliable (never fail!!), light, Fun Fun Fun | | Weaknesses: | Low bottom bracket, makes you want to ride it all day, VPP fever????
Nothing important really | | Bike Setup: | Float RL f&r, full XT gruppo, avid Disc (mec.), 819 and Chris King, 959 pedals, Easton, Thompson, bla bla bla. 27 lbs with 2,3 and 2,1 tires, Large frame | | Bottom Line: | I run my fork in 50 psi and my shock in 100 psi (both fox float) and the bike is SUPER plush (I weight 170 pounds)
Yes, you can feel pedal feedback and brake jack but only if you are going slow and braking!!!!! let go and it's sweet
I thought that because of the weight I was going to feel less confident on decents... NOT
For the normal aggressive guy this frame is strong enough.
Anyone that want to go FS and don't want to mess with bearings, VPP, links and all that; just have fun and ride, should buy this bike.
If you like it extremely technical and slow maybe you'll be better on VPP, or with more travel. For the rest of us mortals... Superlight is the only way!!!! Forza | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ICPAYDIRT
a Cross Country Rider
from Pacific Beach, CA
Date Reviewed: February 5, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$2000.00 | | Purchased At: | online | | Strengths: | Super responsive, very quick acceleration, excellent climber and agile decender, great trailbike or racer, simple, light, dependable. | | Weaknesses: | None unless you are a hardcore racer or someone who likes to do 3'+ drops regularly. | | Similar Products Used: | many | | Bike Setup: | XL, 25.8lbs, ti Crank Bros, carbon, Fox F100RLT, 5th Element, Magura Marta, XT/XTR, Race Face, Thompson, King, WTB, Mavic 3.1UST/King/Sapim CX-ray wheels. | | Bottom Line: | The Superlight may have a reputation as a great climber but what it doesn't get credit for is how agile and powerful of a decender it is! I am a 6'2" 210lb trail rider/racer who punishes equipment. The Superlight's single pivot is very durable but when the time comes, it can be overhauled quickly and easily. I read some of the reviews saying this bike has too much flex or blame the shock etc.,..... all nonsense! With the Superlight you have a bike that lives for tight singletrack and is as quick and agile as it comes both up and down the mountain. If you take the time to bond with this bike, you will be in for a suprise! In an age of FSR and VPP this bike represents FUN!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marcel Trepus
a Cross Country Rider
from Orange, CA
Date Reviewed: February 3, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Cook Corner/Luge/Old Camp | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1500.00 | | Purchased At: | Used Private Party | | Strengths: | Light, Fast, Responsive, Agressive, Does not like to follow, only likes to lead! | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Stumpjumper | | Bike Setup: | LX, XT, SID Air, Fox Float, | | Bottom Line: | This bike is the best XC Full Suspension bike on the Trail.
Sounds like some Cats gave the bike a bad rating becuase of a shock problem. They should rate the shock under shocks and not under the bike as the last time I checked Santa Cruz does not own or make Fox.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David Gibbs
a Cross Country Rider
from Louisville, KY
Date Reviewed: January 21, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Abandoned Railroads | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$2200.00 | | Purchased At: | Cycler's Cafe | | Strengths: | A light, smooth ballast-eater for weekend treks. | | Weaknesses: | None so far. | | Similar Products Used: | First FS bike. Still have my old Specialized hard-tail | | Bike Setup: | Full XT package, Manitou shocks w/ front lock | | Bottom Line: | 2 years riding a hard tail over abandoned rail lines with a 35-40lbs pack for 3 days at a time is tough on us old guys. My first FS bike has change the world: light, no-bob or sag, spending more time in the seat. It handles road-bed grime well so far. Dealer's that want to know how to take care of customers should call Joe; top drawer work on helping me pick this one. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andy Carnell
a Cross Country Rider
from Bath
Date Reviewed: December 6, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | "The Wall", Afan | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$4000.00 | | Purchased At: | John's Bikes, Bath | | Strengths: | Lightweight frame (~5.3lbs), I find it very stiff too (I'm 6ft, and about 154lbs), low maintenance, with the RP3 I have almost zero noticeable pedal bob with minimal pro-pedal when climbing. | | Weaknesses: | Absolutley none, honestly! | | Bike Setup: | Superlight ano silver: XT, Deus, Next Carbon, Hope XC hubs, Fizik Gobi, Float 100 RLC | | Bottom Line: | OK, I did consider the blur XC, but I couldn't justify an extra $600 for VPP. If the whole point of VPP is to give a full suss ride and to cut bob/feedback to a minimum then in my mind there was no need for it. You can get this on a superlight with it's single pivot by using a shock like the RP3. Granted, heavier riders may have a slight issue with bobbing....but none of this should matter, the superlight is a superb handing extremely fast race bike, I am hitting the trails at noticeably faster speeds, and storming up the technical climbs without the bike spitting traction.
An absolute joy to ride.
Very sweet bike, if you buy it I very much doubt that any form of disappointment will enter your head...you will be having too much fun! ;) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rodney Skyles
a Racer
from Tyler, TX, USA
Date Reviewed: November 23, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Tyler State Park | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$2900.00 | | Purchased At: | Simpson's Fitness & Adventure Sports | | Strengths: | Very stable, good balance. Smooth Shifting. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Giant NRS 2 | | Bike Setup: | Full Shimano XT integrated (STI) with hydraulic brakes, Fox RP3 & RLT 100 (smooth), Thompson post & stem. | | Bottom Line: | I was very uncomfortable on my previous bike and thought I was loosing my touch. After a long wait for a Trek Fuel 98, I finally gave up and decided to wait for the Santa Cruz Superlight. MAN! IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT!
I have been thrilled with how great this bike climbs and how smooth it jets over rough downhills. It is fun to mountain bike again! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sean
a Cross Country Rider
from Ridgewood
Date Reviewed: November 5, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Allamuchy | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$2300.00 | | Strengths: | Durable; Maintenance Free; Light; Fast; Feels just right. I have riden several FS bikes and this bike just feels right. I ride my bike very hard and it has never failed me. | | Weaknesses: | Derailer hanger should have a replaceable hanger. Too many times I have bent the hanger and had to use the DAG-1 to bring it back. I am waiting for the time it just breaks... | | Similar Products Used: | Blur | | Bike Setup: | Black 80/100 shock; Cane Creek frame shock (Awesome!); XT and LX equip; Easton Monley Lite Bar; Thompsom Seat post; WTB Weirwolf and Velociraptor | | Bottom Line: | Just an awesome no excuse bike. Takes major abuse, it rides fast and never gets you in trouble. Extremely durable! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dan
a Cross Country Rider
from London, ON, Canada
Date Reviewed: August 28, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1200.00 | | Purchased At: | All Season Cycle | | Strengths: | Lightweight, active suspension, low maintenance, good price for a hand-built frame (nice beads, Garen!) | | Weaknesses: | Low bottom bracket, sluggish steering, flexy | | Similar Products Used: | '99 Heckler | | Bike Setup: | '05 SL, Manitou Swinger 3-way, Fox F100RLT, Avid cantis | | Bottom Line: | The Superlight is a good FS bike for general XC riding and racing. The simplicity and low maintenance of the single pivot is great. The silver anodized finish looks great. Four inches of active travel is great. Smacking pedals on the ground, roots and rocks is bad. The frame is a bit flexy. I weigh 180 lbs and have had the rear step way out a few times because of flex. Steering that is unresponsive, then too quick - bad. The bike sometimes doesn't go where it is pointed and has to be corrected. Maybe that is caused by the frame flexing?
It can't be the F100RLT flexing. This fork is built like a tank, easy to setup and supple.
The Swinger SPV shock works well at reducing pedal-induced suspension action and it is smooth. Shock makes a whooshing noise that you have to get used to. The rear feels dead on steep climbs, but I can't complain - I can climb steep walls covered in rocks and roots better than ever before, because of the suspension.
I moved to the Superlight from a 1999 Heckler and thought I would have the same bike, only lighter. It didn't turn out that way - the SL has a bottom bracket that is 3/8" too low and it doesn't steer as confidently. I expected some flex, but flex that negatively affects steering is cause for concern.
If you weigh more than me, OR if you ride a lot of rocky or rooty trails, I would not recommend an SL. Otherwise, it is worth considering. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
bald fat old guy
a
from northern michigan usa
Date Reviewed: August 23, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | no maintainance, quality craftmanship | | Weaknesses: | 0, none, notta | | Similar Products Used: | special-ed epic, klein inchworm, litespeed obed-fs | | Bike Setup: | full xtr disc, tompson, duke-sl, etc | | Bottom Line: | this is a follow up review from one i posted 5/04. i have been riding for 15 months on this incredible bike and no problems at all. i am amazed every time i go out . climbing is as easy as it gets, descends are quick predictable and smooth as can be, pedal bob is a bit more pronounced than i first posted, but not bad at all. there has not been any type of mechanical issue at all. what's up with producing something that works as it should! what a concept...this might catch on! SANTA CRUZ...a name to remember!
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John W.
a Weekend Warrior
from Baltimore,MD. East Coast Baby
Date Reviewed: August 21, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Fair Hill | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | Fleet Street Cycles | | Strengths: | This is what I consider a fair unbiased review. I am tall (6.1) and very lanky. I always had problems finding a bike to properly fit me and on ocassion thought I had. Case in point my NRS. Look I won't slam the NRS its just I never felt comfy or in control with my particular build. Bought a used SL from my local BS (extralarge). built it up and wha-la it's the best bike I have ever ridden. No Lie my friends say I have become a better rider overnight. If you throw your leg over anything from Santa Cruz and it feels like a fit buy it. My rideing buddy Joe ordered a SL to replace his old Super-V and another buddy ordered a Blur LT just because of the improvement they saw in my weekend riding. So to end this if your a tall guy and don't fell just right on your current rig, try Santa Cruz. I went from just hanging with friends to loveing mountain-biking. | | Weaknesses: | Older rear could support larger tire. | | Similar Products Used: | NRS,Gary Fisher | | Bike Setup: | Top Shelf | | Bottom Line: | Nothing is for everyone but could be right for you. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rob
a Weekend Warrior
from Orange County, CA
Date Reviewed: August 12, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Any with Dirt | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1100.00 | | Purchased At: | Atomic Bikes, Whittier, CA | | Strengths: | Light, simple design, fits right, absolutely NO MAINTENANCE | | Weaknesses: | None in four years. | | Similar Products Used: | K2 Proflex 5500 | | Bike Setup: | XTR (8 Speed), Avid Discs, King/Mavic Wheels, Manitou Black Elite, Raceface Stem/Cranks/BB, Easton Monkey Light Bars and Carbon seatpost, | | Bottom Line: | This is the first mountain bike that I have owned that I felt fit me right immediately. Superfast and superlight. This bike has been through hell and back and still keeps ticking. I have never had to maintain anything on this frame, including the pivot. You can't go wrong with this bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Leisure Suit Larry
a Cross Country Rider
from Des Plaines, Il.
Date Reviewed: August 12, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Palos | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Soooo Nimble | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Had 2 Cannondales before this...NEVER AGAIN!...thanks to
their "FANTASTIC" Customer Service! | | Bike Setup: | Small, completly tricked out. King Hubs, Monkey Bar Lites, Hayes DB | | Bottom Line: | I've ridden this bike for almost three seasons, and with the exception of a problem rear swing arm bolt early on, it's been nothin' but da- BOMB! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ryan Kramer
a Cross Country Rider
from Nederland, Colorado, USA
Date Reviewed: July 20, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Deer Creek Trail, Crested Butte, CO | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$1850.00 | | Purchased At: | Chile Pepper Bike Shop, Moab | | Strengths: | Super light (duh), nimble, responsive, strudy. | | Weaknesses: | After 3 seasons, I cant think of a single one. | | Similar Products Used: | Jamis Dakar XC Expert | | Bike Setup: | XT/XTR, Fox Vanilla 125RLC, Fox Float RL AVA in the back, Easton Carbon bars, seatpost... | | Bottom Line: | This is an incredible bike. Don't feel obligated to fork out the extra thousand dollars for the Blur, because this bike rocks! It climbs like your on an escalator, and the thing decends like beast. I thought that getting such a light frame would make me less confident about flying on decents, but I was wrong. You get incredible weight, with an amazing feeling out strength and resilliance.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jim Vaughn
a Cross Country Rider
from West Michigan
Date Reviewed: June 22, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Strong construction with clean welds. Efficient single pivot design. | | Weaknesses: | The customer service is weak. It took months to deliver (in an alternate color). It "had just gone to paint" on three separate occasions. | | Similar Products Used: | Gary Fisher Sugar, tested many including Santa Cruz Blur, Specialized Epic, Cannondale Scalpel & Phrophet. | | Bike Setup: | Full Shimano XT integrated (STI) with hydraulic brakes, Fox RP3 & RLT 100 (smooth), Thompson post & stem, Time ATAC, Velocity VXC rims (very clean with fantastic strength to weight ratio!). | | Bottom Line: | This bike rides like a dream. Excellent XC design. The Fox shocks are fantastic. The Velocity Wheelbuild is the best I have ever encountered. Shifts on a climb bettern than any bike I have ever ridden!!! Excellent choice for XC riding. I am 6'2" and I have finally gotten comfortable on a bike! Santa Cruz needs to improve their customer service department, the stories were getting old. I love this bike! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Philip Oro
a Racer
from Los Angeles
Date Reviewed: May 9, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Strengths: | Durable, good anodized paintjob, lightweight. | | Weaknesses: | Feels a little dead to me. | | Similar Products Used: | Turner Burner, Specialized M4 FSR, Litespeed Obed | | Bike Setup: | Superlight | | Bottom Line: | Brace yourself, I am on a desert island as the only person to ever not love this frame. I have had both a large and medium sizes and I must say that I never loved either. They are easy to maintain, look sweet, and make a great back up bike, but they never called to me from the corner of the room and lured me to ride them. On the other hand, I often skip right over my road bike to grab my new love, the Turner Burner. The Superlight feels a little dull and slow to me in comparison to the FSR or the Turner. It doesnt steer particularly quick, nor is the sigle pivot suspension particularly great. I just feel like a better rider on the Turner, which although heavier, still feels faster on flats and climbs. Dont hate me, I just had to get this off my chest. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave
a Cross Country Rider
from Fort Collins CO
Date Reviewed: April 17, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$800.00 | | Purchased At: | MTRB.com Classifieds | | Strengths: | Light, good geometry, great quality | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | 2002 Specialized Enduro, 2002 Rocky Mountain Edge | | Bike Setup: | Marzocchi MXR, XT kit, CrossLink wheels | | Bottom Line: | This is a great ride. I have a 2002 frame, and it's sweet. Climbs really well, and rips down pretty much anything. We have a lot of very rocky trails here in Fort Collins, and this bike has handled them very well. I was fantastic on smoother swoopy trails like Monarch Crest, and Book Cliffs (Fruita). I'd suggest this frame for people who mostly ride cross country, and are looking for an reasonably priced full suspension rig. While it can fly, it's not a hucking machine - thus my upgrade to a Heckler ;-) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Greg
a
from Berkeley, CA
Date Reviewed: April 2, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | super lo-maintenence (sp) single pivot design, very good in the climbs with little to no bobbing, excellent cornering, very well made frame with excellent customer service | | Weaknesses: | geometry is a little stand-uppy | | Similar Products Used: | voodoo canzo (don't ride a unified rear triangle bike if you can possibly avoid it), no other fullys | | Bike Setup: | king hs and wheels, xt, raceface | | Bottom Line: | it took me a while to come to this conclusion, so i hope it helps someone. i'm not going to say that this bike will or won't win any races, but off the bat, it is at a 3lb disadvantage, plus the fact that there is inevitable bob that robs direct power-transfer to the rear wheel. however, the downhill and cornering capabilities would probably make up for that. the top tube is short compared to a race bike, the large's is only 23.3", which means you're sitting pretty much upright if set up with a straight post and reasonable stem. it all comes down to the rider no matter which way you slice it insofar as races are concerned...
the way i see it, this bike is all about good times. 4" in the front and 4" in the back means that you can take some decent drops without a second thought. as i said, the geometery is pretty cruiserish, so you can lift the front pretty easily, if you're into that sort of thing. the angles are standard 71/73, so if you set it up with a thomson setback and a longish stem, you could achieve normal top-tube length and lay out like a true xc bike.
i bought mine used, so i can't testify to the true cost:value ratio. as far as 4" travel xc frames are concerned, i think this is one of the least expensive available (only the ellsworth truth and some konas come to mind) at around $1k new. i can honestly testify to the efficiency of the design and the good times that result from it though, and they are more than acceptable.
this bike is also as light as it comes for a 4"er, so if you want to race a fully, this is your best bet. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Juan
a Racer
from Colombia
Date Reviewed: April 2, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1400.00 | | Purchased At: | Ebay | | Strengths: | Everything about this bike rocks! | | Weaknesses: | None. | | Similar Products Used: | SC Blur | | Bike Setup: | Silver anodized frame, Fox Rl 100, Fox RP3, full XT drive train, Avid BB mech brakes, Thompson stem, Easton carbon monkeylites and seatpost, fi'zi:k seat, Mavic rims with XT hubs and WTB motoraptors 2.24 tires, spd. | | Bottom Line: | For a lot less than a blur you get all the performance and "coolness" of having a Santa Cruz bike. This is a solid frame capable of taking small drops/freeride and still be so freaking light and fast. I read in a previous review that you must have a fox RP3 in the rear, and I have to concur with that. The virtual pivot suspension (Blur) may be slightly more efficient than the single pivot one, but it heavily depends on the shock that you use and your riding style. Besides, blurs are becoming very common... everybody has one now. One more thing… this bike is not only a performer; it is also fun to ride! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matthew
a Downhiller
from Las Vegas
Date Reviewed: March 24, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Bootleg Canyon | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$2500.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike Stuff | | Strengths: | Awsome frame srenth, its great for cross country and some downhill. Super plush 4" of travel, rides great with a fox forx. | | Weaknesses: | NONE!!!! | | Similar Products Used: | Juliana SL, Haro, Blur, Bow Ti | | Bike Setup: | FOX vanilla 125rlc and FOX float RL with AVA. Shimano XT all around, Avid disk brakes, GEAX tires. | | Bottom Line: | This is a bike that can be used anyware, downhill, cross country, on the road, in the mud, 4X racing. If your looking for a full suspention bike this is the way to go. And you can build it however you like it, buy the frame for about 1100 and then go from there. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Greg
a Cross Country Rider
from From Canada living in Chile
Date Reviewed: March 9, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Molino | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$5000.00 | | Purchased At: | Chile | | Strengths: | Incredibly easy to ride, responsive, climbs like a mountain goat. | | Weaknesses: | none so far | | Similar Products Used: | None, was riding a giant. | | Bike Setup: | Sid Team w/remote poplock, FSA Bar and T (carbon) and seatpost,Sella seat, full XTR, crossmax sl, Hutchinson scorpion tubeless lights, etc etc... | | Bottom Line: | This is absolutely the best bike I have ridden or tried for that matter. It handles like a dream on both the climb and the descent. It is very light, but seems to be able to handle alot of different terrain. Price wise (dont mind too much the high price I put up there, has a lot to do with Chilean import tax) it blows away the other bikes I looked at before I bought. Just all around good value. I have let a few people ride it (only for a few minutes though :-) ) on the mountain and they loved it. This bike is worth every penny.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Neels
a Racer
from South Africa
Date Reviewed: March 8, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Stormberg mtb marathon | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1100.00 | | Purchased At: | Santa Cruz SA | | Strengths: | very fast;extremely light < than 25lbs;precise steering; | | Weaknesses: | Setting up instructions from Santa Cruz;used the try and error method. | | Similar Products Used: | Giant NRS; | | Bike Setup: | Mavic crossmax SL tubeless wheels;Manitou Skareb Platinum fork@ 50psi and 145psi;Full XTR; Fox RP3 shock @ 110psi for my 82km; | | Bottom Line: | I "upgraded" from a hardtail to this bike;On my first 60km ride on my favourite trail, I already improved my average speed by 1,5km/hr; This bike is not afraid of anything. I was worried about the "old technology" used, but with the RP3 shock pumped at 110psi for my 82kg, it rides like a dream and float over the rough stuff. The Blur may be King but this bike can do everything/anything the King can do at the same speed, but at half the price!!!Buy one now, you will not regret it!! This was and is my best buy ever. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
JOHN LEE
a Weekend Warrior
from SAN FRANCISCO, CA.
Date Reviewed: February 16, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | TAMARANCHO | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$900.00 | | Purchased At: | SANTA CRUZ | | Strengths: | SIMPLE, STIFF, | | Weaknesses: | BAD PAINT, SC PUBLIC RELATIONS NEEDS A LITTLE HELP BUT I LIKE THERE PRODUCT. | | Similar Products Used: | HECKLER, KLIEN ADEPT COMP. TESTED A BLUR | | Bike Setup: | GREY, I WANTED BLACK, SUPERLIGHT, CROSSMAX DISC TUBELESS, JUICY 5, FOX FLOAT 100 RLC, FOX RP3, IRC SERAC 2.1, THOMPSON STEM AND POST, XTR R DER.,CHAIN, XT F DER., XT SHIFTERS, XT CRANKS, EASTON CARBON BARS, OURY LOCK ONS, | | Bottom Line: | THE BOTTOM LINE IS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A FOX FLOAT 100 RLC AND FOX RP3 ON THE REAR. CROSSMAX DISC AND IRC SERAC TUBELESS TIRES, HYDRO BRAKES. THIS BIKE ALLOWS YOU TO ATTACK TURNS AND ROOST TO THE NEXT TURN WITH HARDLY ANY EFFORT. THIS BIKE ROLLS EXTREMELY FAST AND NIMBLE TO THE TOUCH. EASY TO RIDE FOR 4 HOURS OR 25 TO 30 MILES. BUY ONE ITS THE CHEAPEST WAY TO MAKE YOU AN INSTINT STUD ON THE TRAILS. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tim Roadndirt
a Cross Country Rider
from Sacramento
Date Reviewed: January 11, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | alabama hills, ca | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | This bike kicks arse. I could get in depth about the technial merrits...but it just feels good... that's what will motivate you to spend a portion of Jr.'s college fund... | | Weaknesses: | depends on the set-up...the "R" package could be a little more beefy.... but SC is trying to get this bike into the hands of us "mortals". | | Bike Setup: | ano with "R". | | Bottom Line: | If you can scrounge up the dough, buy it. Your friends will drool and you'll be a better rider... (not necessarily in that order...) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
XC rider
a Cross Country Rider
from PA
Date Reviewed: November 8, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | anything at french creek | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1600.00 | | Purchased At: | JB Mountain Bikes | | Strengths: | This is an excellent bike. the base components may be a little weak but theres always room for up grades. This bike can take a lot of punishment for the trail Very light | | Weaknesses: | I took a hard hit while riding and my fifth element shock slid of the bushings to one side and would not stay on. It was under warrenty so it did not hurt my pocket. | | Similar Products Used: | any xc race bike | | Bike Setup: | mostly LX stuff | | Bottom Line: | this is a great bike to start racing with and also for all around riding | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
gary
a Cross Country Rider
from arkham, ma.
Date Reviewed: September 30, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | any | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1800.00 | | Strengths: | rugged well made, proven design, predictable | | Weaknesses: | low bottom bracket, doesn't accept bigger tires | | Similar Products Used: | giant vt, k2 evo 4, blur(demo), various hardtails | | Bike Setup: | xtr derailleures, xt shifters, avid mechanicals, fox 100rlc, mavic 717's with hope xc hubs, wtb weirwolf tires, raceface turbine with shimano 540 pedals. progressive 5th element | | Bottom Line: | i have to say i have really enjoyed this bike and by conservative estimate had put about 1800 miles on it before deciding to review it. it is light and quick and an excellent climber and very nicely crafted. however i haven't found it to be quite as nimble as others describe it, perhaps with the 80mm rlc that might be different. for me the biggest setback was how it handled in the rough. i originally had it outfitted with the fox float rear shock and although i had not noticed any bob with pedalling i did find problems in the rocks with being bounced out of the saddle. this seemed uncorrectable irregardless of how much dampening or airpressure adjustments i made i couldn't get it dialed in to experience the kind of ride i heard others describe. it just felt harsh. if the bike accepted bigger tires i might have been able to compensate somewhat but for me the bike required much too much of being out of the saddle for the type of terrain i rode. after seeking other opinions and tech advice from sc i bought the progressive 5th element shock, this certainly made a big difference in the handling but not enough for me. in retrospect and after trying out the blur i think that would have been the best choice. the superlight is a xc bike anyway but i think at times it is somewhat promoted out of it's intended realm. so if you are on the fence between buying the sl and the blur really think about the nature of the trails you will be riding. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a Racer
from Flushing, NY
Date Reviewed: August 2, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Ninham and Blue Mt. | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1650.00 | | Purchased At: | Peak | | Strengths: | Fast,Light,Responsive, | | Weaknesses: | Bottom Bracket could be a tad higher. Pedals occasionaly hit obsticals | | Similar Products Used: | None. Rode Kona Caldera Hard Tail. | | Bike Setup: | XT Crankset, and Brake Levers, XTR Disc Hubset on Mavic 317's Thomson Seatpost, Raceface Dues Stem, Stock Bontrager Straight Handlebars, King Headset. | | Bottom Line: | I Bought the frameset at Peak Mountain in Douglaston as a frame only with Fox Float RLC and 5th Element shock. Gertrude, the owner was really looking out for me. All the stuff mentioned above was slowely added onto the Kona over the course of a year or so. (That way the wife wouldn't notice the cost, ha ha) This bike rocks. It's approx. 25.5 lbs without trying, if I switched out the pedals and upgraded the handlebar, It might be sub 25, but who cares, I'd rather take 10 lbs off my fat ass and save the money. This frame is not a disappointment. It does everything everyone says it does. Climbs like a hardtail, descends smooth. Handles rock gardens like an all mountain bike. I can't say enough about this bike. It's almost as light as a race ready Hardtail, and in my opinion, provides more control. I'd rather sacrifice the the weight for the performance, and beleive me the weight difference is negligable. The other nice thing, and the deciding factor over the Blur is the fact that you only have one single pivot. No fuss no muss. If something is wrong it's not going to cost unneccessary time and money to fix. That's why the Heckler, and the Bullit are so amazing, all three work on the same theory, less is truelly best. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
george lange
a Weekend Warrior
from hamilton,ontario,canada
Date Reviewed: June 6, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | all over | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$3200.00 | | Purchased At: | freewheel cycle in dundas, ontario | | Strengths: | xl frame, very light and strong anodized grey/purple frame looks great. .Excellent warranty plus great help at Freewheel cycle.Very smooth riding bike. Super construction. This bike really shows what the Americans can do. | | Weaknesses: | I'm a little frightened to push the bike very hard because of the superlight frame. My bike came with cheap components, so I rode the bike until they either broke or I decided to upgrade. | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | xtr crank,rear gears,brakes and cassette xt front gear, Hugi rear hub,fox forx fork | | Bottom Line: | This bike rides very well. With the added new front fork it rides and behaves very well. The bike has tremendous handling and balance. I think I will keep this bike for a long time. Santa cruz builds some of the finest bikes out there. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
bald fat old guy
a Cross Country Rider
from northern mi usa
Date Reviewed: May 24, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | cambria | | Strengths: | quality of craftmanship, attention to detail, handling. | | Weaknesses: | none as of yet, nor do i expect any | | Similar Products Used: | special-ed epic, klien inchworm,litespeed obed fs. | | Bike Setup: | full xtr disc, rock shox duke race (i love that fork) thomson post, etc. | | Bottom Line: | With a few really good rides on this bike, i can honestly say, next to the old litespeed obed fs (mac strut), the santa cruz is by far the best xc fs rig out there...the handling, both climbing technical singletrack and fast downhills, is predictable and stable. pedal bob is almost nonexistant. the comfort level is second to none. these 50 year old bones are not what they used to be, but the superlight helps to fool my body into thinking it is much younger. if you are looking for a tried and proven fs rig, this is the only one to consider! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Ravensdale, WA
Date Reviewed: May 16, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Any | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Quick "twitchy" steering without the feeling of front end wash out. | | Weaknesses: | Wheel base too short for the XL size I have | | Similar Products Used: | '03 Enduro Pro, '01 Enduro HT Expert | | Bike Setup: | Hayes disc, EA-70 riser bar, Attack shifters, Marathon SL 105, XT disc hubs and Velocity K-525 rims, Truvativ Stylo Team cranks (RF rings), RF Signature ISIS BB, XT front, XTR rear, Thomson post, WTB saddle, Xpedo pedals, Explorer Supersonic 2.1, XT cassette | | Bottom Line: | I bought this as a frame only and built it up with my own components.
I'm 6'5"/200 and needed a slightly taller frame than my older Enduro, the Superlight is a 21.5" frame. I was also looking to shave some frame weight. The Enduro is 7.1 pounds, the Superlight 5.75 with 5th Element shock.
The steering/handling characteristic of the Superlight is like I said above quick, twitchy like. But the front end holds on and doesn't give you that it's gonna wash out at any moment feel. I have 2 varied rides under my belt with this rig, one a flatter fast swoopy race course, the second a steep 5 mile technical climb with a reverse bombing run over same technical features. I'm not a "hucker" freerider, but the Superlight handled the downhill really well and soaked up the hits and roots without flinching. My only beef with the frame is that for an XL size it could benefit from a longer wheel base,thus top tube, if that could be done without affecting the precise steering quality it has. While certainly not a deal breaker it would suite me personally better I think.
The 5th Element is a fantastic shock so far. Have read quite a few negative reviews, but after reading Progressive's response to the "perceived" problems was happy to have it spec'd so. It is seemless in operation and aids power transfer.
My riding style is preferenced with a lot of climbing and distance time in the saddle. This bike fits that bill for me. I'm not comfortable at age 42 to be doing drops any larger than a foot, but if I did the frame has the feel that stuff up to 2-3 feet is still do able despite the 4" of travel. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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