Submitted by
Zav
a Weekend Warrior
from Liege, Belgium
Date Reviewed: May 30, 2005
Strengths: Behaves like a hardtail when neded, but much better grip / traction on way up and amazing in downhills. Pretty light as well ( sub 12kgs / 25 lbs ) so does not feel to heavy on longer distance. Still relativelly unique on this side of the Atlantic as opposed to Cannodales and Specs everybody seems to have.
Weaknesses: Had to change some bearings after few months, apparently just unlucky owner of a few deffective ones. Takes time to get proper set-up. Feels High, and takes some time to get used to it.
Bottom Line:
Been riding this puppy for the last 6 months, used to be a light hardtail fan as could not find any suspension system that allowed me to go Large on the way down but also to go through long distance biking. Here we go, got it, Dreambike, nice equipement and it is living up the expectations. Took a few months to get a decent set-up ( 75 psi front, 200 rear on my Fox Forx 100mm and Fox Float ), still need to play around with stem heigth but am in love. Took it for a ride vs FSR 120 last week and it is now obvious VPP rules, just trying to convince my friends to go for it, but on expensive side. Still have my hardtail for muddy days but dream of the Blur at night... So go for it on my behalf...
Similar Products Used: Specialized FSR, Trek Fuel.
Bike Setup: Santa Cruz Blur Anodized blue, Fox float shock, Fox F100x, Race Face Atlas cranks, Deus Stem, XY seatpost, CrossMax XL tubeless wheels, Monkey Lite Carbon bar, Fizik Gobi seat, X.0. rear mech and shifters, Chris King headset, ODI grips
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Johnsey
a Cross Country Rider
from Charleston,WV,USA
Date Reviewed: April 25, 2005
Strengths: VPP no bob,fast climbing cross-country bike.
Weaknesses: Really none
Bottom Line:
Best bike I have been on, feels incredibly strong, firm and sure footed. Then just glides over the rough stuff. You really want to ride this bike all day. I have been fortunate and really outside of normal maintainance have had no problems. Do not take my word for it go ride one...
Strengths: The Suspension, Climbing abilities and overall control on the trails. Long Cockpit too...Very Roomy
Weaknesses: None as of yet. I need disc brakes, not really a product weakness.
Bottom Line:
I researched and researched until I could find no more articles to read about the Blur. It came down to the Specialized Epic and the Blur. After all my research I found the same to be true about the Epic as someone listed below where it seemed to be more of a Hardtail and less forgiving. I walked into Peak Mountain Bike because they were the only one that I spoke to on the phone that didn't seem like I was wasting their time (Many Snobs in NYC Bike Shops) I walked into the showroom and was happy I chose this place. This is Mountain Bike Heaven. To make a long story short I just went to look and walked out purchasing a new bike. DOH!!!! What was I thinking I just spent 2000 bucks on a frame and fork and I have to wait for it..... Needless to say this is the most amazing bike I have ever ridden. The suspension is just mind bogling. My hardtail just sits in the trainer and never comes out. There is no need any more. I have become such a better rider just because of the confidence you get from riding this bike. Also, the Fox Float is an amazing upgrade from the Rock Shox Sid I had on my 8500. It is amazing how this bike handles on the trails whether it is Hard Pack, Rock Garden, Roots etc. If I bounce off a rock I never worry. I know this bad boy grips right in and keeps going. The one thing I am glad about all me research was that I waited some time before I pulled the trigger and was able to get the Fifth Element with the bike rather than the Fox shock in the rear. I have been told that people have problems with the seals on the 5th element. Not sure what kind of riding is required to ruin this shock but I ride very aggresive singletrack and jump at every opportunity to launch off roots or ledges. Shock rocks... Also, someone mentioned durability issues with their frame and the bearings. Not sure what happened but I am sure you are a rare case. How long have you had the bike and what type of riding do you do? Well Santa Cruz does list that bearings should be checked and replaced as needed. Either way I love this bike and could never imagine buying another bike. I will only by Santa Cruz from now on....All I dream about now is riding the bike on some trail
Similar Products Used: My previous bike was a Trek 8500, and I have ridden GT I Drive and Jamis Dakar
Bike Setup: I purchased my bike from Peak Mountain Bike. I Got Black Anodized Frame L, Fox Float 100RLC,Chris King Headset, Thomson Elite Stem and Seat Post, Easton Monkey Lite Low Rise Carbon Bars. The remaining Parts came from my Trek 8500 Rolf Dolomite Wheels (amazing wheels that have yet to be trued in 3+ years) Bontranger Race Cranks, Bontranger Rei Step in pedals, Avid Breaks, Shimano XT Front,XTR Rear derailers, Shimano XT Break and Shifter Pods....
Strengths: Great suspension design. Nice geometry except short in the TT. Good wieght. Decent customer service.
Weaknesses: Bearings. Bearings. Bearings. Most likely inherent in the design of the VPP. Shock linked cracked with hard xc use.
Bottom Line:
If Santa Cruz could fix the durability issues I'd likley buy another. The rear suspension was great and all it was cracked up to be. The 4.5 took all hits great, pedalled very well, and seemed like much more than 4.5". I got the bike waranteed and then sold it. My xc bike right now is a Burner which is one super ride. Not quite as squishy in the rear as the Burner but otherwise a better bike.
Similar Products Used: Many. Burner. Spec FSR. Heckler....
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
theo
a Cross Country Rider
from asheville, nc
Date Reviewed: September 4, 2004
Strengths: 1st- i am a fairly agressive clydesdale rider. no sick drops, but very fast & technical descents. scary air at times. minimal bob on technical climbs- i rode 2-3 rear gears imediately. much more efficient with the VPP. incredibly rigid & responsive downhill. very low maintenance- just replaced the bushings after ~1000 miles. effortlessly & wondered if more travel would elevate me to a higher state of consciousness. it is rare to feel such physical grace.
Weaknesses: the usual dumbass cable routing which erodes the paint at contact points
Bottom Line:
the best all-around climber & descender i've ever ridden. my next will be a vpp heckler if santa cruz can get their act together & ship the buggers
Similar Products Used: superlight several specialized fsr's
Bike Setup: xtr, cazne creek wheels/stem, marzochi z1
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Tony
a Cross Country Rider
from St. Paul
Date Reviewed: February 23, 2004
Strengths: Light for full suspension. Excellent frame design. VPP system works. Good price.
Weaknesses: None so far... maybe the rear tire clearance
Bottom Line:
I have only been "dialing" this bike in, I have to admit I have yet to ride the trail, as the snow is still around. I have been riding it and trying to get a feel for this bike, and so far it lives up to the hype, but I won't be sure until the trails are ready. It does not seem to have much bob when you hammer, and the ride is plush when it needs to be. I can't say this enough " you have to set this bike up to get all it has". I wanted a race/epic bike, I hope it works out, I think it will. I know one thing for sure, I never want to ride a hardtail again. I will update a review asap.
Similar Products Used: Klein Attitude. Specialized FSR Pro. Tomac Six Shooter.
Bike Setup: Blur frame. XTR shifters, cassette, f.d. Bontrager race lights, King hubs, sucky v-brakes, Race Face cranks, BB, bars. Crappy post. Thompson stem. XT rear ( which I love!)
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Justin Miller
a Cross Country Rider
from Living in San Francisco
Date Reviewed: August 24, 2003
Strengths: Great climber, great geometry, and decent weight. The sizing chart on Santa Cruz's website was dead on for me. I moved up to a large, and am loving it.
Weaknesses: Santa Cruz voids the warranty if you ride this bike with a Talas. 2.35 tires won't fit on this bike on the rear. I had to settle for 2.25
Bottom Line:
Really love this bike. the 4 inch rear travel feels like 5. Climbs great. This bike makes time and distance fly - it will consume all of your time. Purchase with care.
I'm riding a heavier freeride setup (30lbs). California is much less jagged than where I lived in Colorado, so i may switch to lighter set-up.
Well the bike is SOLD so please stop emailing! I tried giving it another chance when I took it to Squamish BC for a week but its to sketchy on the down hills. Great bike for rolling single track but I just got to bored of those rides. And to the guy from California that wants to put things in my ass- what's with your negative energy? PEACE
Favorite Trail: Moraine Lake with Paradise poach to finish it off (local)
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Andy Corra
a Cross Country Rider
from Durango, CO, US
Date Reviewed: August 8, 2003
Strengths: Great climber, lightweight. Very predictable on descents.
Weaknesses: Pedal clearance, XTR shifters
Bottom Line:
Must say, the wait was worth it! I wanted a bike that weighs in the 25 lb range, and with all the goodies mine comes in at 25.5- not bad for a large w/ disks. At first the more upright body position felt different, and being long-armed I felt I couldn't stretch out as much as on my old bike (Cannondale V). Since, I have adjusted the new position and it feels OK. I expected the bike to be plush on the rough descents we have in Durango, and it is even better then anticipated. What I didn't expect was how well it would climb. I've been riding this area for 20 years, and I have made technical climbs on this bike that I had never made before. It feels quick on the tight, bush lined descents (although I'm still having trouble hooking branches with the wide bars), and it floats over the rough stuff. I'm psyched to put it through the paces as we get into the prime fall riding season here. Very Sweet!
Bike Setup: Full XTR w/ disk brakes, Marz Marathon front, Fox Float AVA rear
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Tim Jones
a Cross Country Rider
from Samta Cruz, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: August 1, 2003
Strengths: Suspension!!!
Weaknesses: Brakes
Bottom Line:
A dream machine!! I live and ride in Santa Cruz but this is my first Santa Cruz MB. I have always been a fan of Cannondale and they are the only bike that I have owned up until now. But the blur does everyting extremely super! I am a single track maniac and the blur handles every condition like a dream! I compare it to my motorcross bike without a motor. It is like I am in control of my own roller coaster! I hope you get the message. Don't hesitate, it is not overpriced and buy one as soon as possible. It will elevate your MB experience!! And the guy who gave the negative rating to the blur (Colo). I invite him to come to Santa Cruz and bring any bike that he wants, we'll send him home crying on a huffy and a bar of sex wax up his ass! Maybe that will make him happy.
Weaknesses: weak frame - mine has a dent already. poor down hill performance
Bottom Line:
With all the hype i got sucked into thinking this would be the ultimate bike for me. After 3 months i know i made the wrong choice. Living in the Rockies gives me great access to all sorts of trails and I don't think this bike can handle going down the ruff stuff. I think a Bullit or Stinky would had suited me better. Anyone wnat to buy a blur out there?
Submitted by
Sam Costello
a Cross Country Rider
from Olympia, Washington USA
Date Reviewed: May 15, 2003
Strengths: Frame weight. Fox AVA shock. Santa Cruz welds. High quality frame material and excellent Santa Cruz product support.
Weaknesses: Collects a bit of mud in linkage area and around the rear tire. This shouldn't apply to those of you who don't ride in the extreme mud. I do ride in the mud but knocking the mud loose is a trade off for the awesome performance of this bike.
Bottom Line:
This bike is awesome. Well worth every penny of what some may see as an inflated retail price. If you want the best performance, you pay (and wait) for it. The bike climbs better than my last hardtail and is head and shoulders above high quality single pivot bikes and four bar linkage bikes I've owned and ridden. Feels like it has 6 inches of travel in back due to the frame design. The bottom line is, this bike is like riding a super tuned hardtail that has a plush rear suspension when necessary. I didn't totally believe the hype until I rode it...
Similar Products Used: Titus Loco-Moto, Kona MokoMoko, Cannondale Jekyll, Kona Stinky Dee-Lux
Bike Setup: XT/XTR drievtrain, Rockshox Psylo SL, Hayes discs, Thomson post/stem, Ritchey OCR disc wheels. 27.5 lbs.
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
s/tracker
a Cross Country Rider
from england
Date Reviewed: May 14, 2003
Strengths: Wow, this thing is so stiff, it rails corners. Used lock out once on road section, switched back off because it was too stiff, it felt like my road bike. Unbelievable climber.
Weaknesses: Haven't found any yet.
Bottom Line:
Have tried this out on a variety of terrains and I am seriously impressed. Handles big rock sections with aplomb, floats over anything you chuck it at, rails corners and climbs better than anything I've ever ridden. Didn't think the suspension was working when I first got it, it was only when I didn't notice the bumps as I rode seated through a section full of 2-3 inch cobbles that I realised how plush it is, and it doesn't bob. Main riding is singletrack, so objective when testing was to find a fast, nimble, accurate line taker, which had good bump soaking qualities(small stutter bumps to rock fields), didn't suffer on the climbs, seated or standing and was light yet robust. I wasn't sure I could find all of this in one frame, so tried everything I could lay my hands on. After riding the Blur, I knew I had found it, even though I had other tests booked. Had to wait a bit, but the anticipation of pleasure made the wait worthwhile. All those complaining about the extra weight vs the Superlight, you could lose some weight(eat less,exercise more) I did some road mileage and am now several pounds lighter and way faster. If your v brake cables rub, buy discs, or fit some frame protector patches under your cables. however hard you push, this bike just encourages you to go faster, buy one and ride fast and hard.
Similar Products Used: Have tested just about every FS bike I could get my hands on. rode a Superlight for the last few years. Klein, Maverick, Trek, Specialised (FSR,Enduro+Epic),Marin, Cannondale, GT, Kona,Ellsworth, Giant, Fisher, Scott, Intense, Rocky Mountain, Orange, etc. Have an assortment of broken parts and frames (including my superlight-stress fractures on h/t welds), will re-review long term if it holds up to the abuse of this 150lb rider.
Bike Setup: Fox Float RLC, Sram, XTR, Hope Discs, Easton carbon. Xyclones, Speedplay Ti. Strong, very light, singletracker set-up.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
John Hendry
a Cross Country Rider
from Haleiwa Hawaii USA
Date Reviewed: March 27, 2003
Strengths: VPP, Fox Shock is light weight and works unreal, new XTR is beyound words, Wow factor!
Weaknesses: Mud Clearence, air shocks are not as dependable as spring shocks...hum...I had to pay for it...hum...bike theives want to steal it....it gets dirty real easy..hum...I had to fly to Maui to buy it...Oh yea...it has a high sink rate and the L/D sucks compared to a HpH 304CZ, that's about it.
Bottom Line:
This a second review after owning it for 3+ months. It dosen't get any better....yet. Had the bike for a few months now and the more I ride it, the better I like it. No regrets what-so-ever. If there's a weakness....it's sitting on the seat holding the handlebars;-)
I am considering upgrading to a Specialized command adjustable seatpost, I can figure the width but not sure on the length. There are 30.9 100mm 400mm long, 31.9 100mm 380 & 405 mm Read More »
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[url=http://classifieds.mtbr.com/showproduct.php?product=73254]2010 Santa Cruz Blur LT 2 Large - RP23 - MINT - Buy and Sell and Review Mountain Bikes and Accessories[/url]
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