Strengths: SOLID SOLID SOLID
Simple design, bottomless rear travel and indestructable.
Peddling up small hills is nice - somehow the way the suspension and balance is set up it grips into the earth and climbs like a tractor but you will work to do it - but it damn near climbs vertical.
Weaknesses: They stopped making them.
Reaching the adjustment for the rear shock is a bit of a pain.
Bottom Line:
This is my first DH bike.
I've raced BMX and road XC for years - when I moved up to the Adirondacks I figured time to push the envelope, I'm not getting any younger (43).
So I did my homework and looked at many bikes for what I was willing to spend on a used bike.
Dollar for dollar... doesn't even compare, I would pay MSRP for this bike.
Rock-Effin'-solid bike, if you can find one in good shape now, BUY IT.
Everywhere I go, "Yo Man!! Old School!! That bike is awesome!!"
And it is awesome... I have it set up old school too:
Mazocchi Triple Monsters freshly rebuilt with yellow springs, Fox Van w 800pnd spring, Gazzaloddi front and back with 24" double wide rear rim - everything is rebuilt and working smooth.
It's like a Honda CR without an engine.
This bike swallows up and absorbs anything it comes across, 10-12" rocks and roots like nothing, 8' hucks like your skipping off the curb.
Wanna feel indestructable? Take an S8 down a mountain like Whiteface in Lake Placid, NY.
I can't even think about buying another (new) bike when this one works so well and it's so solid and smooth... here it is 10 years old and it floats down a trail without so much as a whisper.
Until this bike breaks... You can catch me at Whiteface, Plattekill and Killington, no more Diablo :( (I'll be the 6' 215 pound body builder on a yellow Super 8)
Strengths: light(frame weighs around 11 lbs)
strong
8.5 inches of travel
Weaknesses: nothing really, except the shock ratio, the rear hub is a 14x160 so replacing them is hard to do
Bottom Line:
i have rode many bikes, they all ride about the same if they have the same geo, i would say its all about the shock and forks. this bike rides nice, it jumps great and its fairly light even though people dont think so. with the simple design, never had a problem with it. i am think about making a new shock shuttle so i can fit a bigger shock and still have the same ride. all bikes are good but it comes down to the riders preference.
Similar Products Used: everything santa cruz makes.....
Bike Setup: avalanche fork, shock, 24"s.
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Submitted by
chris walsh
a Downhiller
from vernon b.c canada
Date Reviewed: June 18, 2006
Strengths: strength,speed.....everything
Weaknesses: iv had no problems with the frame its held up very well even thought while riding this thing iv snapped and rc and blown my fork
Bottom Line:
i love this bike if your lookin for a good reliable frame i would recommend it if your worried about weight it really isnt as bad as some of these guys make it sound i ride street on it sometimes and iv been able to to hope up 3 foot curbs on it so its not bad just take a bit more effort
Bike Setup: super 8,5th element,24" rear mag 30,26" front mag 30,shiver with 7.5 oil,hayes mags 8"fsa cranks with 44 tooth ring,axiom guide ect....ect....
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Submitted by
jake brady
a Weekend Warrior
from so cal
Date Reviewed: May 27, 2006
Strengths: super stromg, bottomless rear travel, super stabel in the air.
Weaknesses: weight
Bottom Line:
Im 6'2 and 200lbs. super strong bike that loves to be hucked. super smooth at speed and has never let me down in a jam. wouldnt mind a new bb tho... first dh bike but very glad i made this choice.
Bike Setup: fox vanilla rc, 2001 roxshox boxxers, raceface cranks, mavis d521 wheelset. hayes 8", whitebros ti bars, azonic shorty, hugi dt hubs, s&m pedals.
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Submitted by
Scott Balkwill
a Downhiller
from Orangeville. ON, Canada
Date Reviewed: May 26, 2006
Strengths: super stong
Weaknesses: heavy
Bottom Line:
I like the bike alot. it is very stable at high speeds loves to fly and allways pulls you out of a jam. this bike is bike is perfect if you only go up on chair lift or back of truck. the only thing i would change is make it lighter. it is very heavy but you do not feel it while riding. it is very balanced.
Bike Setup: Avalanche dhs rear shock, monster T 7 inch on the front, king head set, azonic chubby bar and stem, tompson layback seat post, fsa v-drive extreme crank, raceface dh bb, mrp guide, 321 rims hadley rear hub hugi fr front hub, hayes purple brakes with razor rock levers and a floating brake.
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Submitted by
Tom Smith
a Downhiller
from Mission Viejo
Date Reviewed: April 10, 2006
Strengths: Extremely beafy frame, single pivot creates a simple, yet affective platform, Pedals well!
Weaknesses: Heavy, but hey, it's a DH rig. If it breaks, Santa Cruz doesn't make Super 8's anymore. Will replacement parts be an issue?
Bottom Line:
The cool thing about mtn biking in SOCAL is that there is a real dispoable way of thinking that people have here. People buy killer stuff and rotate it out after minimal use, I am no different to this way of thinking, but I am trying to change my ways. Anyway, htere are a lot of cool mtb bikes out there that are a couple of seasons old, virtually in pristine condition, FOR MUCH less than retail.!!! For 1000 bucks, this is one of the best bikes I have ever owned. The super 8 can take a pounding, and with the shiver on the front it fell like a mini version of my Honda CR450X, sick suspension. It pedals extremely well, and is very efficient, I am wondering why SC just didn't modify this frame as it pedals better than a V-10. I think its a better bike. Super 8's if you can find them are not very expensive, so their value rating is high as well. Just make sure that when you are looking, you get one of the more current Super 8's. The first versions of these were made with a super 8 rear swingarm and a Bullit front triangle, The frame I have is no Bullit, and it rocks for a DH rig!!
Similar Products Used: Bullit, Nomad, Intense M1, VPP Free, in all honesty, I am more experienced with the long travel trail bikes, but this bike pedals as well as an M1
Bike Setup: Marzocchi Shiver, XTR, Hadley-321 wheelset.
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Submitted by
tony baumann
a Downhiller
from Pfafftown, NC
Date Reviewed: March 20, 2006
Strengths: Very strong! no doubt about that! i have ridden the sh*t out of it, and still wants more! soaks up anything you put in front of it... anything! big drops, booters, rocks, gaps, roots, trees, houses, people, etc.
Weaknesses: nothing that i can blame on the bike.
Bottom Line:
this bike is mofoin' bad ass, untouchable in speed, big hits and anything you can throw at it! buy dis sh*t!
Similar Products Used: bullit, stinky deelux, m1, banshee scream
Bike Setup: marzocchi 66, profile crank, mrp, hayes, chris king
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Submitted by
Zach
a Downhiller
from Morrison, Colorado USA
Date Reviewed: December 3, 2005
Strengths: STRONG!!!! very nice welds, almost limitless travel, paint is as strong as the frame, will never chip.
Weaknesses: a little on the heavy side, but i am not riding xc on this!
Bottom Line:
This bike owns.. I have never seen any drop that would bottom this beast of a bike. I went from single pivot, to fsr, and now im back to single pivot becuase it is always active on the rough stuff. Has some brake-jack but it never seems to bother me becuase i usually don't have to brake with this bike, it is just that fast. This was the best buy i could have ever made, and i am so happy with it. I highly recomend this frame to anybody looking to get an unstopable dh bike, that won't clear out your kid's college fund. BUY IT!!!
Similar Products Used: big hit spec, big hit fsr, Irong Horse sgs team, demo'd a new yeti 909 (my next dh bike!)
Bike Setup: red/black Super 8 with an avy, Black Boxxed Boxxer w.c. the usual dh parts spec (profiles, mag30s, etc.)
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Submitted by
A
a Downhiller
from ColoradoSprings, co usa
Date Reviewed: April 14, 2005
Strengths: Tight pivot, Super strong, fast, fast, did i say fast? Plush yet the single pivot doesnt bob climbing, my fav bike yet
Weaknesses: Heavy, single pivot brake jack
Bottom Line:
This thing is fast, stable, tight, and basically point and shoot. The single pivot gives break jack, but it makes up for it because it doesnt bob in the rear while pedaling. heavy, but thats ok because its so strong. 6'4, 195lb, and no problems besides a snapped bb.
Strengths: This is my first Dually, and what a good choice I made. This rig is cushy! Built for speed.
Weaknesses: None.
Bottom Line:
Very impressed with the burly build quality of the Super 8. My "brand new" 3 year-old bike should last for quite some time as it seems to be able to handle anything I will be able to throw at it.
Bike Setup: pizzatstem and bar,hayespurple8',24' mag 30,26'mag 30 front,24/3,0 gazzy and a highroller2.6 on front i have a 2000 5th element ans its sweet but i want a avalance ya thats baout it
Strengths: holysh*t this thing is strong! i made a bet withmy biddy on who could crack there bike faster and this thing wont break! i jumped off everything nothing breaks! (well my old rear vanilla RC did but that was a 00' shock so it need it)
Weaknesses: nothing, literally
Bottom Line:
i take this bike off 25 foot cliff drops, 20 stair to flat stair gaps, dirt jumps, ladder caurses, DHing, FRing i basicly everything that u go fast on or can drop off of i do. this bike frame has never had a single problem its built, thats all just built, its worth buying some old beater super 8 breaking it so u can get a new one from SC and building it up it ill never break! i wish i could some more of these things!
Similar Products Used: 1 1999 super 8 2 2001 super 8's 2 2002 bullits 1 03 bullit 1 03 karpiel apocolypse 1 big hit and 1 foes dh mono everything besides the super 8 has broken (i love warnties!)
Bike Setup: hayes8", risse champs/or/Monster T, vanilla rear (now a avy), hellbent bars, double wides, maxxis 2.7's, hadley hubs, azon. shorty stem, mrp with xtr arms (broke) now a hollzfellar with evil b-gaurd, gigapipe dh BB, everyother expensive part out there.
Strengths: Nice welds, solid (kinda, see below), smooth, looks kick ass.
Weaknesses: The rear swingarm can crack at the junction of the CNC brace with the swinarm just under the seat mast. This happened to mine and i have read about 7 other reviews on this site of them cracking in the exact same place. Get rid of the fox for an avy. I weigh 85kg and was running an 850 pound spring. Basiclly, the fox is underbuilt to handle the leverage ratio of the bike.
Bottom Line:
Bummer about the crack, i'm really pissed off because otherwise it is the best bike around to handle the abuse. Upgrade to the avy shock. Fox's are no good on this bike.
