Submitted by
Thomas Nicholson
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: June 7, 2004
Strengths: I love my bike. I have had it for just a year now and I have to say that I still have as much fun with it now as I did a year ago. This is a very well built cross country bike. I am a Clydesdale rider and this bike is solid even with a 230lbs rider racing down the trail. This bike does everything it advertises and more. Other then bulking it up to about 25lbs this bike is light, nimble and quick.
Weaknesses: I wish they used rust resisten bolts on the single piviot because I am starting to see a little rust build up and its hard to get rid of.
Bottom Line:
Anyone looking for a really nice race ready Cross Country bike should give the Superlight a spin. This bike is a really nice well designed and comfortable bike. This bike is great for a 45 min sprint or and all day epic ride to the mountains and back to the coast. If you want something a little more beefy check out the Heckler. Same style bike just built for more trail riding comfort then lean and race ready.
Similar Products Used: First bike was a 17" Target FS. Split the frame on that my first weekend out. Second bike 21" Giant Rincon HT toughtest bike I have ever ridden. Third time the charm XL Santa Cruz Superlight
Bike Setup: 03 Santa Cruz Superlight R stock w/ Fox AVA Float RL Shox, Rock Shox Duke XC Fork. Mavic 517 w/ Kenda Karma DTC 2.0. Time ATAC XS pedals
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Submitted by
Jamey
a Cross Country Rider
from Auburn, AL
Date Reviewed: February 19, 2004
Strengths: Lightweight, extremely solid, appreciates abuse (and I give it a lot). Santa Cruz knows how to make a quality bike. Tough wheels, too.
Weaknesses: the stock tubes are like thin little condoms...get some real tubes before you go out and pop the stock ones on the trail.
Bottom Line:
This is my first full suspension bike, and it has brought my riding so far so fast. I have raced it, hucked it, given it urban drops (it takes a 6 footer like a champ!) it eats up the downhill, and I always drop my buddies on the climbs. This bike is fast. I can lock out the rear and trials up tables and walls, flip the switch and crank off and let the fox soak it all up. Its well balanced, and the handlebars are up giving it a great head angle for aggressive riding. All I really have to do is drop or raise the seat depending on what I want to do. The geometry is perfect for XC, it will buck a little bit on the flat to flats (which I know it isn't designed for, but I think it likes it). I know I need to invest in a bullit for the bigger stuff, so I can take care of the superlight for a race bike, but for now I'll keep riding hard. Santa Cruz makes the best bikes I have experienced. My Fox float hasn't lost any air over the last 7 months, with A LOT of riding time, and hard hits. The duke is pretty good, I would rather have a fox front fork on it though. If you are considering the Superlight vs. another bike, do yourself a favor and GET A SUPERLIGHT. Money
Similar Products Used: Epic, FSR, tried a bullit a few times ( I want one of those too)
Bike Setup: stock R setup, added Hutchinson Mosquito tires (better than the Karmas off-camber), but they don't last as long
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Submitted by
Kevin Hedahl
a Cross Country Rider
from Ishpeming, MI, USA
Date Reviewed: December 15, 2003
Strengths: Climbs most hills better than any other bike I've been on. Decends faster and stronger than most other XC bikes. Santa Cruz's no-fault warranty rocks (yes, you do have to pay minimally for a new frame, but it's your own damn fault if you break it on a 10' drop.) 5th Element is the heat.
Weaknesses: The cockpit is set up for descending and technical flats. Because of this, I still have trouble keeping the front tire down on super steep hills. RockShox Duke sucks.
Bottom Line:
I'm a 6', 135 lbs guy. I ride a large frame. It fits perfect ... the cockpit is amazing. Get the 5th Element for the bike. The 5th Element makes it ride like a hardtail on everything but the drops. I have mine tuned w/the negative chamber at super low pressure. It still feels like a hardtail. A buddy who rides a S-Works Epic (w/the brain) now thinks his bike rides sloppy. Only changes I would make to my bike are a new front shock (probably a fox) and I'd put some disc brakes on it. If you buy this bike, you will never be sorry. Oh, I read about the chainsuck problem. I have never had any problems with the chain popping off the chainring under load. I ride a lot of road and am an ok sprinter, so I can put a lot of force onto the drivechain. Also, I've heard that a lot was trimmed off of the superlight to drop the weight down. The bike is super solid at my weight, and my buddy w/the epic didn't have any problems (he's about 190 lbs), but the bike probably isn't meant for someone weighing much over 225 lbs.
Favorite Trail: Off the backside of Negaunee luge run.
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Price Paid:
$1700.00
Purchased At: Old Town Bicycle, Gig Harbor, WA
Similar Products Used: Specialized S-Works Epic, Ellsworth Truth & ID, Surly Instigator
Bike Setup: Superlight R stock with RockShox Duke, 5th Element, and Eggbeater chromes.
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Submitted by
Christian
a Cross Country Rider
from Los Angeles
Date Reviewed: September 20, 2003
Strengths: Overall quality is superb. Super fast. Well balanced. Durable. This is just a very well made, terrific handling cross country bike. It climbs well, like the name implies it is light (mine is 25 lbs), and it is confidence inspiring going downhill. Santa Cruz customer service is consistantly awesome.
Weaknesses: It's a single pivot frame, so there are the obvious drawbacks like some brake jacking and a little bobbing. I wish it took 5 inch forks, and I wish you could run a 2.25 tire on the back. I want to run Intense System 4s, but they don't fit. The Hutchinson tires the bike came with were awful on anything except hardpack.
Bottom Line:
The bike is really fast and the quality is superb for what you pay. It's far from the cheapest bike around, but compared to other boutique frame builders, the Superlight is a pretty good deal. I'm not a freerider or downhiller, but I ride trails really fast and rough, and this frame has performed well and proven very reliable. As my skills have improved, I realize now I would rather have 5 inches of travel, but this isn't the bike's fault...I'll have to swap the frame for a Heckler one of these days. The steering is on the quick side, so be ready for that. Also, a note on single pivot designs...while they do have certain drawbacks that people seem to like complaining about, once you get out on the trail most of that is forgotten. The bike just rides great. Go to a pro race and look at what the best riders in the world are using. Tons of them use single pivot bikes. If the technology is fast enough for the best riders in the world, then it's certainly good enough for any recreational rider. In my opinion, the stiffness and durability of good single pivot frames outweigh performance issues. I hate maintainance. Stick a 5th Element Air on your Superlight, and most of these problems are gone anyway.
One more thing...Santa Cruz is a really great company to deal with. I've never had warranty issues, but I've been in contact with them for a variety of questions and concerns and they are terrific.
Similar Products Used: Trek Fuel, some Specialized and Cannondale hardtails.
Bike Setup: 02 Superlight, fox shox, mostly XT, crank bros mallets
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Submitted by
Casey Bandy
a Weekend Warrior
from san antonio, tx, usa
Date Reviewed: August 3, 2003
Strengths: Simply the best bike I have ever ridden
Weaknesses: None
Bottom Line:
I could not ask for any thing more from a mountain bike. Santa cruz dose it again. I shoped around before I purchaced this bike I could find a hole of some sort in every other bike except this one. It is simply perfect
Submitted by
Carton Lahmann
a Cross Country Rider
from Tally Florida
Date Reviewed: June 20, 2003
Strengths: Light weight, durable, Single pivot,
Weaknesses: Price
Bottom Line:
I broke my trek fuel frame and still have not recieved a resoloution yet (3Months later). Baught a Superlight and will never ride trek again. Let me sum this up short and sweet for ya. It climbs like a goat, corners like nascar, light weight and at 25lbs fully loaded this bike is a real pig. I weigh 210lbs and did a 4ft drop on campus last week. The guy I was riding with thaught it was a heckler. 4.5 inches of rear travel and its an xc race bike. It is plush and fast. I really throw this bike around and it is a tank compared to other xc bikes. You cant xc race all the time. You got to hack around a little. Santa cruz has a new customer for a long time. Buy this one boys and girls.
Strengths: Suspension feels much more active with little bob compared to last years model. Material is stiffer than 6061. also better stand over height. Able to use fork with taller knob without knob hitting the down tube.
Weaknesses: top tube slightly too short. Slight flex from rear, I weigh 165lbs.
Bottom Line:
The bikes handles vary well under most conditions, suspension works well enough so lockout is not required. The subtle changes made by Santa Cruz for the 2002/2003 made big impact on the way the bike rides and its setup.
Bike Setup: 2002 SL powder coated, Fox float RL and Fox float R Forx, Cross Max disc with WTB mutanoraptor 1.95 UST
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Submitted by
Mark Nelson
a Weekend Warrior
from NYC
Date Reviewed: May 21, 2003
Strengths: Light weight, agile
Weaknesses: Drops chains, when under load or on big drops
Bottom Line:
I loved the bike except it would always drop the chain when there was a full load on the cranks. I would be in a steep climb and the chain would always drop from smallest ring onto the bottom bracket housing. I demoed two different Super lights so it is the design and not jus tone bike.
Submitted by
Scott
a Cross Country Rider
from Tucson AZ
Date Reviewed: May 11, 2003
Strengths: Everything!! The Fox AVA rear shock is great. The bike handles awesome and has some new beefed up areas welded into it with no extra weight added.
Weaknesses: None and don't expect any either.
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike for my wife who is 5'7" because all the WSD style bikes we tried were to small or just plain uncomfortable for her. This one is a mens small and she loves it. I have ridden it also and find it fun and easy to handle in all situations. My ride is the Klein Adept Race which I feel the Santacruz is as good if not a little better than it. (You can read my review on the adept at mtbr also.) The Superlight can be as good as you want it to be. She has chosen the Marzocchi Marathon SL for her front shock and it works absolutely fantastic with the Fox AVA rear shock. In shot this is a bike my wife loves to ride and if she's happy then I'm happy. Go get one and enjoy!!!!
Bike Setup: XT/XTR with a marzocchi marathon sl up front, bontrager race tubeless wheel set, easton at the front and easton under my rear EA70 to be exact. And of course Chris King in the role of headset.
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Submitted by
TBone
a Weekend Warrior
from Littleton, CO
Date Reviewed: April 16, 2003
Strengths: Responsive. Strong Frame. Great for an old weekend warrior.
Weaknesses: Low BB = Better Control Short Top Tube
Bottom Line:
She is my best friend. We go places where we both test our skills, where adrenalin is overflowing, where solitude is in existence, under the presence of thin air. I've tried not to spend too much on her to no avail, that was after trimming 2 lbs. out of her. I don't want her too light either where she's not stable anymore. She’s always dress nicely ,and we know there's always room for upgrades and she get complements, not common here in CO. Once in a while when I get out of focus she kicks my ass because she is a single pivot, no big deal though. She’s giving me confidence and in return she gets the latest and the greatest. She is my mid-life crisis. I love her and she loves me. One should have a nice ride even if it takes longer to build, so that one can see & feel the difference.
Bike Setup: All XT/All Easton/Spinergy Wheelset/ 24.70 lbs.
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Submitted by
Jen
a Cross Country Rider
from Flagstaff, AZ
Date Reviewed: November 23, 2002
Strengths: SUPERLIGHT! (Duh!) Smooth as silk decends AND CLIMBS (WOW) Wheel set is quite light and sturdy, love the tires that came stock. NO PEDAL INDUCED BOBBING. That Fox rear shock is like Heaven!
Weaknesses: Sre there any? I haven't ridden it long enough - I'll let you know if I EVER discover one!
Bottom Line:
This bike was sent from above! I absolutely know I made the right choice in the Superlight. I ended up purchasing it without the fork, brakes, levers, seat, and pedals just so I could afford it because I knew it was exactly what I wanted! After putting it right back together I cannot stay off of it! For once in my life I do not dread the cllimbs, this bike (even without locking out the rear shock) climbs soooo much better than my Trek hardtail or any other bike I have tried. It feels like you are riding on clouds over the roughest of terrian, while it does not take out the fun of the ride it sure does make it smoother! The pedal stroke is long and very efficient - I actually move forward when I pedal uphill and the geometry of the cockpit allows for me to stay in perfect position over my bike on even the steepest, rockiest decends. I found it interesting that I am a female that is 5'6 and about 130 and I had to buy a mens medium. the top tube is very short so make sure you try this bike out to ensure proper fit. I am absolutely thrilled with this bike - I couldn't be happier! This bike deserves 10 out of five hot chilis for just being flat out AMAZING!
Similar Products Used: Tested Giant NRS, Specialized FSR, and Gary Fisher Sugar
Bike Setup: Stock except for my Manitou SX-R (old faithful) a new WTB (GIRLY) seat new brakes and pedals. I nded up putting the Deore levers back on it that came with it originally, I actually like those!
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Submitted by
Robert Bryant
a Cross Country Rider
from Chico
Date Reviewed: November 5, 2002
Strengths: Instantly responsive steering and frame. The usual superb Santa Cruz rider cockpit. Strong and stiff.
Weaknesses: At the $1700 ful sus price point, you make do with Deore, LX, and less flashy parts - that work just as well as expensive parts anyway, usually a minor weight penalty.
Bottom Line:
The rear suspension, with coil spring was very nice for preload and such. Didn't get a full analysis. Front shock completely sufficient for all but HEAVY hits. Brakes just fine. The Easton stem, bars and such gave instant control for steering. Those who have ridden Santa Cruz know the frames are very responsive, cockpits fit like no other. The only compromise is less XT, no XTR, no Mavic, no TI and some less costly parts over what might be preferred from a hardtail at this price range. Otherwise, the bike is built to last. Cross country recreation at it's best!
