Submitted by
Gavin Nettle
a Cross Country Rider
from East Sussex, UK
Date Reviewed: October 26, 2006
Strengths: It's sooo plush, light (I think) although I've not weighed it, it just seems like it!
Weaknesses: None, I'm sitting here looking at it and I can't think of anything, bit more mud clearance on chainstays maybe.
Bottom Line:
Always wanted one of these but too expensive, always got great reviews so when one came up ebay at a reasonable price I jumped at the chance! Had a Marin 1997 FRS which was great but wanted a bit more travel and kudos :0) It's just so good, goes where I point it, doesn't matter what's in the way and goes up as well as goes down - I've just gone out on my rigid bike and got bounced off my line all over the place and feel beat up, it even seemed harder to get up those hills! Really made me appreciate the Heckler. Could even go lighter on this as it's got a few heavy downhill bits. Everyone should have one of these in their MTBing lifetime, get one if you can. Very rarely see one in my area though? Just writing this makes me wanna go out on it now, so I'm off!
Similar Products Used: Old ridgid Specailized and Kona, and Marin FRS
Bike Setup: 2000/2001 Heckler (sorry but I prefer the older one, looks more like a 'proper' bike), Bomber Z1 Bam, Fox coil rear shock, Deore group, D521 rims with VelociRaptor, Titec bits and V's
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Submitted by
the h3ckl3r
a Cross Country Rider
from whatcom county
Date Reviewed: March 3, 2006
Strengths: i've had this bike 8-9 years now and it is still running strong!
Weaknesses: no disc breaks so mud builds up at forks and in rear stopping bike. the *only* problem i've had!!!
Bottom Line:
This bike *did* weigh in at about 23.5 or 24 pounds when i got it. would never trade it for another bike!!
Bike Setup: Z1 bomber up front, chris king headset, hubs, XTR, rock shox coupe deluxe rear shock
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Submitted by
Dave Wadsworth
a Cross Country Rider
from Yorkshire,UK
Date Reviewed: August 31, 2004
Strengths: Superbly plush travel, no bobbing, tight back end, climbs really well, timeless design, look at how many other companies have copied the pivot position! If I wanted to buy this sort of quality now i'd have to pay a fortune and i'd still struggle to get anything better!
Weaknesses: No rear disc brake mount, no replacable rear mech hanger (but strong enough anyway)
Bottom Line:
Been into mountain biking for a few years, worked in a cycle shop & seen most of what there was to see in the hardtail world (Klein's, top end Kona's and Marin's etc.) Only full susser I'd contemplate was a San An but stupid money so stuck to what I knew!
A guy comes into the shop one day and he's flogging a Heckler as a frame only, although it looked DH it was light enough to use XC. I was sceptical but figured I could sell it on for what I paid for it if I didn't like it. This was in '98 and he was selling it at half the UK RRP (frames were £960, I paid £500!) Built it up with the kit off my old bike and never looked back!
I've owned numerous other bikes whilst owning the Cruz but they all seem to get sold on while the Cruz still remains. Could be because this bike is fast and incredibly rewarding to ride, or that whatever you throw at it it seems to take in its stride and come back begging for more, or perhaps it is the fact that all day rides just don't seem to be long enough when you are on a Cruz, or maybe its just that because of all the bikes I have ridden this is the best all rounder ever!!! Best way to sum it up is the old bike shop selling phrase "You know you want one!"
ANECDOTE I'm XC at heart but can jump a bit and pull a few tricks. Being an XC head I used to be obsessed by weight. In my heyday I raced my Cruz in a couple of XC races and one incident in my first race on my Cruz made me realise how good this bike is and how wrong I could be thinking lightweight hardtail is the 'be all and end all'.
This may sound boring but if you are in any doubt about hardtail v full sus listen up! After riding hardtails in the first three races I entered and doing reasonably well I spent many an hour deliberating whether it was worth carrying the extra weight of full sus in an XC race to see if I could place any higher. I bit the bullet and took my new Cruz. On the downhill sections I knew I had more confidence to go faster than the HT boys but it was the uphills that concerned me and the extra weight of full sus.
Imagine how satisfying it was on the last lap to approach a line of about 7 hardtail riders taking the smoother left side of the trail (which I would have normally joined the back of on a hardtail) and then nailing it past them on the rougher right side of the trail without thinking twice about it! I still remember the looks on their faces as I glanced over my shoulder and dissappeared over the top of the hill to my first top 10 place, what a grin!
And thats what this bike is all about, maximum grin factor!
Similar Products Used: GT RTS/LTSs & I Drives, Marin Mount Visions, Rocky Mountains, Mountain Cycles
Bike Setup: Currently using Rockshox forks (but have used Marzocchi, Rockshox & White Brothers as well!) Chris King, Flite, Hope XC4s, Hope XC on Mavic X317s, mostly XTR transmission, Syncros finishing kit.
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Submitted by
rocket rod
a Weekend Warrior
from Australia
Date Reviewed: September 28, 2003
Strengths: simple, light, strong and timeless
Weaknesses: not made like this anymore
Bottom Line:
the best bike I have ever owned/ridden. despite efforts to find a better bike i can't. i keep coming back to this bike, upgrading the parts and just go riding or racing.
Strengths: Simple design, stout frame, bearings are tucked away inside the swingarm (less like to be contaminated); new and used aftermarket shocks are easy to find; frame can be set up "light" for xc or more robust for all around trail riding/fr. When rear shock is dialed, this thing feels fast. Bike feels "springy", and likes to jump - every root or small rock becomes a launch pad.
Weaknesses: Short head tube - if you cut your fork steerer to fit this bike, it may not fit other frames that are a similar size. XC frame geometry - quick steering with a 3" fork, much more stable with 4". Also, 26.8 seatpost - not ideal if you bend posts often. If the rear shock is set up nice and plush, the bike feels a little sluggish. Rear shock eyelet seems to wear quickly. Rear end is a little flexy side-to-side when navigating rock gardens.
Bottom Line:
1996 Heckler, first year Hecklers were made, and it is still perfectly capable today. While single-pivot designs may have their disadvantages on paper, I just ride the thing and enjoy. Pedal kickback - yes. Brake jacking - yes. However, it truly is a simple, versatile bike. I have this bike setup with coil/coil and air/air shocks front and rear, and it can handle everything from epic xc rides to 4-5' drops at the local stunt trails. The stock Rock Shox is not that bad, but it lacks compression adjustments, and I don't think it utilies all of the bike's travel. I switched to a Cane creek AD-12. The air shock is about 1/2 pound lighter, is infinitely adjustable, and is buttery smooth, and has proven very reliable/versatile. I don't believe a lockout is necessary - once compression and rebound are dialed in properly for the trail conditions, the bike climbs with little noticable bobbing/pedal feedback. Others like the Fox shocks (I havn't ridden one). Disc brakes - you CAN install a rear disc on the Hecklers made before rear disc tabs were the norm. Buy an adapter made by Specialized for their earlier FSR bikes. It will require drilling one small hole in the rear dropout, but will then bolt on and work great using a standard hub and mounting parts. Email me for pictures - it works! Overall, a great bike. However, the Superlight is lighter and stiffer (plus has actual rear disc tabs). Who should buy this - someone who wants a simple, versatile bike that can ride just about anywhere depending on how you build it up. Who shouldn't - if you are used to a 4-bar type bike, or if a little flex in the rear end is a problem. A great "workingman's" ride. Overall rating 3 because it is an older design without some modern ammenities. Good value for a used ike, but the new 5" Heckler is a much better investment.
Similar Products Used: Various hartails - this Heckler was my first full boinger.
Bike Setup: 1996 medium frame, misc. xt parts, z1-xfly air fork, Cane Creek AD-12 air shock, disc brakes front and back (see below), strong wheels and WTB Weirwolf tires. About 29/30 pounds.
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Submitted by
Peter
a Cross Country Rider
from Philadelphia, PA, USA
Date Reviewed: August 3, 2001
Strengths: Build quality, climbing, simplicity
Weaknesses: shortish wheelbase in medium, a bit heavy, chintzy chainrings
Bottom Line:
Medium frame fits me well (I'm 5'11", 155 lbs, the large frame is too stretched out for me) but I find the wheelbase a bit short for high speed descending. Rear is pretty plush with coil-over. For some reason, this design makes for a great climbing bike. This frame's a bit heavy compared to the Superlight but then again it ought to last forever. One problem is that the front shock mount oxidized to the shaft, a common problem the folks at S.C. told me. BTW, Santa Cruz customer service is AWESOME...five stars for them alone.
Bike Setup: XT, Chris King, RS Super Deluxe, Judy XC long travel, Race Face cranks
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Submitted by
Thanh Nguyen
a Weekend Warrior
from San Jose, Ca USA
Date Reviewed: May 20, 2000
Strengths: This bike is the best so far no problem, (Except for the rear, no disk brakes mounts. Got to have those. Other than that the bike is the best 4.5 inches of travel in the rear and 5 in the front makes this bike fly through any obstacle.
Strengths: Put some Z1's on - it jumps really well and sprints like a demon. Great for dirt jumping and dual slalom but limited on 'proper' DH courses. Good for some UK courses though. Tough and well made. Neat welds and hassle free suspension design.
Weaknesses: rear wheel clearence could be better, replacable rear mech and your not supposed to run triple clamps on them, but these are only minor gripes.
Bottom Line:
A great all-rounder xc/ds/dh - choose the setup for your type of riding!
Submitted by
Randy
a Weekend Warrior
from Walnut Creek
Date Reviewed: December 26, 1999
Strengths: Simple, strong and resistant to flex in any dimension, flat out works and has made me a much improved rider. Very neutral handling with a Z-1 up front and doesn't suprise me on cross country/technical single tracks. Climbs as well as anything I have been on, and when in middle or big ring no suspension effects at all. Had a couple of minor maintenance problems that involved the rear shock bushings (the aluminum spacers) and theinternal bronze shock bushing that I finally got sorted out and the bike is back to being awesome again. One tough machine.
Weaknesses: Rear shock bushings wore out and were tough to find, wierd rear derailleur cable route that interferes with water bottle cages otherwise no complaints at all
Bottom Line:
Bought the frame used off of the net and haven't regretted the purchase and build up at any time. Would do the same again and have recommended to friends that now love 'em.
Similar Products Used: FSR, Y-22, McMahon, Cannondale, etc.
Bike Setup: XTR, Race Face cranks, Mavic 517 wheels, Velociraptor tires, Zokes Z1 Bam, King headset.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
dave
a Cross-Country Rider
from North Bay ON
Date Reviewed: October 11, 1999
Strengths: seems solid, great climber, less bob than a 4-bar linkage
Weaknesses: no replacable der. hanger, difficult to work on frt der., rear der. cable clogs easily with mud
Bottom Line:
I am really enjoying my bike.I would definitely recommend it for people making the transition from hard tail. Less bob from susp. than many others. Great climber once you get it figured out. Much faster than my hardtail when climbing rough sections as traction is much better. Obviously much faster than my hardtail on rough sections and down hill. Really fun to ride and has not broken yet, unlike everything else I touch. Bad news is the Vanilla R lasted only a month- all that is working now is the spring.
Submitted by
Jame
a Cross-Country Rider
from Portland
Date Reviewed: August 29, 1999
Strengths: Pivot design
Bottom Line:
Great handling power transfer around turns. Climbs and xc races like the champianship Marin Mt. Vision, which is known for the world best full suspension rear pivot design.
Submitted by
Gary
a Cross-Country Rider
from Cardiff, Wales
Date Reviewed: July 16, 1999
Strengths: Design that works Strength Long life Low maintenance
Weaknesses: Should have a replacable rear hanger at this price Uses non metric nuts on the main pivot axle
Bottom Line:
I have ridden my Heckler hard and frequently for the last year and I still cannot find fault with it. It has needed no maintenance after many wet and muddy rides and the pivots are like new, meaning there is no play or sound from them. The powder coat paint still looks like new and the tubes seem resilient to dents. The lack of replaceable hanger is poor for a frame of this quality but a break-off bolt adds some relief. The 110mm travel of my Marzocchi Z1’s are a perfect match for the rear suspension. I originally built it up with some Manitou SX forks with 65mm of measurable travel and this never felt right. I chose the RockShox rear shock over the standard Fox because at the time there was no local facility to service Fox shocks. My local shop serviced it overnight for £25 after 7 months. The standard 300lb spring was too soft for me so I upgraded to a 350 spring. I get fed up reading magazine articles that criticise this frame (as well as others) for too much pedal induced bob when climbing and also brake lockup. Pedal induced bobbing is not an issue at all, remember that front suspension was always criticised for too much movement when climbing, this criticism has gone away. I have never experienced any rear lock out when using the rear brake. Again this is not an issue, as the rear suspension appears to give loads of absorption with the rear wheel locked up. I would race this bike if I was still racing confident in the knowledge that the extra 2 lbs of weight over a hard tail would be insignificant to the gains made on the rough and downhill sections. The bike climbs very well indeed meaning that there is definitely more grip available when powering over rough stuff. Another benefit is that when riding through mud I can get through places that I know would previously have stopped me on my various hardtails – you just keep spinning and moving. I don’t notice much bobbing when climbing and I certainly don’t find it a problem. I can climb further and harder climbs than on any previous bike. I definitely feel less beaten up on this frame than on previous bikes. I have tried a Klein Mantra Pro and was stunned to find that it climbed better the Heckler, in fact better than any bike, but have since put this down to the 25lbMantra’s light weight, sum of the light parts but most significantly the Bontrager Race Lite wheels. The descending on the Heckler is superb and I am amazed sometimes at what it can ride over. It always remains balanced and feels right. When I bought the frame, I had a fear that better designs would come along and I would regret my purchase. This has not happened and I don’t think it will. The suspension design and pivot placement is spot on and should be considered a classic. It is interesting to see Marin, K2, Orange, Trek and many others all using the same design. This is because it works, period.
Similar Products Used: Marin Mount Vision Pro Klein Mantra Pro
Bike Setup: Medium with Z1 standard springs, RockShox Coupe Deluxe with 350lb spring, all XT
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jools
a Cross-Country Rider
from London
Date Reviewed: June 10, 1999
Strengths: Everything
Weaknesses: Nothing Weight???
Bottom Line:
Build fit and finish excellent, comfortable, fast and easy to ride I've been doing stuff I thought I couldn't. As much fun as I've had on a bike. Worth every penny. 15/10
Weaknesses: None found yet, no replacable derailleur hanger but very thick drop out.
Bottom Line:
Ordered the frame and built it up myself. Very impressed with the frame quality and options Santa Cruz offers. Was a little hesitant putting the Jr. T fork on because of the weight, but everything is a trade off and I have no regrets. Super plush fork and if it is as trouble free as everyone say's it is then I'll be one happy SOB. I chose the Cane Creek AD-10 over the Fox rear shocks because of the adjustability and the weight savings, this was not a mistake, rider friendly and fantastic ride plus great warranty. With 5 of travel up front and 4.25 in the rear I was concerned that I might have more of a downhill bike vs. a cross country bike but I believe I've got a good balance. I am extremely pleased with this setup, I feel like there is no drop off to deep or jump to steep for me to hammer over, In fact I go down and over technical stuff that some of the expert/trials riders can't go over now.
Bike Setup: Santa Cruz Heckler with Marzocchi Jr T, Cane Creek AD-10, XTR/Mavic 517CD wheels, XT and XTR components. V-brakes.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dr. Diablo
a Cross-Country Rider
from Denver
Date Reviewed: March 31, 1999
Strengths: price, quality, travel
Weaknesses: Suspension lock-up at times
Bottom Line:
Best bike I have ever owned or rode. Flat out flies downhill and is an easy ride uphill as well. Suspension is well balanced with the Z1 BAM and FOX rear. The whole package is fairly light(27 lbs) even with a mixture of XT and light aftermarket goodies.To those naysayers complaining about suspension lock-up during downhill braking-hang yer ass back, ease up on the rear brake and use more of the front brake, DUH!
