Which Santa Cruz frame?

gravelrAsh said:

Thinking of upgrading my hardtail for a full susser. But which frame? Not
sure whether to got for the Santa Cruz Blur or Superlight. Does anybody
have any experience or opinions on this they would like to share?
Is the upgrade from Fox Float R to 5th Element Air shock worth the money?

I am a satisfied owner of a Superlight which I have been pounding the
snot out of for 3 seasons. It handles wonderfully, has held up
outstandingly, and pretty much works for me.

The conventional wisdom is that the Superlight is better if you are
into racing and the Blur is a better all around trail bike. The
Superlight is a simple single pivot design, which makes it easier to
set up and maintain but it suffers from bob in lower gears and riding
out of the saddle. The Blur's VPP design with the Progressive 5th
Element Air Shock eliminates bob but is more complicated to set up and
has more pivots and bearings eventually to maintain and replace,

The Fox Float that came with my Superlight has a lock out, but who has
the time or energy to fiddle with that on the fly? I recently
upgraded to the 5th Element Air and it actually works fairly well:
stiff when it's needed, but soaks up the big hits. I have heard from
people in this n.g. that the 5th Element is not as rigid in its
construction as the Fox. Since the shock is actually part of the
swing arm on this bike, this can adversely effect the bearings in the
pivot. I haven't ridden the new shock enough to have had this
problem.

--dt

"gravelrAsh" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Thinking of upgrading my hardtail for a full susser. But which frame?

Not

Quoted message said:

sure whether to got for the Santa Cruz Blur or Superlight. Does anybody
have any experience or opinions on this they would like to share? Is the
upgrade from Fox Float R to 5th Element Air shock worth the money?

Thanks

Ash

Got a Heckler with 5th, would not have any other type of shock (have another
bike with a fox rc). And if the Blur had been in my budget I'd have had that
instead. Good all round bike for sure.

Andy

"gravelrAsh" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Thinking of upgrading my hardtail for a full susser. But which frame?

Not

Quoted message said:

sure whether to got for the Santa Cruz Blur or Superlight. Does anybody
have any experience or opinions on this they would like to share? Is the
upgrade from Fox Float R to 5th Element Air shock worth the money?

Thanks

Ash

Good review/comparison of both in last edition of Mountain Bike Action.
Nothing beats taking a test ride tho!

gravelrAsh said...

Quoted message said:

Thinking of upgrading my hardtail for a full susser. But which frame? Not
sure whether to got for the Santa Cruz Blur or Superlight. Does anybody
have any experience or opinions on this they would like to share? Is the
upgrade from Fox Float R to 5th Element Air shock worth the money?

Thanks

Ash

How about a Titus Racer-X instead? I emailed Titus a month or two ago
and they said that they have the new '05 Fox shocks in and they look to
be the hot one for next year. Possibly best of all, Superblow is selling
Turner burners with Manitou Swingers for $995. I have seen some reports
that the Superlight is flexy and the VPP seems redundant now that anti-
bob rear shocks are everywhere.

"gravelrAsh" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Thinking of upgrading my hardtail for a full susser. But which frame? Not
sure whether to got for the Santa Cruz Blur or Superlight. Does anybody
have any experience or opinions on this they would like to share? Is the
upgrade from Fox Float R to 5th Element Air shock worth the money?

Thanks

Ash

Limiting your choices to one brand of bicycle is just plain foolish,
especially if it's santa crud.

JD

"JD" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"gravelrAsh" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Thinking of upgrading my hardtail for a full susser. But which frame?

Not

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

sure whether to got for the Santa Cruz Blur or Superlight. Does anybody
have any experience or opinions on this they would like to share? Is

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

upgrade from Fox Float R to 5th Element Air shock worth the money?

Thanks

Ash

Limiting your choices to one brand of bicycle is just plain foolish,
especially if it's santa crud.

JD

Well I'm open to suggestions? What you ridin'? Why is Santa Cruz, Santa
Crud?

Ash

gravelrAsh said:

"JD" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"gravelrAsh" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Thinking of upgrading my hardtail for a full susser. But which
frame? Not sure whether to got for the Santa Cruz Blur or
Superlight. Does anybody have any experience or opinions on this
they would like to share? Is the upgrade from Fox Float R to 5th
Element Air shock worth the money?

Thanks

Ash

Limiting your choices to one brand of bicycle is just plain foolish,
especially if it's santa crud.

JD

Well I'm open to suggestions? What you ridin'? Why is Santa Cruz,
Santa Crud?

Ash

He's seen a whole lot of them break in adverse situations, and he thinks
they have crappy welds. You are entitled to form your own opinion.

Penny

On 2004-08-02, gravelrAsh penned:

Quoted message said:

Well I'm open to suggestions? What you ridin'? Why is Santa Cruz,
Santa Crud?

I have no opinion one way or another about Santa Cruz, but google groups
is a wonderful resource:

http://groups.google.com/groups?q=%22santa+crud%22+group%3Aalt.mountain-bike&hl=en&sourceid=mozilla-search&start=0&start=0

--
monique

"Get a bicycle. You will not regret it, if you live."
-- Mark Twain

"gravelrAsh" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Thinking of upgrading my hardtail for a full susser. But which frame?

Not

Quoted message said:

sure whether to got for the Santa Cruz Blur or Superlight. Does anybody
have any experience or opinions on this they would like to share? Is the
upgrade from Fox Float R to 5th Element Air shock worth the money?

Thanks

Ash

Why not a Heckler? Have you ever ridden one with the 5th setup right for
you?

"pas" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

He's seen a whole lot of them break in adverse situations, and he thinks
they have crappy welds. You are entitled to form your own opinion.

Penny

I have a Bullit and let me tell you the welds are great and the frame is
soooo strong. I have a good friend with a superlight that has ridden many
24 hour races, XC races and all around trails for about 4 seasons now
without any problems at all. He doesn't go big but he also isn't afraid of
pushing that frame on the DH's.

I would go for a Heckler but if not then I would take the Superlight over
the Blur. Lower cost and easier to maintain plus it you get a SPV shock it
won't bob anyway.

"pas" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

gravelrAsh wrote:
He's seen a whole lot of them break in adverse situations, and he thinks
they have crappy welds. You are entitled to form your own opinion.

I've been riding a Heckler for many months with no problems. I've been
riding a Bullit for many years with no problems.

- CA-G

Can-Am Girls Kick Ass!

[email hidden] (JD) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

"gravelrAsh" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Thinking of upgrading my hardtail for a full susser. But which frame? Not
sure whether to got for the Santa Cruz Blur or Superlight. Does anybody
have any experience or opinions on this they would like to share? Is the
upgrade from Fox Float R to 5th Element Air shock worth the money?

Thanks

Ash

Limiting your choices to one brand of bicycle is just plain foolish,
especially if it's santa crud.

JD

I agree... Try as many brands and designs as yu can. Don't limit yourself.

Jimbo(san)

Been looking round loadsa bike shops, doin' loadsa research Testing an
Orange 5 next weekend. Frame made in UK, hand built.

We'll see.
"gravelrAsh" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Thinking of upgrading my hardtail for a full susser. But which frame?

Not

Quoted message said:

sure whether to got for the Santa Cruz Blur or Superlight. Does anybody
have any experience or opinions on this they would like to share? Is the
upgrade from Fox Float R to 5th Element Air shock worth the money?

Thanks

Ash