Tested: Santa Cruz 5010 C

The 27.5” 130mm trail bike has lived a diminished existence recently in the face of an ever growing enduro world and a past of 29er dominance. Santa Cruz and a handful of small brands followed the curve producing exemplary rides in the 27.5” format. Bikes that are probably more suited to an Australian trail climate than a 150mm steed.

For a long time I had my heart set on the previous 5010 but after a few test rides I couldn’t come to grips with it on dirt. It’s sizing was off, the cockpit cramped and the overall feel of the bike felt like it was stuck in a cross-country racing past. Not quite the all-rounder I had come to expect. With a great many changes in the 2016 range, it was with a degree of renewed excitement that I approached the new 5010.

First Impressions

After the success of the changes made to the Nomad line in 2015, the Bronson and 5010 II received a similar ‘Nomadisation’ treatment. The reach was improved by 2-3 cm across all sizes and the seat tube angle steepened eliminating the cramped cockpit feel and providing appropriate sizing once more across the line. An extra degree of slackness has been added in the head angle from 68 degrees to 67. Whilst the overall travel has been brought up 5mm from 125mm to 130mm, along with shorter chain stays and a drop in the bottom bracket height, this creates a very modern ride. Full specs and geometry are available via the Santa Cruz website.

We were handed the higher end 5010 C complete build (in seafrother blue), all of the above finessed geometry at a fraction of the cost of a CC build. The C frame weighs in only 300grams more than the CC frame and as a complete it’s still extremely light despite the medium level component build. So light, in fact, that I missed the bike holder on the Thredbo chairlift the first time I took it out for a spin.

Components do seem a little ramshackle as far as brand consistency but the assembly is the best to fit into a tight price point. SLX brakes front and back, the new SRAM GX 1×11 drivetrain coupled with a 32t Raceface Affect SL crank set turns the wheel while a RockShox Pike RC takes care of business up front and the Fox Float Performance EVOL sorts the rear. While the Performance Fox shock is a little bit of a downgrade on it’s Kashima brother, the new addition of the EVOL air can makes a big difference on the trail.

Cockpit duty is taken up by Santa Cruz branded RaceFace handlebars and stem. The inclusion of a Cane Creek 40 headset removes the usual pang of guilt of buying a complete with an unknown headset. Wheel duty is done by SRAM MTH hubs laced to Easton AR 24 rims, the only odd point of the build the bulky Maxxis Minion up front coupled with a Maxxis Ardent rear. Why not a trail tyre combo?

On The Trail with the Santa Crux 5010

The 5010 C’s first outing was at Thredbo and even witj a few little nagging post build issues, it handled some of the roughest trails in the country with ease. I was quite taken aback, I was instantly at home. The changes to reach, bottom bracket height, chain stay length and head angle give the 5010 a very sat-in and central feel. Ridden aggressively, the bike descends like a downhill bike, the riding position is quite central. At no time did I feel over the front although it did take some getting used to the rapid acceleration.

Whether it was the light package or the 27.5” wheels I don’t know but it really wanted to leap ahead of you. Having ridden several 29er 130mm trail bikes I didn’t get the same feeling.

Cornering was something that continually rewarded, with the Maxxis Minion DHF front end grip was extremely hard to break. The Ardent held up well in the rear as well, by the end of my time on the 5010 I still don’t think I had found a slip point. I was beginning to scare myself with the amount of speed I could carry while looking for it.

The central balance of the bike enabled me to hit corners harder, the shorter chain stays helping to gain a full body turn position over a handlebar driven point and shoot. I was finding points deeper into small berms at higher speeds than I’ve ever found before on local trails. I would still advocate a more allround tyre when the Minion reaches the end of its life, not only as a minute weight saving but with weight central it would do little to effect grip.

Suspension wise, setup takes a little more thought with the EVOL air can. As I stepped away from purely banging down hills and back into my more regular trail settings, I was finding the rear quite bogged down not just in climbing but over general trail. Given how EVOL works, (increasing the size of the negative air chamber helping to reduce the stiction in the early stroke) I added an extra 20 psi over my normal base setting of 150psi to keep that smooth feeling throughout the stroke and compensate for the firmer mid stroke. It is somewhat sensitive and with a half full pack it made a noticeable difference over general trail. The Fox rear does come with CTD but I spent the majority of my time in the trail mode as switching between modes was a hassle trailside. It did mean a bit more activity in the rear whilst climbing but given I was generally trail riding, I was fine with the slight disadvantage. This build could definitely do with the addition of suspension lock out front and rear, at least in part, from a handlebar device.

Up front the lower range Pike RC rode wonderfully with its simple rebound and compression setup. The lack of the 3 – position compression available in the higher RCT3 Pike did aid in my decision to stay in trail mode in the rear shock. The drivetrain was exemplary, the SRAM GX 1×11 shifted well  with the large spread of the cassette (10-42) conquering monster hills up and down. The 32 tooth chain ring did seem a little low for such a large spread and I would perhaps bump it up to a 34 tooth in the future. There is a front derailleur mount ready for a dual ring setup for those who wish to take that path as well.

The cockpit is specced with the modern mountain biker in mind with appropriate width bar and stem. Nice ride, nice sweep, nice reach, it’s rare that I would not wish to change out the bar and stem. In fact the only let downs on the bike are the grips, Santa Cruz in house variations, and the position of the bottle cage, which took a bit of searching to find an appropriate fit.

The SLX brakes were never an issue, with just the right amount of power for trail riding. The RockShox Reverb was a little bit of a handful requiring a couple of bleeds but performed faultlessly after. I’m still on the fence whether a regular seatpost would also be appropriate given I could easily see this bike being competitive in the local race scene.

It certainly would be easy to transform this trail all rounder to a part time XC weapon. A simple tyre switch, a little added pressure to the suspension and you’re good to roll. The 5010 is certainly light enough. It’s already ready for an enduro round, a true all rounder. Enough said.

The Verdict

If you’re looking to inch your way into a full build but this is your first foray into the 27.5” field this is the entry point for you. You won’t find a better chassis or starting point. There is plenty of room for upgrading here in the future to the more powerful and expensive parts but the components on offer will get you through the Aussie landscape. When all that is wrong with the build is the positioning of the bottle cage and perhaps the grips not being my preferred choice, it really is a winning bike.

I would actually like it back.

Three Things you liked about the bike

– The balanced geometry and strong frame work.

– EVOL equipped rear shock.

– High speed cornering stability.

Three Things you would change

– The grips.

– A front tyre that’s more all-purpose.

– Waits patiently for the Di2 routing

Photos: Tim Bardsley-Smith