Santa Cruz Release Bronson V2 & New 5010

When it was first released back in 2013, the Santa Cruz Bronson very quickly set the bar for the emerging Enduro market with its playful geometry, 150mm travel, efficient VPP suspension and 650B wheels. As the spiritual successor to the Blur LT, the Bronson encapsulated all of the good things associated with the Blur name, but simply updated it with larger wheels, modern geometry and new frame tech. Santa Cruz totally caught the 650B wave at the right time, and the recipe proved to be a roaring success, with ‘Bronsonmania’ ensuing over the next few seasons following the Bronson’s release. That was back in 2013 however, and many things have changed since then, including the new Nomad. It’s no secret that the new Nomad introduced some of the modern changes that Santa Cruz riders had been longing for, so it would make sense for these improvements to trickle down into the Nomad’s baby brother, the 150mm travel Bronson. Here we take a look at the Bronson 2 (as Santa Cruz are referring to it as), as well as the new 5010 trail bike. Oh, and there’s a killer video of Santa Cruz Syndicate team rider Josh Bryceland slaying trails in Madeira!

Madeira – 21 July 2015 – during the Santa Cruz Bicycles Bronson product shoot with Josh Bryceland of Santa Cruz Syndicate & Cut Media. Photo by Gary Perkin

Madeira – 21 July 2015 – during the Santa Cruz Bicycles Bronson product shoot with Josh Bryceland of Santa Cruz Syndicate & Cut Media. Photo by Gary Perkin

“When we introduced Bronson, it took the market by storm, redefining what people expected from a 150mm trail bike. Equally at home in the Trans-Provence as it was on The Ridge, updating and improving it was going to be no small feat. The most visible upgrade is the completely new VPP® link arrangement. The lower link tucks neatly above the bottom bracket, fully-recessed and protected from impacts. Meanwhile the box-section upper link now mounts cleanly to the toptube and enhances lateral stiffness as a result. Shock rate’s been in refined in the process too, delivering greater small bump sensitivity and a more progressive mid-stroke. Geometry has also evolved subtly to meet demand from riders for a bike of this ilk. The seat tube angle’s been steepened, placing the rider right above the cranks and perfectly in position to lay down the power. Meanwhile a one-degree slacker 66 degree head tube angle combines with a 20-25mm longer top tube and shorter chainstay length to create an evermore rally-ready geometry than its predecessor” – Santa Cruz Bicycles

While the Bronson has experienced nothing but incredible commercial success, there’s no denying that over the past year or so, it’s started to look a little long in the tooth geometry-wise compared to some of the longer and slacker bikes currently hitting the market. With the general trend of bikes getting longer top tube lengths and shorter stems, the Bronson has definitely started looking a little short in comparison. Version 2.0 of the Bronson addresses this geometry evolution, with a longer top tube that’s also paired to a slacker head tube angle and shorter chain stays. Other changes include a reworked VPP linkage that’s a little more linear than before, as well as a 148x12mm rear thru-axle out back that signals Santa Cruz’ welcoming of the Boost system. Of course this includes the Boost148 rear hub, but it also employs a chainring that is offset 3mm away from the bottom bracket shell to push the drivetrain away from the frame. This frees up room around the chainstay yoke to increase tyre clearance while allowing Santa Cruz’ engineers to shorten the chainstay length as well. Originally debuted on last years Trek Remedy 29er, Boost is proving to be beneficial for bikes of all wheel sizes and is set to become the standard very soon. You can check out the full geometry chart below, along with a ripper video of Josh Bryceland getting rowdy aboard the new Bronson. The new Bronson will be available in an alloy frameset for $2999, and a carbon frameset for $4899. Complete builds start at $5299 and go all the way up to $11949 for the high-zoot XTR AM build kit.

LOFOTEN, NORWAY – 27 August 2015 – during the Santa Cruz Bicycles 5010 shoot on Lofoten with Steve Peat & Cut Media. Photo by Gary Perkin

LOFOTEN, NORWAY – 26 August 2015 – during the Santa Cruz Bicycles 5010 shoot on Lofoten with Steve Peat & Cut Media. Photo by Gary Perkin

“5010 is built to serve the most technical backcountry missions. 130mm of VPP® (Virtual Pivot Point) travel produces a shorter chainstay length and lower BB height compared to the 5010’s bigger travel brethren. This creates a uniquely playful character and an insatiable appetite for negotiating steep rocky climbs. And when it’s time to head home, playtime becomes a riot. The new 5010 has a more aggressive 67 degree head tube angle than before, and the longer top tube welcomes the use of shorter stems for more precise handling and greater confidence on rapid descents. The 5010 also shares all the latest VPP® hardware with the new Bronson too. The top-tube-mounted box-section upper link is a leap forward in durability and stiffness, and the lower link rests cleanly out of the way, dramatically improving clearance and minimizing rock strikes. Bike choice can be a numbers game, but if your game is conquering epic trails then 5010 is the only number you need know.” - Santa Cruz Bicycles

Along with the release of the new Bronson, Santa Cruz have also introduced an updated 5010 model that incorporates may of the same design changes as with the latest Bronson and Nomad. This should send a pretty clear signal as to Santa Cruz’ overall design intentions, and we’d make an educated guess that we’ll be seeing similar updates applied to other Santa Cruz models in the future such as the Tallboy LT. Compared to the original 5010 (which we currently have on longterm test), the new bike gets 5mm more travel to make it 130mm out back. Along with a slacker head tube angle and the longer front centre, the new bike appears to be geared towards high-speed shredding for the rider who wants more efficiency and playfulness compared to the Bronson. The 5010 will still take a big fork up front, but it’s sub-17″ chainstay length and low bottom bracket height is all about cornering agility. This thing looks hella fun!

As with the new Bronson, the 5010 V2 will also be available in both alloy and carbon framesets. Pricing is set at $2999 for the alloy 5010 frame with a Fox Float Performance shock as standard, while the $4899 5010 CC Carbon frame comes with a Fox Float Factory shock.

For more details on the new Santa Cruz Bronson and 5010, get in touch with Lusty Industries to line up your preorder, as the first shipment is due to arrive in early November.