New Santa Cruz Vala on test – Doesn’t look like a Santa!

With the Santa Cruz Vala, the Californian bike producer unveils its first eMTB with a Bosch motor. It comes outfitted with a model new Bosch Efficiency Line CX motor, 600 Wh battery, counting on a mullet wheel setup and 160/150 mm of journey to ship Santa Cruz’s famend experience qualities. With its contemporary look and new rear suspension idea, the Vala brings a breeze of contemporary air into Santa Cruz’s e-bike portfolio. However how does it fare on the path?

No revamp, no overhaul! With the Vala, Santa Cruz introduce a brand-new full-power e-MTB all-rounder. It comes outfitted with the new Bosch Efficiency Line CX motor and a completely built-in 600 Wh battery, filling the hole between Santa Cruz’s different two full-power eMTBs, the Bullit and Heckler with its 160/150 mm of journey. Like all of Santa Cruz’s eMTBs, the Vala depends on a mullet wheel setup with an enormous 29″ wheel on the entrance and a smaller 27.5″ wheel on the rear to strike the proper steadiness between composure and agility. Our Santa Cruz Vala X0 AXS RSV check bike retails from €11,499, tipping the scales at 21.5 kg in dimension L. Its distinct design marks a departure from the basic Santa Cruz aesthetic. Why have Santa Cruz deserted the VPP rear suspension for the Vala, and the way does the bike carry out on the path?

What makes the brand new Santa Cruz Vala X0 AXS RSV particular?

Seems to be… like a Santa Cruz? Really, it doesn’t! Whereas most full-suspension bikes of the Californian model depend on the unmistakable VPP rear suspension system (the producer’s hallmark), their new full-power eMTB, the Vala, breaks custom. Whether or not it’s a path bike just like the Hightower, an enduro bike just like the Megatower, or eMTBs just like the Heckler SL and Bullit – all are distinctly recognisable as a Santa Cruz with their signature twin-link rear suspension.

The Vala takes a very new method: the basic VPP suspension provides strategy to a four-bar Horst-Hyperlink design. Why this alteration? Integrating the big Bosch motor into the prevailing VPP design proved too complicated to switch the most recent suspension optimizations from common mountain bikes to the Vala. Due to this fact, Santa Cruz’s engineers opted for a Horst-Hyperlink rear suspension design, which gave them extra freedom with the body design and suspension kinematics with a view to obtain one of the best experience really feel attainable.

The brand new Bosch Efficiency Line CX motor is neatly built-in into the Vala’s backside bracket space, although it seems barely perched from under and never as deeply embedded within the body as on the Bullit. The motor attracts its energy from a completely built-in 600 Wh Bosch PowerTube battery, which will be charged by way of a charging port in entrance of the underside bracket. Santa Cruz forgo the larger 800 Wh battery, however help you broaden the capability with Bosch’s non-compulsory PowerMore Vary Extender Good System consisting of a 250 Wh vary extender and an identical holder. The latter will be hooked up to the bottle cage mount on the topside of the downtube, that means that you simply’ll have to hold a hip pack or backpack to your water for those who use the vary extender. Moreover, there are two extra mounting factors on the underside of the downtube, which can be utilized to safe a instrument strap.

The motor system is paired with a wi-fi Bosch Mini Distant on the handlebars, whereas a neatly built-in Bosch System Controller within the high tube exhibits the battery cost standing and present help mode in varied colours. Shifting is taken care of by an digital, wi-fi SRAM Eagle AXS Transmission drivetrain, which depends on a direct-mount rear derailleur and ensures exact shifting even below load. SRAM Maven brakes with huge 200 mm rotors entrance and rear present highly effective, dependable deceleration.

The OneUp V3 dropper put up, with a beneficiant 210 mm of journey in dimension L, completes the Vala X0 AXS RSV bundle. The bike rolls on Santa Cruz’s in-house Reserve mullet wheelset, combining a Reserve 30 HD carbon rim on the entrance and a wider Reserve 31 DH rim on the rear, each laced to DT Swiss 350 hubs. Schwalbe Magic Mary tires with tender Extremely Comfortable compound and Tremendous Path casing on the entrance and the extra strong Tremendous Gravity casing and tougher Comfortable compound on the rear shield the edges. A FOX Float X Manufacturing unit shock handles 150 mm of rear journey, whereas a 160 mm FOX 38 Manufacturing unit fork with the brand new Grip X2 damper smooths out tough trails. Each suspension parts ship glorious path efficiency and supply a large number of adjustment choices. High-notch!

The geometry of the brand new Santa Cruz Vala X0 AXS RSV

The brand new Santa Cruz Vala X0 AXS RSV is offered in 5 sizes, SM to XXL. The geometry will be adjusted utilizing a flip chip within the higher shock mount, which lowers the underside bracket from 344 mm to 340 mm and slackens the top angle from 64.2° to 63.9° in dimension L.

A second flip chip within the decrease shock mount means that you can regulate the rear suspension’s development from 26% to 29% with out altering the geometry. Within the Excessive setting, development is 26%, specializing in suspension responsiveness. Within the Low setting, development will increase to 29%, giving extra management with exhausting impacts.

The geometry of the Santa Cruz Vala is well-balanced. Our check bike in dimension L has 480 mm attain within the Excessive setting and 477 mm within the Low setting. Chainstay size is 433 mm and grows with the body dimension. Furthermore, you’ll be able to lengthen the chainstay size by 1 mm by switching the flip chip from excessive to low.

The geometry of the brand new Santa Cruz Vala 2025 within the low setting

Extra spec variants of the Santa Cruz Vala

The Santa Cruz Vala is available in 5 spec variants: R, S, GX AXS, X0 AXS RSV, and the XX AXS RSV mannequin. The principle distinction between the fashions lies within the body. Whereas the 2 base variations depend on Santa Cruz’s C-Carbon body, the premium fashions characteristic the lighter CC-Carbon model, which makes use of a bigger proportion of upper energy fibres, guaranteeing the identical stiffness at a considerably decrease weight.

Suspension setups differ too: the R mannequin comes outfitted with a RockShox ZEB Base fork, whereas from the S model onward, Santa Cruz use a Fox 38 fork (Efficiency, Elite, or Manufacturing unit) fork. For the shock, Santa Cruz depend on totally different fashions, from a Fox Float X Efficiency on the R spec to Elite and Manufacturing unit shocks for the top-tier spec variants. SRAM provide the drivetrains, from a fundamental , cable-operated SRAM NX Eagle on the R spec variant, all the best way as much as the top-tier, wi-fi SRAM XX Eagle AXS Transmission of the XX AXS RSV mannequin. Whereas the R and S variations roll on a RaceFace wheelset, the RSV fashions boast Reserve carbon rims and DT350 or i9 Hydra hubs.

Costs begin at € 7,499 for the R mannequin, adopted by the € 8,499 S mannequin and € 9,799 GX AXS variant. The XX AXS RSV flagship mannequin retails at € 12,999. All variations can be found in Midnight Inexperienced and Gloss Gray paint finishes.

How does the Santa Cruz Vala X0 AXS RSV fare on the path?

Santa Cruz invited us to their headquarters in sunny California to check the brand new Vala in its pure habitat. After a short and thrilling behind-the-scenes, we hit the paths along with Steve Peat and Jackson Goldstone.

Once you swing your leg over the saddle and begin pedalling, the Santa Cruz Vala XO AXS RSV with the flip chip within the excessive setting locations you in a cushty, upright pedalling place. On technical climbs, the entrance wheel stays planted on the bottom and follows steering enter with nice precision, whereas the predictable dealing with conjures up big quantities of confidence. The beneficiant backside bracket top prevents you from smashing the cranks into obstacles, and even with the shock absolutely open, the rear suspension works effectively with solely marginal pedal bob. Using uphill, the Bosch Efficiency Line CX motor delivers highly effective help and a pure experience feeling. The motor converts pedal enter into help extraordinarily easily, however packs an actual punch once you want it. On steep, unfastened climbs, traction is superb regardless of the smaller rear wheel.

Switching the flip chip to the low setting alters the bike’s climbing traits barely. The seat angle turns into marginally slacker however stays comfortably upright. The underside bracket drops by 4 mm, requiring you to decide on your line extra rigorously, however with out it feeling too low. On technical climbs, the bike is extra demanding to experience, the entrance wheel wants extra stress to maintain monitoring, and the bike doesn’t climb fairly in addition to it does within the excessive setting.

When gravity takes over, the Santa Cruz Vala XO AXS RSV shines within the excessive setting, providing a excessive degree of consolation. The bike hardly wants any familiarisation time and makes you’re feeling relaxed from the get go. The Vala is intuitive to experience, making it simple to drag bunny hops and manuals, whereas the suspension gives glorious small bump sensitivity and loads of help. With an energetic using type, you’ll be able to generate loads of velocity by pumping by rollers and berms, and the bike encourages you to play with the path. The Vala follows steering enter with nice precision with out dropping stability. In quick corners, the suspension ensures nice composure and generates loads of traction, inspiring big quantities of confidence within the course of.

Switching the flip chip to the low setting slackens the top angle by 0.4 levels, which makes a noticeable however not dramatic distinction. You’re feeling extra built-in into the bike, adopting a barely extra aggressive using place. In quick, tough sections, the low centre of gravity conjures up extra confidence, however tight corners require barely extra enter from the rider. The Santa Cruz Vala X0 AXS RSV encourages you to maintain the brakes open for a number of extra seconds and bomb down the path at mach-10. With the development flip chip within the shock mount, you’ll be able to regulate the rear suspension’s finish development. Even within the low setting, bottom-outs are barely noticeable, whereas the excessive development setting is smart on tough, demanding trails that require you to make use of the complete suspension journey. Right here, you get a bit extra finish development.

Who ought to take a better take a look at the Santa Cruz Vala X0 AXS RSV?

The Santa Cruz Vala X0 AXS RSV impresses with intuitive dealing with, interesting to each inexperienced persons and skilled riders. Its agile, playful character makes it notably enticing for riders in search of most path enjoyable. Santa Cruz followers who already personal their playful analogue path ripper, the Nomad, and are in search of its electrical counterpart, will discover what they’re in search of within the Vala.

One other benefit of the Vala are the intensive adjustment choices of the lip chips, which let you fine-tune the bike’s geometry and suspension’s development to fit your using type and terrain of alternative. Nonetheless, this requires some technical know-how. For those who’re not accustomed to it, it could take a while to optimise the bike and unlock its full potential.

Conclusion in regards to the Santa Cruz Vala X0 AXS RSV

The Santa Cruz Vala X0 AXS RSV impresses as a flexible all-rounder with robust suspension and excessive enjoyable issue, making it a fantastic companion for frolicsome path using. Nonetheless, it loses a few of the typical Santa Cruz look, and its worth represents a excessive entry barrier.

Tops

• Versatile all-rounder
• Robust suspension
• Excessive enjoyable issue

Flops

• Misplaced typical Santa Cruz look
• Comparatively costly

For extra info, go to santacruzbicycles.com

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Phrases & Photographs: Benedikt Schmidt