Santa Cruz Mountain Bikes
Skateboarding legends Rob Roskopp and Rich Novak joined forces in 1993 to produce a bike that would change the high-end mountain bike category for good. The result of their collaboration was the “Tazmon,” a single-pivot dual suspension bike with just 3” of travel. The Tazmon would become the first generation Santa Cruz mountain bike and jumpstart Santa Cruz into the brand we know and love 30 years later.
Today the Santa Cruz line of high-end mountain bikes features 12 models, with an option for everything from cross country to a World Cup downhill run by pros like Josh ‘Ratboy’ Bryceland and the Santa Cruz Syndicate. The brand’s hallmark full suspension design revolves around the VPP (virtual pivot point) suspension design which was purchased from Outland in 1999.
Which Santa Cruz mountain bike you choose depends on how much suspension you need for the type of riding you plan to do most often.
Cross Country (XC)
Range of travel: 80-120mm
Best suited for: climbing, long distance, and mild to moderate surface terrain
Santa Cruz XC models: Tallboy, Superlight, Highball 29, Highball 27.5
Trail
Range of travel: 120-140mm
Best suited for: Long distance rides including a mix of both climbing and descents
Santa Cruz trail models: 5010, Hightower
Enduro
Range of travel: 150-170mm
Best suited for: All-mountain rides with rough, technical descents and climbs
Santa Cruz enduro models: Nomad, Bronson, Heckler
Downhill
Range of travel: 170-216mm
Best suited for: The roughest descents with technical terrain and obstacles
Santa Cruz downhill models: V10
Dirt Jump
Range of travel: 100-160mm
Best suited for: pump tracks and jump parks
Santa Cruz dirt jump models: Jackal
Take a few minutes to explore our selection of Santa Cruz bikes in the United States. Discover why BikeExchange is your top source for everything bike! If you are having troubling choosing a Santa Cruz or have questions about a specific model, contact your local bike shop for expert advice.
