Why introduce one new bike, when you can introduce two? (and we’re not even counting the Carbon Nomad, which was announced on April 1st) – well that’s what Santa Cruz has done. Two bikes on the new APP platform that fill some gaps in the already extensive Santa Cruz roster.
Here’s the new Santa Cruz Butcher. Nope, it’s not named after a purveyor of meat, nor Pat Butcher from Eastenders, but named for the famous (and fantastic) Butcher Ranch Trail in Downieville, California. It’s a trail that drops 5,000ft in 16 miles of singletrack. Along it are chunky rock gardens, some fantastic flat-out, loamy corners, boulders, trees, steep drops down to a river and it’s hard work all the way down (yes, we’ve been there and ridden it). The Butcher was designed to excel at this kind of terrain, yet still be responsive enough to handle the tech-y climbs (at 6000ft plus) and flat out rock gardens that are an inevitable part of monster downhills.
Like the Nickel it features the new APP suspension system and a tapered headtube. It features 150mm rear travel and works best with 140-160mm forks. Angles for the keen are 67.5/72, with a 13.8in static BB height and a 22.5in top tube on a medium. The bike should build into something like 30lbs. There are ISCG5 tabs for chain devices and the like.
Here’s the bit you’ll have already read in the Nickel story
What’s the deal with the new linky links then? That’s what all Santa Cruz’ fuss is about. Although there are plenty of link driven single pivots out there, the APP system’s link not only changes the linkage ratio, but it does it to both lower and raise the shock ratio in different parts of the suspension stroke, rather than just raising, or just lowering the shock ratio over the travel. (Shock ratio is explained right here on the Santa Cruz website – But what does it do? It works towards that suspension nirvana of a super-supple bike on the little stuff, but that can handle the big hits while still feeling like it has bottomless suspension travel. The idea is that it gives a similar ride feel to the VPP bikes but in a less complex (and expensive…) way.
Updated: The UK Prices for BOTH the Nickel or the Butcher will be £1299 for either, with a Float R. There’s a £110 upcharge for a Fox RP23. Complete bikes will start at £2200 for either…
Bikes should be showing up with Santa Cruz UK in June.
And here’s a picture of those shock rate graphs if you’re into that too.
Comments (16)
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Forgive my ignorance, but isn’t this very similar to the Blur LT?
Like the chocolate colour
Don’t you mean ‘The Eastenders’
How much? Approx like.
not slack enough I don’t reckon – but is that 67.5 with the 140fork? Does look good though…
I’d have said more like the Heckler.
67.5 with a 529mm axle to crown fork.
i agree, like a heckler.
I like Mike Ferrentino’s writing so don’t want to sound mean but I get an all enveloping feeling of ‘so what?’. When Blurs came out in 2002/3 they were genuinely innnovative and gave a noticeable step up in performance and the same goes to the Nomad (even though it looks cack) bur the Nickel and Butcher just have the look or existing bikes re-worked to sell more stuff. I doubt a single pivot with lots of bearings can really be better than a VPP. It just loooks like all the other stuff in the shops and SC are hardly a niche brand now so if you want to ride something that is a bit rarified you may as well buy something German or Spanish or maybe Ellsworth, Titus or even Turner.
On the subject of naming bikes haven’t we been there with naming bikes after ‘legendary’ California trails? A Marin anyone?
It’s pitched as a Heckler, but with a shock ratio that resembles a VPP bike. I won’t have prices until later, but the advantage of the Butcher (and Nickel) is that they’ll offer near-VPP performances (they’re not saying that they’re better) but at a much lower price – they’re simpler and therefore cheaper, to make.
I guess that’d put it more like 66.5 – 67 with a 160 fork then… sounding nicer 🙂
Hate the colour, looks like a a turd on wheels.
Bit sick of hydroformed tubes already, its the reason I don’t have a new 575 and the reason I got rid of my Trance X. I know there are advantages to hydroforming and disadvantages, but those swooping top tubes juts look ugly to me.
Basically APP is dogboned like a Yeti, so it will probably work great infact I have a feeling I will prefer it.
christ with all this santa cruz stuff in the news, time to rename to ‘Santa Cruz World’ 😉
anyhow looking forward to the tall boy test coming up
So how and why is this cheaper to make than a VPP bike. It has one less linkage and pivot it seems to be, but how much to they cost to manufacture. We are not talking £100s. Is it more to do with not paying to license the design. Just interested in how the manufacturing maths work out
it’s just about making cheaper bikes, and trying to sell them as being like the more expensive ones. that’s all any new bike from any brand is about, more for less.
Ugileeeeee!