I had a DH accident in September last year and unfortunately have been in plaster ever since….the accident has led me to go back to AM and leave off the big stuff from here on in (too old!) – I know some people don't like the Santa Cruz range, but I love them! Here's my new build Heckler, I've spent the last couple of months building it whilst I have had the time – all except the shifters & brakes have been sourced 2nd hand – I am please with the result – what do you think??

I can't wait to ride it!!

SPEC:
Santa Cruz Heckler 2010 Frame (New)
Rock Shox Pike 454 Dual Air U-Turn
Fox RP23 Rear Shock
Shimano XT (AM M776) Wheelset
Hope Tech M4 Front & Rear Brakes
Hope Floating Rotors – Red (183mm F&R)
Shimano XT M771 Crankset
SRAM Redwin Cassette
SRAM PC971 Chain
SRAM X0 Rear Mech – Redwin
SRAM X0 Shifters – attached to Hope Tech M4's via Matchmaker clamps
Thomson Layback Seat Post
Thomson 4x 90mm 5 degree Stem
Race Face Evolve AM Low Rise Bars
Sunline Lock-On Grips
DMR V12 Mag Pedals – Pimped with ano red pins & end caps
Syncros Saddle
Hope Seat Post Clamp

Like the brake levers then? 😉

Hi mate your Heckler is near identical to mine…I love it!

But please do your self a favour and get rid of the Low Compression/Rebound RP23 – it just does not work on a single-pivot like the Heckler. The Heckler performs sooo much better with a Coil Shock, failing that send it to TFTuned to get re-valved and it will be an improvement!

Looks lovely- the red bits look nice (most important part)

will this be a 'do it all' bike?

More pricks than a pin cushion – Member

Like the brake levers then?

good point – couldn't see what I was posting – have deleted a couple now!

Hi mate your Heckler is near identical to mine…I love it!

But please do your self a favour and get rid of the Low Compression/Rebound RP23 – it just does not work on a single-pivot like the Heckler. The Heckler performs sooo much better with a Coil Shock, failing that send it to TFTuned to get re-valved and it will be an improvement!

Mmmm…not sure – I had one on my last 2006 Heckler and got on with it very well? Was going to try it first and see what happens – if I don't like it I am thinking about going for the TF Push tune on it?? But not having done this before, I am not sure what the difference will be?

oxnop – Member

Looks lovely- the red bits look nice (most important part)

will this be a 'do it all' bike?

Red bits…. 🙂

Yeah, it will be a do it all – I am taking it to California in September for a 'Single Track Heaven' road trip….but hope to get out on it first and see what its like…depends on the foot! Not sure if I am going to be able to give up all the jumps & drop offs?? 😕

Very very nice 😛 . Hope you're able to ride soon.

Realy nice build you got there. Doesn't look like you've used 2nd hand parts at all. Watch the brake hose rubbing on the frame and head tube though, got a few marks already on mine because of that but its nowt heli tape won't cure.

Are you sure its a 2010 frame though? as it still has the pinch bolts on the pivot I thought the new ones (2010)were all collet style fittings like on the BLT??

it looks like you have the 2009 RP23 HV (newer decals) – if you run normal sag to achieve small bump compliance then as soon as you hit the bigger stuff if just blows right through the travel – you can run less sag to stop bottom-out but your small bump compliance suffers, the 3 pro-pedal settings all seem the same and this shock is more suited to a VP bike. SC have the shocks tuned like this from FOX purely for cost- but they suit there VP bikes more. If you do a search on MTBR there is soo much written about this problem – You could speak to TFTuned to get it re-valved and they will back up what I say. I have upgraded to a DHX4 Coil it the bike is amazing now!!

You don't need to give up the jumps or drop offs! I've gone from a multi bike set up to just a mojo sl & I'm defo not going to give up drop offs (never could jump anyway)

My gf has a blur lt2 as her only bike and she loves it. Nothing wrong with Santa cruz's, can't see why people wouldn't like them.

Are you sure its a 2010 frame though? as it still has the pinch bolts on the pivot I thought the new ones (2010)were all collet style fittings like on the BLT??

No, it is not a 2010 frame, the 2010 frame has collet style fittings for pinch bolts and the gusset at the headtube has gone – shame really!

SC do not change the frames every year but this is the first change for over 2 years to the Heckler.

mamadirt – Member

Very very nice . Hope you're able to ride soon.

Thanks buddy – so do I!

Carlos – Member

Realy nice build you got there. Doesn't look like you've used 2nd hand parts at all. Watch the brake hose rubbing on the frame and head tube though, got a few marks already on mine because of that but its nowt heli tape won't cure.

Are you sure its a 2010 frame though? as it still has the pinch bolts on the pivot I thought the new ones (2010)were all collet style fittings like on the BLT??

Thanks mate – only the brakes and shifters are new, got lucky when buying! 😀 The important parts of the frame are heli-taped (new matt type of heli-tape due to the frame being anodised 😉

And yes it is a 2010 frame – as per the Santa Cruz site, here's a pic of the pivot….(unless of course they have one that is not on general release yet? But I haven't looked into it that much, could well be another on the way?)

I like it. I like it a lot.

Just I got a replacement late last year (Oct, I think) and it has the collet style pivot fixing, it's a med black ano and I had to wait 6-7 weeks for it to come from the US. Maybe I was lucky and as there were no Med's in the UK at the time I ordered.

Either way what a great bike, I'm pretty brave and I'd like to think I can ride, but the Heckler just begs me to go faster even when I'm flat out. I get a little voice in me head telling me to slow down but the rush of the ride and the bike over rule most of the time, it just eats up the trail no matter what.

Hope you get out soon, you'll love it.

Just to clear up – it is a 2009 frame new in 2010….I would prefer to have gusset…looks far weaker without it!!

That looks rather lovely.. sort of a stealth tart build. 🙂 nice.

I usually dislike black bikes and Santa Cruz, but that has totally flipped my opinion – lovely bike, really nice!

angryratio – Premier Member

That looks rather lovely.. sort of a stealth tart build. nice.

Thanks buddy, know what you mean…

gregsticle – Member

I usually dislike black bikes and Santa Cruz, but that has totally flipped my opinion – lovely bike, really nice!

Black….I would agreed normally and have always gone for white, but this one came up at a good price – so I thought what the hell! (and I pleased with the outcome!) If you haven't tried a SC before then I would give them ago, I fell in love with my first Heckler and since have had a VP Free & a V10 and now back to Heckler again! Can't seem to get on with anything else quite as well?

Looks real nice, I've always fancied on myself.

Might get one some day

Looks very nice. Quite a balanced looking bike, if that makes sense?

I like matt black frames – stealthy!

Very nice

Nice bike.

Who cares if it has a collet or pinch bolts!

Mine rides better with an in-line post and 70mm stem, but I suppose that's a personal thing.

stumpy01 – Member

Looks very nice. Quite a balanced looking bike, if that makes sense?

I like matt black frames – stealthy!

Makes perfect sense – thanks buddy!

gator – Member

Very nice

Cheers mate.

Nice bike.

Who cares if it has a collet or pinch bolts!

Mine rides better with an in-line post and 70mm stem, but I suppose that's a personal thing.

Cheers – yeah a personal thing for sure, I had my older one set up this way and got on with it very well, hoping for the same from this one! Thanks for the comments though bud.

Lovin the build bud! Just sorting the job myself as it happens.
Where did you source the matchmaker clamps from? Can you adapt a normal M4 clamp or are they specific?

Nice, I have a large Heckler too & love it.

Mines fitted with the RP23 High Volume air sleeve. The cure to the shock blowing through its travel is to reduce the volume of the air can.
The high volume can is created by a sleeve over the standard size can, the inner standard size can has a hole in it through to the sleeve thus creating more volume.
Deflate, slide off the sleeve, fill with grease & slide back on, the grease takes up the extra air volume.
Worked for me.

looks excellent apart from the white bits on the rims.

those stairs look do-able 😀

Beautiful bike, congratulations.

Havent the more recent front ends been slackened off a wee bit?

Very nice. Can't believe how similar it looks to my BLT2. You can get a few more red bits – seat clamp, headset, piston caps, brake levers.

Mate.

Where did you get your pedal pimpage from?

Pimp My Pedals on CRC, under a tenner as well!