I’m in the market for a new bike, which I’d like to have within the next 3 months. I’ve heard whispers about a new Nomad from the local Santa Cruz dealer but they have been sworn to secrecy regarding release date. They said it should be worth waiting for if I’m “not in a rush”. Other serious options would be the Slash or Hightower. Slash will probably sell out in my size very soon, if it hasn’t already. Has anyone heard anything? Worth waiting or not? Thanks all!

Santa Cruz often unveil their new bikes on April 1st so if you’ve heard rumours of a new one in the works it will likely be then. If they do realease a new one I’d guess there wouldn’t be as many distinct changes as between the mk2 and mk3 nomad. I’d guess at boost rear hub, bit longer reach, increase in travel to 170/180 to make it more distinct from the bronson, poss 1 degree steeper seat angle / slacker head angle (to justify it being a genuine mk4 and not that it needs tweaking). This is all pure speculation on my part and not based on anything I’ve heard, more educated guesswork

There are all sorts of rumours around a new Nomad at the moment, but in reality they’re keeping a very closely guarded secret like they often do.
Nobody outside of the SC inner circle knows the details AFAIK.
A new one is expected at some point this year, but in reality nobody knows.
Depending on what sort of riding you do, the Hightower is one hell of a bike & the popular SC for us at the moment. Have you demo’d one?

Santa Cruz are not a brand I normally follow but recent events have given me reason to reconsider my options.

Bit torn between Bronson and nomad myself and not overly clear with all the version numbers. Anyone got a crib sheet? Might be about April before the current situation gets cleared up.

Bit torn between Bronson and nomad myself and not overly clear with all the version numbers. Anyone got a crib sheet? Might be about April before the current situation gets cleared up.

Bronson: Alloy available as frame only or various builds
C-availble as complete builds only
CC-availble as complete builds or frame only.

Nomad: No alloy version
C-complete builds only
CC-Complete builds or frame only.

Happy to go cc frame only on either. Wondering how much difference there is between mk I, II, III.

“I don’t know that we’ll ever see a 29er Nomad, but maybe who knows. We’ve had people running longer forks on the Hightower that like that set up for certain things.”

Minnaar’s been seen on a Hightower with proto pivot and Fox 40’s.

Wouldn’t put it past them to update the Nomad along the lines Sofaboy suggested – AND launch a long travel 29er as well.

They do love bringing out new bikes.

Anyway, if you need a new bike soon you might be better looking at a brand that’s at a different point in its product cycle.

Thanks for the input everyone.

Goldenwonder, I was pretty set on buying a Hightower and I went into the local SC dealer mainly to discuss build options. TBH I was quite surprised when, instead of taking my money, they suggested I might want to wait for the Nomad. I’d told them I specifically want a 29er. Read into that what you will…

Chakaping, that was my reasoning for looking at the Slash. It’s an absolute stunner but perhaps too “big” a bike for the stuff I ride most of the time. I’ve tried Specialized’s offerings and didn’t get on with them. Yetis look phenomenal but pricey and I worry about durability. Any other 29ers I should consider? I won’t touch Evil based on their history of poor customer service.

Onzadog – Member 
Wondering how much difference there is between mk I, II, III.

Mk I – Alloy 26″, 1-1/18 headtube (though think they did a 1.5 later)

http://www.santacruzbicycles.com/en-GB/bike/nomad/1

Mk 2 – Alloy 26″ and later Carbon 26″, updated VPP and less curvy top tube. 1.5″ headtube.

http://www.santacruzbicycles.com/en-GB/bike/nomad/2

Mk 3 – Carbon 650b, C (cheap carbon) and CC (posh carbon) models, slacker & longer geometry. Tapered headset. Recessed lower link.

There have been tweaks with each year also. Not sure if Nomad Mk3 has gone boost yet? 5010 did that between 2015 and 2016, though maybe that’s a version difference, mk1 and mk2.

http://www.santacruzbicycles.com/en-GB/nomad

Intense primer, Pyga stage max have caught my eye

Got a slash, its awesome. Also on the list was a YT Jeffsy and the spec but it looks like a gate in large. The Nomad 29 was rumored to be happening. Metric shock and Boost i’d expect.

1/4/17 would be exactly 3 years since the last one…

They must be due a new version because my mate just bought one! Same happened with his previous bike… 😉

The high-spec Jeffsys looks like terrific bikes.

I’d be all over them if they weren’t a bit short for my body shape.

What size are you after? the 21.5″ is already sold out. annoyingly.

In the same boat here, so i’m considering the Hightower

AND launch a long travel 29er as well.

More likely I reckon.

I hope they don’t ruin the nomad by turning it to a 29″ or plus bike. I won’t be changing from my mk3 if they do.
I can’t see it happening though as they would still need a nomad replacement not an entirely different bike.

Still torn between keeping my 26″ mk2 alloy Nomad going or getting a mk3 and having to go 650b. Either way I need new wheels though as wrecked the ones on the mk2, but I still rather like the old mk2 and the mk3 still seems a bit OTT for me, but does look gorgeous.

If it was my only bike I’d upgrade, but I’ve settled on a 5010 now for my general trail bike and suits what I do a lot more. But I need a “park” / Enduro / DH bike for BPW, Aston Hill, FoD, Stiniog etc (plus Alps) kind of days. They’re more of a minority of days to my normal riding though.

Still torn between keeping my 26″ mk2 alloy Nomad going or getting a mk3 and having to go 650b. Either way I need new wheels though as wrecked the ones on the mk2, but I still rather like the old mk2 and the mk3 still seems a bit OTT for me, but does look gorgeous.

having recently upgraded from a MK2 carbon nomad to a MK3 nomad, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it, especially if your upgrading wheels anyhow (although you will also need new forks. if you like the MK2 you’ll love the Mk3, especially in the increased stiffness / strength of moving to carbon and I wouldn’t say it’s OTT compared to the MK2 after riding it for a few months – same type of bike intended for the same purpose. not night and day different, just incrementally and noticeably better in in nearly every facet

originally I’d planned to go for a MK2 Bronson, being more similar to the MK2 nomad on paper (and like you thinking the nomad ight be a bit OTT), but got the chance for a cheap second hand MK3 nomad frame, went for it and very pleased I did

Daver27 I am indeed after the 21.5″ but I’m not buying in the UK. It looks like there might be one or two left here. Given the supply/demand mismatch on the Slash it’s tempting. If in a few months something else catches my eye I could probably sell a Slash for almost what I would pay for it (more if I took it back to the UK on my next visit!)

sofaboy73 – Member 
originally I’d planned to go for a MK2 Bronson, being more similar to the MK2 nomad on paper (and like you thinking the nomad ight be a bit OTT), but got the chance for a cheap second hand MK3 nomad frame, went for it and very pleased I did

Yeah, I keep my eye out for a frame at a reasonable price.

I was considering going to go for a new Bronson or Nomad but not keen on the Bronson and a 5010 came up in a good deal and went for that which I love. It’s plenty enough for what I generally do and light and whippy. If I still want a big travel bike a Bronson is too close to the 5010 really so has to be a Nomad 😀 , but it’s not going to be my main bike now and the mk2 still rides well (when it has wheels). Mk3 upgrade is new frame, wheels and fork. Keep the mk2 going and it’s just new wheels.

Do you think the new one will be 27.5plus boost etc