Santa cruz superlight - show and tell. How tough are they?

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Santa cruz superlight - show and tell. How tough are they?

46 posts & 20 voices | Started 1 year ago by stooo | Latest reply from huddini

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stooo - Member

Show me you SC superlight builds.

Currently riding a trek fuel ex. Fancy something lighter and like the simplicity of single pivot (got a bullit too).

Will big for big epic days, marathon racing, but also need to handle black route trail centre technical stuff like Innerleithen. I don't like out n out xc race bikes that are flexy and steep. I want comfy, fast pedalling, able to charge up hills and bd a blast coming down so long as ive got a bit of finesse.

Am I asking too much of a 100 travel bike?

Superlight could be the answer, looks a bit tough than a blur?

Like the sound of orange ST4 but seems a bit heavy.

Proposed tough but light build...
Reba XX maxle 120mm
X0 kit
Monkey lite bars
Hope race brakes
717 rims with 2.25 schwalbe tyres
Joplin post
Dues cranks
80mm stem.

So any views?

Posted 1 year ago #
shortcut - Member

I wouldn't want to do Inners on mine. Not sure whether its coz I have a five spot which is more suitable.

Have done the welsh centres on the superlight but think the boulders are a bit bigger in Scotland. And I am no lightweight so would probably ride the superlight slower than the spot.

Posted 1 year ago #
aviemoron - Member

I had one of the first SLights and it was fab; it was raced and properly mountain ridden up here in the Cairngorms and from what I here the latest ones are way stiffer than my old thing (which was a bit flexy, but I never noticed at the time!) no probs with Inners/Laggan Black/Golspie as long as you remember it's a light xc platform. If yer a "hucker" go with the Heckler.

Posted 1 year ago #
stooo - Member

Bag, there'll be no hucking on it, I've got the bullit for that.

It's the new one I'm thinking of. Looks like a baby light weight heckler.

Posted 1 year ago #
nuke - Member

Having had both, I'd keep the EX (..or consider something else like an Anthem X). The quality of the suspension felt much better on the EX...less prone to pedal bob, no brake jack on long rough descents, a more bottomless suspension feel. None of these points were that detrimental to the ride on the SL and don't get me wrong as I'm not saying the suspension on the SL was bad, it's just more that the suspension on the EX was better . Plus my EX frame came in at 6.0lb and, whilst I didn't weigh the SL, I'm sure it wasn't that much lighter.

Posted 1 year ago #
tum-yeto - Member

Dont have one but i have had a go on one for a week or so, absolutely brilliant overall bike, fast uphill but still able to fly down too, was a 100 reba up front as well.

i would recommend one to anyone looking for a light, relatively cheap decent full sus bike. and you can spec it up as you go.

Posted 1 year ago #
drain - Member

Sounds like a good build you have in mind there.

I run Magura Durin Marathon 120mm on mine. The X0 kit should make a very light build possible. With X9 + XT on mine it was coming in at about 24.5 lbs (a little more now that it's gone tubeless). IIRC the frame weight is something like 5.2 lbs for the large.

The 2.25" tyres steady things up significantly, imo, and make doing (Welsh) trails centres very doable - just need to pick a line more than just my usual thud and blunder on the VT so, as you say, some finesse needed. And it does climb beautifully, leaving you less knackered and so more able to concentrate on descents.

I have heard great things about the EX. The SL's simplicity is a real plus point, it's required minimal maintenance. When I bought it, it was that and the mud clearance that edged it over the Anthem or the Top Fuel. More travel now on the Anthem would've made my decision even harder!

Posted 1 year ago #
stooo - Member

Thanks folks - there's some interesting points here.

It'd be great to get a pedal on one... though I'm so used to my Bullit that I know I like single pivot... both the way it pedals and the simplicity for maintenance.

Will have to ponder some more me thinks.

Posted 1 year ago #
KT1973 - Member

Santa Cruz Superlight large size with Fox RP-23 in anodised blue (from 2007)
Rock Shox Ream Team 120mm with Maxle light
Front wheel DT Swiss 4.2 rim with Hope Pro 2 hub (ano blue)
Rear wheel Mavic 717D on Hope Pro 2 (ano blue)
Schwalbe Racing Ralph EVO folding 2.1" tyres
Shimano XT M770 chainset + BB
Shimano XTR M970 pedals
Shimano XT M770 cassette
SRAM PG 990 chain
Shimano XT M761 rear derailleur (from previous build)
Shimano XT M770 gear shifters
Shimano XT M770 front derailleur
New XT cables
Race Face Next carbon low riser bars
Lizard Skins Peaty lock on grips
Easton EA70 90mm stem
Cane Creek headset
Charge Knife saddle
now has thomson elite post & hope qr clamp
and last but not least- Avid BB7 mech disks from old build

couple of related topics

Posted 1 year ago #
jad - Member

Mine:

Nice simple and light.

Posted 1 year ago #
stooo - Member

Nice looking machine KT... even the old ones still look good. Classic bike.

Posted 1 year ago #
stooo - Member

jad - that looks Luurvely, very like the build I'd be going for.

How's it climb ? And more importantly, how lively can you get on the descents before you feel like you might brake it/ or it brake you ?

Posted 1 year ago #
jad - Member

I went from a 5" horst link frame to this and love it to be honest. Suits my XC roots and no more expensive bearing changes. I'm using a 120mm Reba fork which works really well with it.

Posted 1 year ago #
anotherstan - Member

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4116/4910947693_36d0454ae2_m.jpg

Posted 1 year ago #
anotherstan - Member

errm... didn't mean to post that

i was still trying to edit the pics/ size etc. never mind eh?

Posted 1 year ago #
Zoolander - Member

I'm considering one myself .
Anyone have any experience of if the shock upgrade is necessary? Um sure I read somewhere that the pivot design doesn't require a lock out/adjustable can?

Posted 1 year ago #
TimCotic - Member

I like your thinking Stooo. My SL has a 120mm Reba and I've been pretty pleased with it but I had noticed it understeer in tight singletrack and fast bends, so I've just fitted an 80mm stem instead of the 90 but I haven't had a chance to test it yet. I guess the other fix would be to have the fork travel reduced 5 or 10mm. *Note* KT's is the older model with flexier rear and bolt-on cross brace - it does look great and it rides nicely. However, the new design is easier to clean, waranteed for 120mm travel, and I'm told the older frames require more bearing maintenance so I'd go for the current curvy design which is about 3 years old. If you wanted a lighter fork, the SID comes in 120mm bolt-through flavour these days.
PS. How do you put your bike pics on here?

Posted 1 year ago #
Kojaklollipop - Member

I treated myself to this in February

I have a 1999 Heckler and a 2002 Superlight still in use so I'm a big fan of the SC single pivot designs.

The old Superlight is a great bike but I noticed that the new one has a stiffer rear end and burlier feeling frame, I can be a bit more careless with my lines on the new one and it makes a great all round bike. I've upgraded the forks to maxle rebas which really suit it and stiffens up the front even more. I found the standard shock to be fine, I've got a RP23 on another bike and can't really tell any difference, I think the stock Float R is set up well for the bike. It's fast up the hills, and fast down, a great all-day bike, and I reckon with some stronger wheels it would be fine on more downhill type trails.

Posted 1 year ago #
z1ppy - Member

I bought an 07 SL off a m8, who hadn't used it much (if at all), no current piccy's though (unless you count his orignal lightweight(ish) XC build)

I'm running similar kit but with 115 U-Turn reba's, great bike but its at it sharpest at 100mm for the twisty stuff, so the U-Turn to me were the perfect compromise (as I can chop & change travel on the move). I was lusting after some Reba Maxle 120's but am happy now I saved my cash (and got Rev's for my other bike). Don't get me wrong it works fine at 115mm (or 120) but climbs better at 100mm and (as mentioned) on tight twist singletrack you can't beat it at 100mm IMO of course.

Posted 1 year ago #
Andy - Member

Agree with z1ppy, fantastic bike with 100mm on the front in tight twisty singletrack. Heres my 2008 XL. Everything is still the same except the X9 mecha nd shifters have been changed to XTR.

No14 (2009)Dalby again by carlos_fandango, on Flickr

No14 (2008) again by carlos_fandango, on Flickr

Posted 1 year ago #
zerolight - Member

Hey guys, I'm probably gonna order me a superlight frame tomorrow. I need to transfer as much kit off my old bike (a hardly used 2008 Kona Kula Deluxe). Pretty sure all I'll need is a headset, seat post, and some tools to get the chainset and BB off the Kula.

Questions though:

1. Do I need to get the frame faced and chased? Will Stif do that?

2. I'm 6ft, maybe 6ft1. 33" inside leg. Does a Large frame sound about right? Looking to build up a comfy all day bike, good for single track, trails, and park rides with my 5yr old.

Thanks.

Posted 1 year ago #
Mattie_H - Member

5' 11" and 32" inside leg and I ride a medium.

And with apologies for the slight hijack: I was thinking about switching to a shorter stem and wider bars (currently 90 mm stem and 610 mm carbon bars) to sharpen up the tight handling. Is this something that other people have done? Just wondering how the bike will ride with something like a 70 mm stem and c. 685 mm bars before I do anything foolish.

Fantastic bikes btw: just back from a fortnight of some of the toughest / best riding I've ever done in Oregon and the SL soaked it all up. It's done big days out all over the UK and most of the north Wales trail centres without any problems

Posted 1 year ago #
shortcut - Member

6'2 here and on a large with loads of seatpost out. So yes!

Posted 1 year ago #
stooo - Member

Mattie_H

I'd say try swapping the bars first. Swapping to a shorter stem will make those bars feel super narrow I reckon, where as you may find the wider bars are fine with that stem.

I've always found an 80mm or 90mm stem to be spot on with 685 bars on XC style geometry (70deg HA).... I tend to favour 685 bars.

Posted 1 year ago #
Mattie_H - Member

Good idea Stoo. I've been struggling to find 685 bars (which are what I have on other bikes and prefer) in standard diameter but will have another look.

Posted 1 year ago #
z1ppy - Member

Zerolight, 6ft2 (32" inside leg) here on a large

Posted 1 year ago #
anotherstan - Member

6ft 1" here, on a large. 70mm stem, 725mm bars ...feels great

Posted 1 year ago #
zerolight - Member

Thanks for the size info guys.

What about the chasing and facing - I'm tempted just to get the bike shop to fit a BB to it before the ship the frame. Doesn't seem to be anything wrong with my Race Face Deus XC BB though, other than that everyone says they are made of cheese.

Posted 1 year ago #
TimCotic - Member

Yep - get your bike shop to face the BB shell and fit a Hope. When I got mine two and a half years ago, I'd previously suffered from several very short-lived Shimano and Race Face external BBs. I've read that today's shimanos are much better than they were. When I got my SLX chainset about 6 months ago, I kept the Hope on the bike and just put the new SLX bb in the cupboard. Who knows - I may have to use it some day!

Posted 1 year ago #
zerolight - Member

Frame ordered with hope headset and bb. Never built up a bike before. Should be interesting.

Posted 1 year ago #
stooo - Member

Make sure you post up piccies when it's all done and we'll inspect your work

Posted 1 year ago #
z1ppy - Member

ZL bear in mind if you want to run full cable runs (always my preference) you need something like these, or drill/dremel out the cable stops.

and err yes get some piccy's, & ummm I might try and get some done too.

Posted 1 year ago #
zerolight - Member

z1ppy. What the heck are those, and how do I use em?

Posted 1 year ago #
zerolight - Member

They for using with gears completely enclosed or for the hydraulics. If for gears, then I'm not too fussed just yet, but will keep in mind.

Posted 1 year ago #
brassneck - Member

I still have my 2001 made in the U S of A superlight and have yet to ride a bike I'd swap it for.

Struggling to think of a reason to buy anything else - for me it's nigh on perfect

Posted 1 year ago #

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