Looking at a new bike, either the Santa Cruz 5010 CC with XT build or the Juliana Furtado CC with XT build. They are in essence the same bike, the only difference being contact points and colour. Same price for both.

I am 5’2.5″ female, and fit the Small (test ridden XS and S) so could go with either.

The question is, do I recognise the work being done on the Juliana brand and go with that, or buy Santa Cruz because, well, it’s Santa Cruz?

I kind of like the idea of riding something a bit different, and I am unlikely to be reselling this any time soon as, in theory, it is exactly what I’m looking for in a bike. However, I still struggle with the idea that it’s not a Santa Cruz.

If you have actual proof that riding/reselling the Juliana would make me worse off than the equivalent Santa Cruz, especially from a female’s point of view, then I’d be really interested.

Cheers.

I guess it would be easier to sell the santa cruz further down the road, if they are the same frame. Girls won’t mind riding SC but guys will probably be put off riding Juliana

I did read that the Julianas have a different shock tune as the average rider is lighter, but obviously this is something that you can get changed yourself anyway.

If I’m perfectly honestly I don’t like the concept of the Juliana brand. I think there’s an argument for offering a lighter person’s shock tune but although professional female MTBers may be lighter height for height than professional males I doubt there’s such a consistent pattern amongst amateurs so dividing it by gender seems silly.

And as many of the brands are now admitting there is no consistent variation in limb/torso length so there’s no need to separate mens’ and women’s bikes by geometry (hence the SC and Juliana frames being the same).

However I’d just go with whichever you prefer looking at and that has the contact points that suit you (could be the mens’ depends on your sit bone width and grip preference). Resale probably doesn’t matter all that much because if it fits you at 5’2.5 it won’t fit many men! And there’s nothing to stop a future owner from getting it resprayed as the other brand.

Addendum: If you are light then the Juliana’s shock tune will be much better for you, so that is something that really matters!

For £2.8k id want the shop to supply the correct tune for me regardless. Why are santacruz etc. still supplying bike with shock tunes based on size and not the rider, just supply with correct shock at point of order surely?

Cost probably.

Juliana just seem to be another “pink it and shrink it” exercise (+ a slightly different tune that may or may not be more suitable for you than the standard one), not really much to buy into.

As above though, blokes being the idiots we are would be less likely to buy a Juliana than an SC

chiefgrooveguru – Member
If I’m perfectly honestly I don’t like the concept of the Juliana brand. I think there’s an argument for offering a lighter person’s shock tune but although professional female MTBers may be lighter height for height than professional males I doubt there’s such a consistent pattern amongst amateurs so dividing it by gender seems silly.

It’s odd to do that, but then not offer any variation in tune between XL and Small men’s bikes. Screams marketing rather than any functional benefit.

Bike brands should stop shrinking & pinking stuff and put time into customising existing parts to suit all shapes and sizes.

A good LBS should happily tweak a SC to suit you whatever gender / shape / weight you are.

I’d go for the SC as at some point you will want to sell it

A (male) mate once told me he had decided to buy a Juliana.

I informed him that they are just women’s SC bikes.

I still regret telling him

thepodge – Member
Bike brands should stop shrinking & pinking stuff and put time into customising existing parts to suit all shapes and sizes.

They already do. Various frame, crank, stem, bar, saddle, seatpost, grip, etc sizes are all available to customise any bike. “Women specific” generally just looks like Marketing Engineering

It’s odd to do that, but then not offer any variation in tune between XL and Small men’s bikes. Screams marketing rather than any functional benefit.

Yes, there aren’t many S frame riders the weight of an XL frame rider! Just another reason shocks like Cane Creeks and Fox X2 are nice because they can be properly tuned to suit the rider’s weight.

There’s actually an argument for changing the suspension design as the frame gets bigger, because a taller rider has a higher centre of mass and needs more frame anti-squat to prevent unwanted bob, whilst a shorter rider could end up with excessive anti-squat causing bob through rise under pedalling.

imo – Buy the colour you like most and enjoy

Kip, I had exactly this dilemma last year when deciding between a SC Bronson or Juliana Roubion. I ended up really fed up with Jungle, as wherever I went for a test ride, and no-matter who promised there would be a small Bronson available to try, every time a Roubion turned up. Even though on paper the two bike’s geo looks the same, I thought they felt different in the ride. I didn’t like the contact points on the Juliana Roubion, the bars felt too narrow, seatpost didn’t drop far enough. I felt like I was riding a girls bike! I ended up test riding a medium Bronson, and although I knew it was too big, I fell in love with it as soon as I sat on it. It felt ‘right’. I ordered the small Bronson & LOVE it.

There is a strong possibility I just got fed up with being force fed the Julianas and if offered both equally, I may have selected that instead. There is also a chance that I’ve always ridden bikes with wide bars, that are ‘designed for men’ so that’s what I’m used to. However for me the feel, look and (long term) resale value of the Bronson won me over. I get that there are not that many 5’3″ guys out there who may want a small 2nd hand Bronson – but there sure are a lot of teenagers, which is where my last three 2nd hand bikes have gone!

legend – They already do. Various frame, crank, stem, bar, saddle, seatpost, grip, etc sizes are all available to customise any bike. “Women specific” generally just looks like Marketing Engineering

Really, who does this? I’m not aware of any brand that lets you swap from the outset, the LBS might let you do it but not the brand

That’s what I mean, too much faff for any brand that doesn’t build to order. So get the LBS on the case or tweak the setup to suit as you ride

…on the Juliana Roubion, the bars felt too narrow

I recall that being a complaint on a review of it. And I’m pretty certain that Rachel Atherton uses 800mm bars but Gee only 780mm and he’s quite a lot taller.

legend – That’s what I mean, too much faff for any brand that doesn’t build to order. So get the LBS on the case or tweak the setup to suit as you ride.

More faff than setting up, marketing & stocking a whole new brand?

They could just sell their bikes and provide an optional women’s pack including a lighter tuned shock, slimmer grips, shorter cranks etc which can be ordered by the LBS and fitted at purchase.

Yup, doesn’t have the marketing power of a new woman only brand

Oh wow, loads of input, cheers.

I’ve had lots of discussions with the Jungle/Santa Cruz people regarding the ladies specific bike thing and I’ve also spoken to a number of women about it. One US female said that the brand is bigger over there (and works more) because their top female riders know they are good enough to have their own elite brand, instead of thinking that they are good enough to ride the best blokes bike.

This is a subtle but important difference in mindset to the women over here who often only have female role models riding generic (non-gendered) brands. Often women here feel dumbed down to (shrink it, pink it) so tend to rebel against women specific products. Whereas in the US they see it as a mark of recognition of their ability.

I know which category I fall into!

I also could not test ride the Small 5010 , as the only Small to demo was the Furtado. As far as size was concerned, the Small definitely felt better than the XS. Isn’t it funny how a bike just feels right?

As for technical differences, I’d not thought about shock tuning, but yes, that’s a pretty important thing for a lightweight like me. I shall check that out.

Hmmm bars, I’ve only just made the step to 710mm on the Hardtail after riding 680mm for ever, and that feels plenty wide enough! In fact, I often drop my hands in a touch from the ends, so extra wide Santa Cruz bars may not help.

I must admit that the long term resale is also ticking away in my head.

Finally, I like both the Santa Cruz colours, not so hot on the Furtado, although in the flesh it looks better!

Kip – good enough to have their own elite brand, instead of thinking that they are good enough to ride the best blokes bike.

That is the thing though isn’t it, they don’t have their own elite brand, they have a Santa Cruz with pastel colours and some minor adjustments.

That is the thing though isn’t it, they don’t have their own elite brand, they have a Santa Cruz with pastel colours and some minor adjustments.

Well, yes, but no, but yes. This is the argument that goes round and round and I think it really does depend on where you are coming from as to how you view it.

In the US Juliana is a brand in it’s own right, whereas here all we see is that it is a re-branded Santa Cruz.

Hmmm bars, I’ve only just made the step to 710mm on the Hardtail after riding 680mm for ever, and that feels plenty wide enough! In fact, I often drop my hands in a touch from the ends, so extra wide Santa Cruz bars may not help.

Wide bars are highly in demand nowadays, so if you want narrower bars you could easily turn a profit on swapping to smaller ones. I have some 711mm Easton Havens on ebay which are at a massive £0.01 at the moment (I’m hoping they sell for a bit more than that…)