[Closed] Santa Cruz Chameleon - Opinions and show me yours

Sadly no longer mine.

[IMG] [/IMG]

Was too rough for all day epics. Anything more than 3.5 hours and I felt like I'd been in a car accident....I didn't help matters by running a Spesh Toupe saddle though 😕

Nice Daffy - I have obviously read up about how stiff they are but it seems to be a matter of opinion/personal experience. Some people saying what you have whilst others saying they have used theirs for enduros and 24 hrs etc.
I have always liked the look of them, especially in white 😆

I've never had a more fun bike. I went through 4 other frames to find something I found almost as much fun but more tollerable day to day.

Cotic Soda, Cove Hummer, Ti456. The Chameleon is better than all of them.

I guess I won't know until I try one ! - I don't tend to see many people riding them though. That said, the main reason for that is that most people spend a fortune on way too much bike for the type of riding they realistically do. The amount of lads out over Cannock Chase on things that would be more at home on Alp D'Huez beggars belief !
How are they for tyre clearance ? I run 2.35 High Rollers most of the time ?

FUNNEST BIKE EVER!

My experience matches daffy's. Hugely entertaining up to about 3-4 hours but after that it feels someone has been giving me a good kicking up the backside. You can fit nice big tyres in there, not sure I ever went up to 2.35's though. Singlespeeding it restricts your tyre choice somewhat because when the wheel is right forward in the dropouts, big tyres will catch.

[url= http://farm1.static.flickr.com/137/393999678_ff2f4338dd.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm1.static.flickr.com/137/393999678_ff2f4338dd.jp g"/> [/img][/url]

[img] [/img]

Depends upon the tyre. 2.2 nevs were tight, but 2.3 contis were fine.

[img] [/img]

Dunno what all this complaining about it being too stiff is about. If you want comfy, stop mtbing and get an armchair lol. Beautifully stiff bike, climbs and descends very nicely. 7-8 hour epics in the Alps and it was perfect. Couldn't have had a better suited bike when I took it to Wales.

Had a few problems with the EBB filling up with water, but after taking it out and regreasing, its been fine. However, I'd prefer just a normal bb - less to go wrong.

[img] [/img]

With absolutely no respect to "realman" above, the newer Chammys have rounded seatstays and longer rounded chainstays making them more compliant at the back end.

Real men rode the originals, and real men would be able to shorten their brake hoses with tools from their sheds 😉

Another black SS with the EBB, and yeah it is fine with 90mm forks 😉

[IMG] [/IMG]

The older ones were great frames (cant comment on the newer ones)-very stiff rear ends, awesome punch out of tight corners but hard work over fast skittly stuff. Had a '98 ish Mk1 (originally with '98 orange Z1 Bams) which I did everything on from BMX races to DH;
[URL= http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/9327/dscf0014large.jp g" target="_blank">http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/9327/dscf0014large.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]

and a MK3 which was more of a hard XC bike, great in Welsh stuff;
[URL= http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/7688/sl381317large.jp g" target="_blank">http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/7688/sl381317large.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]

Fancied a change though and bought a Bluepig instead.

real men would be able to shorten their brake hoses with tools from their sheds

Had my bike nicked a short time before I was due to go to the Alps, so I had to build up a new one (the chameleon) quite quickly. The first picture is about an hour after it was finished, and we got to the Alps the next morning. Cables had to wait until afterwards 😉

I've heard that the bb is pretty high on the Chameleon - that it can feel like you're on it rather than in it. Anyone care to comment?

Never heard or felt like that when I had mine.

Easiest bike i've ever jumped/hucked about on.

Lol @ Daffy !
Interesting comments about it being fine in the Welsh stuff. I often go out on all dayers with the nutters I know from Mach, up into the Dyfi forest and beyond for 7 or 8 hours at a time. I don't suffer with a bad back anyway BUT from what some of you are saying it sounds as if I might be in traction after a day out on one ? It can't be that stiff can it ? Or is the payback in how snappy it is when accelerating and climbing ?
Nice bikes guys, realman nice in the black. They seem popular on here in S/S mode, but then again it is STW and you lot are weird ! 😉

well as daffy says above, the originals were much stiffer than the newer ones with rounded stays, check out the stays on an original, they're like girders. That and the fact that I'm old enough to be realman's dad probably explains the difference in opinion on my side. He needs to come back and see if he's still laughing at peoples back issues with them when he's twice his current age.

Anyone else got an opinion to offer on long term Chameleon use / back issues ??????????

Shinsplints - Without a doubt you [b]should[/b] buy one. Big volume tubeless tyres and comfy saddle coupled with the newer design should make it an all day winner.

The frames hold their value pretty well, so you'd not be risking a lot of cash if you decided it's not for you. Go for it, you won't be dissapointed.

Bear in mind that SC frames tend to come up a little small. I usually ride mediums, but i was on a large Chameleon at 6' with a 32" inside leg. I've never had a bike fit me so well.

i've had one as my only mtb for about 4 years. its been a fantastic bike. tried loads before i found one that just felt 'right'. i've had no bad back or comfort problems. i think bad backs are more due to riding position than anything. ridden for 8 hours a few times, had a bit of a sore arse but i get that on any bike! its stiff enough to mmake riding boring stuff fun, but can still take aa big fork for the really technical stuff. it doesn't suit everyone tho, think you need to like riding long forked hardtails aggresively to get the most out of it. don't expect it to get you out of trouble like a full sus, you need to be accurate!

mines built light with revelations etc. looks like those others up there.

Only mountainbike I have, had it for 4 years after haveing Orange 5, sub5, FSR for the few years before. Found I was overbiked for much of riding so got the chamelion, and I love it! Done big Lakes rides, trail centres etc on it and wouldn't go back to FS (for the riding I do)
No back problems, but feet start to hurt after 4 hours!
[img] [/img]
Reduns is fastest!

I love my Chammy. It's just pure unadulterated fun.

[img] [/img]

[IMG] [/IMG]

Just a case of finding a good used one now then, I've posted over there >>> and am looking at a couple of options, don't really have the cash for a brand new 'un at the moment. Cheers for sizing help Daffy, that's what I had read and so am hunting for an XL. Hopefully the 2.35 High Rollers should help and a comfy Bel Air saddle too. Maybe a carbon seatpost might take some sting out of the arse end aswell ? My situation sounds similar to what colnagokid is talking about above tbh.
Now then, colours......

Forgot to add....use BIG tyres! 😀

I had one for just over a year but sold the frame, It used to beat me up on long treks, I'd be dieing after a couple of hours in the saddle, I reluctantly sold it... but it was just to much bike for what i was using it for...

[IMG] [/IMG]

[IMG] [/IMG]

ShinSplints- As with what Daffy said you should get one. I ride a Ti hardtail and a Blur so I was getting beaten up like anything when I first got on it!! Now Im used to it it's a great bike, I haven't ridden it for more than about 5 hours in one go so can't comment on long term.

[img] [/img]

I had an 18 inch (Large) model which was fine for XC type jaunts, but I wish I'd gone for the medium for my riding. For a bike of this type it climbed really well, but I did find the BB way too high (13 inches with a 140mm Fox Van 32). With a BB 3/4 inch lower and it would have been ace, especially in a medium size. I did the Gap Road route on mine and was fine - no back probs or anything and that was with a 2.35 High Roller.

I wouldn't mind trying a medium of the previous version to see if the BB was lower. In my mind that was the only thing that ruined it for me, the high BB.

And yes, I did shorten the hose with tools in my garage! 😉

Like any hardtail the feel of the bike is more about the setup than frame material.Set the bike up with a nice saddle, large tyres and a flexy seatpost and the Chameleons very comfy also the new frames have are lot more forgiving ride than the oldies.Gr8 bike especially designed to bring the big kid out in everyone.

[img] http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/snoopersonic/ [/img]
Edit: Photo posting failed 😳

[img] ?t=1264974294[/img]
Plenty much fun mister.

He needs to come back and see if he's still laughing at peoples back issues with them when he's twice his current age.

Nah, chances are I'll grow up to become as grumpy as all you lot - I'll probably get myself something steel for that trail buzz dampening thing and a beard 😀

And it looks brilliant in white, but only when clean. Which my bike often isn't, which is why I went for the black. Still nice.

@ theswede - nice bike mate.

I'm liking the white and black at the minute. If anyone knows anyone with an XL for sale please drop me a line.

Cheers !

[IMG] [/IMG]

Seriously sweet bike!!! soo much fun, run with pikes and fat tyres. Box chainstays do keep it pretty stiff but its just so responsive and hard wearing.

Best money i ever spent!

Ride it for hours, back is not too much of an issue, probably more due to bag weight/seat height/stem+bar reach etc?

I'm pretty tall so have the xl and its perfect.

Buy one dude, won't regret it!

buy an orange one 😀

[i]Anyone else got an opinion to offer on long term Chameleon use / back issues ?????????? [/i]

Jenn Hopkins won quite a few ladies SS 24 hour events on hers IIRC. I guess that suggests it's merely an individual thing. Really, don't worry about it too much, you can always fit a susp post and the newer ones really are more forgiving. I've got a funny back anyway. Trust us, it's a bike made to have fun on.

Last suggestion? Check out [url= http://www.mattmagic.com/ ]Mattmagic's blog.[/url] Yes he's insane but he rode a chameleon most of the way through 2008 if I remember rightly.

Here's the appropriate excerpt....

Hurtin' in 2008

* Offroad Riding - 10602.84 miles [300]
* Turbo Trainer - 130.20 miles [8]
* Running - 114.56 miles [24]
* Aborted Riding - 37.20 miles [2]
* (TOC) 10640.04 miles
* (TR) 114.56 miles
* (TA) 10884.8 miles

Matt never had back problems. if someone can notch up over 10,000 offroad miles on one in a year, I think you can accept they're not too bad at all.

currently im riding an 18" GT with apx 12" of seatpost exposed and im 6'2" ( gives me the stand over height i like) so what size chammy would i need??
sorry for hijack
Andy

I'm 5'11" and ride a large, you might want to go up to an XL.

5'10" on a large for mostly XC duties with trips away. Sold a fleet of more specific bikes (Inbred SS, Hummer, Helius FR) and bought a Chameleon, and TBH I should have done it years ago, it's without doubt the most capable bike I've ever ridden, it's so confidence inspiring, those stays mean that you know where the rear wheel is all the time, it just feels planted. combine with a decent set of forks up front (140mm Thors in my case) and it'll let you tackle anything. You can mitigate the rear a bit with carbon post/fat UST tyres so I'm happy all day on mine, with no back issues.

It's funny, in reality it's a fairly bog standard Ali frame with pretty conventional angles and geometry, but there's definitely something about them... I recommend one every time

Thanks guys, good opinions and useful info (first time for everything on STW 😉

nickc - my thoughts mate regards the rear end (ahem) - I run 2.35 High Rollers and will see how my regular post/saddle combo goes before trying a carbon post. What's the tyre clearance like on them with a fat tyre in there ? Plenty run them as s/s on here so I am guessing they make good winter bikes ?

Regards sizing I am 6 foot 2 so an XL is a must. Plan to run it with my usual 70mm stem and raceface evolve bars that I roll quite far forwards for a bit more reach. The newer ones seem pretty rare though in XL on the used market.

Anyone know what size seatpost / front mech band size they are ?

I'm 6.1ft and mine's a large. Spot on I recons.

Anyone know what size seatpost / front mech band size they are ?

Try their [url= http://www.santacruzmtb.com/home/ ]website[/url].

http://www.santacruzmtb.com/chameleon/index.php?faq=1

I have just sold a 2009 chameleon - im 5 11 and it felt too big to be fun (large) and it was very harsh with a thomson post IMO!. only had it for 3mts - hated riding it.

i run mine singlespeed and have done several long distance rides of around 60 miles or 7 hours and dont really get much in the way of back issues, they are stiff and thats what makes them great to ride in my opinion.

Only real men ride Chameleons and that is a fact of life.

shinsplints - do you specifically want the latest model?

I have an XL of the previous model (ive lost track of which mk is which) in met blue and I am considering selling the frame...

2.35 High rollers are fine, but I wouldn't run them in the winter, the chainstays are key holed, so the tyre will fit, but in the slop there's not massive space.

I've run a conventional post in it (there's one now actually, as the carbon one is doing time on the road bike) and TBH it's still OK. 70mm stem will be fine.

I'm 6ft1.5. I had both a large and (cough) mediums.

The large felt abit lifeless. The medium was an absolute scream- made you feel like you were a better rider. I have a Blur4x now- same toptube length and seat tube as the medium Chameleon 😀

Ps. I was the 3rd owner of Daffys frame- its still around with another STW owner but now green.

On sizing I'm 6'3" and ride a 2008 large, as said above makes it a great throw-around bike for up to 4hr rides. It is a bit short compared to my full-sus but don't notice because of the way I ride it. It would be too short for sitting and spinning up a big (15min+) climb, but I run it 1x9 or 1x1 and get out of the saddle when it gets steep/rough.

Gets me around the local trails, general hoonery and love it at trail centres where it is a grown up BMX. My other bike is beginning to wonder if I've forgotten about them.

Thats one thing- After a ride I felt utterly destroyed for a day.

I'm 6'1" and have an XL. Feels spot on for more XC orientated stuff. I'm not really a play bike kinda guy.

[img] [/img]

This is my 9 speed with road wheel set up, really lovely bike but on it's way out as I need the shed space.
I'm selling the frame only (Large).

Miss my Chameleon hugely was a great bike and a perfect all-rounder if a little unforgiving sometimes.

In terms of long rides, I took mine on plenty. Just showing off really but here's me and mine on top of Ben Macdui in the Cairngorms! 2 day ride Aviemore to Braemar over Ben Macdui one day then back via Glen Feshie next day 120 miles plus over 2,000 m of climbing...

[img] [/img]