Santa Cruz Bronson V4.1

hi hi

seriously thinking of replacing my 2018 Orbea Rallon M-Team (XL). It’s a great bike with a wicked spec but is maybe a little too race-y and defo a little too tall/long for my 6ft frame.

looking at something a bit more fun and a little smaller for a better fit, there’s a steak to be had on a Santa Cruz Bronson C V4.1 GX AXS at a bike shop local to me

anyone got any experiences of the Bronson at all? Will I be doing a Gob Bluth and making a huge mistake??

thanks in advance!

Pinkbike had a review in their recent trail bike field test . They seemed pretty positive about it but said it was more downhill focused than than other bikes in the test , worth listening to the podcast for a proper run down .

If your after something a bit more fun oriented what about the 5010 ? I’ve got an itch for a tallboy at the moment that I’m desperate to scratch.

My wife has a v4. She really enjoys it but the standard wheels are heavy. It’s is at the burly end of trail bike and in closer to enduro bike. She is happy with this as it goes to the alps etc aswell as doing U.K. trail duties

If thought about the 5010 but wanted to keep the longer travel for the bike park/proper mountain biking trips.

I’ve had one for a year. It’s great fun and goes around corners really well and feels like a good balance between nimble and smash. Good in the air too. Probably my favorite bike I’ve had. The new V5 in that pinkbike test seems to have gone further into the enduro end of the spectrum.

Bronson and Rallon both feel quite similar to me, both nice, all down to spec and deal. Very happy with my Bronson.

I am 5ft 11, and the Large fits me fine, my mate at 6ft 4 is on a xl.

I love the mullet bike, where are you based?

I am 5ft 11, and the Large fits me fine, my mate at 6ft 4 is on a xl.

I love the mullet bike, where are you based?

I’m Northamptonshire based

oh a bit far but if you are in North Wales over the christmas break you are welcome to try

I have no experience of this bike, but just wondered are are fully set on a mullet or just looking at this because it came up locally?

If your current bike is a mullet and you’re happy with that, great. If you’ve not tried one, you may notice some differences to full 29 and are those the trade-offs you want to make?

One of my bikes has a flip chip to run either set-up and it’s brilliant. I wish all bikes came with this now.

oh a bit far but if you are in North Wales over the christmas break you are welcome to try

thank you for the kind offer but ultimately a bit far!

I have no experience of this bike, but just wondered are are fully set on a mullet or just looking at this because it came up locally?

If your current bike is a mullet and you’re happy with that, great. If you’ve not tried one, you may notice some differences to full 29 and are those the trade-offs you want to make?

One of my bikes has a flip chip to run either set-up and it’s brilliant. I wish all bikes came with this now.

Very good point! I have ridden a couple of mullets (Spesh Status) and liked the small wheel-feel. This is being purely driven by two things:

A) I picked up the Rallon locally during COVID and bike availability was crap. It’s a brilliant bike but since trying some slightly shorter bikes it’s slightly too long on the reach and seat post for me to really move about fully… found that out in the Alps this year!

B) It’s a lust thing. I’ve loved the look of the Bronson since I got into the sport as it came out. Luckily, MrsExplorerboy has given me the nod to go YOLO on the bike before baby 2 turns up in the Summer. Her words of “you may as well go for it now!” are ringing in my ears.