Competitive Cyclist

SANTA CRUZ BLUR LT CARBON

Nipping on the heels of the introduction of their first carbon bike, the Blur XC Carbon, Santa Cruz has introduced a second -- the Santa Cruz Blur LT Carbon. LT? As in Long Travel? Carbon? We can hear the doubters already. Well, listen up: this is Santa Cruz's strongest bike to date. Yep. Strongest. Period. There, we said it.

Think about all those Nomads, VP Frees and V-10s getting abused day-in and day-out. To say it's their strongest bike is a helluva statement, and it ain't marketing fluff. And at 5.6 pounds, its weight is competitive with most 100mm travel cross country bikes, and a pound lighter than the aluminum Blur LT. In creating this carbon All-Mountain slayer, Santa Cruz wanted to be absolutely positive there were no compromises -- they didn't want light but whippy, nor stiff and strong but heavy. They achieved it through three unique carbon processes:

• 1/ One-piece lay-up and curing. By laying up the front triangle at once, as opposed to assembling joints that require bonding or wrapping, Santa Cruz eliminates excess material and weight. As you might imagine, this is a very costly process as each size requires dedicated tooling.
• 2/ Continuing fibers around tube junctions. The resulting structure distributes loads and absorbs impact energy better because the one-piece layup process allows for continuous fibers that wrap between tubes. Just like with the Blur XC Carbon, there is nary a rivet or bond to be found. Yes, we did say it absorbed impact better.
• 3/ Net shape lay-up and fiber compaction. The one-piece lay-up and curing process allows Santa Cruz to control the outside shape, the inside shape, and to compact the fibers during the lay-up. The frame looks as good if not better on the inside as it does on the outside -- there's nothing there except carbon. Sweet, smooth carbon.

It's the real deal McCoy. It's lighter, stiffer and stronger than anything you've ever ridden. You can have your cake, and eat it too.

The über-stiff carbon chassis is paired with the new generation of VPP. It's the same Virtual Pivot Point Design (VPP) that graced the recent redesigns of the Blur LT and Nomad -- completely different than the prior iteration. The totally redesigned upper and lower links flatten out the shock rate and provide a more active feel to the early end of the axle path. It allows the rear wheel to move up and back as you ride over a bump. It balances the downward force of your pedaling with the pulling force of the chain through its link configuration and axle path. The resulting movement makes it even easier to roll over a bump, through a dip, or a six-foot drop to flat.

Okay, so the drop to flat might not be so smooth, nor do we suggest it, but the frame can take it in spades. It's that tough.

The VPP design also prevents pedal-induced compression and lock-out, and the suspension doesn’t change whether or not you’re in the saddle. Whether it is rolling through rock gardens, climbing water bars, descending stairs, or riding on lumpy fire roads, the suspension is active and responsive, even driving the rear wheel into the ground when pedaling furiously, enhancing the bike's traction and climbing characteristics.

They added a carbon fiber upper link to both shave weight and enhance lateral stiffness. Easily-serviceable grease ports were added to the aluminum alloy lower link (grease gun and grease included). The pivots now have beefy 15mm locking axle-pins. They run on intricately-sealed bearings with one-way purging seals that should last the life of the frame, and don't creak or loosen. For the people who want every lightweight feature addressed, Santa Cruz topped it off with titanium bolts in all the places that made good sense. What does this all mean? Let's just say that you won't be thinking about the fact that its carbon.

Damping the VPP suspension of the Santa Cruz Blur LTc yields 140mm of smooth travel damped by a stock 8.5" x 2.5" Rock Shox Monarch 3.3 -- a lightweight, reliable shock that is easy to adjust and doesn't have too many confusing fine-tuning options. The Floodgate control provides a "near" lockout option to maximize efficiency during extended out-of-the-saddle climbing. Or, for an upcharge of $77, one can opt for a Fox Float RP23.

Given its All-Mountain intents, the frame is designed to handle best with forks from 140mm to 160mm of travel, though it's strong enough for most any. The rear triangle is designed to accept many 2.5 tires and generous clearance on 2.35" widths -- we all know that no two tire brands measure the same. And, the frame has ISO brake mounts that can take up to 185mm rotors to maximize critical stopping power. Best of all, though, there’s an integrated bottle opener designed into the replaceable derailleur hanger for your favorite post-ride recovery drink.

The Santa Cruz Blur LT Carbon frame is available in two colors: Carbon/Silver or Steel Blue. It has a unique tapered headtube -- 1-1/8" integrated at the top, and 1-1/2" standard cup at the bottom. It requires a direct-mount front derailleur and uses a 30.9 seat post. The bottom bracket shell is 73mm wide. The max rotor size is 185mm. The weight, with Rock Shox Monarch 3.3 shock, is, according to Santa Cruz, 5.6lbs (2.542kg). The frame has a two year warranty against manufacturing defects, while the bearings are guaranteed for life.

US Santa Cruz dealers are prohibited from shipping Santa Cruz bicycles outside of the United States.

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2010 Santa Cruz Blur LT Carbon Pricing