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Santa Cruz Bicycles
Heckler R Complete Mountain Bike - 2016

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Twice as nice.

If you're like us, then you've seen a lot of Santa Cruz's Bronson since its release just a couple of model years ago — but mostly on World Cup podiums and highlight reels. More common in our own backyard — and our own stables — is the Heckler R Complete Mountain Bike. It includes the same geometry and big travel as the Bronson but without the exotic materials, Virtual Pivot Point (VPP) suspension, and flashy, one-by drivetrain builds.


The result is a more affordable enduro sled that rails lines and smashes trail furniture as nice as a bike twice its price. For 2016, Santa Cruz has dropped the point of entry even further, maintaining the focus on the Heckler's long, low geometry while tweaking the build kit slightly in order to make sure that all-mountain doesn't translate to all-exclusive.


The newest Heckler retains the same 67-degree head tube angle, short chainstays, and a low bottom bracket of the more expensive carbon Bronson, bringing Santa Cruz's on-point handling and line-sticking wheelbase to the Heckler's hydroformed aluminum platform. It may not save weight, but it definitely saves pennies, and when you're testing the Heckler's six-inches of travel on the ragged edge, you may even be grateful for aluminum's greater survivability in the event a user error sees your bike meeting the business end of a rock garden or an innocent, bystanding tree.


Santa Cruz may be renowned for its carbon enduro bikes now, but we grew up enjoying Santa Cruz's expertise in aluminum, and the Heckler proves that the California-based manufacturer hasn't been idle on the alloy front. The light, yet strong, aluminum front and rear triangles are shaped and butted with Santa Cruz's hydroforming process to place more material where it's needed and eliminate material where it isn't. This ensures strength and stiffness for confident descending and a generally rock-solid platform that takes advantage of the tapered head tube, oversized 12x142mm rear axle, and asymmetric stays to throw power into sprints and clean steep climbs.


As with its predecessor, the 2016 Heckler's pivot location is slightly above and forward of the chainrings, an orientation that nets responsive pedaling when seated and a plush feel when descending. Santa Cruz's Virtual Pivot Point suspension has traditionally enjoyed one advantage over its single-pivot model: when sprinting out of the saddle, single-pivot suspensions tended to compress under rider weight and swallow watts. The Heckler takes advantage of new shock technology to mitigate that drawback, and Santa Cruz has opted to replace the previous FOX Float CTD shock with a RockShox Monarch Plus for 2016. While we weren't flies on the wall for the decision to make the switch, we suspect it may have something to do with the new Monarch's Solo Air spring rate, which feels like a coil shock but without the weight penalty and lack of on-the-fly adjustability.


The rest of the Heckler R's build kit also received some minor tweaks, including a move to a full Shimano drivetrain and brakes, replacing SRAM cranks and front derailleur and SRAM's Avid brakes, respectively. The fork has also been changed, replacing RockShox's Pike with a Sektor Gold RL, which may be noticeable to the pros on the World Cup leaderboard; however, for the aspiring racer, this change won't affect much more than wallet weight.


Frame Material
aluminum
Suspension
single-pivot
Rear Shock
RockShox Monarch Plus
Rear Travel
150 mm
Fork
RockShox Sektor Gold RL Solo Air
Front Travel
150 mm
Headset
Cane Creek 10
Shifters
Shimano SLX M670
Front Derailleur
Shimano Deore M618
Rear Derailleur
Shimano XT M786 GS Shadow+
ISCG Tabs
yes, ISCG 05
Crankset
22 / 36 t Shimano Deore M617
Bottom Bracket
BSA threaded
Crank Arm Length
175 mm
Cassette
11 - 36 t Shimano SLX HG81
Chain
KMC X10.93
Brakeset
Shimano Deore M615
Brake Type
hydraulic disc
Rotors
180 mm Shimano RT66
Handlebar
Race Face Ride
Handlebar Width
760 mm
Grips
Santa Cruz Palmdale Lock-On
Stem
Race Face Ride
Saddle
WTB Volt Race
Seatpost
Race Face Ride
Wheelset
rims WTB STi23 TCS
Hubs
SRAM MTH 716/746
Front Axle
15x100mm
Rear Axle
12x142mm
Tires
[front] Maxxis Minnion DHR2, [rear] Maxxis Minion DHR2 TR
Tire Size
27.5 x 2.3 in
Pedals
not included
Extras
Stan's Sealant
Recommended Use
enduro, trail, freeride
Manufacturer Warranty
lifetime on frame

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