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Santa Cruz Bicycles
Nomad Carbon 27.5 GX Complete Mountain Bike - 2015

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Meet it at the edge.

The Santa Cruz Nomad X1 Complete Mountain Bike may not have the same gold-plated components as the show room-only Nomad XX1, but it also doesn't inspire the paralyzing fear of confronting an enduro course with a $10,000 toy. Instead, Santa Cruz spec'd the Nomad X1 with the kind of components that not only accept abuse, but that dare you to try to break them. Because they know you can't. With its aggressive geometry and rock-solid build, the Nomad isn't ready for you to take it to the ragged edge of control; it's already there, waiting for you to catch up.


The frame's front and rear triangles are constructed as a whole, rather than bonding them together from sub-assemblies, which lets Santa Cruz wrap the fibers through joints for more strength with less material. Santa Cruz is comically proud of the inside of its frames, which have the same perfectly smooth finish as the outside because of the double-compaction construction technique. There's no excess epoxy or built-up material, which can add weight and compromise structural integrity.


Certain elements of the Nomad’s VPP suspension platform have seen considerable improvements, particularly the mid-stroke support and off-the-top small bump compliance, but the stable pedaling platform remains. Two aluminum counter-rotating links are at the heart of VPP. The upper-link, borrowed from the V10, provides most of the rotation as the bike compresses into the sag point. This yields a vertical wheel path, which is responsible for the firm pedaling feel.


As the bike compresses deeper into the suspension, the lower-link activates, moving the axle path rearward. The rearward axle path enables the rear wheel to travel out of the way of impacts. It’s a design that’s well matched by your choice of RockShox's Monarch Plus RC3 DebonAir or Vivid Air R2C rear shock. Since the suspension is finished with the same collet-style pivot hardware that's become standard for Santa Cruz's suspension bikes, they'll stay tight and are easily serviceable by home mechanics.


As for geometry, this is the most aggressive Nomad we've seen. The head angle has been relaxed to 65 degrees and rear wheel travel is up to 165 millimeters. Losing the front derailleur allows for shorter chainstays of just 17.1 inches — no small feat when considering the larger, 27.5-inch wheels — and the top tube's reach is up by a full inch in order to compensate for the current trend of shorter stems. All told, this bike is most at home charging full-bore into hair-raising terrain. While it yields stability traditionally reserved for downhill bikes, the 6.2lb frame weight, combined with steeper seat tube angles and that VPP pedaling platform, means that it’s surprisingly pleasant to grind back up for another lap.


The SRAM and Race Face mixed drivetrain is paired with Shimano's nigh-indestructible SLX brakes. Given that the crank and brakes are essentially upgrades, we'll let Santa Cruz slide for not completely matching the entire kit. This time. The RockShox Pike RC Solo Air fork brings a true six-inch range to the front end whose high ride and ability to recover from successive hits will remind you with every bump why the re-issued Pike is still making waves.


Details

  • SRAM GX 1x11 drivetrain
  • Santa Cruz Carbon C construction
  • 27.5-inch wheels
  • RockShox Monarch Plus RC3 DebonAIR shock and Pike fork
  • Third-generation VPP suspension
  • Standard, threaded, 73mm bottom bracket
  • Easily-serviceable pivots with grease-gun fittings, and grease gun included
  • Item #SNZ004B
Frame Material
carbon fiber
Suspension
VPP
Rear Shock
RockShox Vivid Air R2C
Rear Travel
165mm
Fork
RockShox Pike RC Solo Air
Front Travel
160mm
Headset
ZS44 / EC49 mixed tapered
Shifters
SRAM GX Trigger (right only)
Front Derailleur
none
Rear Derailleur
SRAM GX 11-speed
ISCG Tabs
yes, ISCG05
Crankset
32 t Race Face Aeffect
Bottom Bracket
73mm BSA threaded
Cassette
10 - 42 t SRAM XG-1150 11-speed
Brakeset
Shimano SLX
Brake Type
hydraulic disc
Rotors
180mm Shimano RT66
Handlebar
Race Face Respond
Handlebar Rise
Handlebar Sweep
Handlebar Width
785mm
Grips
Santa Cruz Palmdale Lock-on
Stem
Race Face Turbine Basic
Saddle
WTB Volt Race
Seatpost
RockShox Reverb Stealth 150mm travel
Seat Collar
35mm Santa Cruz bolt-on
Wheelset
WTB STi23 TCS
Hubs
[front] SRAM MTH 716, [rear] SRAM MTH 746
Front Axle
15x100mm thru-axle
Rear Axle
12x142mm thru-axle
Tires
Maxxis High Roller 2 tubeless
Tire Size
27.5 c x 2.3in
Pedals
notincluded
Recommended Use
enduro race
Manufacturer Warranty
5 years on frame

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