Santa Cruz Bicycles

V10 Frame with DHX RC4 - 2012

As good as the V10 was, Santa Cruz knew it could be far better based on what they learned from their earlier reincarnations of the Nomad and Blur series in carbon fiber. What was once an absolute terror on the World Cup circuit is now a full pound lighter, stiffer, and thoughtfully tweaked with input from Steve Peat and the rest of the Santa Cruz Syndicate riders -- the result is the V10 Carbon. If downhill is your game, then the V-10 Carbon sits at the top of your wish list.

For the 2012 Santa Cruz V10 the full carbon construction is limited to the front triangle. Even in its prototype stage, the V10 Carbon was ridden to wins at Maribor and Leogang with Greg Minnaar at the helm. Reports from the riders corroborate the results from the test bench. The carbon V10 is the stiffest bike that Santa Cruz has ever made. While we recognize the riders have much to do with the race results, the new frame deserves more than a minimum of recognition. Its plush and capable VPP rear suspension is adjustable from 215 - 254mm (8.5 - 10") of travel and works to not only control the forces from myriad obstacles on the typical downhill course, but it actively works to keep the rear tire on the ground, even while pedaling. After all, more grip on the trail means more control which means faster DH runs.

We know light isn't everything, especially if light means the bike rides like a noodle or is so delicate that one crash will wreck it. The V10 Carbon doesn't suffer in either regard. It's the lightest V10 yet, and it's also the strongest and stiffest. The front triangle is molded in one piece. This way Santa Cruz can precisely control the layup. And that the carbon fibers are continuous throughout, running from one tube to the next, assures the strongest tube junctions possible. The rear triangle is made from aluminum. Throughout the development process for the V10, Santa Cruz engineers found that it was the best material choice for the job out back due to the particular design constraints and stresses. They simply couldn't make it any stronger or lighter in carbon. At that point there was no reason to abandon the superior alloy part.

The frame pivots are massive, 15mm in diameter, and run on sealed bearings to ensure silky smooth suspension action. In addition, these beefy pivots maintain the lateral stiffness of the bike, so the front and rear sections act as one, and so you'll have supreme stability over wallowing bumps in the corners. While the upper VPP link is carbon fiber, the lower link is CNC machined aluminum, and it has grease ports to make routine maintenance a five minute affair. The yoke for the lower shock mount employs flip-flop inserts that allow the travel adjustment. Making the switch from 10" to 8.5" travel mode nets you a corresponding slackening of the head and seat angles by one degree -- from 65° to 64° for the head angle. In the longer travel setting the bottom bracket height matches the old alloy V-10 at 14.8". In the shorter travel setting, the bottom bracket drops to 14.2".

The V10 Carbon is purpose built to go fast. To do that end, we sell it with a 9.5 x 3" Fox RC4 Coil rear shock. It allows both high- and low-speed rebound and compression damping adjustments to tailor the bump response for any type of DH course.

The Santa Cruz V10 Carbon - 2012 is available in Carbon Black/gold, and it comes in four sizes -- Small, Medium, Large, and X-Large. It requires a 30.9mm seat post, and it has ISCG-05 tabs to make mounting a chainguide a snap. It has clearance for tires up to 2.7" and accepts 203mm rotors, so feel free to go big and go fast. It uses an 83mm bottom bracket shell to create an optimal chain line for the 12 x 150mm rear axle (axle included). You'll also get a grease gun for the lower link, a tube of grease, and a neoprene chainstay protector. 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.