Santa Cruz Bicycles

Nomad Carbon CC Coil Mountain Bike Frame - 2019

Upgraded with a RockShox Super Deluxe Coil RCT shock for a more consistent, active feel on those blistering descents over thousands of vertical feet, this Santa Cruz Nomad Carbon CC RCT Coil Mountain Bike Frame shreds dedicated downhill courses, dismantles gnarly descents plunging down the fall line, and sends park hits with uncanny ease. It begs you to ride faster and push harder than you ever thought possible with its gravity-inspired geometry that's longer and slacker, combined with an adjustable flip-chip that tailors its geometry to your particular riding style and the terrain at hand. This particular Nomad Carbon CC Frame carries all of the redesign features of the previous Nomad that were implemented in 2018; it's just updated with fresh paint schemes that pop brilliantly when you're shredding bike parks and dropping into downhills.

Although the previous generation Nomad aimed squarely at enduro domination, the newest generation is less of a dedicated race bike and more of a gravity rig that you can actually pedal uphill without struggling like other long-travel sleds. Think of it as a freeride bike for riders seeking one that's versatile enough to lap the resort park and shuttle downhill laps, then pedal along backcountry epics the very next day. The 65-degree head tube angle (in high setting) and longer reach keep things calm and comfortable on wicked descents, yet the steeper 75-degree seat tube angle puts you in an optimal pedaling position without struggling to shift your weight forward on steep climbs.

The flip-chip integrated into the swingarm provides the ability to fine-tune its geometry to your exact riding preferences and local terrain. Keep it in the high setting for a more efficient pedaling platform on rides with a mix of blistering descents and steep climbs. Conversely, you can switch it to the low setting for an even slacker geometry (head tube of 64.6 degrees) that's purely aimed on downhill laps at the resort and shuttle runs up the pass where climbing isn't an issue. Ultimately, its adjustable geometry lends the ability to push the bike to the absolute limit on lift-accessed days or retain more balance for earning your turns across large and imposing alpine terrain.

Moving to the revised shock placement, the engineers at Santa Cruz sought to achieve a more linear shock rate with the fourth-gen Nomad, much like you'd find with the V10. The VPP suspension is driven by a lower-link mounted shock, marking a radical departure from the likes of Bronson and Hightower. This revised shock placement eliminates the Nomad's previous tendencies to settle in the middle of its travel, meaning it feels more active and tracks to the ground noticeably better across steep descents and rugged terrain. And even though its shock rate is more linear, it doesn't sacrifice support deep into the travel, meaning it never feels harsh on bigger hits and downhill runs.

Besides its impressive geometry specs, you'll be impressed with Santa Cruz's placement of protective bits—mainly with the shuttle guard that keeps your frame scratch-free, but also with the mud-blocking shock guard and aluminum ear cover that prevents dropped chains from damaging the rear swingarm.