Santa Cruz Bicycles

V10 Carbon CC 27.5 X01 Mountain Bike - 2018

We know why you are looking at the V10 Carbon Mountain Bike. It's drop-dead gorgeous and wants to go as fast as you dare. It is, after all the winningest bike in downhill World Cup history. The frame is born to compete against the clock and is happy to go big in the bike park too.

The suspension duties are handled through the V10's lower-link-driven, VPP suspension, which garnishes a healthy 216mm of VPP travel. Even with all that squish, it jumps out of corners and sprints towards the finish in your oxygen deprived state quite well. The kinematics have been tuned to be more linear and deliver consistent damping throughout the travel. Santa Cruz drew heavy on the feedback from the Syndicate riders, and this sixth generation V10 features a flip chip to adjust the geometry, giving you a low and slack setting with a 64° headtube angle and 360mm bottom bracket height, and a lower and slacker setting with a 63.5° headtube angle and 353mm bottom bracket height.

When it came time to put 27.5-inch wheels on the V10, it turned to the Syndicate team, who rode prototypes, gave feedback, and ultimately raced the bike on the World Cup circuit. This frame has a slightly longer reach than previous versions, suiting the evolving geometry of newer gravity-fueled sleds. Downhill racers have always praised the balance of the bike, which is heavily dictated by chainstay length, so Santa Cruz focused on maintaining the number even when moving to the larger 27.5-inch wheels. By the end of the season, the new bike garnered a World Cup title and world champion medal.

This frame is constructed from CC-level carbon fiber. It's every bit as stiff and strong as the C-level frame, but it weighs in about 280 grams less by using lighter, stronger, and more expensive carbon fiber. Using this carbon allows Santa Cruz to use less material overall, which helps shave weight. Carbon lay-up analysis and frame shape optimization allow for a more efficient use of the material, and the savings were then reinvested into other areas to ensure the bike can withstand huge hucks to flats. The front triangle and swingarm sport larger-diameter sections, again adding strength and stiffness. As with all Santa Cruz frames, the V10 has a lifetime warranty for the original owner, so you can crush harder knowing the California-based brand has your back.