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Santa Cruz Lower Link Guard

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How often have you bashed the lower link of your Santa Cruz on an obstacle? It’s a fairly common issue for many riders and now there’s a simple solution for keeping your precious paint in tip top shape. You can pick up a custom linkage protecter in a variety of colors ranging in price from $36-41 when the project is complete.

UPDATED AGAIN – 1/7/12: We got word from the man behind the project who said this was a rapid prototype and just sort of a project for fun and not something he planned on selling.

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Reid
Reid
11 years ago

Seems like a poor solution to the problem. Zip tied on? What keeps the hard plastic from wearing on the frame. Check out what this guy is making. They come in different shapes to protect lots of bikes. Different plate stiffness depending on how hard you hit stuff and they have bumpers to absorb shock from plastic to paint. http://classifieds.mtbr.com/showproduct.php?product=70653&title=rock-protection-for-santa-cruz-and-niner-frames&cat=30

Reid
Reid
11 years ago

Oh and they cost the same.

Johnny C
Johnny C
11 years ago

can weget one for a tallboy ltc?

Adam K
Adam K
11 years ago

While the CYTOE guard referenced above is nice, occasionally mine will bounce off my frame and sound like someone cracking a whip or plastic breaking. It is rather disconcerting and I always have to stop and check my bike out to make sure things are okay.

Rivers
11 years ago

I can see it working well and the zip tie is just wrapped around the aluminium linkage, I don’t see it wearing it at all,. What it does need is drainage holes so it does not hold liquid.

Inspector Gadget
Inspector Gadget
11 years ago

That looks an awful lot like it’s a rapid prototype part (SLS to be specific) you can see the layer lines. I don’t see it lasting very long under impact situations if that’s the case.

bin judgin
bin judgin
11 years ago

or use adhesive backed velcro like a normal person

protectthatshi-
protectthatshi-
11 years ago

all the exposed joints and seals and bearings on these mtb,s makes me think the industry is ententionaly wants to cause heavy wear to these critical exposed parts.

SOUNDS LIKE THEY NEED TO SHARPEN THEIR TECHNIC.

EVEN CHEAP CV JOINT HAVE SEALED BOOTS AND ITS ENGINEERED INTO THE THE METALERGY.

this is all very poorly thought out on all the current day bikes.

wtf

protectthatshi-
protectthatshi-
11 years ago

and why to hardtail bikes still use chains ? blows me away. they could use a gear drive is a internal multigear hub and still shave weight so it would work for the weight weenies also. gear drive is all sealed up, could be cf.

buy cheap bikes, drop on good hubs, rims, tires, handle bars and stem.

and thrash the hell out of it and have fun doint it.

forget disc brakes, forget all the bells and whistles.

Andrew Eunson
11 years ago

I have had several VPP bikes over the past ten years or so. Never once struck the lower link. Ever. I ride in Whistler and North Vancouver where the trails are rough, rooted and rocky. The chain ring and bash guard (if you have one) protects the linkage just fine. It might be possible to collide with a rock just so and hit that linkage but you’d have to try to do it on purpose. Now you will get the odd rock thrown up that can chip the down tube and linkage, but so what.

Santa Cruz now has grease nipples on the lower linkage, like cars used to have on suspension joints so you can flush them out easily.

ben
ben
11 years ago

@ Andrew…TOTALLY AGREE! ZERO STRIKES and I weigh 260lbs…..

M
M
9 years ago

Riding whistler, you probably run a 36t front ring.
The rest of us pedalling to the top of our trails often need something way smaller.
A 29 or 27.5 which requires shorter gearing, you could need a tiny 28-30t front, which leaves the lower link well exposed.

David
8 years ago

I have just got myself a Santa Cruz 5010 and would really like to get a standard can anybody let me know where to get one from thank you regards Dave

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