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Santa Cruz Bronson 650B Mountain Bike Unveiled!

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Santa Cruz Bronson 650B trail mountain bike geometry

They’ve been coyly mum on plans for a 650B bike when we spoke with engineering director Joe Graney recently, but the new Santa Cruz Bronson 650B trail bike is proof that they simply can’t ignore the new wheel size’s potential.

The Bronson takes all the latest standards brought about as rolling updates last May across their line, even the stealth dropper post routing of the new alloy Blur TR, and the direct mount rear derailleur option from the Tallboy LT. What’s new a frame and suspension designed (offiically) around the 650B / 27.5″ wheels that many people where already cramming into their Blur frames. While all of that’s new and up to date, they’re thankfully sticking with a standard threaded bottom bracket.

All that’s built onto a 150mm travel frame sporting what appears to be the new Fox 34 650B fork introduced at Sea Otter last year. Frame specs and more below…

Updated with awesome video and additional photos below!

Santa Cruz Bronson 650B trail mountain bike

The carbon version has a new rear triangle design. Compared to the curved wishbone on most of their other (all 26″) carbon bikes, the Bronson has a straight tube that extends in front of the seat tube…closer in appearance to the Tallboy LT than anything else, but still unique.

Santa Cruz Bronson 650B trail mountain bike

The yellow build shown is the top of the line XX1/ENVE option, on which you’ll have about 13 different decal color options for the wheels!

Santa Cruz Bronson 650B trail mountain bike

A matte black color will also be available in the carbon frame.

 

Santa Cruz Bronson 650B trail mountain bike alloy

They’ll also have an alloy model, shown here in white…and we’re happy to see both carbon and alloy options appear to be available out of the gate. Pricing for the framesets should be $2,699 (carbon) and $1,925 (alloy). Here’s the preliminary spec list for the carbon frames:

  • 27.5″ (650b) wheels
  • 142 mm rear axle spacing
  • New molded rubber swingarm and downtube protectors
  • 2 x bottle cage mounts
  • Forged upper link
  • Forged aluminum lower link with angled grease ports: offset for chainguide clearance
  • Collet axle pivots: lock in place without pinch bolts
  • Angular contact bearings: all pivots
  • Direct mount rear derailleur hanger option: standard hanger comes as stock
  • Full carbon dropouts and disk mounts
  • Co-molded aluminum hardware on frame pivots: no bonding
  • Carbon ISCG-05 tabs
  • Routing for Reverb Stealth
  • 73mm threaded BB for creak-free riding and easy installation
  • Colors:
    • Carbon: Tennis Yellow with black/blue decals and Matte Carbon with orange/blue decals
    • Aluminum: Gloss Black with blue/yellow decals and Gloss Grey with grey/blue decals.
    • 10 decal choices for ENVE kits: Blue, Yellow, Orange, White or Grey in either solid fill or outline
  • Shock options:
    • Standard: Custom tuned Fox Float CTD Evolution
    • Upgrade: custom tuned Float CTD Adjust Boost Valve Kashima
  • Weight:
    • Frame: from 5.3 lb (for size M, carbon)
    • Complete: from 26.2 lbs (for size M, carbon, XX1 ENVE)
  • Availability:
    • Carbon: April 1, 2013
    • Aluminum: May 2013

We learned from our own sources that it’ll have a 67º head angle and shorter chainstays they the Nomad. (Update: Full geometry chart placed below video) It all adds up to an Enduro racing machine, something the Syndicate Team will be proving on the world stage this year.

Santa Cruz Bicycles has a full bike builder up and running, letting you customize the build and paint for your bike. Get ready to waste some time.

Santa Cruz Bronson 650B trail mountain bike geometry

We have closeup photos and tech explanations of a lot of the tech for their co-molded alloy hardware and the DM rear derailleur in the links throughout the article. If you’re a SCB geek, they’re good reading!

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17 Comments
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dehydrated
dehydrated
10 years ago

really? only two bottle cage mounts? damn. going to change the reverb to a normal one to mount an additional bottle cage.

Gabe
Gabe
10 years ago

Tiiight ENVE graphics! Nice looking bike and fun video. I wanna try one. I hear ibis is coming out with a 650b too. ETA Spring 2017 😉

Megatryn
Megatryn
10 years ago

I sure do hope this is not a april fools joke!

bikeguy717
bikeguy717
10 years ago

You mean like their last April Fools joke…the Tallboy LT?

Yoshi
Yoshi
10 years ago

Yo Thursty dude, How many cages do you expect in a FS bike?

Looks sweet to me!

Scott
Scott
10 years ago

Seriously, if you need more than 2 bottle cages, maybe you should be thinking of a pack mule instead of this bike…or most bikes for that matter.

Mindless
Mindless
10 years ago

@Scott: Ever heard of mounting light battery and pump to bottle cage mounts?

Sancho
Sancho
10 years ago

batteries and pumps haven’t taken up bottle cage mounts in years or ever

Mindless
Mindless
10 years ago

I would rather they did Butcher for 650b.

@Sancho: You should get out a bit further.

xprezo
xprezo
10 years ago

chain guide doesn’t show much faith in XX1

Justin
Justin
10 years ago

I applaud Santa Cruz for going with the threaded BB. Wish every bike company would realize that press fit sucks.

Justin
Justin
10 years ago

How/why does the small have a higher stand over than a medium?!

Bill
Bill
10 years ago

Does everyone ride like that? I must me absolutely sh1t then.

Bill
Bill
10 years ago

Justin, the height is probably related to the fact that they may have had to sacrifice stand over for proper cockpit length. With the taller front end, it becomes difficult to get all things working together. There is stand over, cockpit length, shock position, water bottle accessibility ( although at this point, get a camelback ) and stiffness. Something had to give. My guess is that cockpit length and shock location won out. They probably use the same rear for the whole size range, which limits shock location to keep proper spring curve. That or I’m totally wrong and its a typo. Either way, this is a beautiful bike.

bin judgin
bin judgin
10 years ago

THIS RULES!

wade
wade
10 years ago

Putting the BRO in Bronson.

Whats My Name
Whats My Name
10 years ago

@Mindless a 650B will fit just fine on your Butcher.

I’m pretty sure Dehydrated was being sarcastic.

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