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Bike Check: Cedric Gracia’s Crankworx Enduro Santa Cruz Nomad Race Bike

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Cedric Gracia Santa Cruz Nomad Bike Check_007

The Enduro World Series race held in Whistler last last weekend was considered by many to be one of the most rugged races of the entire season. Consisting of 8,000 feet of climbing, over some forty odd miles (of mostly single track), many riders chose to ride their biggest, baddest, burliest, set up.

For Cedric Gracia, this meant turning to the recently released Santa Cruz Nomad. 

Cedric Gracia Santa Cruz Nomad Bike Check_003

 

Up front, the wild frenchman was sporting a preproduction DVO Diamond Fork. Only a few months away from final production, his input will be instrumental in ensuring the final production model is well worth its asking price.

Cedric Gracia Santa Cruz Nomad Bike Check_002

The two tone anodized handlebar is a limited edition CG piece from Production Privee. 

Cedric Gracia Santa Cruz Nomad Bike Check_001

On the top tube, a well worn sticker helps indicate at just what time each of the stages begin. With the first stage beginning just shy of 11 AM, and the last at 6:30, it was long day in the saddle.

Cedric Gracia Santa Cruz Nomad Bike Check_005

The rear squish is provided by a DVO Jade shock. Development for this product began in 2012 and it is just now reaching production.

Cedric Gracia Santa Cruz Nomad Bike Check_006

Just in case of a flat, Cedric has a tube and CO2 canister strapped to his frame using tape. The benefit of using tape in this scenario is that it can be used to hold other components together in a pinch.

Cedric Gracia Santa Cruz Nomad Bike Check_000

In full Enduro race ready trim, (aka beefy tires, coil rear suspension, and emergency equipment at the ready,) Cedric’s race machine weighed a total of 32 lbs 8 oz (14.7 kg).

 

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Collin S
9 years ago

8000 ft of climbing in 40 miles? I’m assuming that was suppose to be 8000ft of descending. If thats not a typo, I would think they would ride something that climbs better then a crippled elephant.

rincon5
rincon5
9 years ago

Happy Easter!

Drew Southern
Drew Southern
9 years ago

Bro! Do you even #Endurbro?

satisFACTORYrider
satisFACTORYrider
9 years ago

take a crippled elephant over a fragile gazelle any day. w/8000ft of anything you still wanna come down pinned and grinnin

Skip
Skip
9 years ago

Collin S – 8000ft of climbing and 10,500ft descending down some of the roughest gnarliest trails out there. You needed an agressive bike. Welcome to BC.

Brian
Brian
9 years ago

Considering that some of those downhill runs would make a lot of people think twice even if they were on a dh bike, the Nomad seems like a good choice.

Collin S
9 years ago

Ha, I just stumbled upon this writeup of the course. Doesn’t sound too appealing: http://theteamrobot.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-whistler-ews.html

vondiggity
vondiggity
9 years ago

I think that should show just how great of shape these guys/gals are in. 8000 ft. of climbing followed by 10K ft. of descending is pretty crazy.

Greg
Greg
9 years ago
satisFACTORYrider
satisFACTORYrider
9 years ago

@collinS – enjoyed the article.

Greg
Greg
9 years ago

so just to be clear. (still trying to figure out this enduro thing)
They are not timed on getting to the start of each stage, only timed on the downhill correct?
So my next question is, are the times between stage starts fairly conservative to give riders plenty of time to get there, or do they have to keep a pretty decent pace to make it to the start on time? How much “cushion” is there for mechanicals, sub-par fitness, stopping to smell the roses, etc..

satisFACTORYrider
satisFACTORYrider
9 years ago

@greg- i believe each organizer, working with ews guidlines, may adjust transfer times when they see it is needed. perhaps the format is still evolving.

JBikes
JBikes
9 years ago

,
IMO – This whole untimed uphill thing is silly. The entire race should be timed, uphill and downhill. Call is whatever you want. How about this – a Mountain Bike Race!
But oh no, based on that name, how will I know what type of mountain bike to ride or buy (or market…)

Ajax
Ajax
9 years ago

Oh dear god. Has Cedric considered how he is going to get all those layers of tape off just so he can get to his spare tube and CO2 cartridge?

Alex
Alex
9 years ago

@Ajax – he probably just folds over the end to make a little tab which he can easily pull on.

rehsper
rehsper
9 years ago

Seems a shame to be taping things to such a high-end rig. Cedric might be better off wrapping the tape around the CO2 cartridge for safekeeping and using an Awesome Strap to attach it and the tube to the bike. http://www.backcountryresearch.com

EpicThroatBeard
EpicThroatBeard
9 years ago

that is a whole lot of comments from people who weren’t there and didn’t ride it.

pete
pete
9 years ago

@ jbikes

by all means, please do organize such a race if you want to (sounds like marathon though), though i feel you are missing the point. The point of the enduro races is to put emphasis on the part most people find the most amusing – going downhill, while still requiring fitness by having the riders do the transfers and by adding flat and uphill parts to each stage. What you propose though, if we look at the bike in question here, is an mtb version of an extreme endurance race, which will either have piss poor mass appeal or be successful until all the xc racer domination would yield less than technical courses.

good thing is though that we all like different things, so happy trails.

JBikes
JBikes
9 years ago

@pete,
I understand and somewhat agree. Not sure why a timed uphill race would be less popular though if it contains the same gnarly downhill. Nor do I understand why the domination by xc racers would make the organizers change/decrease course technicality.

That said, I really don’t care. I watch and enjoy enduro racing. Its fun. Its fun like watching xc or downhill or road racing or track…

Ilikeicedtea
Ilikeicedtea
9 years ago

@JBikes.

The races you envision would be won on short travel rigs because races are won on the uphills.

Enduro is racing for people who ride general purpose mountain bike, and 6″ seems to be the norm these days.

Sasha
Sasha
9 years ago

L-size frame

Andrew Stackhouse
9 years ago

@JBikes – as a recently, let’s say “retired,” event promoter, I can assure you that it would be next to impossible to break even on the event you propose. People who love the kinds of rides you propose do not see the need to pay an entry fee to do it. It’s too long and tech for serious xc riders, too much climbing for just about everyone, and, while getting rid of all the stages will reduce your timing costs, would still be a massively complex and expensive endeavor. Look at how few 24hr and marathon events there are these days: people are just not interested.

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