Santa Cruz Bicycles

5010 2.0 Carbon S Complete Mountain Bike - 2016

Seeking to improve the trail-shredding prowess of the original 5010, the 2016 Santa Cruz 5010 2.0 Carbon S Complete Mountain Bike builds off the first version's well-balanced feel with progressive geometry updates for greater composure on treacherous trails. Since the release of the original 5010, trail bikes have progressed towards being longer, lower, and increasingly slack. Not surprisingly, the 5010 2.0 takes design cues from the Bronson and even the Nomad, with the head tube angle slackening to 67 degrees and the front end increasing in length, creating a bike that's more confident on descents and roomier in the cockpit.

Not content resting on the its laurels, the 5010 2.0 sports a revised VPP3 suspension with 5mm of extra travel, increasing the bike to a more capable 130mm of rear squish. The link locations have been slightly revised, with the top-tube-mounted upper link increasing stiffness and the lower link cleanly tucked away to improve clearance and reduce rock strikes. Following suit with the revised geometry, the addition of a 148mm Boost thru-axle radically increases rear wheel stiffness for unflappable confidence on the descent. And although it's more eager to tackle high-speed descents than before, it still retains the short chainstays and low bottom bracket that gave the original 5010 lively handling and spirited climbing.

Laid up with Santa Cruz's C-level carbon frame, the 5010 2.0 Carbon S is every bit as strong and stiff as its CC-level counterparts, albeit with a 280 gram weight penalty. Nicely spec'd for the price, the S build kit offers an excellent array of components that complement the 5010 2.0's well-balanced trail manners. Up front, the 140mm RockShox Pike RC fork provides a supple feel across smaller bumps, with excellent composure for soaking up bigger hits. Dropping the seat at a moment's notice, the RockShox Reverb Stealth Dropper comes in 125mm (small) and 150mm (medium-extra large) versions for a more aggressive riding position. SRAM's GX 1x11 drivetrain offers a wide range of usable gears with its massive 10-42t cassette, meaning you'll have plenty of low-end for powering up tricky climbs. And to keep speed in check, Shimano's SLX brakes slow you down in a hurry when your downhill bravado exceeds personal limits.