Santa Cruz Bicycles

5010 Carbon S Complete Mountain Bike - 2016

The 5010 Carbon S Complete Mountain Bike, Santa Cruz's signature 5in racer, has long occupied the medial point of the cycling industry: one foot in enduro, one foot in trail, and an eye always toward XC speed. For 2016, those 5in of travel, an all-comers head tube angle, and SRAM's newly minted one-by workhorse return in the latest bike to benefit from the BOTY pedigree that first made us believe in the term "all-mountain."

There are a few reasons that the 5010 has earned such a devoted following, and they return largely unchanged for 2016. First, 27.5in wheels are the sweet spot between the rolling speed of 29ers and the responsive nimbleness of 26ers. Second, 125mm of rear wheel travel lands right between short-travel race rigs and big-hit trail-crushers. Third, the perfectly neutral geometry isn't the best climber, descender, or XC racer on the market, but it's able to do all three better than almost any other bike we've thrown a leg over. The head angle sits at 68 degrees, which is slack enough to stick lines across rock features and root lattices, but aggressive enough to drop the hammer on the climbs. At 17.1 inches, the chainstays are long enough to provide plenty of climbing grip, but short enough to keep the 5010 carving turns with ease.

The frame's construction is also the same for the new model year, with Santa Cruz's industry-leading carbon fiber construction return for another year of all-mountain flexibility. The carbon used in this model is of a slightly lower grade than with the Carbon CC frame, so more material is required to hit the same benchmarks of strength and stiffness. It does hit those marks, but doing so costs the addition of just under 300 claimed grams of weight. The upshot is that you get a frame that’s every bit as stiff and strong, with a more palatable price tag. Think of it as a season's worth of race entry fees and a down payment toward a wheelset upgrade.

The frame's two carbon triangles are built as whole pieces rather than glued together from disparate bits. This saves weight and increases structural integrity by allowing Santa Cruz to wrap carbon continuously through and around key junctures. This method reinforces the frame with less material while eliminating the artificial stress points that result from bonded construction methods. Finally, the carbon is also compacted from the inside and the outside for a more even finish that avoids any structural defects, excess material build-up, and resin pooling for — you guessed it — even more weight savings.

The 5010's Virtual Pivot Point (VPP) suspension platform is largely responsible for its adaptability because of the two counter-rotating links that govern its travel. The upper link provides most of the rotation as the bike compresses into the sag point for a vertical wheel path that manifests as a firm platform for acceleration and eager small-bump compliance. As the bike compresses deeper, the lower link activates, moving the axle path rearward to lengthen the wheelbase and increase stability.

The S build kit is aimed at the aspiring racer. This isn't World Cup-grade, but it is more than enough bike to test our mettle at the ragged edge. The eminently capable Pike RC Solo Air carries over between model years, but the new FOX Float Performance shock's EVOL can makes the 2016 5010's VPP even more resistant to wallowing and bob. The all-new SRAM GX one-by drivetrain never had it so good, and the added confidence of Shimano's SLX brakes allow the daring cyclist to carry more speed with deep corner confidence. The kit is finished with a RockShox Stealth dropper, adding further to the frame's versatility by accounting for gnarly grades in both directions.