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Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Santa Cruz Blur LT Carbon SPX Mountain Bike

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Santa Cruz Blur LT Carbon SPX Mountain Bike

"It climbs like Tommy Caldwell," said one tester. That's not normal for 26-inch, all-mountain bikes. With their long suspension travel—five and a half inches, in this case—and relaxed angles, they're designed to soak up big hits. But this carbon copy of the company's popular aluminum Blur LT weighs just 26 pounds, even with a mid-tier SPX build (mostly Shimano XT). That plus Santa Cruz's proprietary rear-suspension design—plush with no perceptible pedal bob—means full-time traction without a constant battle against gravity. Of course, the rubber matters, too, and the wide DT Swiss XR400 rims provide a nice big contact patch for added control. The extra-wide bars, which provide leverage for steep climbs, might slow the steering down just a bit, but that is a minor quibble—and an easily correctable one—for a bike that will be, for a lot of riders, perfect. 25.8 lbs (large); santacruzbicycles.com
Climbing: 4.4 (out of 5)
Descending: 4.4
$4,699

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