Santa Cruz 5010 MX C/R (2023)

Santa Cruz 5010 MX C/R - The cult trail bike now with mixed wheelset

Santa Cruz occupies a special position among all our brands. Admittedly, the high-quality bikes from the legendary US manufacturer have their price. But sometimes it has to be high-end. And one thing is for sure: you will definitely not be disappointed by a Santa Cruz. With the 5010 MX, you can turn the whole mountain into your playground. A trail bike for the highest demands! But with such a versatile chassis that you will also want to ride it on longer tours.

The most important innovation for 2023: The 5010 MX now comes in series with a mixed wheelset, i.e. a 29" front wheel and a 27.5" rear wheel. This ensures more smoothness when riding over obstacles at the front and better acceleration and less sprung mass at the rear. For use as a trail bike, a suspension with 140 millimetres of travel at the fork and 130 millimetres at the rear has proven itself.

In terms of workmanship, Santa Cruz bikes are in a league of their own. Admittedly, this has its price, but in return the manufacturer gives a lifetime warranty on frame and bearings. The R-Kit version of the 5010 MX comes with a RockShox Pike Base suspension fork and a Fox Float Performance DPS shock. It also comes with Sram NX Eagle 1 x 12 gears and lightweight Sram Guide T brakes with 200 discs at the front. Of course, a telescopic seatpost is also factory-fitted.

Santa Cruz carbon frame - workmanship at the highest level

What makes the Santa Cruz Fully frames so special is the special lower-link kinematics. This is a double joint that allows the swingarm to rotate around a virtual pivot point. A highly efficient technology that almost completely eliminates annoying bobbing when riding uphill. In addition, a platform damping can be activated on the damper, which moderately counteracts the chain pull. The interaction of these factors ensures that the suspension travel is always fully available, yet remains controllable.

Sensible details on the frame help to protect the noble carbon: Below the bottom bracket and in the upper area of the down tube, two rubberised protectors ward off stone chips. And even below the main joint on the rear triangle, a small protector lets sharp projectiles bounce off. The cables do not run loosely inside the frame, but in separate pipes. Everything is of the highest quality, as you would expect from Santa Cruz!