Show us your early-not-quite-retro Santa Cruz's

[IbocProSX]

Please can you also share your findings here?

I could not help with your query, but on my 1997 Heckler the i2i is 200mm. Just typing this makes me think what the bike would be like with a 190mm shock and a longer fork: slacker front end without affecting BB height or the seat tube angle?

Imho platform shox on single pivot bikes like the Heckler make sense. For XC riding in Holland it allows me to set-up the shock with more SAG and plush where it counts whilst still being firm on the faster pedaling sections. I experienced modern platform damping first on a Foes FXR in 2004-05. The Foes is a single pivot like the Heckler, but with the Curnutt shock it was miles ahead on suspension perfromance. That prompted me to use a platform damper when rebuilding the Heckler as the "spare" bike. And I kept it also in the "retro" rebuild.

Enjoy!!

 

[kingroon]

I have a spare PUSHed Float if anyone needs one..

 

[beauf]

Re:

Superlight is indeed 200x50 - same as the heckler of a similar age I believe.

My superlight was originally built with a coil over shock - as I believe the original superlight was simply a light weight heckler. The new swingarm introduced in 2002 (I think) differed in that it had a falling rate at the end of the travel - hence the need for a progressive air shock.

I have found that the bike fitted with an old non platform air shock did bob when pedalling - but it never really bothered me that much, albeit it did tend to behave like a slightly softer hardtail in effect.

With this new modern shock the platform effect has in my opinion transformed the ride. Although this may be due to it being push tuned to my weight/riding style. Even though it is a ctd shock I tend to leave it open and find it bobs less than it used to and despite feeling quite stiff the rear wheel tracks the ground much better with a faster response, but not to the extent the rebound kicks me up in the air. I did used to stand out of the saddle at times over rough stuff as the shock did not respond quickly enough, i.e. it handled the bigger stuff but not stutter bumps etc or rock fields but can now remain seated.

i think it has made the single pivot design work more effectively.

 

[RickTheUncivil]

And my latest purchase...




swapped out the silver bars, stem and wheels for the black world force bits and the deore/sunn mammoth rims you see fitted here. Shifters needed a good flushing and some new gear cables, and the brakes needed setting to the new rims but other than that this one was ready to go, which makes a change from my usual full strip down and rebuild approach. And the blue looks great in the sunshine!

 

[boxxer]

Shocks are 200x57 on the heckler, same as the Bullitt which followed later, I change the coil to aircan between mine regularly.....

 

[kingroon]

Re: Re:

Putting one together myself They are such a great ride..

..and Done

 

[beauf]

Re:

Got to love that colour! (why do they always look a bit pink in the photos?)

"New" additions to mine:

Pace RC38 LT forks
Change to 1x9 with 34 tooth Race Face ring
Stans Crest on Hope Pro 2 Evos - Nobby Nick tubeless
10mm/9mm thru axles - not 100% convinced I can feel the difference here :?

25 lbs on the bathroom scales!

(sorry its dirty)

 

[firedfromthecircus]

 

[kingroon]

Nice @ firedfromthecircus

Always something cool about a Red main frame with a Black rear..

 

[firedfromthecircus]

Nice @ firedfromthecircus

Always something cool about a Red main frame with a Black rear..

Cheers.
And here's me thinking about polishing the swingarm.