The day has arrived. I’ve been waiting for a new Santa Cruz 5010 for a couple years now. I’ve studied the geometry, narrowed down the build kit and picked my color. Finally the bike has arrived and I can say it’s new bike day!
I chose to go with a carbon S+ build with SRAM components, 35mm internal wheels and Fox suspension. The new Santa Cruz 5010 has a flip chip that allows you to equip the bike with either 27.5+ wheels or a standard 27.5 wheels. I went with the plus wheels because I wanted to try running 2.8 tires for the winter months and I bought a set of Nobl wheels that I plan on running the majority of the time. I figured why not get the bigger rims since I knew I would be upgrading the wheels anyways.
...how does it ride…..
Coming from a Santa Cruz Bantam, the 5010 is a very familiar feeling bike. The most notable difference is the longer reach, shorter seat tube and the bike feels fast. For my six foot frame, the large frame feels just fine. I’m not feeling squished up front or overly stretched out. The reach numbers on the bike feel like they were made to better fit the higher end of their size chart.
The shorter seat tube means you can run a longer dropper post and still get behind the seat on descents. This was a real issue for me on my old bike. Often I’d get my shorts stuck on the seat and found it difficult on occasion to get behind the seat. By having that shorter seat tube, the seat is really out of the way when dropped.
This bike likes to go fast! You start descending, this bike will pick up speed and push you to run it faster. It actually reminds me of how the Hightower LT felt while I was in Dowwnieville. The bike wants to go faster than you’re probably willing to push it. The fact the bike feels extremely stable at speed is a blessing but rolling 40mph through a loose descent section may cause you to say some special words.
I’ve found the bike does a pretty solid job climbing. So far I’ve been working on getting the suspension set correctly but I’ve not noticed and pedal feedback or struggles climbing the bike. The new steeper seat tube angle makes for a responsive pedaling platform. The bike just goes once you start putting the power into the pedals.
...stuff I like…
One of the most pleasant surprises has been the SRAM Reverb. My first experience with a Reverb was a couple years back with the original dropper plunger. I hated that plunger and found it a poor ergonomic setup. Now SRAM has a true lever that is very similar to the Wolftooth dropper lever. This new lever is a savior for the Reverb in my opinion. I was originally planning on dumping this dropper for the Fox Transfer but for now the Reverb has earned its place on my bike.
...stuff I hate…
The very first thing I took of the stock build was the Santa Cruz grips and the Race Face Ride handlebar. I have no real complaint about the handlebar but I switched it out with the Santa Cruz carbon handlebar from my old bike.
I absolutely hate the Santa Cruz grips. I’ve ridden with them in Downieville and after one ride I took them off the bike. For me these grips are too thin and will cause me to get some awful blisters. My preference is a 32mm grips since I wear a size large glove. For now the Ergons are back on the bike.
Santa Cruz bikes have traditionally come with two types of wheels: cheap or expensive. You can buy any Santa Cruz bike with a set of their carbon wheels with higher end hubs. You can also get them with cheap, heavy wheels with low quality hubs. I went with the cheap wheels with the low end hub. My old bike has DT Swiss 350 hubs that I’ve found to be more than adequate. The DT Swiss 370s feel like they have a lot less engagement and are a lot noisier than the 350s. These wheels will be a nice backup set for me since I’ve already have replacements waiting to get installed.
...stuff I’m undecided on…
I’m trying to figure out if I just don’t like the SRAM Guide R brakes or if I need to just get used to them. I’ve been using Shimano XT brakes for the past couple years and they just work. The SRAM brakes feel like they will eventually work. This feeling is called modulation where as you apply pressure to the brake, the bike gradually stops. I need to get a few more miles with this under my belt before I decide if I prefer Shimano over SRAM.
Another area of adjustment has been with the shifting and drivetrain. Both are SRAM and this is the very first bike I’ve owned that wasn’t equipped with a Shimano drivetrain. The feel of the shifter from SRAM is great. I do really prefer that over Shimano but I do miss the ability to see where I am on the cassette. On Shimano shifters, there is an indicator that will give you an idea of which ring you are using on the cassette. I got used to looking at that indicator to help decide when I wanted to change gears. This bad habit needed to change so the new shifter will fix that.
The SRAM Eagle 12 speed drivetrain has taken over the mountain bike world. You have to really look hard to find a new bike without an Eagle cassette. So far I’m not impressed with how the bike shifts. I occasionally get some weird shift and it feels like maybe something isn’t setup correctly. Until I figure this out, I’m not sure how I feel about Eagle.
...Overall Impressions…
This bike is a ripper. It is super stable at speed and is still the trail ninja that the Santa Cruz 5010 has been known for. The bike doesn’t feel like it only has 130mm of travel as it feels super plush and hasn’t backed off on anything I’ve thrown it towards. I tend to think this is the perfect style of bike for the trails I enjoy to ride. I can’t wait to take this bike to Cuyuna, Levis Mound and Duluth.
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