Hold on, that bike doesn’t look like a SantaCruz? Is that a 4-bar suspension linkage? Where’s the VPP? Is that the all-new ‘just announced’ super quiet and powerful Bosch Performance Line CX Generation 5 power unit?
In an announcement that no one saw coming SantaCruz have lifted the curtains on an all-new e-MTB which is set to replace the brand’s very popular, and capable, Heckler model. We’ve spent a lot of time reviewing and ripping trails on the Heckler and it was a bike that we absolutely loved. And whilst we wouldn’t have thought that bike was due or needed to be updated, it turns out the clever folks over at Santa Cruz knew that Bosch were planning to release a new version of their extremely popular Performance Line CX (motor) drive unit, and given that Santa Cruz had always wanted to team up with Bosch but had never done so, they decided to take the opportunity to develop an entirely new bike from the ground up.
The first thing that you notice about the Vala is that unlike every other dual suspension model in SantaCruz’s line-up it does not feature a VPP suspension design. How come? Well ahead of the Vala’s official launch we actually had the opportunity to sit down with some members of Santa Cruz’s global development team to chat about the new bike and that was the very first question we asked them… And their answer was surprisingly straight forward – given the size and shape of the Bosch engine casing they simply couldn’t position the rear shock and VPP linkage low enough in the bike in order to achieve the kind of ride quality that they were chasing, akin to performance of the recently released Bronson and HighTower models, and so they got to work on coming up with an alternative solution and ultimately they arrived at the 4-bar linkage design that you can see here on the final bike.
Before we go on, it is important to note that SantaCruz have emphasised that they don’t have any plans to drop VPP designs from their bikes in future and that the Vala’s 4-bar design is set to be a ‘one off’ in that regard. Hmm, we can’t help but feel that is certainty an interesting stance from the brand whichever way you look at it.
We’ve been told that the Vala does ride a lot like a VPP and coupled with the all-new ultra quiet Bosch Performance Line CX motor the brand truly believes this is the best e-MTB they’ve ever created and a bike that is set to smash the competition over the coming year/s. We haven’t had a chance to test ride the Vala yet so we can’t comment firsthand about its trail performance. However, we have been promised a test bike which is due to arrive at our office in the coming weeks, so be sure to keep an eye out on digital channels.
For now, let’s give you a quick overview of what we know about the new bike based off our chat with the R&D team and from browsing the media kit (which we’ll include some slides from up here as part of our launch coverage). The Vala is exclusively offered as a carbon frame, no alloy option, and as expected from SantaCruz, there’s 2 layups to choose from, C and CC. The bike is also exclusively a mullet mixed wheels size, so 29” up front and a 27.5” in their rear.
Travel wise we’re talking a 160mm fork which is balanced with 150mm out the back. The frame also features adjustable geometry, although it’s said to only offer a relatively subtle handling difference between the ‘high’ and ‘low’ settings. At first glance the oversized rocker link that drives the vertically positioned rear shock appears to be a 2-piece design. However, that is in fact an optical illusion as the rocker is a solid 1-piece unit designed to increase overall rigidity in the linkage system.
Perhaps the star of the show though will likely be the Vala’s drive unit. Since the launch of the first Bosch Performance Line CX motor in 2015, Bosch have continuously worked on improving the drive’s performance, integration, and riding modes. And this latest version, the Gen-5, is set to create an all-new class leading benchmark in the ‘full powered’ e-MTB motor category. Compared to the Gen-5’s predecessor the basic numbers (power, torque etc.) haven’t changed. It still delivers 85 Nm of torque, 600 W max power output and up to 340% assistance. The motor looks pretty similar too, although it is apparently a little smaller and around 100g lighter. But, it’s what’s going on inside the motor where the new magic has been unleashed (so we are told). Now, Bosch didn’t just tinker under the hood; they’ve given the reduction gear mechanism a full makeover.
The result? A much quieter ride, whether you’re cranking up the power or coasting down the trail. They’ve done this by mechanically isolating the chainring from the reduction gears, which means less noise and a smoother experience overall. But they didn’t stop there – Bosch also fine tuned the software to make technical sections a breeze, so when the trail gets gnarly, the motor stays dialled and responsive.
Vala production models for the public are set to start landing on dealer floors across Australia in December. For more info pop down and say hello to your local SantaCruz dealer or simply visit santacruzbikes.com
VALA’S KEY DETAILS
- 160mm Fork Travel
- 150mm Rear Travel
- 4-bar rear linkage
- MX Wheels
- Powered by BOSCH’s new 5th Generation Performance Line CX
- 85Nm max torque
- 600 watts peak power
- 600Wh stock battery
- 250 Wh aftermarket range extender available
- 5 frames sizes, SM-XXL
- 2 different carbon frame layup options, CC & C
- Weight: complete starting at 21.4kg
- Price: Complete bikes starting at $10,999
- Availability: Landing in Australian dealers December ‘24