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Santa Cruz Blur CARBON - Hail To The Chief
by brule
Posted: Jan 20, 2009
Source: Santa Cruz Bikes
The inauguration of a fresh president here in the USA seems like an auspicious time to take the wraps off Santa Cruz Bicycles' most closely guarded secret since, well, ever. Ladies and gentlemen, departing Trek riding Texan Republicans and incoming Illinois hoop shooting Democrats, please lend a hand for the arrival of the totally new and completely awesome, carbon fiber Blur XC!
The inauguration of a fresh president here in the USA seems like an auspicious time to take the wraps off Santa Cruz Bicycles' most closely guarded secret since, well, ever. Ladies and gentlemen, departing Trek riding Texan Republicans and incoming Illinois hoop shooting Democrats, please lend a hand for the arrival of the totally new and completely awesome, carbon fiber Blur XC!
Since it would be tacky to try and stretch a metaphor about domestic and/or global policy any further to somehow validate our new bike, we'll cut straight to the chase:
-105mm travel, next generation VPP suspension
-Super efficient bump absorption, incredible pedaling response, no lockouts or platforms required
-Reliable, serviceable, stiff - next generation VPP links are core of the most evolved suspension on the market
-Ultra-lightweight, incredibly strong carbon fiber frame (4.2 pounds, frame and shock, size medium)
-That wasn't a typo. It's really light.
-How light? 22 pounds, 6 ounces for the XTRxc complete
-Damn, that's light
We spent a huge amount of time and effort developing this bike, and are confident that it sits right on the sharpest part of the cutting edge of both performance and technology. You can read the whole developmental spiel. Or you can just nod your head in agreement when we say that this bike will change how you think about cross country performance.
So put your hands together folks. Out with the old, in with the new.
Pricing
Frame: $ 2299
Full Build: $5999
Click to see build options and pricing
-105mm travel, next generation VPP suspension
-Super efficient bump absorption, incredible pedaling response, no lockouts or platforms required
-Reliable, serviceable, stiff - next generation VPP links are core of the most evolved suspension on the market
-Ultra-lightweight, incredibly strong carbon fiber frame (4.2 pounds, frame and shock, size medium)
-That wasn't a typo. It's really light.
-How light? 22 pounds, 6 ounces for the XTRxc complete
-Damn, that's light
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We spent a huge amount of time and effort developing this bike, and are confident that it sits right on the sharpest part of the cutting edge of both performance and technology. You can read the whole developmental spiel. Or you can just nod your head in agreement when we say that this bike will change how you think about cross country performance.
So put your hands together folks. Out with the old, in with the new.
Old Blur
New CARBON Blur
Pricing
Frame: $ 2299
Full Build: $5999
Click to see build options and pricing
49 Comments
- + 2
djFiloo
(Jan 20, 2009 at 12:57)
awesome bike ! 
[Reply]
Santa Cruz claim it to be a whole pound lighter than it's predecessor. But no confirmed or claimed weights just yet.
I think it cost $6000 (XTRxc complete)
http://www.santacruzbicycles.com/blurxc_carbon/index.php?pricing=1
http://www.santacruzbicycles.com/blurxc_carbon/index.php?pricing=1
[Reply]
[Reply]
I think the Ibis mojo is prettier but very nice machine indeed A racer with a gram scale and deep funds could build it to 20 pounds Im sure. This bike is going to go head to head with the best of the best.
my standard mojo comes in at 24lb, the mojo sl has a 1.1lb lighter frame than mine and both have 35mm more travel than the blur. The blur is nice though!
I just bought a Blur in '08 and thought that it was the proverbial shit ( and it is) but now this? A Carbon blur? WOW!
Wow, that's the nicest XC bike I've seen in a long time - other than my Fisher Superfly but they're not really in the same category. I really, really want one especially since they've made an XL. I give SC full marks for forking out the $$ to tool up an XL.
Best one ever SC!
Best one ever SC!
[Reply]
[Reply]
And I will take this opportunity to say F**K you USA you people are so stupid it makes the rest of the planet laugh at you.
[Reply]
I would certainly not choose this bike over a Heckler even if it was given to me for free. If you do not want your Heckler, why did you buy it in the first place? This is an XC racer (this is what the bike is good for) whereas your Heckler is an all-rounder and it is good for pottering around your neck of the woods or manual down the road. You take that bike down to your local spot, and they will throw rocks at you to keep you away. A Heckler is a bike you can be proud of whereas this is more a little bit of a road bike if you like. You are a biker now, but if you want to become a cyclist instead, I mean, it is entirely up to you mate.
I remember when I first began mountain biking, which was not that long ago really. But back then finding an XC hardtail that weighed 22lbs was an incredible thing. Now here we are just 9 years later and a super kick ass full suspension XC bike weighs in at 22 lbs. Amazing how far technology and engineering has come in our world of mountain biking! The area I am most impressed in is the area of Freeride and Downhill, the bikes coming out these days are just so freaking amazing, and the suspension is just unbelievable. Makes me proud to a part of mountain biking. I have a hard time imagining the bikes, components and suspension we will be reading about in 5 years. 
I could not agree more. Me too. I am always wondering how it was possible for the bike industry to take this huge step forward in just five years time. If you look back into Specialized or any other make, you can see how ten years ago they were still ridding stone-age rigs whereas now it is a little bit like the limit is only the sky. Head angles have become sleeker all of a sudden, the solution brought onto the rear travel is more dynamic and efficient now and, as an overall achievement, bikes look way sexier now. The only thing I'd complain about is the very little options they give you when it all comes down to frame colours. One of the illnesses we still suffer from is to do with the idea a frame has to have plenty of colours in it, lines, big numbers and names all across it to make it look more interesting. But this is one thing, on the other side of things, Santa Cruz seems to be worried about. For my money, the simpler the frame the better. I do not always agree with Santa Cruz's rear shocks and the way the fit onto the frame (maybe because I do not understand the way they work), but this is one thing they are good for. There could be more colour schemes on display, but at list they give you the option to chose either anno or power coat, which is kind of an achievement if you come to think about the current situation we going through now as we speak. What I say is that, if you cannot be proud of your bike, what the hell do you want a bike for?
This is 100mm front travel XC racer and, yes, I do like it. I've never been on carbon (I'd rather have steel or composite alloys), so I am not sure whether I would want one. Every time I bump into one of those carbon things I am always wondering whether they will fall apart if you subject them to a minimum of abuse, but all the feedback I've got is "you do not know what you are talking about" and "yes they will withstand abuse when things do take a bad turn". Do not get me wrong, they all look really nice; it is just when you pick them up that they do not feel like you've got much of a bike in there. On the other side of things, I am not much of a pound saver freak, so I do not mind if my bike can only be ridden by a man instead.
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