-
Posts
-
-
Hey, I just pull into Santa Cruz, Ca. I am going to see if I can find the Santa Cruz bike factory and sneak a peek at some new bikes. Hoping just for a quick little tour tomorrow before heading back to San Fransisco. I hope to at least talk to an engineer. No time for riding though, darn.
-
You gotta try! Get me (um… us!) some SantaCruz stickers or something…. and see if they’ve got a couple copies of "We Just Work Here"! 😛
-
I got the address off there website so if I can get this sales rep that I am with to make a quick stop by there tomorrow I will see what I can do. I really want to talk with an engineer about the new BLT coming out next month. I can’t believe they have changed the two things I wanted for the bike. A lower standover height which I really need but can live without. But the one thing I dislike about my bike is the swingarm tire clearance. There is a stablizer brace that has about 3/16" clearance with a 3.25 tire. SC has redesigned the swingarm and this brace is gone. I would like to know if there is more flex in this arm and if not then if it will fit the 07 model. I can’t afford to buy a new frame but I may be able to swing a new swingarm.
-
Huh…. I haven’t even heard of SC changing the BLT. Shows how out-of-the-loop I’ve been.
I’ll try to find some shots of the new design. And when it hits stores I’ll definitely go check it out.
I had been in contact with SantaCruz’s PR Manager, Scott Turner for a little bit. I had asked him what the status on "WJWH" was, and mentioned that it’d be hard for me to find it ’cause I was still deployed. Mr. Turner said he’d send me a copy gratis, but that was over a year ago. I’m not one to bug someone for free stuff, so I figured it’s ok; they’re busy people, I don’t expect ’em to remember something like that.
-
Hey Bomber,
Went by SC today and got to talk to some of the guys assembling bikes and they directed me to the main office. I sopke with an engineer and for the life of me, I have forgotten his name. We talked about the new BLT and some of the upgrades.
1. It has a lower Standover hieght which is 28 inches for the medium.
2. The VPP linkages have changed and has new bearings with grease fittings. ( These will be on all the new bike I believe)
3. This is the one I like most. The swingarm has way more tire clearance which has been an irritation for me more than a hinderance.There was more but I have had a little too much wine for dinner. You can see this bike on SC’s website by going to the BLT and clicking the bubble at the top right of the 07 bike picture. This will open a PDF file that has the 08 model. Or just click this link http://www.santacruzmtb.com/blurlt/NewBLT.pdf
SC says that the first two shipments have already been sold and that it could be as far out July before you could purchase one of these bikes.
The one thing that did concern me is that more frames are being made in Tiawan and plans are to move more production there. I was told that quality is actually beture coming from Tiawan than what was coming from there facilities in the US. I think it may be more about the $$$ but they were not going to tell me that.
Oh yeah, the new VPP linkages should eliminate the creaking problems that plague some of these bikes. I know for sure that the BLT linkages will not fit older one nut I am not sure about other bikes. I guess they should work as long as the frame has not changed.
I didn’t get any stickers either.
-
So which of the builders did you talk to?
they’re told to shoot tresspassers on sight, no questions asked ! LOL! -
Are they actually located in santa cruz? cause as far as i know thats pretty close to San Fransico right? Gotta check that out.
-
Yeah, right in Santa Cruz, Ca!
Actually, seems more like Soquel…
BUT PLEASE- talk to someone before you decide to go down there,
Nobody likes a "butt-inski! -
"nastonena" wrote
So which of the builders did you talk to?
they’re told to shoot tresspassers on sight, no questions asked ! LOL!Welcome to Singletracks, Nastonena!
If SC’s builders shoot-on-sight, do you know what they’re packing, and if they’re trained to go for center-mass or knees instead? If I gotta go in, I gotta know which kevlar to bring…. maybe some flash-bangs too. Ya know, blind ’em first; in the confusion rush past, and hopefully make it into the promised land! 😼
-
You know I wish that I had taken a picture of this place. You would not believe that it was a Santa Cruz facility but it was. When I first pulled in i was not sure that i had the right address but I check what I had written down from their website
Santa Cruz Bicycles
104 Bronson Street, #22
Santa Cruz, California 95062
U.S.A.
Tel: 831.459.7560
Fax: 831.459.7561against where I was according to my GPS and this was it. The place was a set of old rusty metal siding buildings that look more like run down warehouses. I drove along side the building until I seen a small sign that said Santa Cruz on it and there was a silding door open and some people inside working. I stop and get out and when I go in the people greet me and ask if they could help. I new that I was not at the bike facility because the had fabric strecthed out over a large area, working with it. I ask about Santa Cruz Bikes and they said that they were Santa Cruz Sails and that the bike were on the back side of the building and that I could drive around. Thet even had some skate board stuff going on at this facility. I found the bike area and all the doors were open to the fab shops. I just walked right in and started talking to some guys about the New Blur LT and with some of the issues that I have with tire clearance on mine. They actully got out a second generation swingarm that has a little more clearance and said that I should have that one on my bike because of the date of purchase. We got out the calipers and I took down a few measurements so that I could compare when I got home and they were right, I had the newest version but I still would like more clearance than I have.
I also got to talk with an engineer about the new Blur LT and I believe that he had some salesman blood in him because if he had had a bike there I would have been whipping out the plastic before I left. Luckily I had time to talk myself out of purchasing one before they hit the market.
I can’t remember any names which is normal for me. It takes me forever to remember a name. But the guys at Santa Cruz that I met were a great bunch and I didn’t have to dodge any bullits either.
Santa Cruz is about a couple hours drive south of San Fransisco. I was out there on business meeting customers. I am actually sitting in a hotel room in Dallas right now. I have been trying to find a mountain bike rental shop in El Paso. I get on a plane tomorrow morning and will have from noon till dark to ride if I could find something. I have located bike shops but their websites do not indicate that they have bike rentals. The only place that I have found that have mountain bike rentals has been Vegas. Maybe one of these bike shops will be able to help me out tomorrow.
Hey Bomb, I think you’ll be safe if you ever get a chance to go to Santa Cruz. You won’t even need to carry a cop. 😃
-
I was just in the Denver Aiport a few hours ago and went to buy Mountain Bike Actions May Issue and there was a Mountain Bike Magazine right beside it. I figured that I would thumb through it instead of purchasing both and what do you know there is an article about Santa Cruz and there is a picture of their facility. I could has sworn the buildings looked a ittle worse for wear but I had been working in California for almost two weeks. Maybe I was halucinating. Check out the article if you have a chance. I did not get to read it but I will probably purchase it on the way back from El Paso.
-
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.