The Santa Cruz Bronson and 5010 have been updated with new frames and a geometry refresh. Both will still use Santa Cruz’s VPP suspension design, and although the Bronson now looks like a shorter-travel Nomad, they say that it’s completely different.
The Bronson
The obvious change for the Bronson is the relocation of the rear shock. It’s now in the lower-link of the VPP platform and clears up some space in the front triangle, while keeping the VPP behavior the same.
Brands have been converting their 27.5 models to 29ers left and right lately, but Santa Cruz is sticking to their 650B guns with the Bronson, and the 5010, too. The Bronson can fit up to 2.8-inch tires on the new frame, though, and it will be available in two levels of carbon, plus aluminum, to keep the buy-in low.
How low is the buy-in on the Bronson? Pretty dang low. At least, relatively speaking. A base aluminum model with a 160mm Rock Shox Yari fork, SRAM 12-speed NX Eagle drivetrain, Guide T brakes, WTB rims, and a Race Face cockpit is selling for $3,500.
That does come at a weight penalty, though. The base model Bronson weighs 34 pounds according to Santa Cruz.
At the high end, $9,900 knocks off a few pounds, and the Bronson will weigh close to 29 pounds with a 12-speed Shimano XTR drivetrain and XTR brakes, a Fox Float 36, and Santa Cruz Reserve carbon wheels.
Santa Cruz says the reach has grown by 15mm on all models and standover height has been lowered by 10mm. The Bronson will have adjustable geometry and in the low setting it will have a 65.1-degree head angle and a 75-degree seat angle.
High mode on the Bronson slackens the seat angle and steepens the head angle both by .3-degrees, which is interesting that the Bronson includes adjustable geometry for such a small change. Most models with adjustable geometry will change the angles by a half to a full degree depending on the mode.
The 5010
On to Santa Cruz’s 130mm travel, aggressive trail bike, the 5010. If the Bronson isn’t a mini-Nomad, then the 5010 certainly isn’t a mini-Bronson. Santa Cruz kept the shock on the upper VPP link and all together, it doesn’t look radically different from the last generation.
The frame clearance is now suited for 2.8-inch tires and fits two water bottle cages, one inside the front triangle and one below. The 5010 frame, like the Bronson, features a threaded bottom bracket.
In the 5010 geometry department, the reach has been increased 15mm, and the bike also has adjustable geometry like the Bronson with a .3-degree change between high and low mode.
In the low mode, the head angle is 66.2-degrees, and the seat angle is 74.9. Add .3-degrees to both to get 66.5 degrees and 75.2 degrees, respectively, in the high mode.
The 5010 comes in at an even lower price point than the Bronson, with aluminum models starting at $2,700.
A base model comes with the 11-speed SRAM NX drivetrain, a Rock Shox Recon fork, and a Fox Performance rear shock. It weighs 32 pounds.
The top-of-the-line 5010 costs $9,500 and weighs 26.5 pounds. It comes with the new Shimano 12-speed XTR drivetrain and brakes, a Fox 34 fork, and Santa Cruz Reserve carbon wheels.
Dealers across the US have seen the new models trickling in already. The XTR models are expected to be ready in the fall.
