Santa Cruz Bicycles

Bronson C R Mountain Bike

When the forecast calls for a day of rowdy descents and long climbs, the Santa Cruz Bronson is our go-to. Its aggressive geometry, a mixed-wheel setup, and an efficient yet plush suspension platform allow the Santa Cruz Bronson to excel at aggressive trail riding and quickly made it one of our favorite steeds to throw a leg over. With 150 millimeters of VPP suspension, the Bronson is at home railing down technical descents and is still nimble enough to make it back to the top to do it all over again. A 64.7-degree headtube angle gives us a long wheelbase and positions our front wheel out in front of us on the descents for confidence and stability. A size-specific seat tube angle, sitting at around 77 degrees, puts us in the perfect position over the pedals and sitting upright, allowing us to be efficient when climbing. Size-specific chainstay lengths mean every rider on a Bronson can have the same agile and playful rear end, no matter our size frame. Talking about a playful rear end, the Bronson's mixed wheel setup gives us the best of both worlds, allowing our 29-inch front tire to plow through rock gardens and over technical terrain, while the 27.5-inch rear tire allows the rear end to maneuver quicker and turn sharper. Santa Cruz made several changes to their frames this year, including a Glovebox frame storage for easy access to our riding essentials and a Sag Window for making sag reading and setup easier. The integrated chainstay and downtube protectors protect our bike from rock strikes and chain slaps, and a shuttle guard allows us to throw our bike over the back of our tailgate without worrying about scratching our frame. When we need a little extra confidence boost for conquering double black diamond trails or bike park sessions, the Bronson features a flip chip in the rear shock link that allows us to adjust our geometry, making the bike slacker, longer, and lower.

The R build of the Santa Cruz Bronson is entry-level, but nothing about this bike's components are cheap. Santa Cruz's Carbon C frame utilizes quality carbon fiber for the stiffest and lightest frame possible. SRAM's NX Eagle drivetrain gives us a huge 12-speed gear range and has a proven track record.. RaceFace AR Offset 30 aluminum rims are super durable and allow us to bomb through rock gardens without a second thought. A mixed RockShox and Fox suspension set gives us a Float X performance rear shock for a super capable and lightweight shock and a RockShox Lyrik Base fork that soaks up heavy chunder when the trail gets rough. Finally, enduro-focused Maxxis DHF and DHRII tires give us confidence slashing through corners and dropping technical descents by throwing down tons of grip.

*Due to a high demand in the global supply chain and bike industry since the start of the pandemic, material weight and exact components are subject to change. We are working diligently to keep tech specs updated, and any adjustments will be of equal or better spec level. If you have any questions, reach out to a Gearhead by chatting online or calling 1-888-276-7130.