SANTA CRUZ HECKLER X01 RESERVE
£9,999 Can any bike be worth this much?!
It took a while, but Santa Cruz have finally jumped on the e-bike bandwagon. But why a rebirth of the Heckler? Well, the original one was released in 1996 and was designed to elevate the rider’s on-trail experience, which is just what Santa Cruz are aiming for with the new version. It uses the same Shimano STEPS motor and battery tech as a lot of other e-MTBs, but costs a fair bit more – and this isn’t even the top-end bike. (That’ll be the Heckler XX1 AXS Reserve, with SRAM’s latest wireless shifting and dropper post.) Can it come anywhere near justifying that price? We hit the trails to find out.
The frame
Santa Cruz have set out to make one of the most fun, agile e-MTBs on the market. To achieve this, they’ve looked at one of their most popular bikes, the 650b-wheeled Bronson, and modelled the Heckler on that. It’s built around the same lower-link VPP suspension design and sports 150mm of travel. The anti-squat on the Heckler has been reduced compared to the Bronson though, to prioritise traction and help the rear wheel find as much grip as possible. (Pedalling e ciency is less of an issue now that there’s a motor to help on flatter sections and climbs.)
The frame is made from the brand’s ‘CC’ carbon fibre, said to provide the same strength and sti ness as their ‘C’ blend but at a lighter weight. Santa Cruz have beefed up the pivot hardware, including the axle bearings, to increase the sti ness of the chassis and help the bike deal with the higher forces resulting from the weight of the battery and motor. The power pack is integrated into the down tube and removed with a 4mm Allen key, which gives access to the internally-routed cables.
There are small di erences in geometry, with the medium Heckler tested sporting a 445mm reach and chainstays, compared to a 436mm reach and 430mm rear centre on the Bronson. The head angle sits at 65.5 degrees (0.1 degrees steeper) and the e ective seat angle is a steepish 76.1 degrees (the Bronson’s is 0.8 degrees slacker).
The kit
Santa Cruz have specced Shimano’s E8000 motor, and 504Wh battery, on the Heckler, citing its intuitive ride feel, subtle controls and simple remote, plus the fact it can be easily serviced worldwide. They’ve created
their own Di2-compatible carbon bar for it, to hide the remote/display cables and minimise clutter.
The bike is decked out with some quality kit – as you’d expect for the price – including a SRAM X01 Eagle drivetrain (even the cassette; a rare sight on e-bikes, where hardwearing but weighty NX is the norm) and top-of-the-line SRAM Code RSC brakes. This model rolls on Santa Cruz’s own carbon wheels, with a DH rim at the rear for extra strength and a Reserve 30 up front, both shod with 2.6in Maxxis Minion DHR
II tyres. They’ve mixed suspension brands, speccing a RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate shock and an e-bike-specific Fox 36 Performance Elite fork with 160mm of travel.
The ride
While the Shimano motor may not deliver quite as much torque as some others, it still has a powerful feel on the trail. When climbing on wide paths and doubletrack, the Heckler seats you in a comfortable position from which you can spin along happily. On tougher climbs, the steepish seat angle keeps you sitting centrally on the bike, helping to maintain rear-wheel traction and meaning that you don’t have to fight too hard to weight the front wheel. The bike’s relatively short wheelbase (1,211mm, medium) allows you to negotiate tight hairpins without fuss too.
It seems that Santa Cruz have accomplished their objective of making an agile, fun e-bike. The 650b wheels and fairly short wheelbase make for a bike that isn’t a fight to manhandle down the trail. It swoops through tight turns with ease and picks its way through technical terrain admirably, with its low-slung weight and reduced anti-squat making it feel planted enough when things get choppy. The VPP suspension works well to take the sting out of the roughest trails, but does find its limit when hitting bigger features.
If you’re looking to hit the bike park, there are burlier options out there. And if you’re after a longdistance mile-muncher, the 504Wh battery might limit you. But if you want a fun bike to thrash for a few hours at a time, that’ll take you everywhere you want to go, the Heckler hits the nail on the head. Just be sure to ride it a lot to justify that price!
If fun is your priority over distance or park laps, the Heckler’s got your back (and all your savings)