SANTA CRUZ BLUR CC X01 RSV TR:
The Coolest Stage-Race Bike... Ever! + Commencal Meta AM 29 XX Edition, Specialized S-Works Tarmac Disc
Every now and then, a bike comes along that’s just… right. There might be a few problems, and the Blur TR has one or two; but overall, it’s as close to perfect as can be, especially in a stage-raceobsessed South African context.
Santa Cruz is one of those brands that attracts attention, but not because of any flashy design elements or radical tech. It’s a case of less is more, and simplicity being the ultimate sophistication – the same way a vintage steel-frame road bike might catch your eye. The geometry’s right, the lines are right, the simple but classy paint scheme is right… and with this build, the components are darn right.
The photographs don’t really do it justice. To properly appreciate this beast, you need to see it in full, glorious carbon fibre and gleaming metal. If you’re going to spend more than R150K on a mountain bike, you won’t
be disappointed greeting this one in your garage every morning.
The TR version of the Blur comes with a longer-travel fork with beefier stanchions – a 110mm ▶ox 34, as opposed to a 100mm ▶ox 32 – and a RockShox Reverb dropper post. Weight weenies will wince, but the TR still clocks in at only 11.3kg. And when you’re out slaying day three of Sani2C, you’ll really appreciate the dropper and that extra travel up front.
Because, after all, as much as we love to ride stage races, we also like to go and play on weekends. The Blur TR lets you do that. In fact, Santa Cruz SA’s marketing manager Oli Munnik even recommends an aftermarket upgrade that further increases the fork travel to 120mm. He also recommends 2.35 tyres over the stock 2.25s – again, to improve handling when things get gnarly, and to make the bike more versatile.
That’s not to say that the Blur isn’t an outright racing demon. It is. If you’re a fit rider and you have the technical skills to back it up, you can ride this bike onto the podium.
The proprietary VPP (Virtual Pivot Point) suspension design has been around for a while, but it works well to soak up bumps while providing minimal bob and excellent pedalling efficiency. Without finicky linkages around the rear axle, it also just happens to look gorgeous.
Likewise, the SRAM X01 ▲agle groupset has been tried and tested in mud, sand, rain, slush and sunshine, and it’s passed with flying colours. At this price you might expect wireless AXS, but there’s something to be said for the no-fuss-ness of mechanical components.
The Level TLM brakes are amazing, and the Reserve carbon rims are some of the strongest on the market. Besides, if anything does happen, they come with a lifetime guarantee.
(Watch the video of Danny MacAskill trying to break one on YouTube. With the emphasis on
Oh yes – the problems I mentioned. The main issue is how the cables are routed: they exit the down tube just below the bottle cage mounts, which means that there could be some rubbing or interference, depending on which cage you use.
Also, there’s the price. When you’re shopping in such rarefied air, there are so many awesome marathon bikes to choose from. The Scott Spark RC900 World Cup comes to mind (Cheaper! With AXS! Nino rides one!) as does the top-spec Pyga Stage (Local is lekker!). The Trek Supercaliber 9.9 is tempting, or even the Top ▶uel 9.9, if you’re after something more comfy; and Specialized has the superlative S-Works ▲pic with 12-speed Shimano XTR – and rainbow paint.
But at the end of the day, there’s just something about the Blur that reminds you why you fell in love with mountain biking in the first place.