Santa Cruz Heckler SL eMTB
Hot on the wheels of their unused electric rock bicycle (no, that’s not a joke – check out the Skitch here) Santa Cruz have included a lightweight eMTB to their lineup. The Heckler SL is fueled by Fazua’s Ride 60 engine and a 430 Wh battery, a generally light framework that keeps the bike’s weight in the moo 40-pound range.
ALSO READ THIS : Liv Interest X Progressed E+ EL3
The outline has a much slimmer sea than the full-powered Heckler, and from a separate point it doesn’t instantly stand out as an eMTB. All models roll on blended wheels, with a 160mm fork and 150mm of raised travel. Santa Cruz bills it as being “awesome for speedy get away, and crushing the most out of a ride.”
Table of Contents
Frame Details
Like most of Santa Cruz’s carbon bicycles, the Heckler SL is accessible with a C or CC level outline. The solidness and quality of both outlines are said to be the same, but the more costly CC outlines are lighter due to the utilization of a diverse review of carbon. The Fazua Ride 60’s show is coordinated into the toptube, where it shows the ride mode and the battery level by means of an arrangement of Driven specks. Fazua’s ring-style controller sits on the cleared out side of the handlebar, and it’s associated to the engine by a wire that runs through a harbour in the side of the head tube.
ALSO READ THIS :Specialized Turbo Levo Comp Amalgam Electric Mountain Bike
The charging harbor for the 430 Wh battery is found partway up the downtube, covered up beneath a little plastic fold. The battery itself isn’t effortlessly detachable – the need of a downtube brings forth a difference that increases the outline solidness and spares the weight of a hooking mechanism.
There’s bounty of room for a full measure water bottle interior the front triangle (or conceivably a run amplifying battery if rumors of Fazua advertising one at some point following year ever come genuine). Other points of interest incorporate exceptionally well executed chain slap security, downtube security, and a little bumper to ensure the shock.
Geometry
The Heckler is accessible in five sizes, from S to XXL, with reach numbers extending from 432 – 523 mm. The head point measures 64- or 64.3-degrees depending on the position of the flip chip at the raise of the stun. The chainstays are 444mm on sizes M-L, and at that point bump up to 447mm on the XL and 451 on the XXL in order to offer assistance to protect the bike’s adjust. The situate point floats around 77-degrees depending on the measure, steepening somewhat for the bigger sizes.
ALSO READ THIS : Montague M-E1 Electric Bicycle
Build Kits
Prices extend from $7,299 to $12,999 USD. The $9,699 GX AXS that I spend time on comes with a RockShox Lyrik Select+ fork, Super Luxurious Select+ stun, Code Bronze brakes, and Save 30 amalgam wheels. Mine had an AXS remote dropper post, but the genuine retail adaptation will have a cable-actuated OneUp post.
All the models in the lineup have a Maxxis DHF / DHR II tire combo, with an EXO casing front and EXO+ casing raise. I get that the objective is to keep the weight down, but I would have enjoyed to see a DoubleDown raise tire at the exceptionally slightest – we’re still talking around a 40+ pound bicycle here, and a harder casing tire would offer assistance, give more bolster and diminish the probability of flats.
Ride Impressions
Climbing on the Heckler SL is a calm and calm undertaking, particularly in the lower two engine modes. The clamor increments marginally with the most elevated level of help, but it’s still beautifully stifled. The most extreme level of help is comparable to the center ‘Trail’ mode of a full-powered eMTB, which gives it a less wild eyed feeling on singletrack, and implies there’s less chance of accidentally pedaling yourself off the path. It moreover implies that if you ride with a buddy on a full-power eMTB they’ll be able to completely smoke you up the slope if they’re so slanted – the control contrast between the two developing eMTB styles is significant.
On the plunges, the Heckler SL conveys an exceptionally noteworthy level of hold, particularly when it comes to keeping up footing on dangerous, off-camber segments of path. It sticks to the ground fantastically well when essential, but it’s too a great jumper. It’s recognizably simpler to bunny jump or pop off characteristic lips compared to a heavier, full-powered eMTB, and its composed nature in the disc is reminiscent of how a DH bicycle feels. Compared to the Specialized Levo SL, the Heckler SL has a plusher, more steady feel; it oversees to feel more downhill arranged than the Levo SL (in a great way), in spite of both bicycles having the same sum of travel.