Third-generation long-travel bike gets slacker geo and bigger wheels



Photo © Santa Cruz Bicycles

It may be April 1, but this is no fool's joke-Santa Cruz has released a 27.5-inch wheel version of their vaunted Nomad Carbon all-mountain sled today. The new bike not only sports bigger wheels, but more rear travel-165mm-up 5mm from the 26-inch model it replaces. The bike also gets slacked-out with a 65-degree head tube angle that pushes it into mini-DH territory, or as Santa Cruz puts it, "delivers V10 handling at Syndicate speeds."



Photo © Gary Perkin/Santa Cruz Bicycles

Available in a stunning aqua/magenta or a muted gloss-on-matte all-black finish, the third-generation Nomad features a reconfigured the lower Virtual Pivot Point (VPP) suspension linkage, a V10-style upper link and is 1x-exclusive-a combination of factors designed to keep the chain stays as short as possible, in this case 17.1-inches.

Worth a million words: Santa Cruz brought the Nomad to life with this video shot in Chile.

The frame is designed for 160-180mm travel forks and is available frame-only with RockShox's new Monarch Plus Debonair shock for $2,999, or with a Vivid Air RC2 shock for $3,250. Complete bikes start at $6,599 with a SRAM X01 build and go to $7,999 for SRAM XX1. ENVE's new M70 carbon all mountain rims are available as an option and make their debut on the pimped-out version of the Nomad.



This comparison of the new 27.5 Nomad (black) with its second-generation 26-inch predecessor shows the new bike to have a much slacker head tube angle and an improved placement of it's lower VPP linkage.

Other details include semi-internal cable routing via molded carbon tube, molded rubber swingarm and downtube protectors, water bottle mounts, a threaded bottom bracket, 142mm rear thru-axle spacing, and ISCG-05 guide tabs.

The new 'Mad is the latest in the company's sweeping move to the mid-wheel size that saw the release of the Bronson, 5010 and Heckler as well as models under the company's sister brand Juliana over the last year.



Photo © Santa Cruz Bicycles

Continue to Page 2 for more on the Santa Cruz Nomad Carbon 27.5 and full photo gallery »



Photo © Santa Cruz Bicycles

Santa Cruz Nomad Carbon 27.5 Key Stats

  • 165mm VPP suspension
  • New compact lower link and V10-style upper link
  • Full carbon frame and swingarm in S, M, L & XL sizes
  • Single-chain-ring-only design
  • Internal routing
  • 27.5-inch wheels, with new carbon ENVE M70 option
  • RockShox Pike RCT3 Solo Air160mm fork
  • RockShox Monarch Plus Debonair or Vivid Air RC2 shock
  • Frame weight from 6.2 pounds
  • Complete from 27.1 pounds


Photo © Santa Cruz Bicycles

Details

  • Internal routing made from molded carbon tubes
  • 31.6mm seat tube: accommodates 150mm dropper seat posts
  • Bottle cage mounts within front triangle: works with piggyback shock
  • Molded rubber swingarm and downtube protectors
  • Forged aluminum upper link and lower link
  • Single recessed grease port on lower link: feeds all for four bearings
  • Collet axle pivots: lock in place without pinch bolts
  • Angular contact bearings on collet pivot axles
  • Full carbon dropouts and disk mounts
  • Co-molded aluminum hardware on frame pivots
  • Carbon ISCG-05 tabs
  • 142 mm rear axle spacing
  • Threaded BB: creak-free riding and easy installation
  • 5 year warranty
  • Lifetime bearings and crash replacement warranty

Availability

Shipping April 1, 2014-now

Pricing

  • $2,999 frame only
  • $6,599 complete, SRAM X01
  • $7,999 complete, SRAM XX1
Video: Not only is there an intro video for the new Nomad Carbon, there's even a director's cut.