What does a ripping shore rig need?

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Above all it needs to be rock solid and built to last. When you are launching a nasty drop or careening down a steep, slippery ramp you have to know your sticks and glue can take it. Another key element is the ability to lower your saddle to your seat collar or pretty close. There are downhillers who ride bikes with chopped posts and then shuttle all the time but then you can't ride Grouse - the home of the tastiest trails around. If we are talking about suspension (hardtails can be a blast as well as long as they are hefty enough) get enough bounce to make it worthwhile - let's say 4 inches as an absolute minimum. I would also add, as a personal preference, the ability to climb both fire roads and steep technical pitches and relatively low weight - let's say under 40 lbs. when built up with components that can take the abuse. This obviously isn't important to everyone but for me going up is part of the experience. I like the option of leaving the car parked at home and doing the whole ride under my own power - highly satisfying. Besides, climbing with a shore ride will make you strong like bull!

So when we test a bike you can be sure it will meet these basic criteria unless it is a full-on downhill monstah.

How's it built?

The Bullit has the stats to win the Conn Smythe. The main triangle is made of ultra beefy 7000 series aluminum with an especially obese downtube sporting a thick gusset where it meets the headtube. Phat. The rear triangle is a little less conventional with ovalised stays aligned so the widest part counteracts lateral flex. The high pivot location allows the chainstays to be positioned well above the lower chainline. No more chainsuck ever! The Bullit comes stock with an ultra deluxe Fox Vanilla RC shock with rebound and compression damping clickers handling the 6 inches of squish - a step up in quality when compared to many other freeride frames. The extra reservoir keeps the fluid cool and adds plushness because of the increased volume. The rear end pivots on 2 cartridge bearings which are easily accessed with an allen bolt. The shock mounts to an aluminum fitting which clamps to the frame on the top of the downtube. This fitting will slide fore and aft allowing you to adjust the head and seat angle by a few degrees and raise and lower the bottom bracket height (more on this later). There is a kink 2/3 of the way down the seat tube but it is low enough that a 300 mm. post can be lowered almost to the clamp on the large size Bullit(19").

So ride it Down.

Santa Cruz prides themselves on the simplicity of this design. There are no linkages to rattle loose or bushings to gradually wear thin. As a result the Bullit has an extremely pleasing solid state feel. Cushy, smooth and consolidated. It feels amazingly stable at speed. The other day I came down Ned's faster than ever and I only corked one tree. When you lean it over it tracks beautifully and it sucks up the bumps wherever you throw it. The Bullit handles every wheelie drop I can muster with ease, as long as the compression knob is dialled in a few clicks. Kranked III will convince you that the Bullit is made for the air and the Superheroes launch them off buses, schools and anything higher than 15 feet. This is one tough bike. At the same time it is nimble enough to manoeuvre on logs and ramps without using too much muscle. The first thing you notice when you throw a leg over is confidence. Whether it's urban riding, a high speed burn or some steep gnarl the Bullit makes you feel like the Silver Surfer.

...and up

On the way up The Bullit loves the middle chainring. Standing or seated it steals very little power, especially when the compression damping clicker is spun a few notches. The pivot is positioned so that it is mid way between the middle and large chainrings (or the rockring on a shore rig). Santa Cruz claims that pedal induced suspension action is related to the vertical distance between the pivot and the chainline. The further the pivot from the chainring the more bob there is. I was sceptical about this at first but when you slide down into the granny there is an immediately felt change in power transfer. When you get out of the saddle in the little ring the biopacing is quite pronounced. I was running an 11-34 cogset so when things got steep I would use the middle ring and get out of the saddle. If you are smooth seated climbing in the granny is adequate. Suspension induced pedal action can also be felt in the granny when climbing in rough terrain. A bump can cause the pedal to push back against your foot stealing power. I never felt a hint of this in the middle ring where all shore descending takes place. Despite these issues the Bullit climbs beautifully for a 6 inch travel bike.

Nit-picks.

Bullits do not have replaceable derailleur hangers. If you knock it off or bend it beyond repair you will need a new rear triangle. The hanger is one of the beefiest around but on a frame that sets you back in the neighbourhood of $1900 Canadian or $1050 US a replaceable hanger is mandatory. Santa Cruz has a no fault replacement policy on either the front or rear triangle that will kick you for $200 US. The paint hasn't held up to the rigours of the shore as well as I would like but at least Aluminum doesn't rust. The bolts which are supposed to hold the shock mount allow it to slam back into the laid back position if I launch anything over about 3 feet and the aluminum fitting wasn't manufactured perfectly so I had to do some custom filing before it would move at all. Other people I have spoken to haven't had this problem. At first my heels hit the chainstays because of their excessive width but I no longer notice this. Also be sure to pick up a long bottom bracket spindle for this same reason. I had to run a 113 mm. Raceface to keep the arms from rubbing despite the chainstay dimples added in 99'.

Despite a little nit-picking the Bullit is an amazing shore bike. It is tough enough for pro-level downhilling but climbs capably so you can leave the car at the bottom. Last weekend every group I saw had one happy rider on a Bullit - always the rider with the biggest grin. Perhaps this was because some of his other riding pals were home messing with bushings.

Take one home.

You can pick up a Bullit at Bike Inc. On West 2nd in Vancouver just East of the Cambie St. bridge or Steed Cycles in North Van or at the Bike Cellar. Expect to pay $1899 for frame only or $4500+ for a complete with discs and a set of QR 20's. Prices in Canuck bucks. Do yourself a favour and order one up. For more technical specs and techno-geek suspension talk check out www.santacruzbicycles.com.