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Juliana Bikes Reborn with 4 New Women’s Specific Models

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After retiring in 1997, World Champion Juliana Furtado felt the need to provide women with a dedicated mountain bike similar to the ones she had custom built for her during her racing years. With nothing readily available off the shelf, Julie worked with Santa Cruz Bicycles to introduce one of the first women’s specific mountain bikes, the Juliana in 1999. Based off the Superlight platform, the Juliana was a lightweight single pivot design with women’s geometry. Now, the Juliana has evolved to include a full line of bikes, parts, and soft goods all tailored specifically to suit women’s needs. Like the original, the new bikes will be produced by Santa Cruz Bikes but sold under the Juliana brand.

Including both full suspension and hard tails, the Juliana line of bikes also includes every current wheel size, even multiple sizes on the same bike…

Furtado-Primeiro-Profile

Furtado-Segundo_3Q Furtado-Primeiro-3Q

As the flagship of the line, the VPP Furtado is essentially a women’s Blur TR at 125mm travel, but it has 27.5 wheels. Sold in S, M, and L (16.3, 17, 18.5) all sizes are built with 650b wheels and should fit women between 5’1″ and 6’1″. Each model of Juliana bikes will have different built levels called the Terco, Segundo, and Primeiro with the Primeiro at the highest end of spec. In the case of the full suspension bikes, Primeiro level frames get the carbon treatment, while Segundo frames stick with aluminum. Juliana bikes also feature a mountain compact bar and grip system which yields a better fit for riders with smaller hands.

Juliana Furtado Juliana Furtado Geometry

Joplin-primeiro-3Q

joplin-segundo_3Q joplin-terco-3Q

Dropping in travel, yet growing in wheel size, the Joplin retains the VPP suspension design of the Furtado yet packages it in a 100mm 29er platform. Again, the Joplin is sold in S, M, L (16.5, 17.5, 18.5) with all three sizes rolling on the big wheels. Offered in Primeiro, Segundo, and Terco, the Primeiro lightens things up with a carbon frame and higher end parts.

Juliana Joplin

Juliana Joplin Geometry

origin-primeiro-3Q origin-segundo-3Q

The aptly named Origin is the modern incarnation of the bike that started it all. As a light weight single pivot 100mm travel frame, the Origin mixes things up with an XS (15″) size which relies on 26″ wheels while the S, and M sizes use 29″. Because of the smaller wheel size, the Origin will fit riders down to 4’8″, quite a bit smaller than other bikes in the line. Sold in Primeiro and Segundo versions, the Primeiro Origin sticks with aluminum rather than carbon.

Juliana Origin Juliana Origin Geometry

nevis_primeiro_3Q nevis_segundo_3Q

Finally, there is the Nevis –  a simple aluminum hardtail built to fit smaller riders. Like the Origin, the Nevis is split on wheel size with the smallest version using 26″ wheels, while the S and M frames bump up to 29″. A 27.5″ hardtail remains to be seen.

Juliana Nevis Juliana Nevis Geometry

All Juliana bikes will carry a Lifetime Crash Replacement and Pivot Bearing warranty (where applicable), along with a 5-year frame warranty to the original owner.

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22 Comments
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dougal
dougal
10 years ago

This is great to see! Juliana Furtado was one of the most dominant racers in the mid-to late 90’s. The only thing that beat her was lupus. Actually, I take that back, it did not beat her but only slowed her down a bit! Great to see her name on a bike.

Michael
Michael
10 years ago

I’m down with anything that gets more women on mountain bikes. I wonder if the Nevis is going to be SS compatible??? There are quite a few women SSers where I live.

Slow Joe Crow
Slow Joe Crow
10 years ago

They really need some more size XS bikes in the lineup. My wife is 5’1″ but her legs are so short that I had to convert her CX bike from 700C wheels to 26″ wheels to get the standover height low enough.

MMyers
MMyers
10 years ago

How’s that bottom bracket height working out on the CX conversion?

Rich
Rich
10 years ago

Slow Joe: I think they need more stand over height designed in, not more XS sizes. There are other bikes out there with a full inch shorter stand over. Specialized and Niner 29ers for instance have 27.2″ stand over. But the TT’s are longer. So just depends what is needed.

Tech nut
Tech nut
10 years ago

Excellent news! …but no Blur LT equivalent – boo!

Seraph
Seraph
10 years ago

Ok now SC *has* to make a 5″ travel 27.5″ bike.

Feldy
Feldy
10 years ago

@Seraph, as far as I can tell, they did. The Furtado looks great to me, just no XL.

Jeb
Jeb
10 years ago

Stand over height is a ridiculous measurement. If for some reason you have your top tube between your legs while your bike is moving, stand over height is the least of your worries.

don
don
10 years ago

Will you be able to get just a frame? If so I”ll put in an order for a Joplin Primeiro for my daughter tomorrow.

Thx,
don

CXisfun
CXisfun
10 years ago

@don – I don’t think you want the “Primeiro” if you’re looking for just a frame, I think you just want a carbon Joplin.

Mindless
Mindless
10 years ago

Needs pink streamers.

Seriously though, no idea why it should be “women specific”. Just make it lighter, and provide small and xs sizes.

JOEP
JOEP
10 years ago

Juliana Furtado. Just that name alone brings back the best memories of mountain bike racing.

wes
wes
10 years ago

I wonder what the science is for having such slack head tubes and seats tubes to fit women better?

bin judgin
bin judgin
10 years ago

68 to 70 degree head angles aren’t slack. Those are extremely common numbers for most modern trail bikes. These are kind of underwhelming, but atleast they don’t have crappy flower graphics on them. 650b Blur TRc is cool either way. My lady is getting an SB66, though. You lose, VPP midstroke!

Grosey
Grosey
10 years ago

No pink!

There’s a lot of tough women who still love pink… Missing a big opp. Bloody, dirty and still cute & girly!

Julie
Julie
10 years ago

I was so excited for the Joplin and Fertado to come out but disappointed how expensive to get the carbon frame. Curious the weight of both alum and carbon. How would the Joplin compare to the niner jet 9 carbon?

Alex
Alex
10 years ago

Just wondering but why does Santa Cruz and apparently Juliana insist on building their bikes with 3x10s? There is no reason to at all

Dogma SkY
10 years ago

Curious the weight of both alum and carbon. How would the Joplin compare to the niner jet 9 carbon?

Lisa
Lisa
10 years ago

Trying to decide whether to purchase an Ibis Mojo SL-R or wait and test ride the Primeiro. Wondering about the weight and ride differences? Any opinions out there??

Disappointed
Disappointed
10 years ago

Jeb, have you ever ridden a bike you couldn’t stand over? The ground to bike transition and vice versa is not a pretty thing, especially when you don’t quite make it up that technical rocky climb :-/

I also hope that you can get a frame only, since even JULIANA FURTADO isn’t recognizing that women like and will buy carbon models with top of the line components! Why are there so few women specific models that are outfitted for performance? So just sell us the frame and we’ll have to spend the extra to build up a race worthy bike.

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