Santa Cruz seems to have a thing for Christmas parties featuring their V10 downhill bike. Last year the company used the opportunity to introduce a special Greg Minaar Replica Edition, and this year? The 2014 party featured the launch of their all new V10.6. Rolling on 27.5″ wheels, the new V10.6 is the same bike that clinched the 2014 World Cup Title as well as a World Champs medal.
Now with bigger wheels, 216mm of travel, and adjustable geometry, the V10.6 is also available in two different carbon layups with the high end Carbon CC and more affordable Carbon C. Combined with a Shimano Zee build kit, the Carbon C V10.6 brings Santa Cruz downhill performance down to a more affordable level thanks to a slightly heavier, lower modulus carbon build.
Santa Cruz can’t guarantee you’ll ride like Bryceland on the new bike, but if you do land that huge huck to flat, you know the bike is good for it….
Featuring a full carbon frame and swingarm, the new V10.6 relies on proven VPP suspension performance only without the 10 inch suspension mode. Instead you find 8.5″ of travel with adjustable geometry that in the high setting offers a 64º headtube angle and 360mm high bottom bracket which switches to 63.5º and 353mm in the low setting. The rear shock has also been tuned to be less progressive for more consistent damping through the entire travel.
Additionally you’ll find a slightly longer reach but with the same length chainstays as the previous model all based on feedback form Peat, Minaar, and Bryceland. As with most new carbon releases, the frame includes bigger tubing with the carbon layup optimized for increased strength and stiffness.
To ensure the bike will hold up to repeated park runs, the VPP suspension includes familiar touches like double sealed pivots, dual grease ports on the lower link, and angular contact bearings with collet axle pivots. Further frame protection is provided through integrated fork bumper/cable guides, molded rubber swingarm and downtube protection, and a molded clip on chainstay/upright protector.
Most riders should be happy to see the frame continuing with a threaded bottom bracket, while the rear end is speced with a 12x157mm spaced thru axle. Along with the ISCG-05 chainguide mounts, the CC complete version includes a SRAM X01 DH 7 speed drivetrain with Raceface SIXC carbon crank, SRAM Guide RSC brakes, DT Swiss Wheels and a Fox 40 R Float RC2 Factory Kashima fork with a Fox DHX RC4 Factory Kashima rear shock. Complete CC bikes start at $8799, while CC frames retail for $3599 with either the Fox DHX RC4 or Rockshox Vivid R2C. Available in Black or White.
The more affordable Carbon C model is also available in black or white, and starts at a more attainable $5699. Build highlights include a 10 speed Shimano Zee drivetrain with SRAM Guide RSC brakes, a Fox 40 R fork, DHX Rc2 rear shock, SRAM Descendent crank, and Easton components to round out the cockpit.
Both models will be sold in S-XXL sizes with 22.44 – 26.86″ top tubes. For more geometry details, head over to the Santa Cruz website.
