The 2022 Juliana Roubion rolls out a mullet mountain bike for the first time in the brand’s history. Running the very same frame as the 2022 Santa Cruz Bronson, the new Roubion is the women’s counterpart, differing only in the shock tune for the lighter rider. Either way, the mullet makeover is a significant one. With it, Juliana bring a proportional approach to frame design, too. Here’s more.
2022 Juliana Roubion
- Intention: All-Mountain/Enduro Riding
- Fork Travel: 160mm
- Rear Wheel Travel: 150mm
- Wheel Size: 27.5″ rear, 29″ front
- Claimed weight: TBC
- Starting Price (Complete Bike): $5,049 USD
Riders who require the XS Juliana Roubion may be a little disappointed to find that it actually runs a 27.5″ wheel front and back. Only the Small and Medium frames get the mullet update. That said, all three get the refined VPP Suspension Linkage which now runs a longer stroke length shock (230mm x 60mm).
The change results in a slightly lower overall progression, but Santa Cruz say it is still progressive enough to work well with a coil shock. Read more about the brand’s justification for the update here. Of course, it gets the very same geometry update as the Bronson, now slacker and longer than ever.
That geometry is adjustable too, via the use of a flip-chip at the lower shock mount. It alters the head angle by 0.2° and the seat tube angle by 0.5°, bring them to 64.5° and 76.6° in the low position on the medium frame. It also lowers the bottom bracket height to 341mm and decreases the reach to 452mm.
![2022 Juliana Roubion geometry chart xs-m only](data:image/svg+xml,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 1200 585"></svg>)
Why would you buy the Roubion over the Bronson?
Despite the fact that the 2022 Juliana Roubion and Santa Cruz Bronson frames are identical, there are some factors that might sway your decision one way or the other. Beyond the difference in colorways, that is.
The Roubion gets a slightly different shock tune, setup with a lighter compression and rebound damping tune said to work better for lighter riders. That said, freerider Veronique Sandler rides a Santa Cruz with the heavier shock tune (granted, we aren’t all riding the Vision Line at warp speed, or back flipping to dirt).
Other considerations would be the contact points, of course. The Roubion gets a women’s specific saddle in the form of the Juliana Segundo (though, you can switch it out for the WTB Volt if you prefer that). It also gets the 30mm Juliana House grip, which can also be swapped for Greg Minnaar’s Burgtec Bartender Pro.
Pricing & Availability
There are no fewer than five models of the 2022 Santa Cruz Bronson, satisfying a range of budgets from $5,049, right up to $9,849. You can also pick up the frame and shock only (RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate) for $3,699 USD.
The lower-end R, S and XT builds run a complete carbon frame, but it’s Santa Cruz’s “C” layup; slightly thicker and therefore heavier. The upper echelons get the “CC” layup; thinner, lighter, but just as strong and stiff.
For complete information on the 2022 Juliana Roubion model specifications and pricing, head to the Juliana Bicycles website.
