3 years ago Santa Cruz engineers started with a blank piece of paper and a mission. To create the best handling full-power E-bike ever. It’s worth remembering that goal, we’ll come back to it often. There’s a lot to dive into with the new Vala, but if you’re short on time, then the answer to every question you’ve got comes back to that single point - to make the best handling full power E-bike. Ever.
Here at Stif, we were on board with E-bikes from just about the very beginning. We saw the potential early on and have strived to have the latest and greatest on our shop floors for the best part of the last decade. They’ve come a long way over that relatively short time frame.
Santa Cruz took their time to drop their first E-bike, finally landing in 2020, the Heckler set the new standard for what an E-bike could be. At the time, in an interview with pinkbike, Rob Roskopp raised more than a few eyebrows when asked what percentage of the Santa Cruz catalog would be battery powered in 5 years time - “ I think a safe answer might be 50-percent…” Pinkbike commenters weren’t ready.
Well, 5 years later, Rob’s prediction hasn’t quite come to fruition, but visit any trail center and he’d have just about been spot on if he’d have been asked what percentage of riders would be riding E-Bikes.
As for Santa Cruz, they’ve added the Bullit, Heckler SL and Skitch to their E-bike line up, catering for just about every riders battery assisted needs. Today, the Vala joins that line-up, replacing the Heckler, and, oh man, are we excited about it…
We’ve had the lowdown from designers, engineers, testers and riders at Santa Cruz. Join us for a deep dive on the brand new Vala.
Wait, 4-Bar?
Yep. The elephant in the room. No VPP for the Vala.
Lower link driven VPP has been an iconic mainstay of Santa Cruz trail bikes for the last 6 or so years, but the quest for the best handling E-bike ever doesn’t leave room for any compromise.
As lower-link driven VPP has evolved from the Nomad 4 in 2018 to it’s latest iteration on the brand-new Bronson & Hightower, the shock has gotten progressively lower in the frame in an effort to dial in the perfect suspension kinematics. Having ridden the latest generation Bronson, I can attest that they’ve absolutely nailed it. As VPP has evolved, the engineers have perfected the numbers required for anti-squat, anti-rise and the perfect leverage curve. The Bronson and Hightower are testament to that progression, lowering the shock in to, instead of on to, the downtube proves that ‘millimeters matter’ is more than just a tagline. Quick quote from a review of the new bronson, just to drive home how good VPP has gotten, courtesy of MTB Mag...
This bike represents perfection in terms of kinematics and geometry. Without doubt the best trail bike we have ever tested…
Knowing millimeters matter when striving for the best suspension performance, it pretty quickly became apparent that the real estate required for VPP and a motor would require compromise somewhere. With compromise not an option, VPP was off the table and Santa Cruz designers and engineers set about finding - and perfecting - an alternative. Once it became apparent 4-Bar was the answer, an alloy mule was created in Santa Cruz’s California factory and the loop of riding, feeding-back and improving began.
4-Bar is tried, tested and proven in the industry, but not without potential pitfalls - a flexy backend and vague feeling in corners chief amongst them, a symptom of relatively long seatstays with bearings at either end. Neither would do for the best handling E-bike, nor would a flexy, vague bike feel at all like a Santa Cruz.
Stiffness was immediately a priority for the designers and engineers once 4-bar was the direction chosen. Santa Cruz’s VPP bikes are famously stiff and responsive, highly sought after and intentional qualities that the Vala needed to be able to replicate. Thankfully, it does. Thanks mostly to the one-piece, bridged rocker link, designed from the ground-up for the Vala. That it so resembles a VPP lower link is a neat aesthetic touch that makes the Vala unmistakably a Santa Cruz, but the function came before the form. One-piece, stout & super-robust, the rocker link, in tandem with a carbon seatstay bridge, deliver the stiffness to make the Vala a Santa Cruz through and through.
Hardware around links and bearings remain the expanding wedge colet-axle wherever possible for stiffness and ease of service. Just like the rest of the range, the Vala can be stripped and rebuilt at home with little more than a multi-tool. One neat tidbit relating to this - there’s a spacer at the dropout-adjacent pivot that holds the bearings, specifically so that the bearings can be replaced at home without specialist tooling.
The eagle-eyed amongst you might have noticed that the Vala isn’t the first time Santa Cruz have left VPP on the table - the Superlight platform on the latest Blur isn’t VPP either, it’s just the right platform for that bike. It’s great to see Santa Cruz ‘s open minded approach to developing the best bikes possible for it’s given intentions.
BOSCH MOTOR
Released just the day before the Vala to critical acclaim, the latest gen V5 Performance Line CX drive system now has a slightly smaller size and shaves 100g from the weight of its predecessor, whilst still delivering 85nm of torque with a max output of 600 Watts (six-bloody-hundred!!!) and up to 340% assistance.
Perhaps most notably, Bosch have re-engineered the reduction gear mechanism to be quieter, both when coasting and under tension, by mechanically isolating the chainring from the reduction gears. Goodbye forever E-Bike rattles, you’ll not be missed! The motor isn’t fully silent, there’s still the mechanical whirr of it running - though it’s certainly quieter than ever before on this new system - but the new system has done away with the rattles and bumps of similar motors and we’re stoked!
Super-smooth power transfer and lightning fast reaction times give a natural and instinctive ride feel from your very first ride. Combined with it’s out-and-out power, the Performance Line CX sits at the very top end of E Bike drive systems.
Regardless of the numbers in bold at the top of a press release, the real test comes when you throw a leg over a bike. The Bosch systems’ appeal come from its natural feel and smart touches like ‘extended boost’ - where a quick stab on the pedals in a technical climb will deliver an extended spurt of power to get you up and over features where there isn’t room for a full pedal stroke - as well as the impossible-to-hide grin as you zoom up a fire road for another lap with 600 watts at your disposal.
With 4 fully customisable modes and many more features packed into an industry leading app, including route planning and battery management, the Bosch system is the complete package.
Backed by legendary Bosch reliability and a huge network of well-trained dealers (including us) you can ride safe in the knowledge that in the unlikely event you need assistance, you’ll never be far away from a trained mechanic who can have you up and rolling again in no time.
600KW
If you’ve caught any of the press around the new Bosch motor in the last 24 hours, you might have spotted that there’s an 800w battery also available. So why isn’t it specced on the Vala? Once again, it all comes back to that mission statement - making the best handling E-bike.
Yes, the extra watt hours would give the Vala a bigger range, but at the cost of additional weight, higher up in the downtube. If you’ve ever hung a bag of shopping from your handlebars, you’ll know that weight that high up has a detrimental effect on handling. The effect of any weight increases the further it is from the bike’s center of mass, essentially the bottom bracket.
Santa Cruz reckon, and we agree, that for the majority of rides and riders that’ll suit the Vala, 600wh is plenty. The obvious question is ‘how far can i ride on it?’ Unfortunately, there’s no straight answer. Take the motor out of the equation and ask yourself how far you could ride and the mitigating variables quickly stack up… the terrain, elevation, wind direction…. Even what you’ve had for breakfast are all as relevant when you’re the motor as they are when you’re letting Bosch do the hard work.
Fortunately, the Vala has battery extending compatibility built in, with tool mounts under the top tube perfectly placed for the Bosch Range Extender 250, an aftermarket add-on that’ll give you another 250wh of juice.
For most of us, the majority of our rides won’t need that extra bit of battery and the compromise of losing some of the Vala’s ride characteristics to carry around the extra weight just in case aren’t worth it. It’d be a fairly specific scenario in which you’d be reaching for a 150mm travel E-bike for the type of ride that also requires a 800wh plus battery… good to know that if that does happen there’s the option of the PowerMore, but for most of us 600wh is just right.
THE BIKE
Righty then, that’s the brand new bits taken care of, all that’s left is the bike!
The headlines for the Vala are 150mm of frame travel paired with a 160mm Fork and MX Wheels. Sound familiar? The new Bronson has those same headlines, and the similarities continue when you take a closer look at the numbers. That’s absolutely not a bad thing, the new Bronson is incredible.
If you’ve ridden a Santa Cruz from the last year or so, you’ll immediately feel right at home on the Vala, all the geo numbers all land exactly where you’d want them to on a mid-travel bike. 480mm reach on a size large, head tube angles adjustable from 64.2° (high) to 63.9° (low) with a flip chip on the seatstay (more on that later) and seat tube angles of 77.5° (high) or 77.2° (low.) Those seat tube angles are a touch steeper than the Heckler and, combined with size-specific chainstays and the added weight of the battery in the front triangle, put you in the perfect position when climbing.
An extra benefit of the new 4 bar layout is much greater seat-post insertion lengths. The Vala is specced with longer droppers across the size range, allowing you to slam the saddle when descending.
WHY NO 29'er?
Once again, it simply comes back to making the best handling E-bike.
An MX setup naturally shifts a rider's weight rearwards, which counteracts the additional weight of the battery, leaving your weight perfectly distributed between the two wheels.
Secondly, and the reason you’ll find MX setups across the whole range, not just on E-Bikes, is there’s something a little magical about how a bike behaves in corners with a smaller wheel out back. I’m sure there’s a mathematical or scientific explanation for how it happens, but it’s certainly beyond me. The beauty of it is you don’t need to understand it to feel it working.
For anyone like myself who clung on to 27.5” wheels as long as possible, touting the benefits of smaller wheels being more nimble and agile, I’m here to tell you, we got it wrong. MX is better in pretty much every conceivable situation. My apologies, but you absolutely won’t be one bit sorry once you’ve made the change!
Traditionally, it’d be fair to say a 29” rear wheel offers faster rolling speed and better rollover, but having the mass of the motor so low in the frame and the very fact that there’s a motor that’ll add an extra 85nm of torque to whatever you can put out yourself pretty much negates these perceived benefits. MX it is then!
FLIP CHIPS
If you’re familiar with Santa Cruz, then you’ll be familiar with the flip-chips found where the lower link joins the shock, which have traditionally adjusted BB height, head and seat tube angles and the leverage curve of the shock.
For the Vala, the flip chip remains, but is reinvented to take advantage of the new 4 bar system.
Firstly, the hardware is all new. The chip can be flipped by backing off its bolt with a 5mm allen key, flipping your chip, and tightening it back up. Gone is the fiddly process of needing 6 hands to hold the bike, push out the flip chip and catch it before it hits the dirt. (Side note: the sheer amount of bolts that can be torqued with just a 5mm on the Vala is a god-send for trail side tweaks)
Secondly, the 4 bar system allows for the shock’s leverage rate to be adjusted independently of the geometry adjustments that the flip chip unlocks. There’s a separate bolt to adjust the shock’s leverage rate where the shock mounts to the frame. This essentially allows for 4 unique setups (high geo & high leverage, high & low, low & high, low & low) allowing you to dial in your setup for the trail ahead. Of course, set and forget is certainly still an option! Interestingly though, listening to Santa Cruz’s engineers discuss their preferred setup’s, they were considerably more varied than the ‘just stick it in low’ we’re used to.
BUILD OPTIONS
Familiar territory at last! The Vala comes in 5 Sizes, Small up to XXL, and 5 specs build onto Carbon C or CC Frames.
Sizing is consistent across the Santa Cruz range, so you’ll fit exactly where you’d expect to.
Available as a complete bike only, The Carbon C Build kits are the R, S and GX AXS Kits. The lighter weight Carbon CC Frames come built with XO AXS and the top-end XX AXS built kits from SRAM.
The Vala is built around the longer Axle-to-Crown measurements on 38mm Forks, so there’s a Rockshox Zeb on the entry-level R-Kit and Fox 38’s from the S-Kit and up, all paired with a Fox Float X Shock.
We’re stoked to see OneUp Components fantastic V3 dropper make it onto builds from S-Kit and up, it’s definitely a favourite of ours here at Stif, and the aforementioned longer drop is a welcome change.
Stopping is amply taken care of by SRAMs new Maven Brakes on S-Kits and up, or DB8’s paired with 220mm rotors on the R Kit. The Mavens are quickly becoming our go to anchors for anything with serious downhill capabilities - their power is initially a little alarming if you’re rolling around a car park, but on the trail that power will have you feeling like an F1 driver, braking later than you’d think possible into corners on fast flowy trails and offering super-precise modulation on obscenely steep chutes where you’re inching over the edge.
One spec choice we’re excited about is the new radial casing tyres from Schwalbe. We’re yet to try them, but the reviews we read and the people we’ve spoken to that have had a chance to ride them all speak very highly of them. Rumour has it, that ridiculous Amoury Perion run at Les Gets where he put 6 seconds into everyone in horrendous conditions was done on tyres with this new casing.
SRAM drivetrains across the board are tried and tested and a staple of the Santa Cruz range these days. Precise and reliable, no-nonsense 1x gears with enough range from the cassette to tackle anything you dare point a bike at. Fully wireless from GX AXS Kits and up, with the latest generation of T-Type meaning perfect shifts every single time, even under the amplified power of the motor.
WHO'S IT FOR?
The Vala sits between the Bullit and the lighter weight Heckler SL. If you’re all about shredding the gnar on the rowdiest, steepest trails you can find, then the Bullit might be the one for you.
If you want an e-bike with a little ‘e’, The Heckler SL’s lighter weight motor and smaller battery provides all the power you might need on shorter rides and rides just like a regular ol’ person powered bike, whilst giving you super-legs.
For everything in between - from epic adventures to just good old fashioned mountain biking, from trail center laps, singletrack shredding, weekend warrior roadtrips, park laps, after-work power hours, mile-munching, KOM chasing quests and just about anything else - it’s the Vala.
First Ride Reviews
Santa Cruz did a great job with their first foray into the 4-bar world, providing an active yet predictable ride feel that offers consistent support through the travel. Their recommended suspension setup worked very nicely for me, and felt balanced on flat and steep trails alike. I'm personally a fan of lower anti-rise bikes, as I like the rear end to remain reactive and poised under braking - the Vala hits a nice spot, riding high without feeling like it's pitching your weight forward at all. Bosch's new CX motor is impressively powerful, and pedals intuitively, closely mapping your power output to match expected drive force.
PinkBike - Read the first ride reveiw here
The geometry, fit and body position the bike puts me in is natural and intuitive. I am a big fan of how Santa Cruz bikes feel underneath me. For my 5’11 chassis, the size large fits me just right and inspires a playful and powerful position. The Vala is a playful and snappy bike for a full power eMTB and likes being pushed hard and slammed into corners.
LoamWolf - Read the first ride reveiw here
When you swing your leg over the saddle and start pedalling, the Santa Cruz Vala XO AXS RSV with the flip chip in the high setting places you in a comfortable, upright pedalling position. On technical climbs, the front wheel remains planted on the ground and follows steering input with great precision, while the predictable handling inspires huge amounts of confidence. The generous bottom bracket height prevents you from smashing the cranks into obstacles, and even with the shock fully open, the rear suspension works efficiently with only marginal pedal bob. Riding uphill, the Bosch Performance Line CX motor delivers powerful assistance and a natural ride feeling. The motor converts pedal input into assistance extremely smoothly, but packs a real punch when you need it. On steep, loose climbs, traction is excellent despite the smaller rear wheel.
Switching the flip chip to the low setting alters the bike’s climbing characteristics slightly. The seat angle becomes marginally slacker but remains comfortably upright. The bottom bracket drops by 4 mm, requiring you to choose your line more carefully, but without it feeling too low. On technical climbs, the bike is more demanding to ride, the front wheel needs more pressure to keep tracking, and the bike doesn’t climb quite as well as it does in the high setting.
When gravity takes over, the Santa Cruz Vala XO AXS RSV shines in the high setting, offering a high level of comfort. The bike hardly needs any familiarisation time and makes you feel at ease from the get go. The Vala is intuitive to ride, making it easy to pull bunny hops and manuals, while the suspension provides excellent small bump sensitivity and plenty of support. With an active riding style, you can generate plenty of speed by pumping through rollers and berms, and the bike encourages you to play with the trail. The Vala follows steering input with great precision without losing stability. In fast corners, the suspension ensures great composure and generates plenty of traction, inspiring huge amounts of confidence in the process.
Switching the flip chip to the low setting slackens the head angle by 0.4 degrees, which makes a noticeable but not dramatic difference. You feel more integrated into the bike, adopting a slightly more aggressive riding position. In fast, rough sections, the low centre of gravity inspires more confidence, but tight corners require slightly more input from the rider. The Santa Cruz Vala X0 AXS RSV encourages you to keep the brakes open for a few more seconds and bomb down the trail at mach-10. With the progression flip chip in the shock mount, you can adjust the rear suspension’s end progression. Even in the low setting, bottom-outs are barely noticeable, while the high progression setting makes sense on rough, demanding trails that require you to use the full suspension travel. Here, you get a bit more end progression.