Description

2017 Santa Cruz Bicycles 5010 2.0 Carbon CC XT ENVE Complete Mountain Bike

 

The 2017 Santa Cruz 5010 2.0 Carbon CC XT ENVE Complete Mountain Bike takes all your preconceived definitions of what a trail bike can do, crumples them up in a ball, and laughs gleefully as it charges full throttle into all-mountain territory. Carrying over mid-2016’s revamped geometry, the 5010 2.0 is slacker, longer, and lower than pre-2016 models, so it cleans steeper runs and ever bigger lines. This iteration gets a little dreamy with Shimano’s versatile XT drivetrain, a dropper post, and eye-catchingly awesome ENVE 60 Forty carbon fiber wheels.

 

The 2.0 redesign touches on virtually every important aspect of frame geometry. The biggest change is to the head tube, which drops one degree from 68 to 67 degrees. That’s the same as the previous Bronson model, and it situates the 5010 2.0 just this side of a slacked-out enduro monster. The frame’s reach and bottom bracket follow suit, with the former tacking on an additional 20-25mm, depending on size, and the latter dropping slightly. The combined result of these apparently minor tweaks is a longer, lower, more stable frame that eagerly attacks lines that the previous 5010 would have to think twice about.

 

While the 5010 2.0’s front end and bottom bracket are about slack reclining, the changes out back tighten things up for more pedaling efficiency and cockpit versatility. The seat tube is steeper, longer, and wider, which benefits both the ups and downs of all-mountain riding. While torqueing over the crux of a climb or grinding speed on singletrack, the steeper angle puts the rider in a more efficient pedaling posture, making it easier to stay on top of the pedal stroke. When descending or cleaning lines through rock gardens, the shorter, fatter seat tube allows for more dropper travel, which nets increased stability when increasing speed is the last thing on your mind.

 

The 5010 2.0’s chainstays are stubbier, reduced from the previous 5010’s already impressive 17.12in to an even stiffer, more agile 16.8in. On the trail, this translates to power transfer when dropping watts into the pedals and more nimble dexterity when gnarly terrain turns the tables.The frame’s rear triangle terminates in a boosted 12 x 148mm rear axle, making for more rear clearance which in turn allows for those abbreviated chainstays.

 

Like the frame itself, Santa Cruz’s VPP suspension also sees some changes for its third generation. The most obvious, external changes are an additional 5mm of travel and a relocation of the system’s counter-rotating links. These updates make for a better standover height, ground clearance, and stiffer rear end; however, the new VPP’s real pride is in its revised tuning. The altered suspension curve keeps it riding higher, increasing small bump compliance and keeping the tires glued to the trail for more efficient traction across the successive impacts of lumpy courses and rooty climbs. The initial stroke’s reliance on the upper link activating for a vertical wheel path remains unchanged, maintaining the firm feel during accelerations while jockeying for the hole shot in a mass start or finishing sprint.

 

As the suspension compresses deeper, the lower link takes over, letting the rear wheel back out of big hits. The overall curve across travel is less dramatic with the new VPP. Where the previous generation’s suspension curve describes a deep “U,” the latest VPP’s curve resembles a flattened check mark—an appropriate shape considering that the design checks off many of the points on our pedal-platform wish list. When paired with FOX’s Float CTD shock, this makes for a ramp-up arc that doesn’t dramatically alter as the shock compresses, so the pedaling platform stays consistent across travel, with less wallowing, bob, and bottom-outs.

 

All of these changes are wrapped in a frame that’s still built with Santa Cruz’s top-end Carbon CC construction method and materials, which allow the engineers to use less carbon in order to hit stiffness targets. The frame is every bit as responsive as the less expensive Carbon C version, but its claimed weight is almost 300g less. Both triangles are constructed as whole, monocoque pieces, which also contributes to keeping weight low as the carbon can be wrapped through junctures and around joints. This eliminates the artificial weak points of bonded frames and actually requires less material in the process. While it’s being cured, the frame is compacted from inside and out. This final step eliminates excess material and resin pooling, resulting in more structural integrity and, of course, additional weight savings.

 

Despite that extensive list of changes, most of the obsessive details that we’ve come to associate with the clean lines and understated aesthetics of Santa Cruz frames carry over. These include down tube and chainstay protectors, ISCG-05 tabs, and the glorious 73mm threaded bottom bracket shell. It’s impossible for us to overstate how much we love threaded bottom brackets. As advanced as even Santa Cruz’s Carbon CC construction has become, even it can’t produce molded bottom bracket PressFit cups that rival the precision of CNC machined threads. A threaded bottom bracket adds a touch of weight and the extra labor is reflected in the price, but we think the reduced creaking and greater durability are worth it.

 

2017 Santa Cruz Bicycles 5010 2.0 Carbon CC XT ENVE Complete Mountain Bike

 

2.0 geometry pushes trail competence into all-mountain territory

5 inches of redesigned VPP travel smooths the bumps

Slacker, longer, and lower geometry for cleaning bigger lines

Top-tier Carbon CC construction cuts no corners

Boost thru-axles increase efficiency and improve tracking

ENVE 60 Forty wheels live up to the implications of the brand name

Santa Cruz Bicycles brings it with cutting edge tech and eye-catching aesthetics

 

2017 Santa Cruz Bicycles 5010 2.0 Carbon CC XT ENVE Complete Mountain Bike

Frame Material:

Carbon CC

Suspension:

VPP

Rear Shock:

FOX Float Performance Elite

Rear Travel:

130 mm

Fork:

FOX 34 Float Performance Elite

Front Travel:

130 mm

Headset:

Cane Creek 40

Shifters:

Shimano XT M8000 SL

Front Derailleur:

Shimano SLX M7000 direct-mount

Rear Derailleur:

Shimano XT M8000 GS

ISCG Tabs:

yes, ISCG 05

Crankset:

26 / 36 t Race Face Turbine SL

Bottom Bracket:

included w/ crankset

Cassette:

11 – 40 t Shimano XT M8000

Chain:

Shimano SLX M7000

Brakeset:

Shimano XT M8000

Brake Type:

hydraulic disc

Rotors:

180 mm Shimano RT86 Ice Tech

Handlebar:

Santa Cruz Carbon

Handlebar Width:

760 mm

Grips:

Santa Cruz Palmdale lock-on

Stem:

Race Face Turbine Basic

Saddle:

WTB Silverado Team

Seatpost:

RockShox Reverb Stealth 150mm travel (125mm on size small)

Wheelset:

[rims] ENVE M60 Forty

Hubs:

DT Swiss 350

Front Axle:

15 x 110m Boost

Rear Axle:

12 x 148mm Boost

Tires:

[front] Maxxis Minion DHF EXO TR, [rear] Maxxis Ardent Race EXO

Tire Size:

[front] 27.5 x 2.3 in, [rear] 27.5 x 2.35 in

Pedals:

not included

Recommended Use:

trail

Manufacturer Warranty:

lifetime on frame

 

 

GEOMETRY CHART

5010 2.0
	Seat Tube (c-t)	Effective Top Tube (eTT)	Stack (S)	Reach (R)	Stand Over	Head Tube (HT)	Head Tube Angle (HT°)	Seat Tube Angle (ST°)	Bottom Bracket Height (BBH)	Chainstay (CS)	Wheelbase
S	15.6in	22.6in	23in	15.9in	27.9in	3.9in	67°	73.8°	13.1in	16.7in	44in
M	16.5in	23.5in	23.4in	16.7in	28.2in	4.3in	67°	73.8°	13.1in	16.7in	45.9in
L	17.7in	24.4in	23.7in	17.5in	28.3in	4.7in	67°	73.8°	13.1in	16.7in	45.9in
XL	19.5in	25.7in	24.1in	18.7in	28.8in	5.1in	67°	73.8°	13.1in	16.7in	47.2in