First Look: Santa Cruz Nomad - Completely Redesigned for 2014 33

bturman

4/1/2014 12:55am

Introducing the all-new Santa Cruz Nomad...

Now in its third generation, the full carbon Nomad frame has been completely redesigned to stay ahead of enduro racing’s ever-more DH trajectory. An aggressive 65 degree head angle takes the geometry to Defcon 1 levels of DH readiness, delivering V10 handling at Syndicate speeds. Santa Cruz has also added a V10-style upper link, increased VPP travel to 165mm and improved small bump performance.

Nomad Frame Highlights

27.5-inch wheels
165mm VPP suspension
Internal routing
Full carbon frame and swingarm
Single-chain-ring-only design
Compatible with 160-180mm fork
Molded rubber swingarm and downtube protectors
Forged aluminum upper link and lower link
Single recessed grease port on lower link
Collet axle pivots with angular contact bearings
Carbon ISCG-05 tabs
142mm rear axle spacing
Threaded bottom bracket
Frame weight: 6.2-pounds (2.8kg) and up with Rock Shox Monarch Plus
S, M, L, and XL sizes
5 year warranty
Lifetime bearings and crash replacement warranty
MSRP: $2,999 Frame + Monarch Plus Debonair Shock // $3,250 Frame + Vivid R2C Shock

Frame Details

The new one-by only design also permits a beautifully recessed and protected lower link, resulting in some seriously compact 17.1-inch chainstays. Match that with an inch more reach in the cockpit and you’ve got the ideal set-up for tearing down the side of Chilean stratovolcanoes.

None of that comes at the expense of pedaling ability either. New pivot locations and a steeper seat tube angle place the rider right above the bottom bracket, delivering power to the pedals in liaison stage crushing style.

As ever with Santa Cruz, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. The internal cable routing is so trick it’s a shame it never sees the light of day. Thin carbon fiber tubes molded into the frame from entry to exit, ensuring completely integrated hassle-free routing every time.

All wrapped up in stealth black or blue/magenta colors with matchy matchy fork and wheel decals, the new Nomad shows just how rad things can get with some single-ring-minded focus.

Geometry

Complete Build Highlights

RockShox Pike RCT3 Solo Air 160mm fork
RockShox Monarch Plus Debonair or Vivid Air RC2 shock
Complete builds starting at 27.1-pounds (12.3kg)
MSRP: $6,599 complete for SRAM X01 build, including Reverb Stealth // $7,999 for SRAM XX1 build