Today, the Heckler returns as a bona fide Santa Cruz. Ready to excel on the trails we ride today, reliable, and backed up by our unmatched guarantees of quality and service. Oh, and now it’s an e-bike.
The reasons for us to create an e-MTB demanded careful consideration. Heckler’s not about taking things easy, it’s about making things possible.
When someone like Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship founder Greg Williams told us that we should hurry up and make an e-bike we paid attention. When Greg Williams started the Yuba Expeditions and the SBTS he had a vision to breathe life back into old Californian gold rush towns through mountain biking. Today e-bike technology is expanding that concept on a completely different scale.
Greg has, for a long time, said that the area is “a big empty space full of empty trails,” and he wants more people to experience more of the trails. The main trails are well known and oversubscribed because they’re the easiest to access by shuttle van. But Greg wants to spread people out across the thousands of miles of trails.
Some of these trails have been under the nose of riders for years, they’re just protected by nightmare climbs that deter even the toughest riders. But with the help of a little boost these pieces of singletrack shoot you right from town, fast-forwarding through the torment of 5000ft climbs, to trails like Chimney Rock and Empire Creek – the exact kinds of trails that the title, “World’s Best Downhill Trail” was made for.
Hence the return of the Heckler, a bike that is intended for the rigors of real mountain biking. The full CC carbon frame (front and rear triangle) and battery cover is lightweight and bombproof. The 150mm-travel lower-link VPP design is the most refined suspension design on any e-MTB.
The Shimano motor and 500wh integrated battery keeps the weight down and the 27.5-inch wheels keep the bike playful and maneuverable in order to make the most of the trail. The relatively slack head angle (65.5-degree) and 445mm chainstay length provide a snappy and fun feel while still providing traction for when the trail gets steep and technical, both up and down.
It’s just like any other Santa Cruz mountain bike. It’s different, but it’s not that different from what we’ve always done and what we enjoy doing on our mountain bikes.
For the full build line and further details, head to santacruzbicycles.com
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2/10/2020 9:02am
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