Spy Shot! 27.5 Santa Cruz Nomad Spotted 1

Looking at the current Santa Cruz lineup, one bike sticks out - the Nomad. Why? It's one of the only models they haven't updated to the 27.5-inch (650b) wheel size. Not for long... This photo taken during Crankworx last year shows Santa Cruz Engineering Director Joe Graney with what we believe to be a prototype carbon Nomad.

Aside from the bump to 27.5-inch wheels, several other new details can be seen in the photo, some of which are verified in an ad printed in the most recent Dirt Rag Magazine (below). The biggest change is that the bike will be 1X drivetrain specific, presumably to keep the rear end as short as possible. If you look at the lower VPP link, not only is it shorter, but it has also been moved from behind the bottom bracket to above it. This puts the link in a more protected area and likely shortens things up considerably.

When it was released last year, the 150mm Bronson with its 67-degree head angle was essentially a new version of the Blur LT, so it's reasonable to expect the new Nomad to be even more capable than before. Travel on the Nomad will increase from 160 to 165mm, and it's likely that the bike will get a slacker head angle as well. We also spot new water bottle cage mounts that will delight some riders.

Most of this is just speculation, but one thing is for sure - you can count on seeing a new Nomad Carbon with 165mm travel and fancy wheels soon. If history repeats itself, we'll likely see at least one new model from Santa Cruz on April 1st. Check back then or keep an eye on www.santacruzbicycles.com for more details.