Tested: Snafu Crenshaw 3

Long-time BMX component company, Snafu, has made their way into the mountain bike world with the introduction of two dirt/street-specific hardtails - the fully rigid Hawthorne and the suspension-equipped Crenshaw. Both bikes stand out in a crowd with vibrant colors and graphics. Vital MTB test pilot, Scott Hart, spent some time on the $1299 Crenshaw. We recently headed up to some private trails in Wasco, California for a shoot and to get Scott's impression on this competent hardtail.

Geometry
I measure the bottom bracket to be approximately 12-5/8-inches, which is about a 1/4-inch higher than a Mob and a touch higher than a Specialized P.2. Either way, the bike has hops so it's easy to get on ledges (for simple bunnyhop to manuals, which is the extent of my street style these days...beyond some small gaps and a wallride; and roof drops if Neil Sanders wants to film with his iPhone).
     The head angle is aggressive at 71-degrees. That angle is definitely influenced by BMX and street riding. Some mountain bikers may feel it abit steep at first, but I got used to it and didn't even mind it at some of the faster trails.
X-Fusion Velour Fork
I was surprised by the ride quality of the X-Fusion Velour. Normally budget forks on complete dirt jump bikes under-perform, but there is value in this fork. X-Fusion figured out a rebound circuit that is not overcome by the high pressures run by dirt jumpers. I ran high pressure and never felt top out caused by rebound that was out-muscled.
     I was apprehensive about the 10mm axle, but I did not notice excessive amounts of flex, even in berms and g-outs at the trails. The big bolts and contact interface provided a solid structure, even with the smaller axle.

The Build
The Snafu brand parts are strong performers and are nice for riders looking to be on something different than everyone else.
- I like the dedicated singlespeed rear hub, allowing for a stronger-built wheel than a mountain bike hub with spacers and spoke offset.
- The bars could have been a little wider, but the rise and sweep felt good.
- The gearing felt too tall for me. The 30-11 was stiff. I normally run something close to a 2:1 setup.
- The Rimjob and Knobjob tire combo worked well in the dirt and the street. Having the aggressive front tread with fast rolling rear tread was is a nice touch since a lot of completes have the same front and rear tires these days. Both tires are crazy-fast and having more traction in front was welcomed at the trails.
- Even with the Mobeus detangler, the Tektro cable disc brake worked well. The was some loss in brake performance with the Mobeus, but if your preference is to run a gyro, you'll still have braking power.
- The pedals and cranks were solid.

Overall the Crenshaw is a solid dirt jumper made for the rider looking to stand out in a crowd.




Price: $1,299
Frame Features:
100% 4130 chromoly with machined H/T for integrated headset, tapered
stays, 6mm 4130 dropouts, brazed-on housing guides and T/T cable stops; removable U-brake bosses


Geometry and Specs:
C/S LENGTH: 15.5" center to center
HEAD ANGLE: 71-deg
AXLE TO FORK RACE SEAT MEASUREMENT: 460mm
SEAT ANGLE: 71-deg
FRAME WEIGHT: 5.15 lb. (2.35kg)
FORK: X -Fusion Velour Air w/ C/R damping; 3 lb. 14 oz.
HEADSET: 1-1/8" integrated
STEM: SNAFU Towatay CNC'ed 6061 T-6 alloy
HANDLEBAR: SNAFU 4130 chromoly MTB bar
GRIPS: SNAFU Simple
BRAKE LEVER: SNAFU C-Lever
BRAKE CABLE: SNAFU AstroGlide for Gyro
DETANGLER: SNAFU Mobeus, CNC'ed alloy
BRAKE CALIPER: Tektro Lyra mechanical rear disk
BRAKE ROTOR: Tektro 160mm stainless steel; convoluted radius
SADDLE: Padded SNAFU Eames Love seat w/ 8mm chromo rails
SEATPOST : SNAFU J-bar CNC'ed alloy; 27.2mm x 350mm
SEATPOST CLAMP: SNAFU Cerrito forged/CNC'ed alloy w/ S.S. thread insert
RIMS: 36h double-walled alloy w/ CNC'd sidewalls & pinned joint
SPOKES/NIPPLES: 15g black ED with long black ED nipples
FRONT HUB: SNAFU Zenith BMX with 10mm axle and CNC'ed nuts; sealed bearings
REAR HUB SNAFU Satelite MTB cassette with 10mm chromo axle and CNC'ed nuts; sealed bearings
REAR SPROCKET: 11t one-piece CNC'ed driver
TIRES F/R: SNAFU Knob Job/Rim Job; 2.35" wire bead
CRANKSET: SNAFU Mayweather tubular 3-piece chromoly, 175mm
BB SPINDLE: SNAFU hardened 4130 chromoly 48-spline x 19mm OD
BOTTOM BRACKET: SNAFU N.EXT Euro BB with Spanish sealed bearings
SPROCKET: SNAFU Gesser 30t; CNC'ed 7075 alloy
PEDALS: SNAFU Anorexic CNC'ed alloy with sealed MTB spindles
CHAIN: KMC 1/2" x 1/8" with 2-piece master link