These new lower-link VPP bikes are impressing me model after model, well most of them anyways…ĭuring our initial testing we noticed that the speed of the bike on flatter terrain was a bit slower than some others in our fleet. Each generation of Santa Cruz’s VPP gets better and reduces those complaints significantly. Some of my biggest complaints about VPP bikes of old were the huge amount of pedal feedback and deceleration experienced on successive square-edged bumps. Santa Cruz has given the new Bronson a longer stroked shock, lower overall leverage, and a progressive, linear rate. When it comes to keeping the bike on the ground, the updates made to the suspension make it equally capable. Speaking of getting the bike airborne, the suspension is quite playful and poppy, so getting this mountain bike off the ground comes naturally. I really like how easy it is to lift the front end up, whether it be for a manual, or to pre-hop a trail feature or to style out some big air off a jump. Our size large has a 475mm reach, which is my favorite reach number and perfectly blends stability at speed with the shortness or a playbike. Once at the top the Bronson begs to be manhandled. Basically, it climbs great for a 160/150 mullet bike. We tried climbing with it open and closed, and noticed a slight difference, but for our applications, we didn’t find it worth the energy of leaning over and possibly forgetting to open it for the descent. Although the pedal-bob is minimal, riders who are active pedalers or climb lots of smooth fire roads may still find some benefit with the climb switch. In our hurried set up, we certainly didn’t get the bike perfect, but with roughly 30% sag, the 150mm Bronson pedals quite efficiently.
In typical VPP form, the 2022 Bronson is ready to spin. Of course, we had to climb to get there first so let’s discuss how the bike pedals first. In our quick test sessions we were able to take the new Santa Cruz Bronson out on a jump trail, a pretty typical low-grade pedaly singletrack with lots of twisty and tight corners, and some high-speed rocky chunk with back-to-back-to-back drops to flat. Although we must admit, with it being such a playful bike, it was hard to stop mid-run, just as our flow was building just to turn around and go back up to shoot another photo. The amount of fun we all had on this bike made it much easier to play hooky and get another lap, or three in. Our bike arrived just three days before the embargo lifted, so the rush to get miles under it was real, but we did our best. So much so, that we started trying new things, gapping features bigger than ever, pre-jumping and generally riding more aggressively than ever, which resulted in a rather unfortunate face-to-rock encounter after some dry conditions, a brain fart and a burped tire put me in a real bad position. It has a balanced, centralized feel that instills confidence and strength. Sitting atop the bike, our testers instantly felt at home, like it’s a bike they’ve been on for years. It is a beautiful machine and Santa Cruz absolutely nailed it there. The color, machining and overall presence of this bike command attention. The build quality, spec choice, fit and finish of the new Bronson are very nice. Based on how many Santa Cruz bikes we see on the trails, it seems plenty of others agree.
One thing is certain however, there is no denying Santa Cruz puts a premium on their bikes and they believe the quality of their product, on-trail performance and lifetime warranty back it. From a value perspective, many discerning buyers may take issue with the $5,000 price tag with SRAM NX Eagle, a RockShox Lyrik Select and Fox Float X Performance rear shock, but we’ll save the assumptions and value discussions for the message boards.
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