Santa Cruz Bronson build.

Dick Scruttock

They are 800mm wide. Up until the other year I had always run 680's, then on my Ibis I tried some 711's and on this some 750's. As the bars are going wider my stems are getting shorter and the bike's just keep feeling better and better. I know this is probably as wide as I'd run as I will struggle down some trails if I have more girth.

The Northern Monkey

Blooomin-eck!

I've got pretty damn wide shoulders, but only run 711mm bars with a 45mm stem as I found wide bars to be really lazy!

Bike looks stunning though, I keep looking at the shock, I want one badly

dusk

I switched from 730mm bars to 785mm with the intention of cutting them down to 750ish but having tried them first I've left them full width and love them. I'd never tried wider than 700mm up to just over a year ago but now I'd hate to go back to such skinny bars

Dick Scruttock

Got this back the other day but not had any time to try it out yet:

BRM_

Wow what a bike. Love everything about it

poah

nice build although the blue decals of the rims are not to my taste.

Dick Scruttock

Thanks guys. I understand the decals are a acquired taste. I have other options here but they do match the Bronson writing on the inner stays, top tube and seatpost quite well so they have stayed.

I am just in Brazil with work, home for the weekend so going to take it out for a proper test, I cannot wait. I am tempted to buy a Solo as well. I had the bits for sale off this but I have had no interest and they are worth more to me to keep than to drop in price so Solo's are been looked at again.....

lawman

Rick Draper wrote:

Thanks guys. I understand the decals are a acquired taste. I have other options here but they do match the Bronson writing on the inner stays, top tube and seatpost quite well so they have stayed.

I am just in Brazil with work, home for the weekend so going to take it out for a proper test, I cannot wait. I am tempted to buy a Solo as well. I had the bits for sale off this but I have had no interest and they are worth more to me to keep than to drop in price so Solo's are been looked at again.....

You have far too much money! I think a better investment would be to help me fast track my build, as one person having a Bronson AND a Solo is just silly! Alternatively buy a large matt black Solo and I'll take it off your hands in a few months time

Lewis A

What's the point in having both? Isn't there only 20mm travel between them?

Cqc

Lewis A wrote:

What's the point in having both? Isn't there only 20mm travel between them?

Yeah, but a hardcore HT or something if you want a change. Also, for incomprehensible reasons, the solo has been renamed the 5010, catchy name that...

Kowalski675

Cqc wrote:

Also, for incomprehensible reasons, the solo has been renamed the 5010, catchy name that...

It was for reasons of trademark infringement.

Lewis A

He has a Soul. Anyways, it's your money!

poah

The Northern Monkey wrote:

How wide are they? I dont get silly wide bars!

you can't read magazines or view many internet forums. I've got 711mm carbon havens and they are just right for my size and riding. comes down to body size and bike.

Dick Scruttock

Been out for a ride this morning. Made a lot of changes to it since my last ride on it, bars, pushed fork and shock and maxis tyres again so it was going to be a interesting ride out!

Overall I am very pleased with the rear shock, it feels great and a improvement over the Float CTD but then I am comparing apples with pears as a tuned CTD would have been better than the none tuned one. With the fork however I need to spend a good while sessioning a familiar piece of trail to setup the high/low speed compression, rebound damping and air pressure. At the minute I won't lie it feels like a step back from the 2014 CTD FIT damper it replaced (down to it been so basic really). This is purely down to setup I am certain but it will take time to get it right.

ej2320

Oh wow.. That looks amazing
Seems the Float X is good, Haven't been able to use mine yet

ride_whenever

Really nice bronson, not tempted by BOS suspension???

Why not go for a single pivot play bike as a second?

Dick Scruttock

Thanks. The Float X is very nice, when I spoke with TF the guy I spoke with said the workshop was split, half said Float X and half said DBA CS. When I spoke with a technician there a few weeks back he just said the Float X was a hell of a shock and if it would fit on his bike he would have one on it. I took that as a recommendation of the highest so went with that.

I would think of BOS if the support was better, sadly what appears to be a very good product is been ruined by this.

If I have no luck with the Push 34 cartridge I will return it to TF for a different oil and shim stack combination. If that does not work I will pop the CTD damper head back into it or fit a Pike.

Dick Scruttock

Got another ride in on it today and made a few changes to the fork, its getting there now I have to say. I did a bit of research into the settings on it and its not got that wide a range of settings. Where as say a RC2 36 had a very wide range of settings to cater for everyone the Push system is more specific to the rider with it been a custom tune. I was running say 4 clicks of HSC and 6 of LSC where as now I am running 3 clicks back from full HSC and 1 click back from full of LSC. I also reduced the sag from 30%-25%. Think I might return the damper and go to the next tune up as it will give me a better range of adjustment.

Set some decent times on descents on strava as well. Thats despite me struggling with skipping gears that started the other day on a rock descent. The bike locked up and ground to a halt which I thought was a bit odd but I span the wheel and everything seemed ok. Anyhow for the rest of the ride it was skipping in the higher gears. I meant to check it today before the ride but forgot. I got home today and checked it and I have found the problem:



Yep I recon that badboy was the issue! All fixed now and its shifting spot on.

Oh I'm also in the middle of this as well

jayprime22

just had a read of all this, cracking build and bike mate

Drapper

any reason why you went back to the High Rollers from the Hans Damf? curious

Dick Scruttock

Had a great ride out on it today. Now TF have changed the tune on the Pushed fit cartridge its a whole different animal, its absolutely how a fork should be. Very adjustable and just works right. 3 KOM's and 6 other PB's. I did almost rattle into the wall at the bottom of one descent

Drapper wrote:

any reason why you went back to the High Rollers from the Hans Damf? curious

Wanted to give them a go and I am pleased I have they are great.

Kowalski675

One decent what?

Dick Scruttock

Well the XX1 chain has lasted a whole 140 miles! Was giving it a once over before tomorrows Ladybower loop and noticed countless other twisted links. Its now trash and I will have to pick up a new one from 18Bikes tomorrow.

Dick Scruttock

Fitted a RWC needle bearing rear bushing on the shock as I'd heard good things about them and the Fox hardware was a little snug. It's made the rear suspension even plusher. I've had to add a bit more air to the shock and a few clicks more rebound. How it wears in UK conditions will be another thing all together so we will make a judgement on that at a later date!

Been messing with the fork, I've fitted a float air spring and a Push top cap. Yesterday I arrived at the conclusion the spacer I had fitted was too big as it was not getting full travel and felt pretty harsh to ride. Will get some miles in on it locally and keep adjusting it. I did however have a good go on a Pike yesterday, it was very, very nice. If only it had gold stanchions LOL

road_donut

You Rick have a cracking bike and way too much money

Kowalski675

Rick Draper wrote:

I did however have a good go on a Pike yesterday, it was very, very nice. If only it had gold stanchions LOL

Thank all that is holy that it doesn't...

BikeSwan

That is one cracking bike! It's the sort of bike people all over the internet flock to a forum to see, then spend 11 pages talking about ( . . . Too on the nose?). Have fun on that thing, but do try to keep it out of any walls . . .

miker

Very nice! Pretty similar to mine! viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=12962814
Shame I couldn't stretch to the Enves! Getting a CCDBA CS shortly.

Dick Scruttock

miker wrote:

Very nice! Pretty similar to mine! viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=12962814
Shame I couldn't stretch to the Enves! Getting a CCDBA CS shortly.

Thanks!

I've just ordered another pike so I might fit it on it. I think I'm going to actually trade her in for a 5010c and new Nomad. I'm really un-decided as it's the first bike I have loved since my heckler but the nomads numbers look what I want. I'm getting more and more downhill orientated in my riding so I think it's what I want.

Who knows I might end up with a pike at 130mm on a solo and a fox 36 on the nomad at 170mm.......

tom_howard

I think I'm going to actually trade her in for a 5010c and new Nomad.

I've heard that talk before....