Heckler: The gift that keeps on giving...

munzy

Just spent a bit of cash on my Heckler to bring her up to date and decided to look out the various builds she has had.

I was really suspect when buying it that I was just paying for the Santa Cruz brand cache but after 5 years of trail, Alps and some downhill it still feels tight as the day I got it - just change the 2 pivot bearings once a year

Its still performs and when I looked around at newer alu bikes they don't come in much lighter (carbon, a Bronson, is just too expensive yet) or any better looking And the thought of having to pay for then change multiple bearings in a multilink set up really puts me off - the back end of the Heckler is plenty good with a 10mm axle - the front end is the business end

Just went 1x10 and lost 648g and she is now silent!

theraggyone

Nice looking bike mate bet its fun to ride:) I saved about the same wieght switching to 1x10 its so much neater too i havent regretted the swap one bit for my riding:).

*AJ*

Looks nice, how you finding the forks? Are they the R or the CR?.....

Dick Scruttock

That is really nice, they are great bikes.

My first Santa Cruz was a Heckler and its been love ever since LOL. In actual fact the Heckler is the one bike I miss the most, every bike I have had since has been compared to the Heckler.

munzy

Forks are the 2014 R coil version AJ - not had much riding on them but they feel just as good as the Fox Van 36r they replaced - nice and plush and plenty stiff. - I'm hoping that these don't need anywhere near the amount of time to fettle as the Fox, that 15 hour lower leg service is ludicrous for a high priced item! That and the fact the Fox are £800+ new when I got these for £349 means Fox have lost a customer for life

russyh

Did you buy them new for tat Munzy? If so would love a link.

*AJ*

Ahhhh just the coil version, I've seen them available for £299 Russ, it's the air ones I'm after though! They do look nice on the black frame.

rockmonkeysc

Nice bike, I know a few Heckler owners, they all love them and have owned them for years. It seems to be a bike that owners never get bored of.
Those Marzocchi 55's are very good for a basic fork.

munzy

Russyh - Yes brand new form Winstanley's:

http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/produ ... 2014_Forks

Popped up the seals - very easy - and packed them with Judy Butter grease and now after 4 rides the forks are bedding in very nicely - slick and smooth

Went to Inners (main route - Make or Brake middle - Caddon bank, so plenty fast, rough and drops) earlier in the week with the Zee clutch mech but still the standard chain ring up front and dropped the chain every other corner - most frustrating.
Fitted the proper Race Face wide narrow chain ring, and on the same trail today didn't drop the chain once!
The bike is now absolutely silent, no mechanical noise at all, noticeably lighter and even though I never used the left shifter on the downhills I love the simplicity of the right shifter only - psychologically it just feels pleasing

The Heckler frame is still very competitive weight wise with current alu bikes (6.4lbs medium with RP23) and with the 160mm big fork the head angle is slack enough. I have a 10mm axle on the back and so plenty stiff. Only thing I would like is a 1.5 lower head tube - although its purely a aesthetic thing as I've never noticed the front end being flexy.

tlw1

Love the development pics

russyh

*AJ* wrote:

Ahhhh just the coil version, I've seen them available for £299 Russ, it's the air ones I'm after though! They do look nice on the black frame.

Stupidly I missed the coil part, that's why I was amazed they were £299. I am after air as well, so I can bin my 36 talas. Still a bloody good deal on a great fork for that!

Cqc

Nice bike, but 3 forks in 5 years? That's a bit much! What size chainring do you have? Satisfied both up and downhill with it?