Santa Cruz Bronson Carbon - Custom

paul.skibum
paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
edited May 2017 in Your mountain bikes
Hey y'all - just ordered a Carbon Bronson in standard R AM spec - got it for 35% off RRP as a staff deal with Whistler - too good to miss.

Should get it in Mid May - pretty keen to give it a try now! Only spec change I am considering early doors is a double instead of a treble chainset and a dropper.

Tennis ball yellow, deore brakes, slx gearing, would love more bling but this bike will be with me for years to come and upgrades will follow.
Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.
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Comments

  • Dawesy92
    Dawesy92 Posts: 606
    Look forward to seeing the pics! :)
    Iron Horse Warrior RETIRED

    On-One Inbred

    Trek Remedy 2014
  • paul.skibum
    paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    Should be here this week!
    Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.
  • paul.skibum
    paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    Pics!

    IMG_2404_zps9e055cb6.jpg

    IMG_2396_zps4b8b4b36.jpg

    IMG_2395_zps954bd339.jpg

    IMG_2398_zps50c1a823.jpg

    Feels lighter than the 14.3kg weight my scales shows, nothing more than a car park tootle yet - was considering entering a Toonie ride in Whistler when I picked it up but sh*t weather and no frame protection applied put me off!

    Tomorrow maybe....
    Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.
  • felix.london
    felix.london Posts: 4,067
    Nice one. Yeah converting to double (or single) would be first port of call for me too.

    Looks sweet though. Guess the price you got her for is gonna make us euros sick isn't it?
    "Why have that extra tooth if you're not using it?" - Brian Lopes

    Votec V.SX Enduro 'Alpine Thug' 2012/2013 build

    Trek Session 8
  • paul.skibum
    paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    felix.london wrote:
    Nice one. Yeah converting to double (or single) would be first port of call for me too.

    Looks sweet though. Guess the price you got her for is gonna make us euros sick isn't it?

    Yeah a double with guide is probably going to be a first port of call along with the reverb. I got it on a staff discount deal with Whistler Blackcomb so it was discounted in any case - $3500 canadian - around £2000? Not sure what the current exchange is.

    Would like to go tubeless - rims and tyres are ready to go but tubes in currently - will have to read around it a little to work out what is needed!

    Rest of the kit is my favoured solid and dependable - upgrades to XT as things wear will be on the cards - I am working for Whistler in the bike park so can get good discounts on stuff - just have to try not to go crazy!
    Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.
  • felix.london
    felix.london Posts: 4,067
    more like £1900 - sounds like an absolute bargain! Good work.

    Re - tubeless should just be a case of tape, valves & sealant and away you go
    "Why have that extra tooth if you're not using it?" - Brian Lopes

    Votec V.SX Enduro 'Alpine Thug' 2012/2013 build

    Trek Session 8
  • VolatileMike
    VolatileMike Posts: 78
    The R AM build in UK costs...£4399 :shock:

    you lucky person. looks awesome mate!
  • paul.skibum
    paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    First ride today - feels awesome on some of the gentler downs and really whippy into the corners. I struggled without a dropper to get my weight back enough leading to two OTB's on the ride! Got to get a dropper sorted! KS Lev definitely fits but would like to make use of a stealth equipped dropper so going to do some research on the options to see what fits with the limited seatpost extension I have.
    Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.
  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,594
    Nice bike...

    Bin the fox forks and get some 150 pikes :p
  • russyh
    russyh Posts: 1,375
    Agreed on the forks those evolution series are not nice. Had them on my five and changed to slants.
  • paul.skibum
    paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    What is it that people dont like on the Fox 34's? I noticed some stiction in them at the initial point and I seemed to need a fair bit lower pressure to get the sag right than the manual suggested for my weight which I wondered if that then contributed to me struggling to get my weight balance right on the descents. Was going to play with pressure and rebound a little tomorrow.
    Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.
  • bennyy
    bennyy Posts: 141
    Ride some pikes and find out.

    What I like about SC, they don't have different frame designs/colours for different spec levels, you can buy a cheaper one, and upgrade as you go, say like giant, you buy a reign 2, spec ut up with xx1 pikes etc, its still a reign 2.
  • russyh
    russyh Posts: 1,375
    Its not the 34 part that is horrid its the evolution series bit, which i believe is entry level. I had a set of the 34's on my Five and they were horrid. In trail mode massively harsh in decend blew straight through the travel always fiddling with air pressure in an attempt to get it dialled, which never happened. As i understand it the evo dampner is not great althogh can be upgraded. I also found loads of stiction. They just felt like a cheap set of forks, changed to Xfusion Slants which were night and day. Since had them custom valved and they are sweet! 34's sold on ebay (for next to nothing) Just my experience with them, sweet bike BTW
  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,594
    i rode evo 34 and full kashima jobby too, both just flop through the travel while not providing any decent small bump performance.

    expensive pap in reality. other than that lovely bike.
  • paul.skibum
    paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    I upped the pressure in the front forks and took a notch or two of rebound off both ends and it definitely rode better albeit on flowy singletrack rather than steeper gnar but step downs seemed less inclined to pitch me forward - have basically only run forks in trail mode so far - might have had them in descend on one OTB moment though thinking about it.

    I am considering widening or increasing the rise on the bars a little - the RF Ride bars dont seem to sit quite right and ride fairly harsh which is odd as I usually like the sweep on RF bars. Might swap to some Haven's (as I have a set on my hardtail) to try a different set up.
    Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.
  • paul.skibum
    paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    First damage today - clipped a tree and lost a bar end cap!
    Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.
  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,594
    No the bars feel harsh because of the truly awful small bump performance of your forks...

    And damage is good, makes it feel loved!
  • paul.skibum
    paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    I checked out the rise and sweep on the bars on it vs the ones on my other bikes and the rise and sweep are totally different - picking up some alternate RF bars cheap today which are wider and have my preferred sweep - will see if that helps - I cant afford to replace the forks so going to have to alter something cheaper!

    Better grips needed too.
    Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.
  • paul.skibum
    paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    Tried out a new set of bars today - 740mm wide (vs 710) and better sweep

    WP_20140606_003_zpsf4c6d890.jpg

    Plus new grips

    WP_20140606_004_zps10f23ff1.jpg

    Didn't help with hands going numb on long sections without snooth surface (so most of Whistler) so I am thinking the forks are a problem - will be looking into cartridge upgrades/tuning next week - local place Suspensionworks looks good to sort the problem.
    Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.
  • felix.london
    felix.london Posts: 4,067
    those grips looks pretty 'firm' to me - I've got ODI Rogue's on 2 of the bikes and I can happily smash my way up and down alps with no issues. Very comfy. Do get a bit slippery when sweaty without no gloves though
    "Why have that extra tooth if you're not using it?" - Brian Lopes

    Votec V.SX Enduro 'Alpine Thug' 2012/2013 build

    Trek Session 8
  • paul.skibum
    paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    The grips feel fine, a little firmer than on my hardtail I guess but the new bar position feels good for my hands, my hands just going numb - might go out on my hardtail today to see if I get the same feeling on it - might suggest its me not the bike I guess!
    Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.
  • bennyy
    bennyy Posts: 141
    are you giving the bars the death grip? :mrgreen: stay looose
  • paul.skibum
    paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    bennyy wrote:
    are you giving the bars the death grip? :mrgreen: stay looose

    No sh*t sherlock thanks. This aint my first rodeo.
    Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.
  • bennyy
    bennyy Posts: 141
    knumb hands is caused by holding the grips too tight 99% of the time, simple
  • paul.skibum
    paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    No numb feeling on my DH bike, no numb feeling on my hardtail, no numb feeling on my old full susser, numb feeling on Bronson - I am thinking riding technique is not the issue, more likely bars, grips and forks.

    I feel more like my weight ends up forward and onto the thumb pads and makes my wrists turn outwards a little - I rolled the bars a little more today and didn't get the same feeling - still a little bit of pins and needles on a very tech descent but not so bad. Will keep fiddling.
    Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.
  • paul.skibum
    paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    After a quick chat with Rick, I have a 40mm stem on order - standard stem is 70mm which is crazy long on this type of bike and throwing me too far forward - Rick told me he ran a 55mm on his and at 3" taller on the same size frame he had the reach advantage already so I am thinking shorten it up and make it fun - climbing is so good I dont think it will be hurt too badly.

    I checked the shot on the SC website showing Bryceland riding and his bars are right on his steerer (http://www.santacruzbicycles.com/en/ca/bronson so it can only make me ride more like him right?????

    Going to chat to local tuners about a damper upgrade for the fork.
    Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.
  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,594
    Will be cheaper to just sell them mate and get some pikes than a full tune up... thats what annoys me about current foxs you spend a bomb getting them then you need to spend another small fortune just getting them to work as they should anyway!
  • pesky_jones
    pesky_jones Posts: 2,890
    Yeah 70mm sounds too long for a bike like that.
  • Dick Scruttock
    Dick Scruttock Posts: 2,533
    Paul unless you can get a 2014/2015 FIT cartridge cheap for the 34's I would be considering selling them and getting some Pikes. I liked my 34's but the Pikes are definitely another step forward.
  • paul.skibum
    paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    Lets see if I get the job I am interviewing for today, then shopping for new expensive bits can be considered - cheers for the advice fellas.
    Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.

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