Santacruz bronson & canyon strive cf

divingmoose

Hi guys
It am looking at a santacruz bronson c 2015 and canyon strive cf 9.0sl 2015 the strive seems great value when you look at spec. The strive comes in at £4200 and Bronson £6400 What's people thoughts. I ride mainly trails and peaks and lakes and enduro events. Not to a high level just enjoyment
Cheers

Dick Scruttock

The main thing I can see is you could have the Bronson tomorrow, you might have to wait months and months for the Canyon. I don't actually believe anyone has received their Strive CF yet.

lawman

Neither. Mondraker Foxy carbon. Runs rings around the bronson IMO. Faster going down, better value, better going up and they just flat out rock. The Foxy Carbon R is £4300 with full XT groupset, fox 34 and reverb, is reasonably priced with room to swap a few things if you feel the need to or you could build from a frame up. Availability is pretty good ATM too so no waiting around. End of thread.

Dick Scruttock

Mondraker, new bearings every month and a terrible reputation with cracked frames. If they cannot make a durable alloy frame then they have no chance with carbon. End of Mondraker discussion.

buddy_club

Shots fired

paul.skibum

No experience of Canyon Strive but I do have a Bronson - steer clear of any Fox suspension options and I personally have not riddena better bike. But I havent ridden a huge number of the competition.

I'd be sorely tempted by a Rocky Mountain Altitude though.

rockmonkeysc

Rick Draper wrote:

Mondraker, new bearings every month and a terrible reputation with cracked frames. If they cannot make a durable alloy frame then they have no chance with carbon. End of Mondraker discussion.

Don't forget the shocking cable routing.

lawman

Rick Draper wrote:

Mondraker, new bearings every month and a terrible reputation with cracked frames. If they cannot make a durable alloy frame then they have no chance with carbon. End of Mondraker discussion.

First I've heard of any cracking issues, seen plenty of Santa Cruz's with dodgy pivot point cracks though more to the point though I've yet to ride a bike that rides as well or instills as much confidence as the Foxy does. Having ridden both the Bronson and Foxy, the Foxy is hands down the better bike. The geometry is far, far better, you don't have to step up a frame size to cure the shortness of the frame, the internal routing on the carbon is super neat, and they come with a lifetime warranty. Tbh given how well the Foxy rides any foibles it might have id be happy to live with them. It truly is the best bike I've ever ridden by miles and if you haven't tried one you're in no position to discount it. Like i say having ridden both it runs rings around the bronson in every department.

supersonic

you don't have to step up a frame size to cure the shortness of the frame

Is that really a problem though, unless you are too small/large for any in the range?

rockmonkeysc

supersonic wrote:

you don't have to step up a frame size to cure the shortness of the frame

Is that really a problem though, unless you are too small/large for any in the range?

I didn't really understand that. Does it matter if you need an XL Santa Cruz instead of your usual large?
A good mix of geometry and sizing between brands and models is good, it means there is a bike to fit everyone.

lawman

supersonic wrote:

you don't have to step up a frame size to cure the shortness of the frame

Is that really a problem though, unless you are too small/large for any in the range?

If it means you can't get a dropper post low enough in the frame when having to run an XL instead of a large then yes, I think it's a problem. Tbh at a shade over 6ft I don't think I should have to buy an XL either. A large Foxy fits like a glove which i can't say about many other larges in similar bikes like the Bronson. Sure it might be down to my body shape, short legs long torso, but you can make a seat post longer, you can't make a seat tube shorter.

rockmonkeysc

Like I said, there is no wrong sizing, you just need to find the right bike to match your shape.
The XL Bronson is spot on for me, nice length top tube and a long enough seat tube.
With a lot of new bikes the seat tube is too short for me exen with a 400mm post.

eric_draven

personally i have been eyeing up the new Transition Patrol,but i do like the look of the Bronson,and have had a couple of SC's before and really liked them

supersonic

Very much with Rockmonkey on this - I have ridiculously long legs for my height, and a short torso. I don't subscribe to this 'S,M,L' must fit my height nonsense, it is what fits you, it is just a name to differentiate one from the other. I am glad they are not all the same geometry. Because we ain't all the same.

Dick Scruttock

lawman wrote:

If you haven't tried one you're in no position to discount it.

You have not tried the Canyon you cannot possibly recommend the mong over the Canyon going by that can you :shock:

divingmoose

Thanks guys I am really torn to be honest I did look at a review of the mondraker foxy r and looks nice. It's a lot of money and want to be sure

rockmonkeysc

I have tried the Strive. Nice components, flexy frame. Lots of lateral flex.

lawman

Rick Draper wrote:

lawman wrote:

If you haven't tried one you're in no position to discount it.

You have not tried the Canyon you cannot possibly recommend the mong over the Canyon going by that can you :shock:

Well no I haven't tried the Canypn, but then without buying one or knowing someone that has not many people will have done. I'm not writing the Canyon off as a bad bike, even I will admit the spec on the foxy is trumped by many, let alone what a Canyon can have for the same money, but from what I've read and from other bikes I've ridden I think the Foxy would be a better riding bike. The forward geometry makes a hell of a difference and trails that my Mojo feels towards the edge of my comfort zone on are just laughed at by the Foxy. It really has blown everything I thought a trail bike could be capable of our the window. I don't think there's much on the market that can hold a candle to it atm, it's that good. It's the best descending bike I've ever ridden and arguably the best climber as well.

Hob Nob

From the above, the Canyon would get my vote, in the race trim.

There is absolutely no way on earth i'd have a Mondraker though.

As others have said, they have a patchy at best reliability record when it comes to fundamental issues like cracking frames. There is no way i'd want to be a beta tester for their first attempts at carbon when they can't stop their alloy frames cracking.

Then there's the laughable bearing life, because they are all too small. Then there is the bolts made of cheese, that bend, break, seize or self extract themselves half way down a trail with the mounting hardware. of course they arn't an off the shelf bolt either.

And yes, i've ridden one. It does ride pretty good, but there are plenty of other long bikes out there, than don't fall apart, and ride just as well.

Oh, and they look rediculous/hideous with the 10mm stem, which also wobbles around when you honk on the bars.

lawman

Clearly an opinion dividing bike it would seem!

I haven't heard of any issues with the carbon frames and they've been in the field for a good 6 months now, I've been thrashing one for the last few weeks in some proper grim conditions and it hasn't so much as whimpered or squeeked one bit. I'm totally sold on them.

rockmonkeysc

I rode with a lad on a new Foxy today. He seemed to be tightening pivot bolts after every other run. I offered him some thread lock but he already had it on all the bolts, they are very small bolts though and the bearings are tiny. Not sure they have saved weight in the right places on the Foxy frame.

Angus Young

lawman wrote:

Clearly an opinion dividing bike it would seem!

People just like to say stuff...

paul.skibum

Some people I rode with in the summer had brought their his and hers matching Foxy's out to Whistler - first ride a pivot bolt came lose and sheered off in the frame. They had to hire a bike for 10 days until a replacement came from Europe.

From a Canadian point of view the Mondraker is out, as I cant buy one! Same with the Canyon. Bronson rules.

lawman

paul.skibum wrote:

From a Canadian point of view the Mondraker is out, as I cant buy one! Same with the Canyon. Bronson rules.

Fairly unique circumstances though being in Canada though

The Bronson's a decent bike, it just didn't get my blood pumping like the Foxy did. Imo if you want a Santa Cruz the 5010 is the one to go for, much preferred that to the Bronson.

tobamory

Being a solo rider I can only praise it, 13 months in and not a single issue.... 140s on the front 2 10 drive train does about anything I can chuck at it.


However my wife has now decided she wants it, and it out on it most weekends which leave me playing Xbox or looking after the kids..

I've promised myself that my next one and because I have a solo will be the same as Danny Makaskilss Bronson

http://youtu.be/xQ_IQS3VKjA I think that looks awesome... And after testing a carbon one, there ain't much in it between solo and bronson, bronson felt more spongy as the solo is tight and quick...