Santa Cruz Bicycles is a company that focuses more on the quality of their bikes rather than the marketing, which is good because those that are really looking for bikes that are good in every aspect will recognize Santa Cruz Bicycles as one of the top brands in the world. Their company consists of people that actually has a passion of riding bikes so they really know how to do things right. This is why the company continues to sell bikes so well without creating too much hype. However, you still have to choose the right Santa Cruz bikes for yourself. There are over a dozen models to choose from and these tips should help you out.

Advantages of Santa Cruz Bikes - Carbon Model

Santa Cruz carbon bikes are more durable than their aluminum counterparts and even those aluminum models are made to last for years since they bear the Santa Cruz name. Durability is not the only benefit but also lightness since the material is much lighter than the steel rims. This reduces the overall weight of the bicycle so bikers can achieve faster speeds. Going uphill with any mountain bike can be quite a chore because of the weight and carbon bikes make the task easier. With the bike's added agility, the bike should also be able to navigate through rough terrain.

All Mountain Bikes

Santa Cruz made a name for itself with the all mountain Santa Cruz bikes that it offers. Take the Bullit for example, which is one of the two affordable models that are priced at around $1,000. It comes in three sizes and is pretty much complete in heavy-duty components from the ISCG05 mounts to the 1.5" headtube. This mountain bike is also good for downhill bikers. The Butcher is purely for mountain biking and is considerably lighter than the Bullit. There is even the lighter Heckler model, which is ideal for trailing and the highly priced Nomad, which is excellent for free riding and country trailing. The Nomad is the only bike of the mountain bike that has a carbon version, which is even lighter resulting to better speeds.

Before heading to your local bike store to see what Santa Cruz bikes are available, it is advisable to visit the Santa Cruz Bicycles website to see all of their latest bikes. You can find descriptions of each bike and what their strengths are.

Cross-country Santa Cruz bikes are ideal for both cross-country and mountain biking because they are light and easy to handle. They are not as light as the hardtail bikes but they do have the suspension features making them better rounded for rough terrain. The Juliana and Superlight bikes are two affordable bikes costing under $1,000 while the Tallboy and Blur XC bikes cost more than twice the amount but use carbon sets so they are very light.

Some of the bikes on the websites displaying the Santa Cruz brand are labeled as "carbon" because of their wheel sets being made of carbon rather than steel. Carbon is a material that is much lighter than steel, which is why the overall weight is smaller when comparing identical models. Lighter weight means more speed making these bikes ideal for serious racing. At the same time, carbon bikes are more durable and last longer. While the prices of these bikes are much higher, these two properties make these Santa Cruz bikes worth considering.

If you find yourself on a tight budget and feel that you need more options, do not forget you can buy parts to upgrade your bike's performance in the future. Get to know the budget models and see what aspects can be improved. Remember that all Santa Cruz bikes should not disappoint in performance.