I had the opportunity to test the 5010 in the Utah desert, where it faces off against extremely dry dirt, sharp rocks, twisty descents, and powerful climbs—essentially ideal terrain for a bike in this class. 5010 5 Details • Wheel size: 25.7″ / 29″ • Travel: 130mm, 140mm fork • C & CC carbon, aluminum • 64.9º or 65.2º head angle • 76.8º seat tube angle (size L, low )• 437mm chainrings (size L, low)• Sizes: XS, S, M, L (tested), XL, XXL• Weight: TBD (size L, GX AXS construction)• Price: 31.0 lbs / 14, 1 kg• santacruzbicycles.com Alongside the Santa Cruz 5010, the women’s Juliana Furtado was released today with almost all the same details: the build kits are comparable, with the main differences being that the Juliana Furtado comes in ‘Matte Aquamarine’, rather it comes in 760mm . from 800mm bars and only available in XS, S and M sizes. Like the rest of the Juliana range, it will also come with a shock tune aimed at lighter riders, compared to its Santa Cruz counterpart. (Size is because I’m in Santa Cruz and not Juliana, as I drive an L frame.) Between the 5010 and the Furtado, there are three colorways in total: Matte Nickel, Gloss Red, and Matte Aquamarine. Frame details The 5010 looks pretty much the same as the previous version, with the lower link VPP system that marks almost the entire Santa Cruz lineup. We also see the same in-frame storage box that has appeared so far this year on the new Megatower, Hightower and Nomad models, and has now made its way to the 5010. There’s plenty of room for tools inside the generous storage compartment, and the Santa Cruz includes two padded sleeves – a tool purse and a tube bag – to keep the contents of the box quiet and secure. The box has a spring latch, which can be a little difficult to operate with gloves, but it stays closed and has a water bottle holder on the lid. The bike has the same internal cable routing, frame protection and UDH compatibility as the last version, although it comes with the same version of the Santa Cruz derailleur hanger. Chain length and seat tube angle are varied across the size range, as is frame stiffness to keep the feel of the bike consistent across the range. Rear end with Boost space fits a maximum tire size of 27.5″ x 2.5″. The bike also fits 180mm rotors after mounting and features ISCG-05 chain guide tabs. New to this version, there is a small notch in the frame to look into the shock tunnel and check the drop. In the previous version, the shock basically disappears into a mystery hole and it’s hard to see the o-ring, so it’s nice that Santa Cruz incorporated a little more user-friendliness into the suspension setup this time around. There’s also an aluminum version of the frame coming, though I haven’t seen it yet, so it’s unclear if it shares all the same frame details as the carbon. The important details: clear routing and frame protection. The Glovebox was a nice addition to the Santa Cruz frames this year, and the suspension tunnel suspension makes suspension setup a little less mysterious. Also – there is a flip chip, but it requires an allen key and an appreciation for thinness. Geometry As mentioned earlier, the biggest change here is the move to a 29″ front wheel – a smart move on Santa Cruz’s part, I think, given the mixed wheel sizes that are becoming the norm on many play bikes and all-arounders. the days. Like any bike, this one has been relaxed up front and gained a few millimeters of clearance. The wheelbase, too, has been increased by around 15mm – alongside the larger front wheel, of course. For those who appreciate small adjustments, the Santa Cruz incorporates a chip that allows for 3-4mm (depending on size) of bottom bracket height adjustment and 0.3 degrees of head angle adjustment, although the high position also has a marginally higher ratio leverage. Post layout In an effort to improve the bike’s sensitivity at the top of its travel, Santa Cruz has reduced anti-squat by 16% at its peak, keeping it significantly lower than the previous version in the first 100mm of travel. Otherwise, the suspension platform remains the same as the previous 5010, with a straight line for a leverage ratio curve, meaning the bike will climb consistently as the suspension compresses. The Juliana Furtado shares all the same frame details, but is aimed at smaller and lighter riders. Check specifications I don’t have prices for the models yet, so you’ll have to bear with me as I can’t comment with much certainty on the value of each part spec. However, the bike I’m testing comes with a GX AXS drivetrain, RockShox Super Deluxe Select+ shocks, RockShox Pike Select+ fork, and Santa Cruz’s Reserve 30 HD rims. The build kit is solid for a mid-level build, although it would be great to see top-tier suspension for the cost I expect this bike to be. That being said, there is nothing down about this bike. The Maxxis DHR II Exo compound is a very reasonable tire spec for this bike and the SRAM G2 brakes are perfectly adequate for a bike in this class – albeit considering the bike’s descent ability and that there’s only a 40g difference between the G2 and Codes, it would be nice to see a spec with more powerful brakes. Ride Impressions Riding the 5010, I was immediately struck by how energetic the bike feels while pedalling. While the geometry is single-minded for a comfortable all-day adventure and capable descent, the bike is efficient and sullen, making me want to pedal harder to go, but seems to balance some of its speed with a touch too dim. When climbing, the 5010 has a bit more stability than some of its light travel peers, with a relaxed head angle combined with a steep seat tube angle. The pedal position is right above the bottom bracket – nice and sporty. Both on technical and smooth climbs, the bike is easy to place exactly where it needs to be. Once it’s pointed downhill, the 5010 wants to have fun. It’s a lot faster than most bikes that prioritize descent, but feels pretty stable at speed. The main trade-off I noticed was that grip was a bit more difficult on descents than on more responsive bikes – even with the anti-squat adjustments the Santa Cruz made compared to the last version and the overall quite wet feeling of suspension. In some ways, the comfortable and aggressive geometry suggests that it would be easy to over-commit to the jack and get over the bike’s head. While I haven’t experienced this when it comes to travel, I did – as previously mentioned – feel at times overcommitted when it came to traction. I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it’s pretty cool that a short-travel bike can make me comfortable enough to be rough around the edges. In short, it’s a short-travel bike with geometry that makes it ride a bit more than the numbers suggest—another point in favor of stronger brakes paired with knobby tires and the bike’s versatility. Bearing in mind we’re still talking about a 130mm bike, the 5010 feels great on gnar-lite, playful trails that aren’t too technical but require a bit of forgiveness, and the low center of gravity and short rear end make it easy to rip into corners. Handling is very, very easy, and overall the bike does a great job of smoothing out the rough stuff without sacrificing its lively, efficient personality.
