Last Updated on April 30, 2023 by Emmanuel
Many riders ask what the Santa Cruz Nomad mountain bike is, and we share an article examining this one of the most preferred MTB for outdoor sports enthusiasts.
This Santa Cruz bike has cutting-edge technologies and components to handle the most challenging terrains easily.
Table of Contents
The Santa Cruz Company Overview.
- Name: Santa Cruz Bicycles.
- Founders: Founded in 1993 by Mike Marquez, Rich Novak, and Rob Roskopp.
- Industry: Cycling products.
- Pricing: $3,000 – over $15,000.
- Customer ratings: Four out of five stars.
| Santa Cruz Pros | Santa Cruz Cons |
| 👍Santa Cruz has different bike options. | 👎 Cistly High-end bikes. |
| 👍High-quality bicycles, components, and accessories. | 👎Too many models that can confuse clients. |
| 👍Santa Cruz has different bike opetions. |
What Is Santa Cruz Company?
Rob Roskopp and his partners founded Santa Cruz Bicycles in 1993 to manufacture a good range of bicycles and satisfy their target market needs.
This brand’s first bike was a single-pivot dual suspension bike called “Tazmon.” Back then, it was highly irregular for a bike to have suspensions at both ends.
However, they kept doing it because they aimed for sensible, high-performance bicycles on the trails.
From the start, the company has been producing top-rated bikes, including off-road ones, so lets its nomad bicycles after this brief history.
The Santa Cruz Nomad bikes.
Santa Cruz released its first Nomad bikes in 2005; the latest version is the Nomad 5 because this company continues to update them.
The latest Nomad still strongly boasts 27.5 inches wheels like the four previous models because the company wants to keep the grip.
This model has stuck around for many years, proving it is one of the customers’ favorites.
So let’s examine the essential features of Santa Cruz nomad mountain bikes.
The frame.
The Nomad is built around a carbon frame with the VPP suspension layout with 170 mm of rear-wheel travel to handle the beating when you crank it through bumps and jumps.
The bike offers two variants of carbon that significantly affect the budget you plan to devote to its purchase.
Look at the carbon variants from the naming structure to differentiate carbon variants.
The letter C indicates the lower-level builds, while CC refers to the high-end X01 creates.
According to Santa Cruz, the Carbon CC variant has about 280g less weight than the Carbon C variant, but it doesn’t compromise the stiffness or strength.
The Nomad has a frame with internal cable routing to make it look sharp and neat; the rubberized DT protects it against bumps and scratches.
The Wheels.
The 27.5 inches wheels offer better maneuverability when you crank through corners compared to 29 inches wheels.
A smaller wheel size means there is less rubber on the ground, but when there is up, there is also down, and so do 27.5 inches of wheels.
These wheels’ traction is good but not the best choice if the track has slippery rocks and roots.
Besides, 27.5 inches wheels do not roll over obstacles easily regarding the angles attacks, meaning you must put in extra effort to ride through the big objects.
RELATED: The ten best Santa Cruz downhill mountain bikes.
Suspension.
The Nomad features 170mm travel in both rear and front suspension, absorbing most vibrations without the rider feeling it as much.
They are also equipped with Virtual Pivot Points (VPP), enabling them to perform deep landing effortlessly.
These bikes also have 170mm or 38mm diameter forks and 170mm VPP rear suspensions, providing a bottomless feel.
They also have rear air shocks and options for a coil suspension; you can opt between them based on yiur preferences.
All these reasons make Santa Cruz nomad mountain bikes the perfect companions for your downhill adventures.
Santa Cruz nomad bikes variants.
This brand has five variants available at Mike’s Bikes online shop for you to choose the most appropriate for your riding needs.
1. Nomad C R.
| Shock | RockShox Super Deluxe Select. |
| Fork | RockShox Zeb, 170mm, 27.5″. |
| Wheels | SRAM MTH hubs, RaceFace AR Offset 30 27.5″ Rims. |
| Drivetrain | SRAM NX Eagle, 12spd. |
| Brakes | SRAM Guide RE. |
| Seatpost | SDG Tellis. |
| Carbon | C 27.5″ 170mm Travel VPP. |
| Price | $5,149.99. |
This variant is a step from the previous model generation offering an aluminum and carbon frame.
Letter R indicates that the bike features good but has the lowest specs on this list.
Although, you would still enjoy the performance of the SRAM NX Eagle drivetrain and RockShox suspensions front and rear when riding the R variant.
2. Nomad C S.
Sold at $6,249.99, Nomad C S is another strong mountain bike to invest your money in.
This bike resembles the previous one but features improved components making it more robust.
For example, it runs the SRAM GX level that allows you to upgrade the drivetrain if necessary, thanks to the hub system, which is compatible with the other Eagles.
Moreover, the Nomad CS variant upgrades the SRAM Guide with Code breaks, whereas RockShox Reverb Stealth upgrades the Seatpost.
RELATED: The four top Santa Cruz full suspension mountain bike frames.
3. Nomad CC X01 – 2021($8,249,99).
Unlike the previous builds, the CC X01 rigs out FOX suspensions on both ends and offers a lighter, equally stiff, and strong frame.
And from the name shows that the build uses SRAM X01 Eaglen, the latest form from Santa Cruz released in 2021.
However, Nomad CC X01 requires you to spend more money than the previous ones.
4. Nomad CC X01 Reserve – 2021 ($9,599.99)
The CC X01 Reserve is the top-level bike on this list despite having overall specs similar to the other X01 and a few other differences.
This build rolls on Santa Cruz’s Reserve carbon wheels; the latest version provides the redesigned twin swingarm uprights, improved leverage curve, etc.
Which Nomad Mountain Bike Is Right For You?
Now that you have detailed information about the range of Santa Cruz Nomad Mountain bikes, you may ask which is the best to buy.
To decide which build suits you best, look at it from the price tag, upgradeability, make-year standpoints, and other specifications.
Go for the Nomad C S because it is excellent and budget-friendly.
The Nomad C R is also correct if you want upgradeability because it uses the SRAM GX level.
If you want something from a recent year, pick the Nomad CC X01 2021; but you can also opt for Nomad CC X01.
The Nomad CC X01 Reserve is the top-level bike to choose from if you have more money to invest, and we hope this information is handy.
How much travel does a Santa Cruz Nomad have?
This one of the best versatile trail bikes has a 170 mm travel at both ends, and it is ideal for all riding, including descents.
Final Thoughts.
The Santa Cruz Nomad Mountain Bikes are durable and of lightweight construction, making them the favorite of many riders.
They also provide confident riding across all types of terrain with the Nomad’s superior suspension and traction system.
Their superior frame designs and comfort features can also provide a dependable and enjoyable experience no matter the terrain you face.
The Nomad will give you a competitive edge to push yourself up those steep inclines or fly down those technical descents.
Thanks for all this information and advice about the Nomad Mountain Bike by Santa Cruz. I am not a mountain biker, but my nephew has wanted to buy a Santa Cruz bike for a while.
I like that you have given the necessary information one needs to purchase a Nomad mountain bike he wants, and I am going to share this review with him.
Thank you, Gail, for your comment. I hope your nephew will also like this review.