Staff Bike Check #1 - Caleb's Bronson

Hey there sports fans! Welcome to Staff Bike Checks - where we break down all the bits and bops on our personal rides. Hopefully we can spark some inspiration and shed some light on the finer details that time and repetition have proven to improve our experience on trail. Today we will break down my (Caleb) Santa Cruz V5 Bronson. This bike was built from the ground up to tackle the technical nature of the White Mountain's hiking trails, while also maintaining its composure barreling down the twists and turns of Hurricane.

The Bronson is a 150mm rear travel, 160 mm front travel "trail" bike that borders on the edge of enduro. The mixed wheels and high stack give it a playful, but precise attitude that allows the rider to have full control of where the bike is through awkward sections of trail. Coming in at a whopping 5' 10" and 185 lbs, I opted for a size large cc frame and run about 20 psi extra in the rear shock to keep it a little higher in the travel and help absorb big hits. I also opted for a Fox Factory 38 over the 36 to keep things a little bit stiffer through harsh compressions and high speed sections. I run about 3-5 extra psi in the fork to keep the geometry a little more stable when grabbing a handful of front brake nosediving down slabs. It tips the scales at roughly 36 lbs fully loaded, but more is better in my opinion!

Call me old school, but not too old school... I am still running Sram Eagle AXS over the new AXS Transmission. I like the quick shifting and cant forego an oil slick cassette just yet. Ive got an Ochain to help reduce pedal kickback and keep it calm when things get a little rowdy. To keep things moving forward, we've got 160mm 5DEV cranks. If you havent heard all the chatter about shorter cranks... look into it. These help keep my feet well above the ground with the bike in its low setting and my pedals away from all the nasty rocks lurking in the granite state. Attached to these cranks are a new addition to my bike; Crankbrothers mallet E pedals. A longtime Shimano user, I was left looking for more security and predictability in my release. These Crankbrothers allow for additional float, allowing my feet to dance around a little more before coming undone. I wasn't expecting to like the pins as they do make it a little tougher to engage, but they add loads of grip if I do find myself pointed downhill unclipped. Well worth it.

The cockpit took me the longest to sort out. Coming off an overforked Yeti sb160, the front end felt a little low and left me feeling too weight forward and lacking confidence when I really needed it. Swapping over to 50 mm rise bars immediately changed things for the better and put me in the upright position I sought and distributed my weight more evenly. Another big change from this bike and my last are the brakes. I had been on Sram Code RSCs for as long as I can remember and always thought they were just fine. I'd assumed that my issues shutting down speed through steep technical sections was simply technique and body position (I'm still positive I have plenty to learn in this department). It wasn't until I squeezed a lever on these Sram Mavens paired with MTX pads that I realized how much better braking could be. Suddenly things that always gave me pause were much more controlled and inspiring. The ability to shut it down just about anywhere has truly changed my perspective on what's possible. 

Wondering when I am going to address those funky looking scratched up guards hanging off the front? I guess we can do that now... Not only do they make me look moto AF, they're the unsung hero of my bike. Ever clip your pinky off a tree? Yeah, you know how brutal it is, and your friends don't want to hear you whine all day about you're finger. These guards help protect against all the branches poking into the trail and help deflect your bars away from trees if you get a little off line.

If you've come by the shop, you likely already know our position on tires. We have a clear favorite for non-emtbs. The Continental Kryptotal Downhill Supersofts are the perfect tire for our terrain and offer the best support and grip. I've opted for a front tire on both wheels. The front variant offers better grip in corners without leaning the bike over quite as far and offers better traction on flat corners where you don't have the support of a berm to drift into. The downsides to the front tire in the rear are reduced rolling speed and a slight reduction in braking traction. For the way I ride, I am willing to compromise on those two things in order to gain confidence through the less than ideal situations I frequently find. These tires are beaded up to a carbon Reserve wheelset comprised of a 30mm HD rear and 30mm SL front. These wheels offer a great balance of stiffness and compliance to keep things burly where needed, but also compliant enough to track well on unforgiving terrain.

Better Bolts oil slick titanium dropper post bolts to keep things pretty :)

The Bronson is also equipped with Glovebox in-frame storage to keep the essentials with me at all times. I keep a number of pieces in here to get me out of most tricky situations i may find myself in.

      - Gloves ( I usually don't wear gloves so I keep a pair in here in case the day gets particularly sweaty)

     - First aid: Some butterfly stitches to temporarily close up any major cuts, bandaids, gauze, and some tape.

    - Tools and repair: Tire plugs, lever, quick links, lightweight tube, multitool, Oneup pump, voille strap, and last but not least, a spare cleat and bolts.

Have any questions about this build? Reach out to Chris@Ridethewhites.com! Want to try a bronson for yourself? Reserve one from our rental fleet! 

 - #Ridethewhites