About a year ago, we made the decision to bring
Santa Cruz and
Juliana Bicycles into the fold of brands at the shop. Not only do they engineer some of the best mountain bikes around, with impressive attention to detail and high-quality craftsmanship, but their bikes simply look phenomenal as well. And when building up a custom Santa Cruz, it really pays to do it to your taste. For it's owner, this 2019 Santa Cruz Bronson ticks all the boxes.
The original Bronson made its debut in 2013 as a 650b (known today as 27.5") all-mountain bike in a time when Santa Cruz had already spent considerable time making their 29" mountain bikes properly enjoyable. Perhaps it was developed more due to consumer preference than what Santa Cruz wanted, but it was clear that they put a ton of thought into the bike. More agile than a typical 29" mountain bike, but with a better ride than contemporary 26" mountain bikes, the Bronson was released to major acclaim from critic and consumer alike. For many, it was the Goldilocks wheel size. For Santa Cruz, it was the start of one of their most-popular bikes available.
Fast forward to late 2018, and Santa Cruz is already on their third generation of Bronson. The Bronson has morphed with the times; 650b has become 27.5", it offers clearance for 27.5" plus tires, and geometry has morphed according to the times as well. A fundamental change to suspension kinematics means the Bronson's suspension now mirrors that of the Nomad and V10 for a more linear shock curve. It's a contemporary machine made for our times, built now more than ever for descending. The fact of the matter is that pretty much anyone who buys the Bronson for tame singletrack is doing the bike a disservice. It's designed to go fast down techy singletrack and other trails, and is perfect for 20% of riders looking to channel their inner Ratboy. Fortunately, this Bronson is going to be rallied tons. It had us seeking out anything and everything orange-related, and it pairs surprisingly well with this Industry Blue paint scheme.
Here's the build: -2019 Santa Cruz Bronson CC frame -Fox Factory 36 fork and Fox Factory DPX2 rear shock, 160mm and 150mm respectively -Hope Tech 3 E4 brake levers and Hope rotors -SRAM XO1 Eagle drivetrain -Fox Transfer Factory dropper, 150mm -
Santa Cruz Reserve 30 wheels to Chris King hubs -Maxxis Minion DHF 27.5 x 2.5" front and Maxxis Minion DHR 27.5 x 2.4" rear tires -Deity Copperhead stem, Deity DC31 Mohawk Carbon handlebars, Deity Knuckleduster grips, Deity Speedtrap saddle, Deity Circuit seatpost clamp, Deity Bladerunner pedals Have any questions about this custom Bronson, or want to build a Bronson for yourself? Send us an email anytime to
info@contenderbicycles.com, or give us a call during business hours.
