LONG TERM REVIEW: SANTA CRUZ HECKLER ELECTRIC MOUNTAIN BIKE

One of the oldest names in Santa Cruz’s line, the Heckler was first introduced as a single-pivot full-suspension model way back in 1996. Over the years, it evolved and stuck to its basic single-pivot roots until 2020, when the model completely reinvented itself as Santa Cruz’s first eMTB. A mere two years later, Santa Cruz has revamped the Heckler yet again, making this the ninth version. The new bike has more travel, a bigger battery and tons of new options. It’s an aggressive yet versatile electric bike that’s designed to expand the range of all-around trail riding and all-mountain style riding with a big battery and Shimano’s EP8 drive unit.

FRAME

The old Heckler model was offered with dedicated 27.5-inch wheels, 150mm of rear wheel travel or a mixed-wheel mullet setup with a shorter 140mm-travel configuration and a 140mm-travel fork. This new version is offered with 29-inch wheels or an “MX” mullet setup, both achieving 150mm of travel and paired to a 160mm-travel fork in sizes medium through XX-large. Only the size-small Heckler is still a dedicated 27.5-inch bike front and rear now, but it still sees the bump in suspension travel.

According to Santa Cruz, you can choose the MX setup for quicker cornering and composure on the steepest trails or pick the 29-inch version for ultimate traction and rolling speed. The 29-inch and MX rear ends are specific to the wheel size to eliminate compromises in the geometry. Speaking of geometry, it is adjustable via a flip chip in the suspension’s linkage. Our size large test bike has a 64.8-degree head angle, 76.8-degree seat angle and 475mm reach in the high setting. The low setting slackens those angles by just .3 degrees, so it’s a relatively subtle change. Chainstay lengths remain the same across all sizes at 460mm long. Another geometry related thing worth mentioning is the existence of a true XXL size with a whopping 520mm reach.

There was only one CC-grade carbon frame option with the last Heckler, but Santa Cruz has added a lower-cost C level to the options on the new one. According to Santa Cruz, the lower-grade carbon frame is just as strong but weighs a little more than the CC version.

 

DRIVE UNIT

Range is a critical feature for all e-mountain bikes, so Santa Cruz gives the Heckler a larger 720Wh battery so the bike can go bigger than ever. It is removable with a single 4mm hex key quick-release mechanism that allows the battery to pop right out with a counter-clockwise twist with a hex key, so swaps are faster and easier than with any eMTB we’ve tested. This battery is made by Darfon and is Shimano approved. This brand makes batteries for numerous other brands as well. According to Santa Cruz, the 720Wh battery is marginally heavier than a current 630Wh battery, so Santa Cruz is able to maintain great ride characteristics while also giving the rider enough power to get out and really explore. Santa Cruz adds that going any bigger would start to diminish both ride quality and geometry. The new battery is paired to Shimano’s EP8 motor.

The charge post on the non-drive side of the bike is small and has a nice clean cover that’s easy to use. To power up the bike, you have to press the button that’s located on top of the lower downtube underneath the shock. We found this a bit of a reach and wished it were under or on top of the top tube instead.

 

COMPONENTS

The Heckler is offered in five different configurations ranging in price from $8199 to $13,299 for the X01 AXS RSV build that we tested. The standout feature of this build has to be its electronic, wireless SRAM AXS X01 12-speed drivetrain. That’s right, another battery to charge! The brakes are SRAM’s Code RSC models, which are paired to 200mm HS2 rotors. Its wheels are built with Santa Cruz’s own Reserve 30 front and DH rear carbon rims and Industry Nine 1/1 hubs. A 2.5-inch Maxxis Assegai front and 2.4-inch Minion DHR II rear tire provide grip, while a Santa Cruz E35 carbon bar with integrated display wire routing provides an ultra-clean cockpit.

 

SUSPENSION

While the Heckler still retains the same 150mm-travel, counter-rotating, dual-link VPP suspension design and shock layout as before, there is now a new adjustable Flip Chip in the lower link offering two choices in geometry. The low setting offers a more progressive shock rate, too, likely matching the feel that a rider wanting a slacker bike seeks. A sealed bearing shock eyelet should reduce friction and lower maintenance, and the bike is now coil and large-body shock compatible, too, so riders can choose between the poppy feel and light weight of air shocks or the plush, planted ride of coil shocks. Kudos to Santa Cruz for including grease fittings on the linkage pivots for super easy maintenance, too.

Our test bike has a somewhat odd combo of a 160mm-travel Fox 36 Factory Float fork and RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate shock. Manufacturers typically match suspension components by brand, but with this unpredictable supply chain situation, Santa Cruz is likely getting what it can.

 

CLIMBING

All electric bikes climb well, but some do it better than others. One of those mountain goats is the Heckler. Its suspension is efficient, resisting movement under pedaling loads, so it is eager to move forward when asked to by your legs. It’s a relatively light bike, too, so that helps its defiance of gravity. The moderately steep seat post angle puts the rider in a powerful position without getting in the way in technical situations or feeling cramped when the trail flattens out. The reach fit our 6-foot-tall (give-or-take-an -inch) test crew perfectly, offering plenty of cockpit room.

Shimano’s EP8 motor continues to impress the wrecking crew with its smooth power delivery and mostly quiet operation. It allowed us to tackle some ridiculously steep climbs with limited traction successfully, and it never overheated or got mad at us in the process.

DESCENDING

As good as climbing on the Heckler is, descending is where the magic really happens. We started in the high mode and changed it to the low mode after a few rides, never looking back. It’s a subtle but noticeable change that makes the bike a touch more stable at speed. We can’t really say that we noticed a significant difference in the shock’s feel, though. Even in the slack setting, the bike feels agile and nimble, making us wonder what the mixed-wheel MX version is really like.

In spite of its mismatched suspension brands, both ends work in harmony, providing outstanding control and comfort. While it’s now a cliche to say suspension has mid-stroke support, the Heckler really does. And, what that feels like on the trail is having something to push against while pumping rollers or driving hard into the face of a jump for a little extra lift. Some eMTBs can feel a bit wallowy or vague in this scenario, but the Heckler remains light on its feet and is very engaging to ride. The Fox 36 is also an outstanding performer, although a few of us wondered if the bike could have benefited from the extra stiffness and precision of the 38. In all fairness to the Heckler, these riders are probably better suited to the 170mm-travel Bullet enduro model. And, we actually see this as a testament to how capable and willing the Heckler is to push its trail bike category limits right to the edge of enduro—not really a negative.

 

While descending, a few other things stood out to us, and one of them was noise—or the lack thereof. The Heckler is for the most part a very quiet bike—so quiet that we noticed the rattle of Shimano’s EP8 motor more than most. While subtle and not typically noticed while riding, there is something in its mechanism that gives a slight rattle. Shimano says that the EP8 motor may generate rattling noise from inside when the bike is exposed to vibration while the gears in the drive unit are not loaded during coasting, but this phenomenon does not affect the function and durability. In other words, it’s minor and nothing to be concerned about, but we noticed it more on this bike than any other to date.

Another standout is the SRAM HS2 brake rotor spec. These thicker rotors, which we typically recommend electric mountain bike riders upgrade to on their SRAM brakes, come standard. Smart move, Santa Cruz! In this form, the brakes perform much more consistently and resist overheating and glazing far better than the standard Centerline rotors. Yet another impressive component turned out to be the Reserve carbon wheels. We bashed them into rocks hard enough to make the spokes sing multiple times and nothing bad happened. And, if it did, they are covered by a lifetime warranty. We did manage to break the SRAM chain early in testing, though.

MODS AND UPGRADES

With a price tag north of 13K, you wouldn’t expect to need any sort of upgrades, and that’s really the case with this bike and spec. We simply rode and enjoyed everything about it, although a few of our saltier testers groaned about having to charge the second battery of the derailleur on occasion. And that broken chain may have been an anomaly, but we have broken more SRAM chains than any other brand.

BOTTOM LINE

Santa Cruz hit a home run with the Heckler. It’s fast, effective and really pushes the upper boundaries of the trail category. Even though it completely defies the original single-pivot model’s simplistic nature, it’s the kind of bike that truly builds on the Heckler model legacy. 

CATEGORY: eMTB Trail

SUSPENSION: 160mm (front), 150mm (rear)

TIRE SIZE: 29″