Hardtail

The all-new Chisel Comp is the perfect bike to begin your journey into XC riding and racing, with all of the features to get you to that elusive "top step" at a price that leaves some jingle jangle left over for race entries. This Chisel comes dressed with SRAM's crisp-shifting NX Eagle 1x12 drivetrain and powerful Level T hydraulic disc brakes, a 100mm (Size XS: 80mm) RockShox Judy Gold fork, and 25mm internal width alloy wheels wrapped in 2.35 Fast Track Control casing tires. - The new Chisel also houses all of the modern features that you expect from an XC bike, like Progressive XC Geometry with a 68-degree headtube angle and longer reach, internal cable routing, a threaded bottom bracket, boost spacing, 30.9mm dropper post compatibility, and 1x-only drivetrains. - We asked ourselves, "How do we bring pro-level performance down to a price more riders can afford?" D'Aluisio Smartweld Technology, that's how. Smartweld allows us to create the most consistent, high-strength welds possible while taking full advantage of compliant, hydroformed alloy tubes. The result? One of the lightest alloy hardtail frames out there at 1,350g, which also features size-tuned stiffness.

Here's proof you don't need tons of suspension travel to tackle challenging trails. Equipped with an all-new longer, lower, and rowdier chassis, we've added 27.5x2.6 wheels and tires to the Fuse Sport 27.5 to create a bike that lets you hit rocks and roots at speed with absolute control. - 130-millimeters of suspension courtesy of a RockShox Judy Silver TK fork. - Highlights include SRAM Level hydraulic disc brakes and TranzX dropper post. - Wide-range SRAM SX 1X drivetrain provides crisp shifts and gearing to tackle any hill.

If Mad Max rode a bike, it would be the Honzo ESD. It's part Honzo, part monster, and with geometry that inspired the Process X, it's made for those who want to punish the trails. A steel frame holds a Marzocchi Bomber Z1 fork with 150mm of travel. It's got strong 4-piston brakes, grippy Maxxis rubber, and a headtube badge that will scare your children at night. This is the Warrior of the Wasteland.

The Chameleon is a blank canvas, ready to go in whatever direction your imagination takes it. Creativity in wheel size, gearing and component choice make it the perfect muse for freethinkers and freedom seekers alike. We made the Chameleon for riders who like to sculpt their ideal bike, and aren’t afraid to experiment. Whether 29er or mixed, geared or fixed, multiple major configuration transformations are made easy via the interchangeable dropouts. The low slung top tube and progressive geometry means this bike blends into whatever surroundings you place it. From raucous short-cuts across town to skipping the city altogether. It turns itself to trail exploration with the flip of an Allen key, thanks to the triple-bolt cargo cage mount under the downtube and standard bottle mount within the frame. Whatever the weather, however long the ride, wherever you’re going, the Chameleon is so endlessly customizable and adjustable that the only constraint is really your own mind and motivation.

Wide open, dawn to dusk. The Highball is our race-bred XC hardtail. When the trail (or the competition) calls for the direct drive efficiency that only a hardtail can offer, the Highball is the choice. It looks straightforward but that belies the high-tech features and design hidden within. This is a modern take on the simple machine that many still choose to put battery acid in their thighs and fire in their lungs in order to conquer something. Whether you’re chasing medals, personal demons, or just some riding buddies, this is a hardtail you’ll be happy to log long hours upon. Hard on the throttle, soft on the body Hardtails are about as subtle as bikes come, and in the case of the Highball, simplistic refinement belies engineering effort. We’ve learned from our road biking pals that a great deal of a hardtail’s compliance comes from the Seatpost: the smaller the diameter, the softer the feel, and with more seat posts exposed to daylight, more compliance is had— which is the reason the Highball features low slung top tube and the smaller, 27.2mm diameter post. But you need not be sitting to recognize the ‘soft’ feel of the Highball— the dropped seat stays are made of custom laminate, finely tuned here in Santa Cruz for vertical compliance— and they’re oriented to isolate the top tube from high-speed trail chatter, reducing feedback to the, uh, engine.