Santa Cruz dropped a bombshell with the release of their first e-bike, the Heckler. Now things have escalated with the Santa Cruz Heckler MX mullet e-bike. More than just a bigger front wheel this bike gets some handy tech updates as well, read on to find out more.
Mixed Wheel Size, 27.5" Rear and 29" Front
Firstly, why mixed wheel size? a big 29" front wheel rolls over obstacles with greater ease allowing the bike to hold more speed in rough terrain. When you need to rip the bike around a corner the bigger tyre has a larger contact patch with ground allowing for greater traction and consistency when cornering. Now, that smaller rear wheel is light and manoeuvrable which further adds further cornering prowess. It's also notable how easy it is to position a mullet bike as the rear wheel can easily be put exactly where you want it and fast. Get up to that high line easily or cut the inside of a corner, it's on!
Geometry
Naturally the geometry is altered with the addition of a 29" front wheel and fork. The head angle goes from 65.5 degrees on the standard Heckler to 64.6 degrees on the Heckler MX while the BB is raised just 2mm, the wheelbase also extends 2mm or 3mm depending on bike size. What does this mean? The biggest difference is definitely in the head angle while will give you a more stable and confident ride at those high speeds. The other changes will be hard to pick for the majority of riders but those highly in tune riders amongst us may pick up on these extremely subtle differences.
Suspension Setup
As the Heckler MX is aimed to be a lighter trail e-bike the suspension comes in at 140mm front and rear. The Heckler MX still utilises a VPP rear linkage to treat riders to that famously smooth and predictable performance in rough terrain. We see a 140mm e-bike being perfectly suited to the local Brisbane mountain bike trails. The bike will be in it's element as places like Gap Creek and Cornubia while you still have enough to get out and experience the more challenging and rougher trails at Mt Joyce, Toowoomba etc.
New Shimano EP8 E-Bike Motor
Shimano have upped the game with the release of a brand new E-bike motor, the 'EP-8'. With E-bikes now becoming more mainstream their technology is improving in leaps and bounds and nothing proves this more than the EP-8. When comparing the EP8 to the old Steps E8000 it has 25nm more talk at 85nm, weighs 300g less and has reduced the drag by 36%. Taking it one step further the motor is not only more advanced in design but riders can also customise their output to their likings via the app.
Who's It For
If you're looking for a seriously good time on an E-bike the Santa Cruz Heckler MX is ready to deliver just that. It will be nimble yet composed on the local Brisbane mountain bike trails like Gap Creek, Ironbark, etc. as you power on, and on, and on. Extremley limited numbers of Heckler MX E-bikes are coming into the country so if you're interested in one of these incredible bikes talk to us today and we can discuss your options! Check out the models online here.
Longing for rough terrain and wanting a bit more? Check out the Santa Cruz Bullit E-bike.
