The Blue offers a sensation not totally different from the way a coil-sprung bike just sucks itself to the ground. It’s completely different to something like the Niner, which offers an almost hardtail-like feeling, but doesn’t hug itself to the ground like the Blur TR can. It certainly is active when you’re putting the power down, but it also achieves a level of grip some other bikes could only dream of. This might seem slightly counterintuitive for a bike's pedaling performance, but it depends on how you characterise efficiency. I would put it down to the changes Santa Cruz made when making the Blur TR, and the already mentioned reduction in anti-squat. It has enough grip that it isn’t about hitting everything at pace - it offers large amounts of traction even when climbing stepped roots or rough ground at a slower pace. It also, thanks to the high level of rear-wheel grip, means you can control your pacing up technical features. Compare this to something like the longer Trek Top Fuel, and the Blur takes far less manhandling up the tight stuff. It’s also far more comfortable.īut how does this compare to the more aggro bikes on our test? Well, when riding the Santa Cruz, it feels like your center of gravity sits closer to the front axle than other bikes and the front wheel does feel a shade more loaded on climbs. It climbs better, its geometry may be conservative but it’s got things such as the long drop-post to help quell any nerves when pointing the bike towards the descent.
When compared to the similarly focused Canyon Lux Trail, which is also an XC race bike that’s been trail-o-fied, I think the Blur TR is a far better execution of the concept. It’s clear from the geometry chart that this isn’t the most downhill focused bike but it does what it intends to do very well. The Blur is a great climbing bike, that becomes apparent very quickly, as one would hope. The bike can fit two water bottles inside the front triangle, and has a universal derailleur hanger, along with internally guided routing. There is also routing for a remote lockout, should you want one. The SRAM Level 2 pot brakes prioritise lightweight but it’s nice to see them with 180mm rotors. The spec elsewhere is similarly XC-inspired.
However, thanks to its superb tracking and ample support, that isn’t the case. I think if you had a fork that was more prone to diving, not dissimilar to the XC forks of only a few years ago, then it would lay the drawbacks of the steeper geometry of this bike bare for all to see. The fact that something so lightweight can be treated so appallingly and still come up smiling is a testament to Fox’s expertise. The Stepcast version on this bike, pound for pound, has to be one of the best forks I’ve ever ridden. I would also say this bike, and its relatively conservative geometry is given a large helping hand from Fox with the simply excellent Fox 34.
I, however, am somebody that probably leans more towards more stable feeling bikes than playful ones. This is something Mike Levy commented on and really enjoyed. To call it unstable would be unfair, but its steeper head angle, flat bar, and slightly longer stem, when combined with this low weight, do make it feel slightly more flighty than the more aggressive, longer bikes on test. No surprisingly, it rides like a very light and dynamic bike. If you compare it to other bikes, it is nearly six pounds lighter than the heaviest. It’s a very comfortable bike to ride, especially when seated, and manages to mute or deaden a lot of the small vibrations that might normally come through the saddle. So, if it’s not a downcountry bike, then what is it? Well, I would contend the increase in travel is very welcome, and not only for descending performance. We’ll come back to this and its ramifications later in the climbing section, but in short, it delivers on its promise. Whereas every new bike release seems to include claims of an increase in anti-squat, Santa Cruz has actually reduced this value on the Blur, as well as tuning the linkage to require a lower spring rate. The consequence is that, in terms of all-out seat grip, Santa Cruz may have just played a masterstroke. It uses a flex pivot in the rear and this means it can go without the associated weight gain that comes with a standard pivot. Santa Cruz’s new Superlight design might look similar to previous versions of VPP but it is very different. Well, it’s got the right amount of travel and a long dropper post, but it also has features that harken back to its XC intentions, including the small brakes, the flat bar, as well as the suspension layout itself.
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