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2018 Santa Cruz

Nomad C XE

A 27.5″ carbon frame full suspension enduro bike with high-end components.
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Manufacturer Price

$5,899
Weight30.7 lbs  
FrameCarbon
SuspensionFull, 170 / 170mm
ForkRockShox Lyrik
ShockRockShox Super Deluxe Coil
Wheels27.5″ Aluminum
Drivetrain1 × 11
GroupsetXT
BrakesAvid Hydraulic Disc
SeatpostDropper
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Insights
Ride Feel

Based on frame geometry and build specs.

Terrain
easyextreme
Handling
nimblestable
Nomad C XE
Other Enduro bikes
Gearing

A bike with lower gearing will be easier to ride up steep hills, while a higher top end means it will pedal faster down hills.

Lowest gear

(climbing)

27 mph

Nomad C XE

26 mph

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Highest gear

(descending)

Reviews

Summary

The Santa Cruz Nomad is celebrated as a highly capable and versatile enduro bike, excelling in both climbing and descending with its plush suspension and downhill-oriented geometry. It's praised for its brilliant handling, first-class workmanship, and the ability to adjust ride dynamics via Flip-Chip. While it shines on hard trails and high speeds, it may feel overqualified for mellower terrain and comes with a high price tag.

Pros
  • Most competent climber of the Nomad lineage

  • Supple feel over chattery bumps

  • Poppy feel compared to Enduro or Spartan

  • Capable and versatile

  • Internally routed cables with special casings prevent rattling

Cons
  • 65-degree headtube angle and 1,217-millimeter wheelbase on steep, technical climbs

  • Seat tube at 74.5 degrees in the ‘High’ setting isn’t all that steep

  • High price tag

  • Not as versatile as its predecessor

Key Quotes
The Nomad linkage works magic on the ups and downs
BIKE Magazine logoBIKE Magazine
The new Santa Cruz Nomad needs it rough! With its plush suspension and the downhill-oriented geometry, it craves ever harder trails and higher speeds.
Enduro Mountainbike Magazine logoEnduro Mountainbike Magazine
Hard not to love the Santa Cruz Nomad CC.
MBR logoMBR

Feedback?

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MTBR
Best kid’s bike ever – Santa Cruz Nomad

Oct 2018 · Francis Cebedo

Here is an example of the best kid's bike we've seen as Forrest Arakawa passes on his deep love of mountain biking to his son 7-year-old son Finn. - Mtbr.com

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MBR
Santa Cruz Nomad CC X01 review - MBR

Aug 2018 · Alan Muldoon

Hard not to love the Santa Cruz Nomad CC. It looks drop dead gorgeous, pedals better than most 140mm bikes but you have 170mm to get you out of trouble.

Highs
  • Pedals like stink and is fun to ride

Lows
  • Sizing comes up a little short

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BIKE Magazine
Bible Review: Santa Cruz Nomad CC X01

Jan 2018

The Nomad is a big bike. A freeride-worthy bike. But it is also an exceptional climber.

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NSMB
Santa Cruz Nomad IV

Dec 2017

Now look here: this is a long-term review. In it, I will discuss my relationship with the Santa Cruz Nomad IV. In it, I will not discuss (many) of the details I already covered in the First Impression piece. We write two articles for most bike reviews so we can cook and salt the meat in the first one, and spend the second one pushing it around the plate and mopping up the sauce with a piece of bread.

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MTB Mag
[First Ride] New Santa Cruz Nomad 4 and Juliana Strega

Jun 2017 · Daniel Naftali

Last week Santa Cruz invited us to the Italian-French border to present some news: the Nomad 4, the Juliana Strega and the carbon Reserve wheels. We spent three days riding a handful of rocky, rowdy trails near Sospel, Roja valley and Molini di Triora testing new products from the Californian brand. The new Nomad 4 The Santa Cruz Nomad is the benchmark enduro model of the California brand. This 4th version has been completely redesigned. Let’s start: there is no 29er…The Nomad 4 is a 27.5” with 170mm of front and rear travel; apart from the links, the frame is fully

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Vital MTB
2018 Santa Cruz Nomad Carbon CC XX1 Reserve

Jun 2017 · jeff.brines

A bike so different it almost ought to have a new name...

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Enduro Mountainbike Magazine
Santa Cruz Nomad C X01 2015 Review

Dec 2015 · Trev Worsey

We take the Santa Cruz Nomad C to the rugged terrain of the Scottish Highlands to test it to the limit.

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Mountain Flyer
Tested: Santa Cruz Nomad C

Nov 2015

Occasionally, a conversation will spark up with someone pointing out that the current descending capabilities of modern-day trail bikes either rival or surpass that of downhill bikes X number of years ago.

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Geometry
Specs
Build
Frame

Carbon Fiber

BB StandardBSA, 73mm, Threaded

Fork

RockShox Lyrik RCT3

Travel170mm

Spring TypeAir

Shock

RockShox Super Deluxe Coil RCT or Super Deluxe Air RCT

Travel170mm

Spring TypeCoil

Bottom Bracket

73mm threaded, included with crankset

Headset

Cane Creek 40 IS Integrated

Stem

Race Face Aefect R - 50mm

Handlebar

Santa Cruz AM Carbon Bar - 35mm x 800mm

Saddle

WTB Silverado Pro

Seatpost

RockShox Reverb Stealth - 100mm (XS), 125mm (S), 150mm (M-XL)

TypeDropper

Pedals

N/A

Grips

Santa Cruz Palmdale

Groupset
Rear Derailleur

Shimano XT M8000

Front Derailleur

N/A

Crank

Race Face Turbine 30 tooth - 170mm

Shifters

Shimano XT M8000

Cassette

e*thirteen TRS Race, 11-speed, 9-46 tooth

Chain

Shimano SLX M7000

Chain Guide

e*thirteen TRS + 1x Guide

Brakes

SRAM Code RSC with 180mm Avid Centerline rotors

TypeAvid Hydraulic Disc

Brake Levers

SRAM Code RSC

Wheels
Rims

e*thirteen TRS 30mm - 32 hole

Spokes

DT Competition

Front Hub

Front: Novatec D641 - 15x110mm, Rear: Novatec D642 - 12x148mm (XD)

Rear Hub

Front: Novatec D641 - 15x110mm, Rear: Novatec D642 - 12x148mm (XD)

Tires

Front: Maxxis Minion DHF 3C EXO TR, 27.5" x 2.5? Rear: Maxxis Minion DHR II EXO TR, 27.5" x 2.4?

Rider Notes
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First added April 14

Last updated April 14

Not listed for 2,967 days