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Today’s Deals2026 Santa Cruz
Bronson 70
A 29″ / 27.5″ carbon frame full suspension enduro bike with modest components.
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Manufacturer Price
$5,149| Weight | 34.8 lbs |
|---|---|
| Frame | Carbon |
| Suspension | Full, 150 / 160mm |
| Fork | RockShox Lyrik |
| Shock | Fox |
| Wheels | 29″ / 27.5″ Carbon |
| Drivetrain | 1 × 12 |
| Groupset | SRAM |
| Brakes | SRAM DB8 Hydraulic Disc |
| Seatpost | Dropper |
Summary
The Santa Cruz Bronson is a highly capable enduro bike, praised for its excellent suspension performance, agile handling, and stability at high speeds. It excels in aggressive terrain, offering a playful and responsive ride, though it may require more effort on climbs compared to some competitors. The bike's mixed wheel sizes and updated geometry enhance its downhill prowess, making it a favorite for steep and rough trails.
Highly capable suspension with excellent traction and pop
Agile handling and excellent stability at high speeds
Playful and responsive in aggressive terrain
Updated geometry and mixed wheel sizes enhance downhill prowess
Well-thought-out frame details and practical storage solutions
Not the strongest climber
Short dropper post
Significant chain-slap on rough terrain
Heavier than many other bikes in the test
Front end felt somewhat high, requiring adjustment
The Santa Cruz Bronson is a fun machine with lively suspension and agile handling.
Enduro Mountainbike MagazineThe Bronson isn’t meant to appeal to the masses, or some generic 'average customer'.
NSMBThe Bronson is an aggressive trail bike with an appetite for steep and rough trails.
Outdoor Gear LabFeedback?
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Apr 2025 · Simon Kohler
In our 2025 big trail bike comparison test, the Santa Cruz Bronson CC X0 AXS RSV takes on the hottest bikes of the season. How did it fare against the competition?
Highly capable suspension with excellent traction and pop
Agile Handling
Excellent stability at high speeds
Well-thought-out frame details
Not the strongest climber
Short dropper post
Jan 2025
The 5th gen Bronson has enduro geometry, comes with Maven brakes and burly tires. Is this the downhiller's trail bike?
Excellent pedaling efficiency and traction
Responsive kinematics
Supportive suspension platform
Maneuverable in slow-speed technical terrain
Good balance between efficiency and traction
Versatile for various trail types
Geometry ungainly on steep, slow, technical climbs and switchbacks
SRAM Maven brakes may be overkill for trail bike
MaxxGrip tires and Maven brakes make it a bruiser
Bottom bracket rock guard brittle (fractured)
Fox FloatX rear shock noisy on rebound
Sag difficult to measure in shock tunnel
Nov 2024 · Mike Kazimer
I've spent time on that bike outside of the Field Test, and in that matchup the Hightower's larger rear wheel does give it better rollover abilities, and it's a little easier to maintain forward momentum.
Excellent descending performance
Very balanced geometry, even with the smaller rear wheel
Plush and controlled suspension feel
Not the snappiest climber
No wheel size adjustment, existing geometry adjustment is fairly minimal
Chainslap seemed extra loud at times
Aug 2024
Small tweaks and a new silhouette for the classic all-rounder.
Aug 2024 · Guy Kesteven
Santa Cruz’s mid-travel MX bike is now smoother, slacker, and more confident at speed and in the steeps, but has it lost its signature rider-reactive agility?
More stable geometry for steeper, sketchier terrain
Less anti-squat means better traction, particularly under power
Balanced handling splits the difference between mullet and twin 29er
‘No questions asked’ warranty on frame, bearings, and rims
Sorted spec includes a gravity-optimized front fork, tire, and brakes
Much heavier than Bronson 4
Soft pedaling ‘4 bar’ feel compared to previous Santa Cruz
Not as playful as most mullet/MX bikes
Very different baseline forks and shocks need careful setup to sort
Aug 2024 · Cory Benson
The new 5th gen Santa Cruz Bronson reshapes popular all-mountain bike with even better VPP and evolved MX geometry!
Aug 2024 · Drew Rohde
From manicured trails to blown out loamy berms, alpine lines to backyard trails, the Bronson V5 is as at home in the air as it is in the dirt
Aug 2024 · Tyler Ryan
Now in its fifth generation, the Bronson still retains its mixed-wheel design and 160mm/150mm of VPP-driven travel, but there have been some subtle tweaks and updates, including an XXL frame size, to broaden the bike's horizon and make it an even more versatile one-hit-wonder.
| Frame | Carbon C MX 150mm Travel VPP™ Tire Clearance: 2.5" Colors: Matte Poblano Green (Bronson 2026); Gloss Carbon (Bronson 2026) |
|---|---|
| Fork | RockShox Lyrik Base, 160mm Travel: 160mm Spring Type: Air |
| Shock | FOX Float Rhythm, 230x57.5 Travel: 150mm |
| Bottom Bracket | SRAM DUB 73mm MTB Wide BB |
| Headset | Cane Creek 10 IS Integrated Headset |
| Stem | OneUp Enduro Stem All Sizes: 42mm -or- e13 TRS Base Stem All Sizes: 40mm |
| Handlebar | Burgtec Alloy Bar S: 35x760mm, 20mm Rise, M/L/XL/XXL: 35x800mm, 30mm Rise -or- e13 TRS Base Bar S: 35x760mm, 20mm Rise, M/L/XL/XXL: 35x800mm, 35mm Rise |
| Saddle | SDG Bel-Air V3, Steel |
| Seatpost | SDG Tellis Dropper, 31.6 S: 125mm, M: 150, L: 170mm, XL/XXL: 200mm Type: Dropper |
| Rear Derailleur | SRAM 70 Eagle T-Type, 12spd |
|---|---|
| Crank | SRAM 70 Eagle DUB T-Type Crankset, 32t All Sizes: 170mm |
| Shifters | SRAM 90 Eagle T-Type, 12spd |
| Cassette | SRAM XS 1270 Eagle T-Type, 10-52t |
| Chain | SRAM 70 Eagle T-Type, Flattop, 12spd |
| Chain Guide | N/A |
| Brakes | SRAM DB8 Type: SRAM DB8 Hydraulic Disc |
| Rims | Front: Reserve 30|TR AL, Rear: Reserve 30|TR AL |
|---|---|
| Front Hub | Front: SRAM MTH 716, 15x110, 6-Bolt, 32h, Rear: SRAM MTH 746, 12x148, HG, 6-Bolt, 32h |
| Rear Hub | Front: SRAM MTH 716, 15x110, 6-Bolt, 32h, Rear: SRAM MTH 746, 12x148, HG, 6-Bolt, 32h |
| Tires | Front: Maxxis Assegai 29"x2.5", 3C MaxxGrip, EXO+, Rear: Maxxis Minion DHR II 27.5"x2.4", 3C MaxxTerra, EXO+ |
| Disc Rotors | Front: SRAM Centerline, 200mm, Rear: SRAM Centerline, 200mm |
First added April 16
Last updated June 7