The sixth-generation Santa Cruz Nomad, heavily focused on gravity, is designed to be more versatile than ever. The most obvious change to the new bike is that Santa Cruz has ditched its 27.5-inch front wheel and now uses a mullet wheel setup, dubbed the “MX”. It features a 29-inch wheel at the front and a 27.5-inch wheel at the rear.
Suspension travel remains the same with 170mm front and rear crushing the road. However, Santa Cruz has updated the kinematics with the goal of making the Nomad more flexible on square-edge hits, improving geometry stability and creating a more consistent feel through the stroke.
With the larger front wheel comes geometry changes. Taking what it learned from its Hightower and Bronson mountain bikes, Santa Cruz claims to have struck a balance between the high-speed stability of a long-travel bike and the agility Nomad riders expect.
Geometry is frame-size specific, with effective chainstays and seat tube angles changing on larger bikes.
Five sizes are available and there are 10 build options, with prices starting at £5,499 / $5,649 / €5,799 and going up to £9,699 / $11,199 / €11,799. There’s also a frame-only option for £3,699 / $4,249 / €3,899.
Santa Cruz Nomad 6.0, what’s new?
The new Nomad uses Santa Cruz CC and C carbon. Each offers the same strength and stiffness, but the more expensive CC carbon is lighter. Santa Cruz bicycles
The bike trades the same 170mm of front and rear suspension travel as the outgoing Nomad.
The new bike has received a 29-inch front wheel in an attempt to increase the versatility of the Nomad. It is available in five frame sizes, from small to extra large.
The Nomad is available in both Santa Cruz C and high-spec CC carbon spreader options. The latter is said to offer the same strength and stiffness as carbon C, but with less weight.
As is common with Santa Cruz carbon frames, each size has a specific carbon layout that influences frame stiffness. This means that larger bikes are stiffer than smaller frames, so each size should give a similar riding experience.
There’s a handy storage space on the Nomad’s down tube. Santa Cruz bicycles
The new Nomad uses the internal storage of Santa Cruz’s Glovebox frame. It comes with two internal pouches, a tube pouch and a tool pouch to keep everything organized.
Rack storage on the down tube allows you to store your travel essentials. Two internal pockets help keep everything organized.
The suspension system is Santa Cruz’s tried and tested VVP platform with its co-rotating links and lower link driven shock. However, Santa Cruz has made some upgrades designed to improve the Nomad’s performance.
First, it has lowered the anti-squat compared to the previous model. This can reduce pedaling efficiency, but also aims to minimize the harshness of square-edged bumps such as rocks, roots and braking bumps on the trail.
Santa Cruz has lowered the Nomad’s anti-squat in an attempt to improve its square-edge impact absorption. Santa Cruz bicycles
Anti-squat on the drop is still said to be over 100%. It’s great to see Santa Cruz release their data on how they measure anti-squat, including frame size, gearing and center of gravity. It would be nice if there was an industry standard for this.
The lower initial leverage rate is intended to help better support body weight movements and maintain geometry stability. Additionally, the overall rollout has been reduced, which “allowed the suspension to have consistently better tracking qualities throughout the stroke,” according to Santa Cruz.
With a lower leverage ratio and less rollover, Santa Cruz hopes the new Nomad will be more predictable and less susceptible to weight changes that upset the suspension’s balance. Santa Cruz bicycles
The rear triangle has 180mm stays and can accommodate 27.5×2.6-inch tires according to Santa Cruz. It also uses the brand’s version of the SRAM universal derailleur hanger.
The frame has a high and low position chip on the bottom link that allows you to adjust the geometry.
The chip in the lower link allows you to choose your preferred geometry setting between the Nomad’s high and low settings. Santa Cruz bicycles
Santa Cruz keeps things simple with a threaded bottom bracket and the frame includes ISCG05 tabs to attach a chain guide.
New nomadic geometry of Santa Cruz
The new Santa Cruz Nomad is available in five sizes, from small to extra large. Santa Cruz has increased the wheelbase lengths for each frame size with the goal of keeping the weight distribution between the wheels more similar for each frame size.
For the high chip configuration, reach values start at 430 mm for the small size and end at 520 mm for the extra large size. The corresponding chainstay extends from 439mm to 450mm between the small and extra large frames.
The head tube angle is 63.8 degrees for all frame sizes. However, the effective seat tube angle increases as frames get larger to help keep taller riders in a more centered seated pedaling position. These range from 77.2 degrees on the small frame to 77.7 degrees on the extra-extra large frame, with a peak of 77.9 degrees on the large frame.
Seat tube lengths should allow riders to choose between sizes and range from 380mm to 500mm. The bottom bracket is moderately low at 346mm, with 27/28mm drop from the front and rear axles.
Changing the chip to the low setting loosens the head tube by 0.3 degrees and the effective seat tube angles by 0.2 degrees. It drops 3mm from the bottom bracket height and shortens reach lengths by 3mm. Sheath lengths gain almost a millimeter.
Santa Cruz Nomad specs and pricing
The new Nomad comes in four “driving” models. The two highest spec bikes with SRAM GX AXS and X01 AXS have a choice of air or coil shock, plus different wheel options. So there are 10 building kits available. Coil shock bikes come with Maxxis DoubleDown tires, while air shock bikes use Maxxis EXO+ tires.
While 10 building kits sounds like a lot, they are easily simplified. Both base models, the Nomad R and Nomad S, use Santa Cruz’s carbon C frame, with no options to choose between a coilover and an air shock.
The next model is the Nomad GX AXS MX. This also uses the carbon C frame. There are four models for this drivetrain build kit. All builds use a RockShox Super Deluxe Select+ shock. There are air and coil options.
Both shock options are available with RaceFace ARC rims or Santa Cruz’s Reserve 30 Carbon, both built around 1/1 Industry 9 hubs. That gives you four bikes to choose from for this drivetrain.
The higher-spec Nomad X01 MX bikes use the brand’s CC carbon frame. All four models here follow the same pattern as the GX AXS. Air and coil damping options exist for RaceFace ARC wheels and Santa Cruz Reserve 30 carbon rims.
Coil shock bikes for the XO1 AXS use a Fox Float DHX2 Factory shock, while air shock bikes have a Fox Float X2 Factory shock.
There’s also a frame-only option so you can build a custom bike. It’s built from the highest spec CC carbon and costs £3,699.
Santa Cruz Nomad CR MX
Santa Cruz Nomad CR MX. Santa Cruz bicycles
- Frame: Santa Cruz C Carbon, 170mm (6.7in) travel
- Forks: RockShox Zeb R, 170 mm (6.7 inches) of travel
- Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe Select
- Drivetrain: SRAM NX Eagle (1×12)
- Wheels: RaceFace AR rims, SRAM MTH hubs, Maxis Assegai 3C MaxxGrip EXO+ 29×2.5in WT (f), Maxxis Minion DHR II 3C MaxxTerra EXO+ 27.5×2.4in WT (r)
- Brakes: SRAM Guide G2 RE, 200mm rotors
- Seat Post/Saddle: SDG Tellis Dropper/WTB Silverado Medium CroMo
- Bars/stem: e13 TRS base, 800mm/e13 base, 40mm
- Price: £5,499
Santa Cruz Nomad CS MX
Santa Cruz Nomad CS MX. Santa Cruz bicycles
- Frame: Santa Cruz C Carbon, 170mm (6.7in) travel
- Forks: Fox 38 Performance GRIP, 170mm (6.7in) travel.
- Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe Select+
- Drivetrain: SRAM GX Eagle (1×12)
- Wheels: RaceFace AR rims, DT Swiss 370 hubs, Maxis Assegai 3C MaxxGrip EXO+ 29×2.5in WT (f), Maxxis Minion DHR II 3C MaxxTerra EXO+ 27.5×2.4in WT (r)
- Brakes: SRAM Code R, 200mm rotors
- Seat Post/Saddle: RockShox Reverb Stealth/WTB Silverado Medium CroMo
- Bars/Stem: Burgtec RideWide Alloy, 800mm/Burgtec Enduro Mk3, 42mm
- Price: £6,599
Santa Cruz Nomad C GX AXS Air MX
Santa Cruz Nomad C GX AXS Air MX. Santa Cruz bicycles
- Frame: Santa Cruz C Carbon, 170mm (6.7in) travel
- Forks: Fox 38 Performance Elite GRIP2, 170mm (6.7in) travel.
- Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe Select+
- Drivetrain: SRAM GX AXS Eagle (1×12)
- Wheels: RaceFace ARC Offset 30 rims, i9 1/1 hubs, Maxis Assegai 3C MaxxGrip EXO+ 29 × 2.5 inch WT (f), Maxxis Minion DHR II 3C MaxxTerra EXO+ 27.5 × 2.4 inch WT (r)
- Brakes: SRAM Code RS, 200mm rotors
- Seat Post/Saddle: RockShox Reverb Stealth/WTB Silverado Medium CroMo
- Bars/Stem: Santa Cruz Carbon 35, 800mm/Burgtec Enduro Mk3, 42mm
- Price: £7,899
Santa Cruz Nomad C GX AXS Coil MX
Santa Cruz Nomad C GX AXS Coil MX. Santa Cruz bicycles
- Frame: Santa Cruz C Carbon, 170mm (6.7in) travel
- Forks: Fox 38 Performance Elite GRIP2, 170mm (6.7in) travel.
- Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe Select+ Coil
- Drivetrain: SRAM GX AXS Eagle (1×12)
- Wheels: RaceFace ARC Offset 30 rims, i9 1/1 hubs, Maxis Assegai 3C MaxxGrip DoubleDown 29×2.5in WT (f), Maxxis Minion DHR II 3C MaxxTerra DoubleDown 27.5×2.4in WT (r)
- Brakes: SRAM Code RS, 200mm rotors
- Seat Post/Saddle: RockShox Reverb Stealth/WTB Silverado Medium CroMo
- Bars/Stem: Santa Cruz Carbon 35, 800mm/Burgtec Enduro Mk3, 42mm
- Price: £7,899
Santa Cruz Nomad C GX AXS Air RSV MX
Santa Cruz Nomad C GX AXS Air RSV MX. Santa Cruz bicycles
- Frame: Santa Cruz C Carbon, 170mm (6.7in) travel
- Forks: Fox 38 Performance Elite GRIP2, 170mm (6.7in) travel.
- Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe Select+
- Drivetrain: SRAM GX AXS Eagle (1×12)
- Wheels: Reserve 30HD rims, i9 1/1 hubs, Maxis Assegai 3C MaxxGrip EXO+ 29×2.5 inch WT (f), Maxxis Minion DHR II 3C MaxxTerra EXO+ 27.5×2.4 inch WT (r)
- Brakes:…