2021 Santa Cruz Heckler EP8 |

CLIENT

PROJECT NAME

Nov

2020

2021 Santa Cruz Heckler EP8

11/12/2020 : sicklines

Today, Santa Cruz has announced two new Heckler electronic mountain bikes. Details below from Santa Cruz. Check out the new 2021 Heckler MX as well.

The Heckler is about expanding your own trail map – accessing previously unreachable trails, unlocking less-used trails and doing
so independently. The full carbon frame and interchangeable 504wh battery keeps the weight down (45.3lb) compared to bikes with larger batteries but it’s fast and easy to put in a fresh battery for even bigger, longer days.

The new Shimano EP8 motor is lighter than the previous unit (310g), has more power (85Nm versus 70Nm), smaller volume (-10%) for greater ground clearance, less drag (36%), more heat resistant, and tuned to give more power in Trail mode. All this means it’s even more capable of tackling longer, tougher rides.

Geometry

The 27.5-inch wheels keep the bike playful and maneuverable
in order to make the most of the trail. The slack headangle (65.5-degree) and 445mm chainstay length provide a snappy and fun feel while still providing traction for when the trail gets steep and technical, both up and down.

Like all Santa Cruz bikes, the Heckler pedals well regardless of watts involved. The 160mm-travel fork is paired with 150mm-travel at the rear to provide a wide range of capabilities. We tweaked the VPP kinematics to have slightly lower anti-squat than other bikes. This adds a touch more support and traction over rough stuff when pedalling seated – a major advantage of having the pedal-assist on your side.

And like every Santa Cruz bike, the Heckler is built for the rigors
of true mountain biking. Shimano electronics were chosen for
their refinement and reliability, while quality pivot hardware, easily replaceable radial bearings and no-nonsense internal cabling were considered with a mechanics sanity in mind!

The Heckler’s boundaries aren’t defined by distance, laps, or time. The boundaries in our head that say, “Don’t bother”, “Turn back”, “Impossible.” Smashing these boundaries is what got us hooked on riding in the first place. Heckler’s not about taking things easy, it’s about making things possible.