2018 Santa Cruz Chameleon 27.5+ spy photos
This bike can take on many forms and is rumored to sell at $1600 base. Release date is March 15, 2017. Photo by Curt Larson
One of the most fitting names for a bike has always been the ‘Chameleon’ by Santa Cruz. A bike of many faces, this hardtail has recently surfaced in Santa Cruz dealers after undergoing a modern-day metamorphosis. What has emerged is a 29er, Plus, singlespeed, bikepacking, rally bike, just to name a few of the possibilities. That is the soul of this bike after all. Affordable, aluminum and versatile enough to be the shapeshifter of bikes.
The drivetrain is a SRAM NX 11 speed with 11-42 cassette. Photo by Curt Larson
These photos were taken at a bikeshop and Santa Cruz headquarters will neither confirm nor deny its existence at this point. We suspect the official release will come in a few days but here’s what we’ve learned so far:
- It can fit 29er, 27.5+ or 29+ tires
- Rumored base retail is $1600 in the US
- Comes with 1×11 NX drivetrain
- Easton 40mm wheels and Maxxis Rekon Plus tires
- Comes with Rocker dropouts for geared or singlespeed use
- There will be several Rocker dropout options available to correct geometry with different wheel diameters
- No dropper post included at the $1600 price, but it will be ready for internal dropper routing
- Front fork travel is 120mm
- Front derailleur mount is present
- Head tube angle is 67.3 degrees for a 29er and 67.6 degrees for 27.5 Plus tire bike
- Chainstay length is adjustable between 415mm and 430mm
- Reach is quite long!
- Release date is the Ides of March, aka 3/15/17
These dropouts slide to adjust the chainstays from 415mm to 430. This opens up a wealth of possibilities. Photo by Curt Larson
Well color us excited. We are a firm believers that hardtails are ideal for Plus tires. Modern day hardtails with geometries that mimic their All Mountain siblings are extremely capable beasts except for one obvious area, the zero mm of travel in the rear. But with the use of a Plus tire sized 2.8 or 3.0, pressures as low as 12 psi will deliver significant comfort to the rider.
A threaded BB is a very welcome sight indeed. And internal routing for an optional dropper post is key. Photos by Curt Larson
The key advantage over other options is price, weight and simplicity. It opens up other possibilities like a singlespeed build, a rigid fork lightweight build or a bikepacking/adventure mobile.
This may seem like the obvious evolution for the Chameleon but it does seem like Santa Cruz has nailed the execution phase once again.
With the sliding dropout all the way back, a 29×3.0 tire fit!!! Photos by Curt Larson
Bikepacking is one of the the shapeshifter forms of this Chameleon. Photo by Curt Larson
Visit our forums here for more speculation and discussion.
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