Superlight
Mountain Bike Action
January 2007
Elegance and a little magic reinstate a cross-country legend This month, we test the latest version of the Superlight, the cross-country suspension bike that put Santa Cruz into the mountain bike history books - a model that should have disappeared when Santa Cruz incorporated the more sophisticated VPP (Virtual Pivot Point) linkage system into their lineup. The overnight success of their first effort, the Blur cross�country trail bike, should have driven the last nail into the old-fashioned Superlight’s coffin, but it hasn’t.
Santa Cruz discovered that there was a sizable group of its customers who remained loyal to the simplicity and honest performance of the decade-old, single-pivot racer. In response, they retained the Superlight’s semi-active monoshock rear suspension and classic profile, and then modernized every other aspect of the chassis. If its performance lives up to its looks, the venerable Superlight is poised to thrive for another decade.
SUPERLIGHT WALK-AROUND
Gracefully curved tubes replace the twin vertical struts that triangulate the Superlight’s swingarm between the shock mount and the sealed ball-bearing pivot. Elevated chainstays, and the lack of bridgework behind the frame’s seat tube, leave plenty of room for the largest tires a trail rider would ever wish for, and nearly eliminate chain clatter. Say Goodbye to cantilevers, Superlight fans - the Santa Cruz only accepts disc brakes, but you’ll rejoice to discover that, beyond the half-inch extension in the top tube’s length, the ’07 version retains the original’s cross-country geometry.
Many of the frame’s features integrate one or more functions, which gives the Superlight a deceptively clean and simple appearance. I-beam style dropouts incorporate a truly robust replaceable rear derailleur hanger on the right and form a flex-free brake caliper mount on the left. The upper swingarm yoke reinforces the vertical struts and forms the shock mount. A window in the upper shock mount gives access to the top-tube-mounted cable and hose guides, which are tucked under the bottom side out of harm’s way. The Superlight’s chassis is made from welded aluminum pieces, but its elements flow together well enough to suggest that it is one molded shape.
The “double duty’ theme is cemented with a capable component pick- a Shimano XT drivetrain and lightweight DT Swiss XR 4.1D wheelset keep the cross-country-race theme going, while the riser handlebar and aggressive Kenda Nevegal tires suggest that Santa Cruz understands that many Superlights will fall into the hands of epic trail riders. With four inches of suspension travel on both ends, the bike strikes a bargain between the firm-pedaling needs of a racer and the rough-rolling requirements of a serious trail rider.
TRAIL-TESTING THE NEW SUPERLIGHT
Santa Cruz should be ecstatic to hear that the Superlight is competitive among the upper-echelon of the cross-country ranks, but we dare say that it eclipses the Blur in many ways, too.
For one thing, the Super has the natural, balanced feel in the cockpit that we raved about when we tested the Blur XC and LT, and it shares their "mistake proof" handling that encourages Superlight pilots to push harder through technical trail sections. But the Super seems to have inherited some magic that its VPP brethren did not.
Pedaling performance: Where the Superlight moves to the front is when the trail dishes up every possible combination of climbs, descent, corners and terrain. The Super’s single swingarm pivot, either by design or serendipity, insures firm, crisp-feeling acceleration at the pedals with or without engaging the suspension’s platform damping. The simple Santa Cruz suspension remains efficient under power with a wide variety of shock setups, too. Thanks to its Fox RP23 air shock and RockShox Reba fork, it is possible to run a super-supple rear end and return to rock-solid pedaling with a turn of a dial. The new chassis is noticeably more rigid than the original Superlight, possibly due to changes in the design of its swingarm and a 20-millimeter-diameter pivot shaft. Powerful climbers who may have flexed the original will be able to get medieval on the ’07 Super without a care. Not bad for a 26-pound cross-country machine.
Cornering: The additional stiffness translates to better cornering, and this can be realized best at higher velocities, where the Superlight can hold a tight line over a variety of surfaces. Aided by its grippy Kenda Nevegal tires, the chassis would drift both tires evenly when hard-pressed, so the bike could switch lines mid-corner when the need arose. Steering was remarkably predictable. At slow speed, we found that the front tire would track anywhere we put it. Switchbacks were a breeze - even the tricky ones with steps in the apex could be rounded simply by twisting the handlebar and uttering optional motorcycle sounds.
Monkey motion: Suspension reports on the Superlight all came in favorable. We loved the RockShox Reba Team fork. Although it only had four inches of travel, it proved to be ultra capable in the rough. Its adjustable "Motion Control" platform/lockout enabled us to balance the firmness of the Fox RP23 shock’s platform. The Superlight’s rear pedaling platform was boosted by the semi-active swingarm-pivot position, so setting its three-way-adjustable ProPedal lever to the middle spot was more than enough to keep the suspension firm under power, without sacrificing its sensitivity to the trail. The new Superlight rolls far more smoothly than its predecessor, and its extended capabilities release the rider’s attention from mapping the road ahead for potential danger to more important duties, like choosing the best lines or pedaling more effectively.
Tuning tips: For suspension tuners who need hard numbers, we set the fork’s air springs at 115psi positive and 100 negative and used five clicks of platform and four turns in on the rebound dial. The shock spring was set at 126psi, with the RP23 lever in the number two position, and three clicks in for rebound damping. For our average test rider’s weight of 160 pounds, these settings delivered more than enough cushion to blunt anything one would expect to encounter on a forest trail, with enough in reserve to handle the unexpected washout or stone step.
IS A SUPERLIGHT IN YOUR FUTURE?
Through out this test, we have compared the 2007 Superlight with two of its cross-country cousins at Santa Cruz: the original version, and the Blur VPP. There can be no doubt that the ’07 Super can hold its own with its cross-country cousins, and that its light weight and crisp acceleration will make it a great choice for competitors who need to play, train and race on one bike.
The true comparison, the one that truly fits the personality and capabilities of the new Superlight, however, is the Heckler. Anyone who has experienced the magic handling of the long-travel, do-anything Heckler has secretly wondered, what if Santa Cruz could retain the magic handling qualities of the Heckler and manage to drop its weight to the 26-pound range? It would make a spectacular cross-country trailbike. Well, here it is.