Santa Cruz Bikes

We try to avoid category over-analysis and coming up with nifty acronyms. Instead, we build bikes for the needs of the riders we know. And we know a whole lot of people who go on long hard rides to find very burly terrain. That’s the reason for the Nomad.

The 160mm of travel, stout aluminum frame with 1.5" headtube, ISCG05 chainguide mount and 67 degree head angle could lead one to think the Nomad’s a scaled down downhill bike. Meanwhile, the refined and flattened VPP® suspension curve makes the Nomad pedaling performance light and responsive. Simply put, the Nomad defies easy categorization. On the one hand it’s a downhill sparring partner, and on the other hand an everyday, everywhere, every trail kind of bike.

Frame Features

• Tough aluminum frame
• 1.5" headtube
• VPP® suspension
• 160mm travel
• Dropper post friendly cable routing
• ISCG05 mount

Tech Data

• Shock Setup (pdf)
• Nomad Seasonal Mainenance
• Nomad Bearing Overhaul

Reviews

• Bike Radar (UK) - June 2009

Geometry

Nomad Geometry
Based on 545mm axle-to-crown, 11mm HS stack

Frame Size	Top Tube Length*	Seat Tube Length	Head Tube Angle	Seat Tube Angle	BB Height	Wheelbase	Head Tube Length	Chainstay Length	Standover Height	Reach	Stack
Small	21.8"	15.7"	67.0°	71.5°	14.0"	43.1"	4.3"	17.4"	29.5"	14.1"	22.9"
Medium	22.8"	17.0"	67.0°	71.5°	14.0"	44.1"	4.3"	17.4"	29.1"	15.1"	22.9"
Large	23.8"	18.5"	67.0°	71.5°	14.0"	45.2"	4.7"	17.4"	29.1"	16.0"	23.3"
X-Large	24.8"	19.9"	67.0°	71.5°	14.0"	46.2"	5.3"	17.4"	29.2"	16.8"	23.8"

* Effective top tube
** Seat Tube length measured from center of BB to top of seat tube

Size Guide

What chainguides will fit on my Nomad?

The Nomad uses the ISCG05 interface, so most guides that are sold with these mounts should fit. We've had good success with the following guides:
MRP Lopes
MRP Mini G Sl
E13 LG1 TR

There are some interference issus with the E13 SRS+ and LG1+, so we don't recommend those on this frame
For Dual Ring guides, we've had good success with the following:
MRP LRP
MRP 2x
E13 TRS+ dual

What size headset does the Nomad use?

The Nomad has a 1.5" headtube. We recommend a proper 1.5" steerer fork or one of the newer tapered forks for a stiffer front end. There are also plenty of reducing headsets on the market which allow use of the larger bearings of the 1.5" system along with your 1 1/8 fork. If you want to continue using your current 1 1/8" headset, give us a call and we can sell you some headtube reducers.

What fork is recommended for the Nomad?

In general, the Nomad was designed for a 160mm fork. This will be best for all around use. There are a couple of 170mm options that will work great as well, depending on your terrain. The longest we allow is 180mm of travel- any longer will void your warranty. You probably shouldn't go any shorter than 150mm for geometry reasons, but that is up to you.

What kind of front derailleur do I need?

The Nomad requires a 34.9mm top swing (low clamp) top pull front derailleur. Unfortunately due to some cable routing differences, SRAM front derailleurs will not work. Use any of the shimano models except Saint, and you will be fine.

Why doesn't the Nomad have a through-axle rear end?

Basically, it doesn't need it. Our VPP bikes are renowned for their stiffness- ask anyone who's ridden one. This is partially due to our design priorities, and also due to the natural stiffness of the rigid triangular swingarms. When starting with such a stiff structure, adding a through-axle really doesn't gain much. But it gets a bit heavier- and cuts down quite a bit on hub/wheel options.

Certainly some other bikes (with pivots near the dropout) may benefit quite a bit from a rear through-axle, but for us it needlessly adds compatibility complications and weight.

It looks like the lower link is off center in my frame- is everything ok?

Yes- this is correct. With our newer pivot system, the pivot axle draws the link over to one side in order to properly preload the bearings. This offset is accounted for in the frame design so everything ends up nice and straight in the end.

What size seatpost do I need?

The Nomad uses a 30.9mm seatpost. Make sure you always have it inserted a minimum of 4" (100mm). We are big fans of the adjustable seatposts on the market from Gravity Dropper and Crank Brothers, and have included guides on the frame to cleanly run the cables.

What size seat collar does the Nomad use?

34.9mm (supplied with frame)

What size rear hub does the Nomad require?

The Nomad uses a normal 135 x 10mm quick release hub.

What size shock does the Nomad use?

8.5" x 2.5" (216x 63mm)
The mounting hardware is 22mm (21.8mm for rockshox products) wide with an 8mm through hole.

What size bottom bracket do I need?

The Nomad uses a 73mm bb shell, so make sure you always get something compatible with that. Pretty much any external bearing crankset will work- Truvativ, shimano, etc. Chainline should be 50-51mm.

Can I use a taco style bashguard on my Nomad?

Yes. However there are a couple things you need to know. If you sustain a heavy enough impact on your guard, it may damage or break the ISCG mount on your frame. If this happens, we will not give you a new frame under warranty. The frame still works, and you can still use a variety of chain guides and bash guards, but you might have to live with crumpled ISCG mounts. This will not effect the integrity of your frame, and we won't hold it against you if you send your frame in for some other reason at some other point in time.

What is the biggest tire that will fit in the Nomad?

We hate to answer this question, as tires vary so much (even tires of the same exact model can vary significantly). In general, a 2.5" or maybe even bigger should fit- but it depends...