When Santa Cruz first introduced the 5010 it was called the Solo, but it turned out there were a number of items already on the market with that trademarked name. After a little creative thinking, and the realization that some numbers look a lot like letters, the Solo became the 5010. The bike itself remains the same – a 27.5” wheeled trail bike with 125mm of travel intended for long adventures far from civilization. It’s available in both an aluminum and a full carbon version, with multiple build kit options for both.

Developed using what we learned from Bronson, the comparatively lower bottom bracket height, shorter chainstays and 125mm of VPP travel give 5010 its snappy, nimble, ride. Responsibly offered in Mountain Rescue Orange, a 68° head angle and 5lb frame weight adds climbing agility into the equation, defining 5010 as the tool for that back country mission you’ve always planned.

The 5010c’s front and rear triangle are constructed from carbon fiber and connected to each other with two short, forged aluminum links. Santa Cruz uses a process that compacts the layers of carbon fiber on a mandrel before the frame is put into the final mold to help prevent any of the layers from slipping or becoming misaligned, which is what can happen if an un-compacted frame is forced into a mold.

Cable routing on the 5010 is clean and uncluttered; the brake and derailleur cables are routed on the top of the down tube, along with the dropper post housing once it emerges from the seat tube. In a departure from the trend towards press fit bottom brackets, Santa Cruz has gone with a tried and true 73mm threaded bottom bracket shell.

The 5010 uses a VPP suspension layout, a dual short link suspension design that relies on two counter-rotating links intended to provide a firm pedalling platform with a supple midstroke, and a slight ramp up at the end of the travel. It’s a combination of a falling and rising rate suspension design, one where the positioning of the two links allows for Santa Cruz to tune a bike’s instant center, also known as the virtual pivot point (VPP). This point is what the rear axle is rotating around during its travel.

– 125mm VPP™ suspension
– 27.5″ wheels
– Sizes: S, M, L, XL
– 142mm rear axle spacing
– Forged upper and lower links
– Double sealed pivots with grease ports for low maintenance
– Collet axle pivots- lock in place without pinch bolts.
– Angular contact bearings maximize stiffness.
– Standard or Direct mount rear derailleur option
– ISCG-05 tabs for chainguide compatibility
– Stealth and external seatpost cable routing
– 73mm threaded bb: creak-free riding and easy installation
– Molded rubber frame protection

producer: santa cruz
frame material:: carbon fiber
period: 2013