In 1996 the Heckler was created as a rude interruption to mountain bike designs of the time. Its solid, full suspension build and aggressive swagger proved that a well-proportioned trail bike could elevate rider’s on-trail experiences. Today’s Heckler carries all that attitude forward into a new era. New for 2021 the Shimano Motor is upgraded to the new lighter and more powerful EP8 version.
A full carbon frame, VPP suspension and pedal-assist technology have merged to create something light and agile that amplifies the fun.
Like all Santa Cruz bikes, the Heckler pedals well regardless of watts involved. The lower link VPP approach is tweaked to deliver slightly lower anti-squat versus a Bronson. This adds a touch more support and traction over rough stuff when pedalling seated - a major advantage of having a Shimano motor 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!
Creating an electric mountain bike demanded careful consideration. For us, the Heckler’s potential to loft riders up to new heights is what gets us most excited. Trailblazers like Greg Minaar and Danny MacAskill weren’t asking for a dumbed-down ride up. Or down. They wanted something to push their riding to new levels. And held manoeuvrability sacrosanct as the new tech was introduced.
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.
Frame: | CC Frameset |
Fork: | FOX 36-E Float Performance, 160mm, 27.5" |
Rear Shock: | RockShox Super Deluxe Select+ |
Headset: | Cane Creek 40 IS Headset |
Rear Hub: | DT Swiss 370, 12x148, XD, 32h |
Front Hub: | DT 370 15x110 32H |
Spokes: | DT SWISS COMPETITION |
Rims: | Race Face ARC HD 30 27.5" Rims |
Tyres: | Maxxis Minion DHR II, 27.5x2.6 EXO+ TR |
Shift Levers: | SRAM GX Eagle Single Click, 12spd |
Front Derailleur: | N/A |
Rear Derailleur: | SRAM GX Eagle 12spd |
Cassette: | SRAM XG1275 Eagle 10-50T |
Chain: | SRAM GX Eagle 12 SPD |
Crankset: | Shimano M8000 Crank Arms 165mm |
Seat post: | RockShox Reverb Stealth, 1X Lever, MatchMaker, 31.6 |
Saddle: | WTB Silverado Pro |
Handlebar: | Santa Cruz Di2 Carbon, 25mm rise |
Stem: | Race Face Aeffect R |
Grips: | Santa Cruz Palmdale lock-on |
Brakes: | SRAM Code R |
Brake Levers: | SRAM Code R |
Pedals: | NOT INCLUDED |