Santa Cruz Bullit

[matt2991]

I saw that the bullit is not on the Santa Cruz website. I heard they were redesigning it. When will it be done and what is it gonna have??

[Ascentrek]

Do you want mine?

[ATOMICFIREBALL]

Yeah, when IS the new redesigned BULLIT coming out ?

I can speculate the new BULLIT changes could be maybe:??
A replaceable dropout/s like on the V10.
Slacker HA by 1* when in the slack setting
1/2" more travel.

How about a "lighter version" of the original V10,but with adjustable HA so it's not too slack all the time? That would definately do it for me..

Come on Santa Cruz feed us something......
We need spy shots !

[Ascentrek]

Yeah, when IS the new redesigned BULLIT coming out ?

I can speculate the new BULLIT changes could be maybe:??
A replaceable dropout/s like on the V10.
Slacker HA by 1* when in the slack setting
1/2" more travel.

How about a "lighter version" of the original V10,but with adjustable HA so it's not too slack all the time? That would definately do it for me..

Come on Santa Cruz feed us something......
We need spy shots !

WHy would you want a bullit when you can get a vp free?

[AirAddict]

Yeah, when IS the new redesigned BULLIT coming out ?

I can speculate the new BULLIT changes could be maybe:??
A replaceable dropout/s like on the V10.
Slacker HA by 1* when in the slack setting
1/2" more travel.

How about a "lighter version" of the original V10,but with adjustable HA so it's not too slack all the time? That would definately do it for me..

Come on Santa Cruz feed us something......
We need spy shots !

yeah, i think that replaceable dropouts might be coming... and a slacker HA. But the extra travel would push it too far towards the vp-free, and the bullit would be like a cheap version of the vp-free. 7" is just right for the bullit. But i really think that it needs to see a lower BB height so that it can handle the tall 7 and 8" forks. it might even see 1.5" steerer tube... maybe?

I think that it's going to be re-vamped to be lower and slacker 7" DH/Trail bike. there's a new wave of DH racers that are shorter travel but are lower and slacker (take commencial for example). Or with a 6-7" singlecrown can be used as a freeride (trails, ladders, slopestyle, etc.) like the 7 point series, or the sx trail.


WHy would you want a bullit when you can get a vp free?

the bullit is shorter, lighter, more flickable... it's a much better freeride bike. the vp-free is more of a downhill beast with 8.5" of travel that pedals well so that you can climb gravel roads. not every one really wants or needs 8.5" of travel. The vp-free is also more expensive and some upcoming grom superstars can't afford the vp-free.

had owned both at the same time for a few months and i could ride them back to back. there are some things that i liked better about the bullit. but the vp-free had the ticket for me because i race downhill and i liked how it was longer and slacker for stability.

they're different bikes. each one is better for some people depending on how they ride.

[mikeG]

I heard the top tube will be hydro formed like the Nomad & V10 to shave weight.

I disagree with the reply above. I built my VP Free fairly light around ar 33lbs & it is more flickable and lively on the trail than my old bullit. I like both bikes but the VP Free corners much better and I feel is a better overall bike on the trail.

I do agree that they both do things well and depending on your budget you can do well with either bike.

[SDH]

My vote for the new bullit...............to keep it extremely versatile!

just a few tweeks..............
1)keep same frame, do not mess with success. It is tough, and proven.

2) A good replaceable derail hanger........ala intense, V10 etc

3) Modify shock shuttle to include 1 more setting; slack setting making the HA 66.5 or 67 degrees. This will lower the BB also.

4) Lower BB a tad. The modified shock shuttle should be able to do this. Have 3 settings...... 15" in steep XC setting(69deg HA), 14.5 in FR setting(68 deg HA), and 14 in DH setting(66.5/67HA)

5) Keep it at 7", perfect travel for whatever, if you want less/more get a shorter/longer stroke shock.

6)Lenghten the CS to 17.2", long enough for stability short enough for easy slow dropping.

7) Add a maxle to the rear drop out

8) Floater option

9) better paint and/or Ano

10) Maybe a swing link but if not no biggy the maxle should stiffen it up enough

[AirAddict]

I heard the top tube will be hydro formed like the Nomad & V10 to shave weight.

I disagree with the reply above. I built my VP Free fairly light around ar 33lbs & it is more flickable and lively on the trail than my old bullit. I like both bikes but the VP Free corners much better and I feel is a better overall bike on the trail.

I do agree that they both do things well and depending on your budget you can do well with either bike.


if that build is lighter than the build for your older bullit, then i can understand how you can thing that. But i had both bikes at the same time. Bullit was around 41 lbs and the vp-free is around 42 lbs. and they were both mediums. The bullit felt MUCH more flickable over anything. And it wasn't the extra pound. I was just how much longer the bike was. Look at the numbers man... vp-free has a longer: toptube, chainstays, and wheelbase.

I'n not saying that the vp-free isn't flickable. i'm just saying that the bullit was more flickable.

[Woolleyfooley]

heres the new bullit

[chicodude]

ohhh really now?

[OGRipper]

:rolleyes: That picture is fake, it's a photoshop job. Looks like the bastard child of a heckler, free, and a jackal.

[LOOnatic]

:rolleyes: That picture is fake, it's a photoshop job. Looks like the bastard child of a heckler and a jackal.


Bingo!

kudos for trying

[Woolleyfooley]

i found the pic on mtbr.com so i figured id post it here. didnt know it was a fake :redhot: :mumble:

[skatetokil]

i'm staring at that pic pretty hard and i don't see anything to give it away. why do you say it's a fake?

[OGRipper]

i'm staring at that pic pretty hard and i don't see anything to give it away. why do you say it's a fake?

Because...it is. :clue:

[sanjuro]

Because...it is. :clue:
fake or not, it is sure ugly.

[AirAddict]

haha... before i read down a few posts, i was looking at the picture really hard and thinking "whoa, i'm disappointed. I should have kept my old bullit around just for the heck of it...."

[freeridermtb4]

its fake, you can tell how uneven it is

[nycurse2003]

dude, i own a bullit and that is nothing like it. its a rear triangle of a heckler and a front end of a jackel. its not hard to see. photoshop is that good that it looks real. they discontinued the bullit model because it got old. they already have a single pivot design today. 5 years it ran and now its discontinued. most likely it will not be recontinued.

[snaps-alot]

I disagree with the reply above. I built my VP Free fairly light around ar 33lbs & it is more flickable and lively on the trail than my old bullit. I like both bikes but the VP Free corners much better and I feel is a better overall bike on the trail.



I inititially thought the same thing and that's why I bought my vp free after the bullit, but I found out that if you build the free up as a light bike it's not really doing what it's intended for IMO. You might as well have a Heckler or Nomad if your going to build it like that. Unless you have a shorter travel front fork the vp is really hard to pedal up anything except for fireroad. I've been riding the free and the bullit and I also believe the bullit to be more flickable, and more of an all round bike. sure it's got brake jack and a much simpler suspension, but it's a bike that can be ridden on almost any trail that I ride with an xc bike and has the option of taking big drops. The vp free needs a good run of speed to feel like your doing anything - probably due to it's longer wheelbase.

[mikeG]

I think it really comes down to personal preference. I am 6'3 225lbs so I like the added suspension & longer top tube on the VP Free as opposed to a bullit or Nomad. I built mine as trail bike that I can still do some ligher duty DH. Santa Cruz does a great job with all their bikes so there is something for everyone based on their riding style.

[matt2991]

when does the bullit come out?????

[keen]

While the subject of Bullit vs. VP Free echo's I give my two cents. The VP Free out performs the Bullit for all out DH plowing. I didn't care for the VP Free for any sort of trail riding or light FR . The weights are similar but the Free's tall BB and 8.5" travel really deadens a trail ride. The Bullit is ultra versitile and makes a great playbike. The Free is built on the serious side and although it will pedal up a hill is is just sluggish even on flats due to the travel.

[scrublover]

......they discontinued the bullit model because it got old. they already have a single pivot design today. 5 years it ran and now its discontinued. most likely it will not be recontinued.


Better tell all that to SC Bikes, then. They have said that the Bullit will be back with a redesign in 07.

[AirAddict]

dude, i own a bullit and that is nothing like it. its a rear triangle of a heckler and a front end of a jackel. its not hard to see. photoshop is that good that it looks real. they discontinued the bullit model because it got old. they already have a single pivot design today. 5 years it ran and now its discontinued. most likely it will not be recontinued.


I think that you've missed the whole point of this thread. Unless you are a Santa Cruz representative (which i'm guessing you're not because you might have better grammar), then you don't have official news about the bullit not coming back out. Santa Cruz has already said that they're just re-designing it... and that it wil be back out.

[matt2991]

How would the bullit be for XC?

[sanjuro]

as good as a superlight would be for freeride...

[Pat...]

With light parts, the bullit can be great for XC, but still do drops and stuff. Even with a DC fork, and heavier parts, it climbs good, minus the weight. Bullits are so versatile because of their geometry and light weight while still being burly.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/mtnbrider/My%20Bike/Bullit/as%20bought/es_IMG_0310---06.jpg
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/mtnbrider/My%20Bike/Bullit/as%20bought/es_IMG_0318---06.jpg

Mine medium Bullit weighs 39 lbs. I can climb some pretty steep stuff on it. I got one because I needed a full suspension bike that can be competative, is versatile, and is light/flickable. The bullit is all that. It may not have 'true' race geometry, but I like it for racing, especially the courses around here. It's a good bike for me because i'm 5'4 and 135lbs.

[snaps-alot]

How would the bullit be for XC?

it depends on how you build it. with medium weight wheels like the sunn singletrack it is pretty servicable on most stuff. question is, your not going to excel at climbing with it. for an all round one bike for everything i think it's really versatile, especially if you're hard on your equipment and don't like tearing apart your suspension all the time to fix bearings like on the free. I've got a sherman slider triple clamp and it climbs just fine, the rear end really locks out like a hardtail with the 5th element. then, if i'm going on a shuttle run or to a bike park I'll put some heavier wheels/tires and it's ready to go big:o:

[matt2991]

what about the stock bike is that still good at XC?

[quickneonrt]

thought that the nomad was the bullit replacement

[Pat...]

what about the stock bike is that still good at XC?
You can get them with different build kits with different component levels: DH, FR, XC, etc.

The Nomad isn't quite a replacement. It's a more XC version due to it's geometry. It wasn't built to survive huge hucks and full on downhill like the bullit was.

[SDH]

King headset (expensive but light strong and can hadle a dual crown)
Thomson stem and post
Juicy 7 (w/6" rear rotor and 1 8" rotor)
XT cranks
Evil DRS
Scram 7 drive train
easton low rise bars (keeps front low for climbing)
2forks: (both with king races)
1 Marz all mountain with 6" adaptors
7" 888 with 8" adaptors
2 wheelsets
XT on 519 for trail with 6" rotors
Single tracks with XT 10MM BMX thru axle conversion on the rear, 6"rotor and 10MM thru axle on the front and 8" rotor
Top the package off with a DHX air shock

reasonably light 30-32lb all mountain versitility
then slap on the 888 and the stronger wheelset with 8" rotor upfront and you can go get your race or DH on! and it is light and the DHX can take the DH punishment

and the setup is still cheaper than two bikes...........

[SDH]

King headset (expensive but light strong and can hadle a dual crown)
Thomson stem and post
Juicy 7 (w/6" rear rotor and 1 8" rotor)
XT cranks
Evil DRS
Scram 7 drive train
easton low rise bars (keeps front low for climbing)
2forks: (both with king races)
1 Marz all mountain with 6" adaptors
7" 888 with 8" adaptors
2 wheelsets
XT on 519 for trail with 6" rotors
Single tracks with XT 10MM BMX thru axle conversion on the rear, 6"rotor and 10MM thru axle on the front and 8" rotor
Top the package off with a DHX air shock

reasonably light 30-32lb all mountain versitility
then slap on the 888 and the stronger wheelset with 8" rotor upfront and you can go get your race or DH on! and it is light and the DHX can take the DH punishment

and the setup is still cheaper than two bikes...........

[Pat...]

^ What are you talking about?

What I meant was the Nomad wasn't built for the stuff that was being done on bullits in the Superheroes.

[mtArider]

^ What are you talking about?

What I meant was the Nomad wasn't built for the stuff that was being done on bullits in the Superheroes.


i think he was just a listing a bullit that could be used for both xc and dh with 2 interchangable parts, seems ok to mee. other than thehastle of changeing out the fork and wheelset everytime u want to go form dh to xc.

i have a lighish bullit 35-40 lbs with all dh parts that i can use for xc too, just raise the seat up. it has boxxer (light dh fork) deemax (light dh rims) 5th (everything shock) and all the usual, xt blah blah blah.

i like it exept its really beat but with like 200 bucks in parts it would be MINT. perfect all arund everything bike. you can race it too, the preious owner got likr 5th at nationals in dh (expert) and is now 4th best in the us for semi-pro 4x.

so, long live the bullit. and i thought it was coming back summer 06. not 07. boo.:nopity:

o well, i got one.:love:

[Ascentrek]

You can get them with different build kits with different component levels: DH, FR, XC, etc.

The Nomad isn't quite a replacement. It's a more XC version due to it's geometry. It wasn't built to survive huge hucks and full on downhill like the bullit was.

The Nomad isn't a Bullit, but does DH better and in my opinion, huck better than the Bullit. See my review on "Nomad vs. Bullit" in the freeride forum.

[matt2991]

so is Santa Cruz offically done making Bullits?? If not when are they expected to come out and how much will the complete stock bike cost????

[matt2991]

????????????

[fiddy_ryder]

sometime early 07 the new bullit should be out. maybe sooner. you may still find the current bullit in stock at some places but probably not. as for pricing, thats hard to say.. probaly just a bit cheaper than a nomad or right around there.

[matt2991]

anyone know of an online site i can get a complete and new 05 bullit for a resonably good price??

thanks

[smutty]

I live in New England and use a bullit for all my xc and xstuntry riding. It is very technical here with lots of rocks, roots and logs, just love that high bottom bracket. Now mind you I don't huck anything over 4-5 feet. Quite a few of us actually ride them hear, we call them bul-lites. Got em set up with Fox 36, Fox dhx air, mavic 321 rims, 2.3-2.5 freeride tires, 8" front 6" rear Hayes brakes, xt and xtr cranks, shifters ect, comes in around 32-33lbs. Oh and mine is actually an older one 2000, so I'm definately hoping they come back out, and keep that high BB.

[matt2991]

Anyone?

[Duzitall]

Good luck finding a new '05 Bullit.

[Pat...]

I think www.cambriabike.com has some left.

[matt2991]

ya it looks like they just have the frame

[gmac]

Ditto. New England rider too. The EC build described ^ is solid. I'd ideally run a Ti spring coil shock vs an air (don't trust them)

Awesome bikes w/ zero maintenece issues. Good looking too. An all day everyday play bike. Perfect for most riders.

Pedals well enough and kills @ DHing.

Light, tough & cheap ! Though you couldn't have all three ? You could put yourself out of a job making a bike like that.

Maybe that is why they stopped making it temporarily. So, they could sell something else ?

I just got a new bike w/ lower BB. We'll see. Tough to livew up to this bike around here anyway. (see signature)

I still miss my HECKLER actually. I think it was sub 30# 28 or so. Sweet rig.

[dhkid]

replacement for a bullit? no such thing. there is the bullit then everything else.:p

anyways, when i first got my bullit in 01. set up with an air shox, fork and xc ish parts. end result--29lbs!! i am sure you can get a very nice all mountain set up around that weight. with todays really light parts.

[gmac]

DHKid

That is Damn light for a Bullit. Did you guess or actually measure it ?

I have mine at low 30s (a Guess). It was a biatch to get it there.

What did you use for wheel build @ 29lbs ? How did they hold up ?

Did the air work w/ good reliability and good performance ?

[Shortbus]

My bullit is easily in the mid to high 40 lbs and it still rides XC like a faking charm. I love that bike!

[dhkid]

DHKid

That is Damn light for a Bullit. Did you guess or actually measure it ?

I have mine at low 30s (a Guess). It was a biatch to get it there.

What did you use for wheel build @ 29lbs ? How did they hold up ?

Did the air work w/ good reliability and good performance ?
measured, it was xc tubes, xc tires and rims. normall db spokes and hope xc hubs.
it was my first "dh" bike so i beat the **** out of it. i have done 7ft drops to flat on it, the air shoxs held up just fine!
the rest of the build was xt range and alu bars, cheap stem, easton pedals, hope mini brakes.

i am sure with a dhx air, fox float or 36 float, maybe a cross max xl wheelset(or d5.1, revolution spokes, alu nipples, tune or king hubs), the newer hope minis, full xtr, easton and thomson stuff, slr saddle, v12s pedals, single ply tires tubeless. i am sure it very do-able.
like i said, my components at that time weren't the lightest around anyways.

[gmac]

measured, it was xc tubes, xc tires and rims. normall db spokes and hope xc hubs.
it was my first "dh" bike so i beat the **** out of it. i have done 7ft drops to flat on it, the air shoxs held up just fine!
the rest of the build was xt range and alu bars, cheap stem, easton pedals, hope mini brakes.

i am sure with a dhx air, fox float or 36 float, maybe a cross max xl wheelset(or d5.1, revolution spokes, alu nipples, tune or king hubs), the newer hope minis, full xtr, easton and thomson stuff, slr saddle, v12s pedals, single ply tires tubeless. i am sure it very do-able.
like i said, my components at that time weren't the lightest around anyways.


Gotta measure mine then I guess. Maybe it is lighter than what I thought. (maybe I'll ride faster now)

[dhkid]

its all in your head, my current dh bike is 41 lbs, i dont give a sh!t.. as long as its not 45 lbs its alright. changing to tubeless and reducing the rolling resistance would be a more significant change.

[Duzitall]

46.4 lbs :biggrin: Most fun bike ever.