Thanks for that input. I'm likely going to put a Vivid coil on it to start and likely update to a 170mm Zeb a bit after and then see what I think and go from there.
2024 Santa Cruz Heckler SL
- Thread starter mehukatti
- Start date
100% Agree. I have no desire for my Heckler SL to be any lighter. Compared to my Wild it feels like a standard bike, even though it's only 3kg lighter.
Since Dji released the M1 avinox motor (and their ultra thin / light battery), each time i see a beloved frame / geo EMTB, SL or fullfat, i think :
- Hey, gimme this bike with an avinox M1 and it's battery, on this specific bike ... SL or not.
And you know what ? Each time i consider the Heckler SL, i wonder : what the hell ... such an incredible frame / geo, so desirable to ride ... but ... but ... but ...
Dji really broke the boundaries, don't they ?
- Hey, gimme this bike with an avinox M1 and it's battery, on this specific bike ... SL or not.
And you know what ? Each time i consider the Heckler SL, i wonder : what the hell ... such an incredible frame / geo, so desirable to ride ... but ... but ... but ...
Dji really broke the boundaries, don't they ?
Andeh
Member
Not really. From the reviews of their own bike I've seen, it's incredibly power hungry (hence the big battery), it's not available on any other bikes yet (only rumored release is Forbidden), and the build weights with realistic components are coming in much heavier than their initial marketing fluff pieces (~48 lbs not 42).
I'd much rather have a reliable and proven Bosch, and just bought a Vala for that reason. I'll keep my Heckler SL built up a little lighter for shorter rides and riding in mixed normal/ebike groups, and build up the Vala with a range extender and burlier parts for bigger rides. If I could wave a magic wand and put a Bosch SX motor & 400 battery into the Heckler I would, but as it is the Fazua 60 isn't a bad motor by any means.
I'd much rather have a reliable and proven Bosch, and just bought a Vala for that reason. I'll keep my Heckler SL built up a little lighter for shorter rides and riding in mixed normal/ebike groups, and build up the Vala with a range extender and burlier parts for bigger rides. If I could wave a magic wand and put a Bosch SX motor & 400 battery into the Heckler I would, but as it is the Fazua 60 isn't a bad motor by any means.
No.
I picked up the Avanox in store and it actually feels a lot heavier than the Heckler SL
First ride done and while I have some things to tune still in terms of suspension and rebleeding the front brake, wow this things is light years more fun than my 160e. Feels far more nimble and responsive. 45.3lbs (mod edit: 20.5kg in RoW units) without pedals on my scale, which seems solid considering the coil and Fox 38. Really looking forward to the next ride.
Last edited by a moderator:
k17chy
New Member
First time emtb owner. Had my Santa Cruz heckler SL ax axs for a few weeks now. Loving it tbh.
k17chy
New Member
Some pics of my new bike.
hi all i’m considering a demo heckler SL axs model with reserve wheel. has a fox 38z at 170 also. anyway it’s a ripper deal at $9000AUD. I’m quite hesitant to pull the trigger with all the Fazau motor issues. Also with the Valla coming out it kind of feels like it’s nearly superseded given weight difference. anyway keen to hear some thoughts. everyone who rides a HSL froths but!
Andeh
Member
I have both an HSL and a Vala. Both are great, but pretty different in how they ride.
HSL: better for lighter riders (it's about 3.5 lbs lighter than an identically built Vala), riders wanting a ride feel closer to a normal bike, riding with others on normal bikes, poppier more playful feel. On motor side, its quieter and feels like it rewards rider effort/power rather than just high cadence. I feel (anecdotally) like most of the motor issues were early on. The one I still hear about and that I experienced was a rattle sound from the motor but it still worked fine. It was replaced under warranty and took a couple weeks. Current software has a glitch where if the motor goes to sleep due to inactivity (like you stop to talk for 5 min), when you power on it gives no power until you power off and power back on again. The new ring controller, range extender, and bigger battery continue to be "soon" with no hard ETA. You can pair the bike with a Garmin but not Wahoo to see battery % realtime. You can ride with full power ebikes if you run turbo and they run trail but won't have their range then.
Vala: Feels more of a charge bike downhill, rear wheel gets out of the way on bumps better. Higher stack, so gives a more neutral upright stance and will fit taller guys better. You can run a 65mm stroke shock in the back to make the bike 160/160. Motor doesn't rattle but does have a high pitched electric whine in turbo. Can't pair with Garmin/Wahoo devices to see battery %. Wireless remote is great. Dealer tells me that an LCD display replacement upgrade is coming within next couple months, as is a software update to give >100nm torque. Range extender is available but currently backordered. You can run with full power ebikes at the same pace, with range equivilant dependent on battery size. Caveat: you will have greater range than some of the really heavy full power ebikes with big batteries (cough... Norco...).
Strictly based on ride feel, if you ride a lot of flowier trails with small features to pop off, I'd go HSL. If your rides have a lot of rocks, I'd go Vala (stiffer fork and the rear end has less feedback in your feet).
HSL: better for lighter riders (it's about 3.5 lbs lighter than an identically built Vala), riders wanting a ride feel closer to a normal bike, riding with others on normal bikes, poppier more playful feel. On motor side, its quieter and feels like it rewards rider effort/power rather than just high cadence. I feel (anecdotally) like most of the motor issues were early on. The one I still hear about and that I experienced was a rattle sound from the motor but it still worked fine. It was replaced under warranty and took a couple weeks. Current software has a glitch where if the motor goes to sleep due to inactivity (like you stop to talk for 5 min), when you power on it gives no power until you power off and power back on again. The new ring controller, range extender, and bigger battery continue to be "soon" with no hard ETA. You can pair the bike with a Garmin but not Wahoo to see battery % realtime. You can ride with full power ebikes if you run turbo and they run trail but won't have their range then.
Vala: Feels more of a charge bike downhill, rear wheel gets out of the way on bumps better. Higher stack, so gives a more neutral upright stance and will fit taller guys better. You can run a 65mm stroke shock in the back to make the bike 160/160. Motor doesn't rattle but does have a high pitched electric whine in turbo. Can't pair with Garmin/Wahoo devices to see battery %. Wireless remote is great. Dealer tells me that an LCD display replacement upgrade is coming within next couple months, as is a software update to give >100nm torque. Range extender is available but currently backordered. You can run with full power ebikes at the same pace, with range equivilant dependent on battery size. Caveat: you will have greater range than some of the really heavy full power ebikes with big batteries (cough... Norco...).
Strictly based on ride feel, if you ride a lot of flowier trails with small features to pop off, I'd go HSL. If your rides have a lot of rocks, I'd go Vala (stiffer fork and the rear end has less feedback in your feet).
So wonder, if the latest Heckler SL Stout build, blurs the lines between the SL and the Vala at 20.3kg with Fox 38 and Float X2?
Could it be the Goldilocks bike, for riding downhill, especially for hard hitting or heavier riders, that also want to pedal a bit and feel as close to an analogue MTB as possible?
Although range is an issue, if you only ride in turbo, with a 430Wh battery, but then it is a whole other sport... not mtb.
Could it be the Goldilocks bike, for riding downhill, especially for hard hitting or heavier riders, that also want to pedal a bit and feel as close to an analogue MTB as possible?
Although range is an issue, if you only ride in turbo, with a 430Wh battery, but then it is a whole other sport... not mtb.
Last edited:
i
i had a fuel exe for 2 years and very rarely rode it in full turbo. eco and trail mode at best. i loved the bike was running a 160 / 156mm platform. Some of my mates now moving to vala and other full fats but we will ride with analogue for majority. i just want something reliable and flexible but not a pig. im all about maximising the downs but also keen to stay fitSo wonder, if the latest Heckler SL Stout build, blurs the lines between the SL and the Vala at 20.3kg with Fox 38 and Float X2?
Could it be the Goldilocks bike, for riding downhill, especially for hard hitting or heavier riders, that also want to pedal a bit and feel as close to an analogue MTB as possible?
Although range is an issue, if you only ride in turbo, with a 430Wh battery, but then it is a whole other sport... not mtb.
