2026 Santa Cruz Bullit

mehukatti

Active member
Apr 25, 2020
136
177
Finland
so,it's the same as a vala but with 10mm more fork travel and 20 mm more rear shock travel?
And Fox Float X2, slightly different linkage setup, plusher suspension, slightly slacker HTA, etc. But visually very similar, yes.
 

shadowfacts

New Member
Jan 30, 2025
20
45
Santa Cruz
I love my santa cruz bullit. It plows downhill like DH bike. It's also pretty bombproof. I have hucked it off drops that you wouldn't normally see an ebike on, and it hasn't broken yet.

If the rumors are true, and they are moving to a bosch system with a non-removable battery, that is a huge miss.

I use two 600wh batteries pretty much every time I ride. If I can't swap out the 600wh pack for a fresh battery, I won't be looking at the new bullit when it's time to pick a new ebike. :/
 

HandsomeDanNZ

Well-known member
Subscriber
Jun 16, 2024
254
471
Auckland NZ
I love my santa cruz bullit. It plows downhill like DH bike. It's also pretty bombproof. I have hucked it off drops that you wouldn't normally see an ebike on, and it hasn't broken yet.

If the rumors are true, and they are moving to a bosch system with a non-removable battery, that is a huge miss.

I use two 600wh batteries pretty much every time I ride. If I can't swap out the 600wh pack for a fresh battery, I won't be looking at the new bullit when it's time to pick a new ebike. :/
Even if the new battery tech makes it more efficient and you can add a range extender for less total wh, but similar range?
 

Redlemon

Well-known member
Oct 30, 2021
318
535
Canada
I love my santa cruz bullit. It plows downhill like DH bike. It's also pretty bombproof. I have hucked it off drops that you wouldn't normally see an ebike on, and it hasn't broken yet.

If the rumors are true, and they are moving to a bosch system with a non-removable battery, that is a huge miss.

I use two 600wh batteries pretty much every time I ride. If I can't swap out the 600wh pack for a fresh battery, I won't be looking at the new bullit when it's time to pick a new ebike. :/

It's definitely a huge flop for a lot of buyers to limit your full power eMTB to 600wh.

I'm sure the bike will ride amazing, but 800wh should be an option like every other enduro eMTB out there.
 

ckkone

Active member
May 21, 2021
122
180
UTAH USA
It's definitely a huge flop for a lot of buyers to limit your full power eMTB to 600wh.

I'm sure the bike will ride amazing, but 800wh should be an option like every other enduro eMTB out there.

👆In agreement with this!!!

Nah 600 is perfect, I’m glad they didn’t cater to the small percentage of people that only exist on the internet who use more than 600 on the daily. For those that need more go buy an ugly bike.
 

shadowfacts

New Member
Jan 30, 2025
20
45
Santa Cruz
Even if the new battery tech makes it more efficient and you can add a range extender for less total wh, but similar range?
The range extender is 250wh, so that is 850wh total I could potentially use for a ride. For the rides I do on the weekends, this is not enough capacity. I also prefer not to have 850wh of battery on board, it's too heavy and you lose the ability to carry a water bottle.

I think Santa Cruz got it exactly right with the gen 1 bullit, with quickly swappable 630wh battery, so I'm disappointed to see them moving to a design that I have no interest in.

Crestline is doing it right. Multiple battery size options, and easily swappable batteries. Santa cruz is going backwards.
 

Suns_PSD

Active member
Jul 12, 2022
587
495
Austin
We all have different needs. I don't have big mountains, nor can I ever ride for more than 3 hours. It sounds like Santa Cruz was able to make a good calculation on what most of their customers needed.

I too like multiple battery size options, at least in the larger sizes. I'd order the 600 watt for sure and a RE for long days.

The weight difference is only 2#s between the battery packs; there is also a cost consideration but also where that 2#s is located. E-bikes can already start to feel very clumsy and adding 2#s up high and forward is notable. But also, I just don't need 800 watts for where I live and ride so why would I carry around, 2#s extra every day when I only need that extra range, maybe 1-2x per year.

I wonder if Crestline is going to dive into the DJI motor for their next batch as Troyden seems to be able to pivot quickly?
 

Suns_PSD

Active member
Jul 12, 2022
587
495
Austin
My Vala, 170mm Fork 163mm rear travel.

View attachment 154665

Cool to see this one.

The issue is that when you overstroke the shock (same overall length shock) than add a taller fork it alters all other dimensions including: shorter reach, taller stack, higher BB, slacker STA & HTA. Also, if you continue to run 30% sag on the longer stroke shock, you can be operating in a different spot in the leverage curve effecting AS, etc.
 

TheMirrorVision

New Member
Sep 29, 2024
43
43
USA
Aside from the dropper insertion. 😬 I love what Crestline is doing, except for that. I'll use that extra 30mm of drop way more than I'll use the interchangeable battery.
Agree with you here. The biggest day I've done so far was ~32.2 miles/51.8km with almost 6,800 ft/2,072m of climbing on a Trek Rail with 750Wh battery and I had ~13% battery left as a ~250lb rider. The Bosch 750Wh battery is actually only 723.6Wh (36V * 20.1 Ah) so the new 600Wh being ~17% lower capacity should cover 99% of my riding, and a PowerMore range extender should help with the other 1%.
Screenshot 2025-02-19 at 14.37.09.png
 

Blownoutrides

Active member
Mar 22, 2021
244
182
USA
Agree with you here. The biggest day I've done so far was ~32.2 miles/51.8km with almost 6,800 ft/2,072m of climbing on a Trek Rail with 750Wh battery and I had ~13% battery left as a ~250lb rider. The Bosch 750Wh battery is actually only 723.6Wh (36V * 20.1 Ah) so the new 600Wh being ~17% lower capacity should cover 99% of my riding, and a PowerMore range extender should help with the other 1%.
View attachment 154920
6’4 x 240lbs. My Bosch 4th gen 750 only gets about 5,000’ of steep vert before it’s drained which is just under 2hrs of riding. I sure AF don’t need less. If the new bullit is actually 600 Crestline has out-Santa Cruzed Santa Cruz two times in a row.
 

Blownoutrides

Active member
Mar 22, 2021
244
182
USA
Highly doubt this. They wouldn’t have a full powered ebike in their lineup. That would be a dumb move.

My bet would be that 600 is standard but they’ve sized the downtube for an optional 800 (like Crestline).

Troyden is a big bloke and makes bikes that can work for folks his size but also other folks as well. It is interesting to see a one man band out design an established brand in their first effort.
 

RoJo

Active member
Apr 24, 2019
278
236
Surrey
Would be crazy to have a long travel bike with a small battery. The reason for getting long travel is because you're going to be shuttling more Enduro/DH trails, so you want full power large battery.
 

LautSprecher

New Member
Jun 2, 2024
72
64
Germany
The black frame which is already viewable on the Santa Cruz Page does not like wider or taller than the Vala-Frame. I am sure they will stick to the 600wh Battery.
 

gbcoke

Active member
Aug 28, 2022
186
211
italy
The main reason for brands only offering 600w is wanting to have a lighter and slimmer looking bike as Bosch's 800w battery is very big/fat.

The Bullit share the same frame in general with the Valla and will be 600w only as well (100%).

Expecting SC to change a mold just because the bike has more travel is unfortunately unrealistic,especially with the state of the bike industry.
 

LautSprecher

New Member
Jun 2, 2024
72
64
Germany
The main reason for brands only offering 600w is wanting to have a lighter and slimmer looking bike as Bosch's 800w battery is very big/fat.

The Bullit share the same frame in general with the Valla and will be 600w only as well (100%).

Expecting SC to change a mold just because the bike has more travel is unfortunately unrealistic,especially with the state of the bike industry.
On point. Also from the view of supply chain it wouldn‘t make sense to have a different option.
 

TheMirrorVision

New Member
Sep 29, 2024
43
43
USA
The main reason for brands only offering 600w is wanting to have a lighter and slimmer looking bike as Bosch's 800w battery is very big/fat.

The Bullit share the same frame in general with the Valla and will be 600w only as well (100%).

Expecting SC to change a mold just because the bike has more travel is unfortunately unrealistic,especially with the state of the bike industry.
I wonder if anyone has measured the DJI Avinox 800Wh battery next to the Bosch 800Wh one, as DJI’s looks considerably slimmer but may be longer? Or it could just be smaller in every dimension as the Amflow bike doesn’t have a pregnant looking downtube with all that capacity.
 

Suns_PSD

Active member
Jul 12, 2022
587
495
Austin
Would be crazy to have a long travel bike with a small battery. The reason for getting long travel is because you're going to be shuttling more Enduro/DH trails, so you want full power large battery.

Some of us get gnar, but no mountains. Big drops, lots of chunk, short and steep. But the batteries can last quite well.

I prefer the 600 watt option because of my local terrain.
 

irie

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Subscriber
May 2, 2022
3,200
3,328
Chichester, W.Sussex, UK
Would be crazy to have a long travel bike with a small battery. The reason for getting long travel is because you're going to be shuttling more Enduro/DH trails, so you want full power large battery.
That might be your reason but not necessarily everyone's.
 

HandsomeDanNZ

Well-known member
Subscriber
Jun 16, 2024
254
471
Auckland NZ
I’m riding around on my 6 month old eBike with 630wh battery and I’ve only rinsed it once. And I couldn’t walk the next day.
 

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