Santa Cruz Heckler / Bullet what’s the score ...

[Motohawk75]

Hi everyone
So wanting to buy a new bike and can’t keep my mince pies off the new 21 SC bikes , I know there hideously expensive etc but having actually seeing a new 21 Heckler in the flesh (mx s mullet) I can’t get it out my head ! There so nice up close and feel super light.
I had been looking at a Whyte 160rs and while I know what good reviews the bike gets etc I’m just not a huge fan on the looks / weight / battery removal.
Has anyone out there had a chance to ride or own the new Bullet or Heckler ?
I’ll be riding mostly natural forest trails and some bike parks at some point.
I’m a good 6 foot and was thinking 160 ish travel would be a good happy place for doing it all, that said the mullet Heckler is reduced to 140.
I want the newer 21 models as they have the ep8 motor......
Any feedback on them from owners or ride reports and comparisons / alternatives would be mega ??

 

[R120]

Both great bikes, and they look a lot better in the flesh than in pics - I believe the heckler only has 504 battery though? If I was looking at a heckler I would probably try and find a discounted 2020 model with an e8000, e.g, though its still a hell of a lot of money for the spec on this one

Santa Cruz Heckler CC eMTB 2020

2020 Santa Cruz Heckler CC E-Bike 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…

brink.uk

The Whyte really is a great bike, but the non removable battery is a potential issue, plus it weighs a lot more than the Heckler.

 

[Mteam]

A friend of mine hired a 2020 heckler for a day out in the Lake District, it was the one with the e8000 motor and 27. 5 wheels, he loved it.

I had a quick go on it, it was pretty nice and felt quite light.

 

[The Hodge]

Don't get too hung up on the weight of the Whyte ..it really does ride a lot lighter than its actual weight ..
Of course it will become an issue if you encounter a lot of locked gates / stiles / deer fences etc ..but otherwise just forget it.
The weight actually becomes a positive on anything pointing down as the bike is so well planted .
Of course I would never try to talk anyone out of a Santa Cruz..despite the price. I had a Nomad for 10 years and loved it and despite buying a Whyte T130 rs to replace that bike I would have bought a 5010 if funds had allowed at the time .
Whatever you go for ..have fun !

 

[Dave_B]

Great Bikes, I have one. My only complaint is battery size. I do wish it had a bigger one. But, I could opt to buy a spare I suppose.
I really hoped that the new 630wh internal battery would fit, but it is way too big.
I keep considering whether or not to sell the Heckler for the Bullit (because of the bigger battery), but I think the Bullit is too much bike for what I ride 90% of the time (Surrey Hills) and I would lose too much on the sale of mine (which is built to my own spec from the frame up).

504wh compared to the new 630wh

 

[Eddy Current]

The heckler is better for a twisty flowy mellow trail, the Bullit is better for smash chunky trails ... hard choice, the bullit can be overkill and the heckler felt short depend the situation ... i guess the bullit is a better since choice you can always put a 27.5 front when you need it and a shorter stem to made it more nimble, while a 29er in the heckler is going to mess the geo more. The MX seems to be the best balance but the reach is fairly short and so the travel, maybe sizing up and and different components ...

 

[Motohawk75]

Don't get too hung up on the weight of the Whyte ..it really does ride a lot lighter than its actual weight ..
Of course it will become an issue if you encounter a lot of locked gates / stiles / deer fences etc ..but otherwise just forget it.
The weight actually becomes a positive on anything pointing down as the bike is so well planted .
Of course I would never try to talk anyone out of a Santa Cruz..despite the price. I had a Nomad for 10 years and loved it and despite buying a Whyte T130 rs to replace that bike I would have bought a 5010 if funds had allowed at the time .
Whatever you go for ..have fun !

Thanks !
yep I starting to think I maybe over thinking the weight thing .... that said I had a spin just down the road on the new heckler large and its defo light with the motor not even spinning I could hop it up the curb easily !
it defo feels small , not to small but it feels compact for sure !

 

[Motohawk75]

The heckler is better for a twisty flowy mellow trail, the Bullit is better for smash chunky trails ... hard choice, the bullit can be overkill and the heckler felt short depend the situation ... i guess the bullit is a better since choice you can always put a 27.5 front when you need it and a shorter stem to made it more nimble, while a 29er in the heckler is going to mess the geo more. The MX seems to be the best balance but the reach is fairly short and so the travel, maybe sizing up and and different components ...

Yep that’s a good shout , I’m slightly worried the 140 travel and being 6”2 then I may end up progressing and maybe wishing I had the bigger big, my pal who’s pretty handy and is sponsored keeps telling me there’s no downfall to having more travel on an Ebike even going down the shops lol
Also the smaller battery life is a concern as I’ll end up in boost / turbo a fair bit ...