This Bronson has pink bits

Dales Cannon

Dales Cannon

lightbrain about 4pm
Staff member
Yes another Bronson.

Short version of long story. Some time back Jonny Sprockets posted a price drop on a L aluminium Solo. Around this time a colleague borrowed my Yeti and after a couple of weekends offered to buy it. Nephew has a new 5010 CC with everything and anything carbon which I tested once or twice or lots. So I wasted a heap of Jonny's time working out a spec and price still looking at an aluminium frame and when I had pretty much sorted all that the sale of the Yeti fell through, so I grabbed the Yeti back. Then when I went fat biking a couple of weeks ago the Yeti this time went to a mate to see how the frame fitted him compared to his Trek. When I got back from the beach the Yeti was again subject to negotiation. And SOLD!

The test ride of the 5010 demonstrated how steep the head angle is and I started looking at the Bronson. The pics online showing the green/green didn't do much for me and the Black/Magenta? Forget it. Anyway I had a look on bike exchange and then wandered over to ftr to have a look at what was available since they had the aluminium and C 5010 and Bronson at the same price levels for the same build. About this time Moorey was sniffing around a carbon frame and applying the same logic that it was time to have a look at this new fangled material I decided I would go from an XT aluminium build to a C R spec build and upgrade along the way since I didn't have the cash to lash out straight up. There was an option to go up in fork travel on the 5010 to slacken the head angle but I wasn't sure if that would compromise the handling and ever since the Bronson was released I wanted one.

ftr had a pretty amazing deal going on a C Bronson and as a courtesy I spoke again with Jonny and well it went a bit haywire from there and the budget shot to pieces but I ended up with a black/magenta Bronson C with 1x10 XT running gear and a few bits and pieces.



Frame - Santa Cruz Bronson C
Rear shock - Fox Float CTD
Front fork - 160mm Rockshox Pike RCT3
Stem - Raceface
Handlebars -ENVE 740 Trail bars
Headset - Cane Ck taper
Grips - Raceface lock-on
Saddle - WTB
Seatpost - KS LEV
Front brake - Shimano XT with 180 rotor
Rear brake - Shimano XT with 180 rotor
Cranks - XT with Raceface 32t NW single ring
Chain - Shimano XT
Pedals - Raceface Atlas
Front derailleur - n/a
Rear derailleur - Shimano XT
Front shifter - n/a
Rear shifter - Shimano XT
Cassette - SRAM 1070 11-36 with Hope 40t
Wheelset - DT Swiss M1700.2
Tyres - Maxxis Ardent Race





After riding the fat bike for quite a few weeks it was a shock to ride this! The front turns so quickly and it is so light an chuckable. Anyway I love it.

Big thanks to Jonny for putting up with my 9,764 questions and emails and getting the build sorted in no time flat.

I was a bit concerned about running 1x hence the 40t Hope ring at the back however it seems I am up to it on my usual tracks. Time will tell but so far I have only done about 50km and it has been all good. I might shorten up the rear brake hose and LEV cable along the track and it probably deserves sexier discs but there is nothing I have to change which is a first. Nephew wants to see what a set of aluminium wheels are like on his 5010 so I will give the ENVE's a run for a week or two and see how they feel on this. Cannot see myself spending the money but who knows. The LEV feels good and I would say a better system than the Reverb at this stage.

Ah well that is about it. Time to ride.
 
Last edited:
mint355

mint355

Likes Dirt
Nice bike mate I'm waiting on a warranty replacement frame for my Bronson (black/orange). I'm not too impressed with the colour choices either I went black/magenta in the end. You may want to look at a better front tyre I can't believe FTR would spec that on a Bronson.... A High Roller2 will have you carving those corners... Have fun shredding
 
Z

Zaf

Guest
What Mint said about those tyres. Ardent Race on the front is just ridiculously undergunned for a bike of this calibre. High Roller II minimum needs to be on the front, a Minion DHR for High Roller II with a bit more punch, Minion DHF is some serious business and a Shorty for the ridiculous traction lolz!!

That green/Magenta really pops quite nicely though, they're a good looking bike the Bronson.
 
EMF

EMF

Eats Squid
warranty

mint355 said:
Nice bike mate I'm waiting on a warranty replacement frame for my Bronson (black/orange). I'm not too impressed with the colour choices either I went black/magenta in the end. You may want to look at a better front tyre I can't believe FTR would spec that on a Bronson.... A High Roller2 will have you carving those corners... Have fun shredding
Click to expand...
warranty claim details care to share or PM

cheers
 
Dales Cannon

Dales Cannon

lightbrain about 4pm
Staff member
I bought the bike from Jonny though ftr do price match. I spec'd the Ardent on the front to suit the local trails. The tyres wear quickly so I will rethink the front when the time comes. It doesn't wash out (the Spec 29er I rode recently had no front grip at all and the Solo wasn't much better) and grips fine though I am still learning the feel of the bike. Couple of hundred km and all good. Finding the 1x10 low enough but yet to tackle Glorious and Nebo.

moorey said:
Beautiful. I bet your wife loves it.
Click to expand...
She likes the colour but like you her feet wouldn't reach the pedals even with the dropper down as far as it goes so no risk of it being taken over. ;)

Shortened the dropper cable last night (maybe 10mm too short, oops, at least it is just shifter inner and outer) and will do the rear hose today if I have an inner barb fitting in the spares. That grommet in the seat tube is a pain to fit.

It is very interesting riding this back to back with the Muru and the son's DeVinci. It is so chuckable. Will have a chance to go back to back with the CC Solo in a couple of weeks so that will be interesting.
 
EMF

EMF

Eats Squid
high lites

adding some green to the equation works ok

One UP - 42 T
Slik Graphics - Protective Crank Decals :yuck:




Dales Cannon said:
I bought the bike from Jonny though ftr do price match. I spec'd the Ardent on the front to suit the local trails. The tyres wear quickly so I will rethink the front when the time comes. It doesn't wash out (the Spec 29er I rode recently had no front grip at all and the Solo wasn't much better) and grips fine though I am still learning the feel of the bike. Couple of hundred km and all good. Finding the 1x10 low enough but yet to tackle Glorious and Nebo.



She likes the colour but like you her feet wouldn't reach the pedals even with the dropper down as far as it goes so no risk of it being taken over. ;)

Shortened the dropper cable last night (maybe 10mm too short, oops, at least it is just shifter inner and outer) and will do the rear hose today if I have an inner barb fitting in the spares. That grommet in the seat tube is a pain to fit.

It is very interesting riding this back to back with the Muru and the son's DeVinci. It is so chuckable. Will have a chance to go back to back with the CC Solo in a couple of weeks so that will be interesting.
Click to expand...
 
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