Santa Cruz Blur LT v Nomad? L or XL?!
Discussion
Alright Folks,
Not long back from test riding a Blur LT and Nomad, both sized large. More confused than before I rode!
I live for bombing down but need to peddle up in the first place (hence the Blur). I plan to buy frame only and use my Fox 36s 160mm forks. I want something that I can ride up and then come down my local DH (not at full beans as I also have a DH rig) and take to the alps for a week or two a year.
My thoughts on the two:
Blur was great on smooth downhills, but a liability on the rocky stuff I ride (tested with 140mm fork). Anyone ride an LT with 160mm?
Nomad was great! Similar uphill to the Blur and and beasted the downhill rocks with ease.
I'm coming off a Med Coilair Supreme, which is too small to be honest, and weighs around 36lbs. I rode the Nomad first, and it felt fine size wise, then took the Blur out, also in large and it felt small. Perhaps due to me getting used to a larger bike. Both frames are pretty similar geometry and TT length.
So at 6ft 1 do I go for a Large or XL, Blur or Nomad?! Perhaps an XL frame and short stem combo? Unable to test any XL frames which doesnt really help.
Cheers
Not long back from test riding a Blur LT and Nomad, both sized large. More confused than before I rode!
I live for bombing down but need to peddle up in the first place (hence the Blur). I plan to buy frame only and use my Fox 36s 160mm forks. I want something that I can ride up and then come down my local DH (not at full beans as I also have a DH rig) and take to the alps for a week or two a year.
My thoughts on the two:
Blur was great on smooth downhills, but a liability on the rocky stuff I ride (tested with 140mm fork). Anyone ride an LT with 160mm?
Nomad was great! Similar uphill to the Blur and and beasted the downhill rocks with ease.
I'm coming off a Med Coilair Supreme, which is too small to be honest, and weighs around 36lbs. I rode the Nomad first, and it felt fine size wise, then took the Blur out, also in large and it felt small. Perhaps due to me getting used to a larger bike. Both frames are pretty similar geometry and TT length.
So at 6ft 1 do I go for a Large or XL, Blur or Nomad?! Perhaps an XL frame and short stem combo? Unable to test any XL frames which doesnt really help.
Cheers
I ride a med mk1 Nomad and I am 6ft. Probably is slightly too small TT wise so I use a 75mm stem and it is fine. The seatpost is never at full xc height anyway.
With a coil shock, van 36, dropper post and 1x10 it is a very capable all round bike and my mates comment that it is a very plush ride. Definitely up to light DH and Alps type stuff.
Not ridden a Blur so I cannot compare, but they are both vpp so similar. I would definitely get a large size rather than XL which would be too big for that style of riding.
With a coil shock, van 36, dropper post and 1x10 it is a very capable all round bike and my mates comment that it is a very plush ride. Definitely up to light DH and Alps type stuff.
Not ridden a Blur so I cannot compare, but they are both vpp so similar. I would definitely get a large size rather than XL which would be too big for that style of riding.
Personal experience is that the Nomad is overkill for most UK stuff that’s anywhere close to being of a trail persuasion. If you like to also ride downhill trails then I could see the advantage of the Nomad but even then I wouldn’t find its descending abilities to make up for the dim-witted climbing. The Blur LT/C with a set of 36’s on the front is a very capable bike. I know a few guys who ride them and run them with a set of offset bushes out back to just slacken the head angle slightly; especially when running the less than recommended sag. At 6’1 I’d be looking at the XL – I’m only 5’10 and find the Large to fit like a glove. Any bigger and it wouldn’t.
If you’re worried about taking an LTC to France for a few weeks then the simple answer is don’t worry, it’ll take it. Even for big alpine stuff I just find the 160mm bikes too big as an all round package; I’d rather go for the 140mm LTC as it’s one of the sweetest riding bikes out there.
If you’re worried about taking an LTC to France for a few weeks then the simple answer is don’t worry, it’ll take it. Even for big alpine stuff I just find the 160mm bikes too big as an all round package; I’d rather go for the 140mm LTC as it’s one of the sweetest riding bikes out there.
Thanks for the views guys, i've been looking into this for weeks now and still no closer to a choice.
I'm keen for a lighter, faster uphill bike, but my local XCish run culminates in a push up and hammer down the DH course (which is my favourite bit). All of the local stuff is pretty rocky (sunny Scotland) which is why the LTs poor rock abilities put me off a little. I'm sure the LT would be amazing at trail centres though.
Not helped by the fact I can't demo an LT with 160s, or an XL in either bike!
Had been looking at the Yeti SB66 too, but i'm not convinced on the new pivot v UK mud.
I'm keen for a lighter, faster uphill bike, but my local XCish run culminates in a push up and hammer down the DH course (which is my favourite bit). All of the local stuff is pretty rocky (sunny Scotland) which is why the LTs poor rock abilities put me off a little. I'm sure the LT would be amazing at trail centres though.
Not helped by the fact I can't demo an LT with 160s, or an XL in either bike!
Had been looking at the Yeti SB66 too, but i'm not convinced on the new pivot v UK mud.
If you tried it with a 140mm fork then the chances are that it will have felt like a noodle. I'd definitely be going for the LTC with a 36, it's got all the descending of the Nomad without the weight as the majority of a bike's ability through rocks and so on comes from the front end. We certainly didn't have any issues running sub 150mm bikes on the Mountain of Hell trails in the summer; my mate's LTC was on 36's while I had 32's which were still useable, you just needed to use your body a little more. There's certainly little, short of the Torridonian trails, in Scotland that's as rocky or fast as the MOH, and more of it comes down to angles than travel. The LTC with 36's is great, with the addition of some offset bushes from Burgtec (all others IME have been utter toss) it's even better. I know three riders local to me have ditched the Nomad's and gone for shorter stuff recently; the TRC's actually pretty sweet with a set of 36's too although it does take it somewhat out of the warranty zone.
Also, I'd stay away from the Yeti unless you try the Carbon; I don't know of a single SB66 that hasn't cracked in multiple places. Admittedly this is with fast, aggressive riders and/or alpine riding, but Yeti's ability to build a frame that'll last beyond warranty seems limited at best, and always have been. Their UK warranty department sucks too.
Also, I'd stay away from the Yeti unless you try the Carbon; I don't know of a single SB66 that hasn't cracked in multiple places. Admittedly this is with fast, aggressive riders and/or alpine riding, but Yeti's ability to build a frame that'll last beyond warranty seems limited at best, and always have been. Their UK warranty department sucks too.
Edited by Ennoch on Tuesday 20th November 09:33
Well, i've weakened and hit the buy button on an LTC! Found a deal too good to miss.
Will run it with most of my current components including the 36's. Not likely to be on the trail any time before April with the weather we'll have up here. Plenty time to fettle and buy more shiny bits!
Will run it with most of my current components including the 36's. Not likely to be on the trail any time before April with the weather we'll have up here. Plenty time to fettle and buy more shiny bits!
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