The new Chameleon has a 65-degree head angle when built with a 130mm fork. The Chameleon is also one of the very few trail-focused aluminium options in a price arena where steel, titanium and carbon frames dominate. The new alloy Chameleon gets some significant geometry updates (Image credit: Santa Cruz ) Big geometry changes. With a price tag just shy of £3K it’s serious money for a hardtail and in another league price-wise from category benchmarks like the Canyon Stoic and Whyte 629. I rode the mid-level R spec bike, in 29er guise and in a size XL, the largest of the four available options. When it comes to build kits, Santa Cruz offers three options and two wheel packages, starting at £2,399 for the D spec. There’s also a lifetime warranty on the frame, so you know it’s built to last.
And when you add in well executed internal routing, comprehensive chainstay protection, a threaded bottom bracket shell and ISCG 05 chain guide tabs, you’ve got all the boxes ticked for a future-proof ride. The dropouts are a sliding design, so there’s also 12mm of horizontal adjustment, giving you the option to run it as a single speed or tweak the effective chainstay length to fine tune the ride feel.
#2021 SANTA CRUZ CHAMELEON FULL#
Switching between these neat dropouts lets you run it as a full 29er or a mullet/MX set up (29in front/27.5in rear) with no change to geometry or bottom bracket height. Now based solely around an aluminium frame and a 130mm fork – in my opinion the sweet spot for suspension travel on a hardtail – the Chameleon uses replaceable dropouts to give two wheel configurations. But however rich its pedigree, with a price tag that now buys you a very capable full suspension bike, how does the new Chameleon stack up? And, more importantly, is it still relevant? Need to know: Latest generation Chameleon has replaceable dropouts for running 29in and MX wheels Alloy frame comes in four sizes with geometry designed around 130mm travel forks Slotted dropouts offer adjustable chainstay length – 428mm to 440mm Three build options with prices starting at £2,399, frame only for £799 The evolution of the Santa Cruz Chameleon Before I attempt to answer those questions, let’s take a closer look at the latest transformation. Changing with the times and trends? Most certainly, but the latest evolution is pitched squarely as a modern trail hardtail. Rear Derailleur: Sram XO1 Eagle 12 speed.
#2021 SANTA CRUZ CHAMELEON PLUS#
How’s that for heritage? The Chameleon has always had a good dose of in-built versatility, but the design has wandered a touch over the years: morphing into a 160mm forked hard-hitter in 2003 and more recently a bikepacking capable all-rounder with a carbon frame and 27.5in Plus size wheels. Frame: 2021 Santa Cruz Chameleon L Gloss Carbon and Green Carbon C. This do-it-all hardtail rolled into production in 1997 and is one of the longest-running model names in this Californian brand’s line, has often been listed among the best hardtail mountain bikes, and is now in its eighth generation.
The much-revered Santa Cruz Chameleon turns 25 in 2022 (much like our beloved MBR magazine). Santa Cruz Chameleon first ride review - MBR
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