Santa Cruz Nomad Carbon C R

Nomad's reputation is built on consistently pushing the envelope on how lawless a single-crown bike can get while still remaining a capable daily driver. The latest iteration nudged the travel and geometry further towards the outer limits, and Santa Cruz surprised themselves at just how well-rounded it turned out. The fourth generation design saw a dramatic shift to the lower-link mounted shock configuration. The shock rate is a short-travel version of the V10 — which means feather-light small bump sensitivity right off the bat, supportive mid-stroke, and overall progression that you'd normally only experience on a DH bike. To handle all this newfound capability, the geometry was adapted too. It's longer and lower-slung to ensure maximum stability and confidence on absolutely everything. At the same time, the Nomad’s still a trail bike. It pedals well and tackles valley-to-valley alpine runs and all-day missions without skipping a beat — a fact helped by its pedal-friendly seat tube angle and standard 170mm dropper post fit.

The Nomad Carbon R stands at the middle of the lineup, but with its Carbon C frame and the right mix of components it's eager for action. A RockShox Yari RC fork followed by a Super Deluxe R shock work together to give you predictable control in big terrain. Wide-range gearing is supplied by SRAM's NX Eagle drivetrain and is backed by Guide RE brakes and 200mm rotors for confidence on steep descents, and a tubeless-ready WTB/SRAM wheelset and Maxxis Minion tires supply the grip to rip. A Race Face cockpit topped with a WTB Silverado Race saddle complete the package.