Santa Cruz Heckler CC Review

The name Heckler is iconic. More than 20 years ago, the Heckler was a trailblazer among all-mountain full-suspensions. It was lightweight, simple, and nimble. After a long hiatus from the scene, the Heckler has been revived – now as an E-Bike. Even with a battery pack, the Heckler remains an all-mountain machine, but one designed for the rough and tumble. Our test will reveal if it still has that agile edge.

Today’s Heckler CC barely resembles its ancestor. The bike exudes sheer power. Up front, a burly RockShox ZEB fork does its job. The downtube is the size of a well-trained calf, housing a chunky battery with 720 Wh.

At first glance, the Heckler doesn’t seem as agile as its progenitor’s genes might suggest. Yet, in one aspect, the Heckler remains true to itself. It’s light. Our test bike in size L tips the scales at 22.4 kg – an impressive figure, especially for a full-power e-mountain bike with a large battery and sturdy components.

Sticking with the term “robust”: Santa Cruz exudes confidence in terms of durability. The Heckler CC can be loaded with up to 136 kg. That’s what the Yanks call the maximum permissible payload. The conventional specification of max total weight is not as common in the USA. The difference: The payload describes the weight of the rider plus gear.

The max permissible total weight includes the bike itself in the calculation – so bike plus rider plus gear plus accessories. 136 kg for the rider and their equipment is therefore a top figure. This results in a maximum total weight of 158 kg. Impressive. These values promise durability. Santa Cruz underscores this with a lifetime warranty on frames and wheels.

Upon closer inspection, several details on the Heckler catch the eye. For example, the cable entries for the internal cable routing. Contrary to the trend of routing cables through the head tube, the cables on the Santa Cruz still run classically along the sides into the down tube. A good thing, because routing through the head tube brings many disadvantages – for instance, on many bikes the stem cannot be set all the way down.

Another great feature is the generously sized chainstay protector. It shields the chainstays along their entire length from impacts. As a result, the bike stays quiet, as the protector can effectively absorb the annoying chain slap.

The bike is unfortunately not quiet. While there’s no noise from chain slap, the Shimano motor announces its presence with a loud clatter. This clattering is inherent in its design, but it’s not something to worry about. The noise level is still irksome, however.

Another thing stands out: the front and rear wheels are not on the same axle. The rear axle sits lower. This is due to the Mullet tires. Or as the laid-back folks from the Californian surf town Santa Cruz like to say: Business in the front, Party in the rear. The large 29-inch front wheel gives the Heckler a stable rollover behavior. The smaller rear wheel adds agility to the mix.

The Heckler is a full power all mountain e-bike designed for extreme terrain. Yet, it aims to score on long rides as well. And it does. The relaxed seating position is still comfortable after hours in the saddle. The position is upright, as with most e-bikes in this category.

A big plus for lengthy tours is the removable battery. With a charger in your backpack, you can easily take out the battery and recharge it during breaks at cafés and restaurants. There’s also ample hydration provided: From size L upwards, the bottle cage in the front triangle can accommodate water bottles up to 750 ml.

Despite the large opening in the downtube, the Heckler feels pleasantly stiff. The power transfer from your own pedaling feels efficiently rewarding. For those who want to go the extra mile and ride in the conservative Eco mode, assisting the motor with your own power greatly extends the range.

Santa Cruz is well-known for bikes with a high addiction factor on the descents. But can the Heckler CC also handle uphill? Absolutely. The Heckler CC is a relaxed yet confident climber, that marches up the mountain with control, even on steep ramps. The bike performs with surprising agility, enabling riders to navigate through chunky trail sections without faltering.

The bottom bracket is low. Very low. This provides a lot of control. It feels like you’re literally standing in the bike. As if the bike is an extension of your own body. This is great, especially on technical terrain or when shredding at high speeds on gnarly trails.

The low bottom bracket does have its downsides, however. Pedal strikes are almost unavoidable – especially with large flat pedals. And that’s despite Santa Cruz already equipping the Heckler CC with compact cranks straight from the factory – the Shimano cranks measure 165 mm.

Yet, the Heckler CC boasts an intriguing feature: the Flip-Chip at the rear shock mount. By flipping the Flip-Chip, you can adjust the geometry in “Hi” and “Lo” positions. The bottom bracket height varies by 8 mm, and the head angle by 0.3°. Granted, the changes are minimal and might seem insignificant at first glance. But 8 mm more ground clearance is nearly equivalent to the jump from a 165 mm to a 175 mm crank. Anyone who has ever switched between 165 mm and 175 mm cranks knows how much you can feel the difference on the trail.

Accepting the occasional pedal strike on technical climbs as part of the game, you can have tons of fun ascending with the Heckler CC. The bike playfully snakes up the mountain switchback by switchback on rocky trails. The weight distribution on the bike is balanced, keeping the front wheel firmly planted even on steep ascents. The only issue is the 2.4″ Maxxis DHR II rear tire, which provides less than optimal grip on the small 27.5″ rear wheel. This mainly comes down to the medium-hard MaxxTerra rubber compound. However, the tire also appears surprisingly narrow, even though it’s mounted on a Reserve DH Carbon rim with an internal width of 30 mm.

Tuning Tip: Santa Cruz allows for up to a 2.6” tire width on the Heckler CC MX’s rear. For those who prefer tackling ascents on technical trails, a grippy 2.6″ rear tire can be a game-changer — not only for the enhanced grip but also because a wider tire has a larger diameter, effectively raising the bottom bracket. A welcome increase in ground clearance.

Descending, the Heckler CC impresses with a plush suspension. The rear end feels like it has more travel than you’d expect from a bike with 150mm of travel. The linkage and shock work so seamlessly that the rear suspension outperforms the fork. This leads to a slight imbalance in the suspension.

Compared to the rear, the fork feels a bit over-damped and tends to transmit minor bumps to the rider insensitively, especially at lower speeds. Even with the compression damping fully open, this characteristic is noticeable. It takes a lot of speed and force for the Zeb Ultimate to come alive and show its full potential. The Heckler CC rides better the faster you go.

The balanced handling impresses with a healthy mix of playfulness and smooth rolling. The Heckler CC is ideal for E-bikers looking to comfortably push their limits in extreme terrain. Descending, the Santa Cruz proves to be a benevolent full-throttle bike, securely guiding its rider with a plush ride feel through rugged terrain.

The bike’s character is reminiscent of Baloo the Bear: nothing can disturb its calm. Even in gnarly rock gardens, you’ll be tempted to hum “The Bare Necessities” to yourself.

We’ve been shredding the trails on the top-tier Santa Cruz Heckler CC for our review. To get the full monty, you’ll need to fork out over €10,000. But if you can make do with a bit less bling, there are more affordable builds to consider.

All the details, including geo charts and specs for each model, can always be found on their respective detail pages: