Santa Cruz Heckler S MX Review

As a component giant, Shimano is mostly known for its dominant position in bicycle gears. But with the EP801, the Japanese are clearly showing that they can look beyond their own plate too. Even nasty steep sections are effortlessly climbed by the motor. The Shimano EP801 conveys a riding feeling. Whoever enjoys longer tours will be pleased with the good range.

Even nasty descents get smoothened by the good Fox chassis. The thick 38mm stanchions on the fork provide an extra dose of steering precision and performance. The mid-range brakes from SRAM do their job but could be a bit firmer. The power of the four pistons setup is only average. The average shifting components and accessories leave some tuning potential open. For most e-bikers, this should be an acceptable point. The handling of the bike is pleasantly balanced due to the moderate geometry. This allows you to intuitively control the bike over the trails. The bottom bracket is high, which costs handling points. This tends to make the rider stand on the bike. On other EMTBs it feels better integrated. Due to the short chainstays , when climbing steep sections, it requires active weight shifting to prevent the front wheel from lifting. For the good geometry, the developer team of Santa Cruz definitely deserves props. Such a knack for detail in geometry is rarely seen.