Santa Cruz Vala S Review

Bosch is the major motor manufacturer in the EMTB world, alongside Shimano - and it's no surprise, as the Performance Line CX Gen. 5 shows. No motor has shaped the EMTB boom as much as the Bosch CX. Since October 224, the 5th generation of the Bosch Performance Line CX has been available. Compared to the previous model, the motor is especially much quieter. While you can still hear a sound when pedaling uphill, the annoying high-frequency tones have finally disappeared. The gearbox no longer rattles on the downhill trails either. With its proven performance data of 85 Nm torque and over 6 watts of peak power, the motor provides ample power, even for the steepest uphill trails. Bosch has always been a leader in motor control, and the new CX demonstrates this as well. Although it doesn't reach the extremely fine tuning of the #DJI Avinox, Bosch remains one of the best brands on the market in terms of motor control. Additionally, the motor delivers powerful support even at low cadence. Fans of XXL tours are greatly restricted by the Vala S with only an average range. The integrated battery gives developers constructive freedom when designing the frame. However, to charge it, the bike always has to be brought near an outlet.

The good Fox chassis confidently dampens small and medium bumps. The thick 38mm stanchions on the fork provide an extra dose of steering precision and performance. With its four pistons and 2 millimeter rotors the SRAM braking system decelerates excellently. This allows you to maintain control over your own pace even in the steepest descents. The shifting and the rest of the components are always in the shadow of the engine when it comes to electric mountain bikes. Nevertheless, Santa Cruz doesn't skimp here and instals very good components. When it comes to the geometry, Santa Cruz does not go completely crazy. The head tube angle and reach values were chosen with care. The result: A balanced riding behaviour with a good combination of playfulness and straight-line stability. For the good geometry, the developer team of Santa Cruz definitely deserves props. Such a knack for detail in geometry is rarely seen.