Santa Cruz Vala AL Review

The Santa Cruz Vala AL is made of aluminum, but it’s not exactly cheap. Anyone considering getting this bike isn’t doing it to save money. Image, ride quality, and a deliberate choice for a durable aluminum bike are likely the decisive factors here. We tested whether the Santa Cruz Vala AL delivers in these areas.

Let’s start with the elephant in the room: With a price of €6,300 for the Vala AL, the designation “budget” or “affordable” is relative. While you save a substantial amount compared to the carbon version, in the broader market comparison, you’re already venturing into carbon competitor territory.

For this price, you can already get fully equipped carbon EMTBs elsewhere, which match or even undercut the weight of the Vala AL (which is 3 kilograms heavier than its carbon sibling). Think of bikes like the Rose Slab or the Radon Deft. Moreover, the cheapest carbon Vala with identical specs costs only €1,100 more but is reportedly 2 kilos lighter according to the manufacturer.

Thus, price alone cannot be a compelling argument for the Vala AL. Buying the aluminum Vala is a conscious decision rooted in philosophy and material properties, not primarily in the wallet.

Between the Vala AL and the Vala Carbon, there’s a 3 kilogram difference—a world in dynamic ride performance. However, this difference is merely the most obvious consequence of material choice.

Aluminum scores with its impressive resistance to impacts. Even if you get a dent, that’s not a knockout criterion for an aluminum frame. For hardcore use, bike parks, or frequent shuttles, the AL chassis is simply more forgiving and takes transport scratches and rock strikes less harshly.

The carbon frame, on the other hand, offers its advantages in performance – the lower weight is a noticeable difference that results in more agility, easier front wheel lifts, and higher responsiveness. This becomes especially apparent on flat trails.

Geometry and suspension kinematics of the aluminum version aren’t exactly identical to the carbon version, but they’re very, very close. The biggest differences are that the Vala AL is available in only 4 sizes. The XXL version, as in the carbon bike, doesn’t exist in aluminum.

Additionally, the rear triangle doesn’t grow with each frame size as you would expect from the carbon version. Sizes S & M feature a 440 mm long rear triangle. In sizes L & XL, it’s 5 mm longer. At least, the rear triangle is allowed to grow to provide similar ride characteristics across all sizes. For the absolute budget-buster bikes from Rose, Radon, or Cube, this construction step is skipped, which somewhat ignores the needs of particularly tall riders over 1,90 m.

And the two flip chips available on the carbon version aren’t present. They have been replaced with a middle position. Fewer features mean less hassle in everyday use, but in this case, also less adjustability.

The centerpiece, the powerful Bosch CX Gen 5 system, remains unchanged. The Vala AL can also climb technically steep sections. And it also provides a hell of a lot of fun on the downhill. The bike offers the same balanced and trail-focused stance we already knew from the top-version, but it has one limitation.

On flat, flowy trails, the fun gets a bit bogged down by the weight. The small 27.5-inch rear wheel doesn’t change that. Especially when you’re riding around the 26 km/h cutoff, where the motor doesn’t assist anymore and the trail isn’t steep enough for gravity to really kick in, getting up to speed feels sluggish. You can’t just pop the bike up for a spontaneous bunny hop. However, the picture changes drastically when you’re going faster or in steeper terrain.

Because in these downhill scenarios, it’s clear: The AL-Vala is remarkably planted on the trail. On rough, fast sections, it has unshakeable tracking stability. It proves to be the right choice for the “Heavy Hitter” who craves stability and speed. With higher speeds, the riding fun just ramps up with this bike.

The Vala breaks with Santa Cruz tradition: Instead of the typical Virtual Pivot Point (VPP) rear suspension, it features a four-bar linkage design. This might make Santa Cruz fans wrinkle their noses, but it’s a well-considered decision in the EMTB sector.

A four-bar linkage system is lower maintenance, simpler, and offers a lot of versatility for shock linkage tuning. Santa Cruz has tailored this kinematics to meet the demands of an E-MTB: It generates a high anti-squat to efficiently transfer the massive power of the motor to the ground without the rear suspension sagging. Pedal kickback and the overall leverage ratio have been significantly reduced compared to a VPP system.

While the suspension lacks the “bottomless” feel of a VPP system, it impresses with its defined feedback. Yes, even without VPP, the Vala remains a true Santa Cruz, staying true to its pure design and intended purpose.

The Vala AL is a bike for a very specific target audience that prioritizes not only the price but especially the material properties.