VPP SYSTEM
Alright, not really one specific bike as in the past, but rather the swanky new system from Intense and SantaCruz. Alright then (again) not totally all swanky new, but rather a new approach to an old design. But hey, so much has changed that it is virtually a new design and concept.

Remember those old Outland bikes from a few years back, with their cool VPP system? Well, VPP stands for Virtual Pivot Point, and this system was great for a number of reasons but most importantly it allowed Outland to create a long travel bike without affecting the way in which it pedalled. Long travel bikes also normally required rather, unpedal friendly linkages compared to energy efficient short travel linkages. So the VPP system was designed to take the best from both worlds, namely a long travel fully active suspension, while at the same time an easy to pedal bike that was efficient when the rider layed down the power.

Santacruz and Intense, both reknowned for their excellent DH bikes decided to licence the patent on the VPP system and design their own bikes around the unique linkages. By working together, they reduce the time in which it takes to fully make and test at least three or four different prototypes. Pictured here is the Intense VPP bike, and although both bikes utilise the same system - they look vastly different, and the SantaCruz sports a floating rear brake assembly which is a bonus ontop of the VPP design. Although still a far way from production for the general public (A recent document we saw from SantaCruz put production near the July 2002 date) - race testing is proving very succesful. The VPP design also allows the rear wheel to move exactly in the chainline, and therefore there is virtually no pedal feedback as the suspension loads and unloads. Also, by disconnecting the swingarm from any linkage connected directly to the shock - braking is improved due to the fact that the suspension can remain fully active even under heavy braking.

Bikes from both manufacturers top out at 9 (yebo, nine) inches of travel, and unsurprisingly both offer an entire book of tuning options. Rising, lateral and falling rates can be dialled into the rate of compression. the bikes will also most likely come with 2,75" stroke rear shocks, as the forces transmitted are going to be rather forceful - and manufacturers do not want to lose small bump sensitivity. SantaCruz are already testing their 2nd version of the system, with a slightly refined linkage location and compression rate. Intense are also working on getting the rear end to be even stiffer - a major concern on a downhill bike.

Rest assured, when these bikes hit the market, they will become the benchmarks by which all others are judged. The Intense M1 set the standard over half a decade ago (okay then, five years! But thats a long time in Downhill!!) and continues to outperform almost all the competition today.

CHASSIS:

Take a good look at the polished finish (it costs extra), but in our case we examined the faultless welding and CNC machine work - just what you would expect from a premium brand. The frame is manufactured from custom drawn Alcoa 6061 alloy tubing which is butted to save weight and keep the ride lively, whilst the swingarm is a beautiful CNC machined unit joined by straight gauge tubing and is connected to the frame by a top-of-the-range fully adjustable Fox Float RC, and swings on sealed cartridge bearings. Santa Cruz have utilised a high pivot design for a number of reasons including reduced pedal feedback in the middle and bigger rings and to prevent unnecessary bobbing when seated. An added advantage of this design is the simplicity and reduced maintenance. Although plenty stiff, the swingarm has a CNC bolt-on brake bridge to help keep torsional flex to a minimum. Rear wheel travel is an ample 100mm (4 inches) and is among the best we have felt - not too active due to the lack of a linkage system, but really smooth over the small stuff, which is where it matters in this market.
As this is a custom bike, your colour choice is astounding and whether you want an anodised or a powder coated finish - it's up to you (you can even have a different coloured swingarm). Frame prices start around R8900, although our test model with polished finish and Fox Float RC shock would set you back around R11 800 for the frame. Not bad when compared to the competition, and a bonus on the SL is that it is disc ready - unlike those Gary Fisher Sugars or Trek Fuels. But are there any gripes with the SL? Yes - the decal kit. The decals are just regular stickers, and for the money we feel that proper decals should be used - Santa Cruz puts out some of the best paint jobs on the market, only to be let down by this small detail.

RIDE:

This is where a bike can either be made or broken, and the SL comes out shining. While we do have a few niggles, the performance outweighs these. The bike, whilst really light, rides much lighter that it actually is, which shows good design (and thanks to the light Bontrager wheelset) and allows for easy riding through slower technical sections. But the bike really comes alive on fast singletrack, you can go where you aim and the bike tracks like no other XC FS. The single pivot design provides a really stiff ride, although a small amount of torsional flex can be felt when cornering hard or landing small drops - but this is not noticable when riding. Powering up climbs in the middle ring extends the suspension and allows it to bite, which helps aid traction - but the drawback is that the granny ring climbs, when you are unseated result in pedal feedback as the suspension loads and unloads. The other things we did notice while riding was the rather low bottom bracket height, which became apparent on a rather tight rocky downhill when I kept hitting the pedals. Under heavy braking the rear suspension stiffens and transfers a lot of the weight forward on the bike, which takes getting used to - so ride a bit before attempting that downhill! In short, the SuperLight is aimed at the serious rider who wants a light, durable bike for either racing or long rides - and will allow you to spec it accordingly. The ride (with our build kit) provided a fast racer bike that responded well when the power was put down and was a dream to flick through tight singletrack. This bike is not a freeride machine and therefore riders who want a do-it-all bike are not advised to choose this model.

OVERALL VERDICT:

Top-of-the-range is the only way to describe the SuperLight. The hundreds of custom options available to you, as well as the razor sharp handling and excellent build quality make this one of the best choices for the discerning rider. We liked the way that the simple design works so well, and although a bit old fashioned does not mean it does not work. Some things improve with time - look at the Porsche 911, Tag Heuer watches and Bose 901 speakers...
Bikes are available at selected dealers, so pop into Willie Engelbretch Cycles or Hopkins Cycle Inn in Cape Town or Hatfield Cycles in Pretoria and check out the range. Fully built Superlights start at around R17 500. So if you want a finely crafted, well riding cross country full suspension - this is the option. Long live America.