Tech

Santa Cruz revive the Chameleon

· By Press Office · 41 comments

Dirt or asphalt, mountain or urban, geared or singlespeed—the moniker Chameleon has never rang more true than on this updated-for-2017 Santa Cruz classic. Upsized to either 29-inch or 27.5+ wheels, the Chameleon shifts from trail rally sled to bikepacker to winter slayer with simple, elegant aplomb. The wheel change is accomplished via interchangeable dropouts, and there’s a singlespeed version for each wheel size—geared dropouts are 148mm-spaced, and singlespeed are 142mm.

ccs-62657-0-61897500-1489567053.jpgThe Santa Cruz Chameleon R1+.

The Details

  • Aluminium frame
  • 120mm fork travel
  • 29 or 27.5+ wheel options
  • 67.5-degree head tube angle
  • Ships with gears, but singlespeed dropouts are available
  • Internal dropper post routing and two water bottle mounts
  • Interchangeable dropouts for gears (with 148mm x 12mm axle) or single speed (with 142mm x 12mm axle)
  • Threaded bottom bracket

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Build kit options:

There are two build options for each wheelsize. The D and D+ are the entry builds and the R1 and R1+ models sport a few upgraded components. The D and D+ build kit features a RockShox Recon Silver RL fork, SRAM NX drivetrain with Race Face Aeffect cranks and SRAM Level brakes. The R1 and R1+ models get a Fox Rhythm fork, SRAM NX drivetrain with a wider GX cassette, Race Face Aeffect AL cranks and SRAM Level T brakes.

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Geometry:

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Comments

the nerd

Mar 15, 2017, 8:46 AM

Awesome!

Hairy

Mar 15, 2017, 9:10 AM

word on the street from another site is that the frame could even run a 140mm fork?

Headshot

Mar 15, 2017, 9:23 AM

Finally - a sensible hard tail. Can't find the price on the website though...

Captain Fastbastard Mayhem

Mar 15, 2017, 9:30 AM

Finally - a sensible hard tail. Can't find the price on the website though...

 The bare frame, which is said to weigh 4.6lbs, sells for $749 USD, and complete bikes start at $1,599 and top out at $1,999 USD. 

Grease_Monkey

Mar 15, 2017, 9:32 AM

Glad to see Santa are following suite from Spez Fuze! 

 

Finally ZA consumers that want a trail bike also have some hardtail options!

Jewbacca

Mar 15, 2017, 9:36 AM

That is something I could get into.

 

142x12mm SS drop outs... mmmmmm

Kalahari Vegmot

Mar 15, 2017, 9:37 AM

Sick!!!

Piston ZA

Mar 15, 2017, 9:43 AM

Finally - a sensible hard tail. Can't find the price on the website though...

No ZA prices yet, but probably looking at between 26k and 35k for a full build?

lechatnoir

Mar 15, 2017, 9:53 AM

If this was available today, I'd have it in my garage tomorrow... 

PeterF

Mar 15, 2017, 10:23 AM

Waterbottle mounts on the downtube though!!!!

Iwan Kemp

Mar 15, 2017, 10:29 AM

Waterbottle mounts on the downtube though!!!!

 

2 x Water Bottle mounts. Below downtube and in the usual spot in the main triangle. 

the nerd

Mar 15, 2017, 10:39 AM

Waterbottle mounts on the downtube though!!!!

 

Bike packing folks use the downtube bottle cage a lot as a framebag takes the space in the triangle... 

Headshot

Mar 15, 2017, 11:07 AM

 The bare frame, which is said to weigh 4.6lbs, sells for $749 USD, and complete bikes start at $1,599 and top out at $1,999 USD. 

Yes, but that's meaningless here in SA...

NicoBoshoff

Mar 15, 2017, 11:11 AM

word on the street from another site is that the frame could even run a 140mm fork?

YEah, but with such a slack HA already, why even bother with that.  Slap a 120mm Pike on this and be a happy man.

nonky

Mar 15, 2017, 11:26 AM

want. want. want.

Pikey

Mar 15, 2017, 11:28 AM

Waterbottle mounts on the downtube though!!!!

 

Bike packing folks use the downtube bottle cage a lot as a framebag takes the space in the triangle...
i use my all the time to carry a bottle of tools etc. Amazingly never hits anything,not even small rock step downs.
428 others

Mar 15, 2017, 11:56 AM

Just found the N+1

ByronH

Mar 15, 2017, 12:13 PM

This is a hot bike. I'll probably have to look for a second hand one eventually, coz probably gonna cost a packet due to supply and demand in SA.

Heel Drop

Mar 15, 2017, 7:01 PM

 

Dirt or asphalt, mountain or urban, geared or singlespeed—the moniker Chameleon has never rang more true than on this updated-for-2017 Santa Cruz classic. Upsized to either 29-inch or 27.5+ wheels, the Chameleon shifts from trail rally sled to bikepacker to winter slayer with simple, elegant aplomb. The wheel change is accomplished via interchangeable dropouts, and there's a singlespeed version for each wheel size—geared dropouts are 148mm-spaced, and singlespeed are 142mm.

Click here to view the article

 

cmon rush sports give us pricing 

cpelser

Mar 16, 2017, 6:08 AM

Should just have been steel instead of aluminium.

_im_from_earth

Mar 16, 2017, 12:03 PM

Yes, but that's meaningless here in SA...

How is this meaningless here in SA?

Eddy Gordo

Mar 16, 2017, 12:29 PM

How is this meaningless here in SA?

Thinks he wants the local price.

the nerd

Mar 16, 2017, 1:31 PM

nsmb_2017_gearreview_santacruz_chameleon

ByronH

Mar 16, 2017, 1:35 PM

nsmb_2017_gearreview_santacruz_chameleon

Yours? 

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