Santa Cruz Blur
The Blur is the ride fast, ride far, ride harder than your heart can take kind of XC race bike that only we would make. Light enough to scorch hot laps and tough enough to endure a long-distance beating, the Blur bowls into the Cross Country Club like Rodney Danger eld at Bushwood.
The one-piece carbon VPP rear triangle shares a similar twin upright architecture to our World Cup-winning downhill bikes.
Paired with a one-piece carbon front end it delivers a lateral stiffness and tracking ability you just don’t see on featherweight bikes of this genre.
The Blur doesn’t just race, it rips race courses a new A-line. Inspiring geometry built around a 69-degree head tube angle drives you to take those sketchy rough lines past the wobblers who stand between you and the podium.
Make no mistake, at just 2060 grams, this is our lightest ever 100mm VPP suspension bike. VPP is already one of the most pedal efficient engineering principles in the history of mountain bike design. Throw our dual lockout build kits into the mix and you’ve got more thrust on demand than SpaceX.
All without trade-off. The Blur carries the same lifetime frame and pivot bearing warranty as all other Santa Cruz Bicycles.
Even the optional lightweight 29-inch Reserve carbon wheels are covered for life too.
No matter how arduous your next XC endeavour, the Blur is ready to go full gas, 24/7.
Pricing and availability:
Shipping to Santa Cruz dealers 22 March 2018.
Blur C R1 29 FOX FLOAT Performance - R64,495.00
Blur C S 29 FOX FLOAT Performance - R77,495.00
Blur C XE 29 FOX FLOAT Performance Elite - R85,495.00
Blur CC X01 29 FOX FLOAT Performance Elite - R109,495.00
Blur CC X01 29 Reserve FOX FLOAT Performance Elite - R126,995.00
Blur CC XX1 29 Reserve FOX FLOAT Factory - R150,995.00
More information available on the Rush Sports website here.
Blur Features:
- Full carbon frame, engineered in Santa Cruz, USA
- 29-inch wheels with Santa Cruz Reserve carbon option
- 100mm VPP travel
- 69-degree head tube angle
- Dual remote lockouts (most kits)
- Internal dropper compatibility
- Two bottle cage mounts
- Bolt-on downtube protector
- 1x drivetrain-specific design
- Internal cables, threaded bottom bracket Boost axle spacing
- Sizes: S, M, L, XL
- Weight: 9.94 kg (Complete XX1 Reserve build, size L)

Santa Cruz Highball
The Highball is our flagship carbon hardtail, a race thoroughbred and dark horse in XC versatility.
Santa Cruz Highball with eggplant colourway.
On paper it’s a whip-cracking alternative to the Blur; the racer’s hardtail for high-intensity assaults. But settle down for a long haul and it’s immediately clear the Highball’s at home in a range of cross country environments — from XC sprints to 24-hour sufferfests.
Low-angle seat stays join the seat tube below the top tube junction. This new placement works in tandem with a bridgeless seat stay design to curb trail chatter. Built around a 27.2mm seat post diameter the whole package combines to take the “hard” out of hardtail riding.
The composite development team behind our MacAskill-proof carbon Reserve wheels were the same folks responsible for the Highball’s superior ride feel. Meticulous application of carbon in only the most needed areas allows us to tune a really light frame that retains bags of torsional stiffness for the high-torque pedalers and strength for those braving the sketchy lines. This is what compliance without compromise looks like.
The all-new Highball is a half-pound lighter than before, yet manages to maintain all the rider favourites of threaded BB reliability, internally routed cables and 3 water bottle mounts. All backed up with a genuine lifetime frame and carbon wheel warranty. Complemented by a multitude of build options to suit your aspiration level, the Highball’s got everything you need to go forth and conquer.
Santa Cruz Highball in Fog colourway.
Pricing and availability:
Shipping to Santa Cruz dealers 22 March 2018.
Highball C R1 29 - R48,495.00
Highball C S 29 - R58,495.00
Highball C XE 29 - R65,995.00
Highball CC X01 29 - R86,995.00
Highball CC X01 29 Reserve - R104,495.00
Highball CC XX1 29 Reserve - R126,995.00
More information available on the Rush Sports website here.
Highball Features:
- 29-inch wheels w/ Santa Cruz Reserve carbon option
- 100mm fork
- 69.5-degree head tube angle
- Internal dropper compatibility
- Three bottle cage mounts
- Bolt-on downtube protector
- 1x drivetrain-specific design
- Internal cables, threaded bottom bracket
- Boost axle spacing
- Sizes: S, M, L, XL
- Weight: 8.84 kg (Complete XX1 Reserve build, size L)

mada3400, Mar 20 2018 09:40
inb4 classifieds flooded with TB3s and scott sparks
Hairy, Mar 20 2018 10:11
suprised at seeing a 27.2mm dia seatpost on the HT ... one would think that an option to run a dropper would have been a consideration....yesI know you can find 27.2mm droppers, but a 30.9mm would be more "universal"
fusion01, Mar 20 2018 10:11
very similar to the spark rc which I'll buy - Team version - with GX Eagle for R60k later this year. Pay R21k premium for the snazzy badge? Not bothered. OK it's 120mm travel bike vs 100mm but I don't need it. I have my trail bike for longer travel...
Clinton H, Mar 20 2018 10:12
Only R 156 000 , jeez what a bargain .....
Practically for free if you think about it .
fusion01, Mar 20 2018 10:12
no prices on the HT's...!
pista, Mar 20 2018 10:32
Looks great but that price.
_im_from_earth, Mar 20 2018 10:38
Hairy, the 27.2mm is specifically to allow additional flex in the seatpost. The bike is specced with a pretty special post in light of this. As far as dropper posts are concerned there are a couple available, in fact while in Santa Cruz last week for the exclusive preview of these Santa Cruz had them outfitted with 27.2mm KS posts so they were a little easier to pass around during a group ride
_im_from_earth, Mar 20 2018 10:41
Clinton, keep your eyes peeled, we're looking to reduce these before they are in stores. Just want to be safe on pricing, rather see a reduction than an increase.
_im_from_earth, Mar 20 2018 10:51
Like I mentioned above to Clinton, we're expecting a small decrease in pricing at time of stock arrival. I have pinged Bike Hub a moment ago with the projections so expect an update here soon. Unfortunately Santa Cruz is never going to be a "budget" brand, but we're always looking to be as competitively priced as possible against the US$ MSRP.
Though it doesn't help off the bat, one thing to remember on the full specced bikes is you've got a lifetime warranty on frame // linkage bearings // Reserve wheels. In linkage bearings alone that probably a saving of R3k per year for someone putting in Epic type miles.
Bottom line is we do our very best to ensure we add as much consumer value as we can
Lighthouse, Mar 20 2018 11:01
What is Blur C/S Kit?
_im_from_earth, Mar 20 2018 11:16
What is Blur C/S Kit?
That would be GX Eagle kit:
Lighthouse, Mar 20 2018 11:50
Thanks, love it.....I want it ......
_im_from_earth, Mar 20 2018 11:52
Eyes peeled but we're hustling to make these available by the weekend
Headshot, Mar 20 2018 12:11
The prices ... Ha ha ha ha ha
Grease_Monkey, Mar 20 2018 12:37
Prices are steep, but to be honest, less than what I would have guessed. Blur might just be on my wish list for an XC bikeOdinson, Mar 20 2018 12:41
At least we can be thankful for this press release. It bumped that god awful Momsen off of the main page.
*throws up a little in own mouth*
Simon123, Mar 20 2018 01:31
Looks fantastic and a great option for the XC boys.
MitchConway, Mar 20 2018 01:41
127k For a hardtail! Thats hectic.
_im_from_earth, Mar 20 2018 01:45
Just pinged updated pricing to @IwanKemp, looks like the article is updated to reflect.
stefmeister, Mar 20 2018 02:11
Remember it comes with life time warranty on linkage bearings.
Hairy, Mar 20 2018 04:44
A spaz s-works HT retails for 120K ... so not far off, and if the pricing comes down a bit as being alluded to the gap is even less....not saying it is a bargain and you should be buying 2 x bikes either.
Headshot, Mar 20 2018 09:32
Thats as nutty as a piece of carrot cake. Now what did my trail HT cost again?
_im_from_earth, Mar 22 2018 12:16
Just consolidating the following three open threads into a single thread to simplify for all that are looking for information on these new models, technical advice on them, availability etc.
Consolidated thread: LINK
Previous threads:
FYI - if anyone sent us emails on the 20th enquiring about the Blur... the influx raised a SPAM alert with our server and many of these bounced, please feel free to contact our in-house SCB guru: sam@rushsports.co.za
Meezo, Mar 23 2018 08:09
What happened to the thread?Are we not allowed to say bikes are expensive ?
_C50_, Mar 23 2018 08:54
Was also wondering about that. Pretty sad that a thread gets pulled because of that, I mean really...
Adding to the absolutely ridiculous price of said bikes (and many others for that matter). I can buy myself a brand spanking new Honda Africa Twin and still have some change left for the price of one of these. There is absolutely no way that anybody can tell me that it makes sense. Crazy.