Contender Ten Best of 2021: A Superlight Santa Cruz Blur CC TR

Day Ten of the Contender Ten Best Bikes of 2021 goes to a superlight Santa Cruz Blur CC TR.

The ongoing quest to make a better bike sometimes means a brand might sacrifice the principles that set them apart. While the Santa Cruz brand touts a number of characteristics that define the brand, few are more deeply embedded in the brand than VPP suspension. This Santa Cruz Blur CC TR does just that, embracing what they call their “Superlight” platform. Does that make this Blur CC a proper Santa Cruz mountain bike?

We’ve actually gone in-depth into the features of the Santa Cruz Blur. See our Santa Cruz Blur first look review here.

On to whether the Blur is a true Santa Cruz. VPP is something that the previous-generation Blur had, but interestingly, that was the first Blur to have VPP (the original Blur didn’t have it either). The Superlight suspension layout allowed Santa Cruz to claim a 290-gram cut in weight compared to the previous Blur. The frame weighs 1610g (our scale weight, with RD hangar, axle, all bolts and mounting hardware, seatpost clamp, downtube protector, but without shock and chainstay cover). The suspension is also short compared to other Santa Cruz bikes, offering just 100mm suspension out back, or 115mm suspension in the Blur TR (or Juliana Wilder). The result is the lightest full-suspension mountain bike Santa Cruz has ever made.

VPP or not, Santa Cruz bikes tend to have high anti-squat values that make their bikes feel supportive as you climb seated through the loose and technical bits one might encounter. In cutting all the excess that VPP might have that makes for a buttery ride, the Blur becomes a much more serious bike, one that urges the rider to pedal harder and faster. But it does add a touch of bounciness to its suspension. Counteract that with volume spacers or adjusted shock tunes, and you add some of the buttery suspension feel but start to lose some of the bike’s zippiness. This is not the generalist Santa Cruz bikes typically are.

One might be able to call Santa Cruz’s other bikes versatile, but the Blur TR isn’t quite that. If you want a generalist that feels comfortable just about anywhere, the Tallboy is the bike for you. Rather, the Blur TR is a great marathon-style cross country bike for those who appreciate climbing but want more of a margin for error than a traditional cross-country bike. Nothing wrong with that. 

Is this a proper Santa Cruz mountain bike? We think so, and it comes from the details. Three water bottle cages on sizes M and above are a worthwhile change, but the size small still fits two bottles! A threaded bottom bracket is a Santa Cruz signature, and the molded chainstay and downtube protectors, dedicated chain guide, use of a SRAM Universal Derailleur hanger, and use of high-quality hardware feel highly polished. The Reserve 28 SL wheels here follow through on that polish that we feel make this a true Santa Cruz.

The Santa Cruz Blur CC TR is self-assured in its positioning in the mountain bike world, delivering as a highly-polished cross country or marathon bike that knows exactly what it is. VPP or otherwise, the Blur is a legit Santa Cruz. 

See the build sheet and more photos below.

See the Contender Ten Best Bikes of 2021