Josh Bryceland (Santa Cruz Syndicate) has made the move to 27.5in wheels with Santa Cruz's redesigned V10(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
You can't buy RAD – it has to be earned(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
The 165mm-long Shimano Saint crank are fitted with a 38-tooth chainring and an e13 LG1+ Turbo chain guide(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
Josh Bryceland (Santa Cruz Syndicate) is using the direct-mount version of Shimano's Saint rear derailleur(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
The WTB Vigo saddle is attached to an Enve carbon fibre seatpost(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
While the front tyre is slightly modified for better cornering grip, the rear Maxxis DHR II is left as is(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
Velcro strips are liberally applied to the rear triangle to quiet down chain slap(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
"We like to keep things light, too!" says team mechanic Doug Hatfield, in reference to the smattering of titanium bolts on Josh Bryceland's (Santa Cruz Syndicate) new Santa Cruz V10(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
Even the pedals are identified to keep them from getting mixed up with another team rider's bike(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
Wheels are handbuilt around Chris King hubs(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
Josh Bryceland (Santa Cruz Syndicate) runs about 5mm of spacer beneath his Enve molded carbon fibre stem(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
The rear shock has clearly seen its fair share of mud(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
The bump stop is attached with a red anodised aluminum bolt(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
More titanium hardware is used to attach the Shimano Saint front brake calliper(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
Team mechanic Doug Hatfield doesn't just ziptie the number plate to the stanchions as is the norm. It's first glued on to a wider MarshGuard plate, which provides some room to tuck the rear derailleur and rear brake lines behind for quieter running(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
Derailleur housing is cleanly - and externally - routed along the down tube. The integrated bump stops provide a handy routing point too(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
The MarshGuard 'Stash' add-on on the front of the fender is designed to accommodate the wider gap on some forks(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
Josh Bryceland (Santa Cruz Syndicate) finished second at the last World Cup round in Mont Sainte Anne, Canada(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
Not surprisingly, Santa Cruz is sticking with its tried-and-true VPP suspension layout for the new 27.5in-wheeled V10(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
osh Bryceland (Santa Cruz Syndicate) is running a 500lb steel spring on his Fox RAD rear shock(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
The team-only Fox RAD rear shock features independent damping adjustments for high and low-speed compression, and high- and low-speed rebound(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
Two mounting positions for the rear shock allow for tunable geometry(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
Maxxis DHR II tyres are mounted - tubeless - on Enve M90 Ten carbon fibre rims James Huang / Immediate Media Pro bike Josh Bryceland s Santa Cruz V10 Team mechanic Doug Hatfield has clipped part of the shoulder knobs off of the front Maxxis DHR II tyre, which supposedly lends better cornering grip for the course conditions in Windham, New York James Huang / Immediate Media Pro bike Josh Bryceland s Santa Cruz V10 Grease ports and collet-type locking pivot hardware should ease maintenance and decrease creaking James Huang / Immediate Media Pro bike Josh Bryceland s Santa Cruz V10 The all-Enve cockpit features a molded carbon fibre direct mount stem and an 800mm-wide carbon fibre bar James Huang / Immediate Media Pro bike Josh Bryceland s Santa Cruz V10 While Josh Bryceland (Santa Cruz Syndicate) does occasionally use the offset Chris King Buzzworks headset for faster and steeper tracks, Windham's tighter lines has him on a standard headset instead James Huang / Immediate Media Pro bike Josh Bryceland s Santa Cruz V10 Josh Bryceland (Santa Cruz Syndicate) runs Lizard Skins Lock-On Charger grips James Huang / Immediate Media Pro bike Josh Bryceland s Santa Cruz V10 The specially prepped Fox 40 Float fork is amazingly supple James Huang / Immediate Media Pro bike Josh Bryceland s Santa Cruz V10 "Ratboy" is looking to move one step further up on the podium at Windham James Huang / Immediate Media Pro bike Josh Bryceland s Santa Cruz V10 The fork is dressed up with a Fox decal to keep mud from packing the back of the hollowed-out brace. A small fender from MarshGuard is held on with zipties James Huang / Immediate Media Pro bike Josh Bryceland s Santa Cruz V10 The MarshGuard 'Stash' add-on on the front of the fender is designed to accommodate the wider gap on some forks James Huang / Immediate Media Pro bike Josh Bryceland s Santa Cruz V10 Derailleur housing is cleanly - and externally - routed along the down tube. The integrated bump stops provide a handy routing point too James Huang / Immediate Media Pro bike Josh Bryceland s Santa Cruz V10 You can't buy RAD – it has to be earned James Huang / Immediate Media Pro bike Josh Bryceland s Santa Cruz V10 The 165mm-long Shimano Saint crank are fitted with a 38-tooth chainring and an e13 LG1+ Turbo chain guide James Huang / Immediate Media Pro bike Josh Bryceland s Santa Cruz V10 Josh Bryceland (Santa Cruz Syndicate) is using the direct-mount version of Shimano's Saint rear derailleur James Huang / Immediate Media Pro bike Josh Bryceland s Santa Cruz V10 The WTB Vigo saddle is attached to an Enve carbon fibre seatpost James Huang / Immediate Media Pro bike Josh Bryceland s Santa Cruz V10 While the front tyre is slightly modified for better cornering grip, the rear Maxxis DHR II is left as is James Huang / Immediate Media Pro bike Josh Bryceland s Santa Cruz V10 Velcro strips are liberally applied to the rear triangle to quiet down chain slap James Huang / Immediate Media Pro bike Josh Bryceland s Santa Cruz V10 "We like to keep things light, too!" says team mechanic Doug Hatfield, in reference to the smattering of titanium bolts on Josh Bryceland's (Santa Cruz Syndicate) new Santa Cruz V10 James Huang / Immediate Media Pro bike Josh Bryceland s Santa Cruz V10 Even the pedals are identified to keep them from getting mixed up with another team rider's bike James Huang / Immediate Media Pro bike Josh Bryceland s Santa Cruz V10 Wheels are handbuilt around Chris King hubs James Huang / Immediate Media Pro bike Josh Bryceland s Santa Cruz V10 Josh Bryceland (Santa Cruz Syndicate) runs about 5mm of spacer beneath his Enve molded carbon fibre stem James Huang / Immediate Media Pro bike Josh Bryceland s Santa Cruz V10 The rear shock has clearly seen its fair share of mud James Huang / Immediate Media Pro bike Josh Bryceland s Santa Cruz V10 The bump stop is attached with a red anodised aluminum bolt James Huang / Immediate Media Pro bike Josh Bryceland s Santa Cruz V10 More titanium hardware is used to attach the Shimano Saint front brake calliper James Huang / Immediate Media Pro bike Josh Bryceland s Santa Cruz V10 Team mechanic Doug Hatfield doesn't just ziptie the number plate to the stanchions as is the norm. It's first glued on to a wider MarshGuard plate, which provides some room to tuck the rear derailleur and rear brake lines behind for quieter running James Huang / Immediate Media Pro bike Josh Bryceland s Santa Cruz V10 Even the wheels are tagged(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
Team mechanic Doug Hatfield has clipped part of the shoulder knobs off of the front Maxxis DHR II tyre, which supposedly lends better cornering grip for the course conditions in Windham, New York(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
Grease ports and collet-type locking pivot hardware should ease maintenance and decrease creaking(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
The all-Enve cockpit features a molded carbon fibre direct mount stem and an 800mm-wide carbon fibre bar(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
While Josh Bryceland (Santa Cruz Syndicate) does occasionally use the offset Chris King Buzzworks headset for faster and steeper tracks, Windham's tighter lines has him on a standard headset instead(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
The specially prepped Fox 40 Float fork is amazingly supple(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
"Ratboy" is looking to move one step further up on the podium at Windham(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
The fork is dressed up with a Fox decal to keep mud from packing the back of the hollowed-out brace. A small fender from MarshGuard is held on with zipties(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
Even the wheels are tagged(Image credit: James Huang/BikeRadar)
Josh Bryceland (Santa Cruz Syndicate) is coming off of a second-place finish at the World Cup stop in Mont Sainte Anne and is aiming to move one step higher this weekend in Windham, New York.
The short course leaves no room for error, so his brand new 27.5in-wheeled Santa Cruz V10 is fully tweaked to squeeze out every last bit of speed – and look fast, it certainly does.
Josh Bryceland – aka 'Ratboy' – is on Santa Cruz's new 27.5in-wheeled V10 downhill machine
There's an extraordinary range of possible adjustments available on top-end downhill bikes to suit the diverse mixture of tracks and according to Santa Cruz Syndicate team mechanic Doug Hatfield. It's all-out, flat-out, and even the smallest gain (or mistake) can make the difference.
As a result, Bryceland's new 27.5in-wheeled V10 features a number of little tweaks to help him eke out a bit more speed. The side knobs on the front Maxxis DHR II tyre are slightly clipped for more cornering bite, there's a standard Chris King headset in place instead of the forward-offset 'BuzzWorks' version to suit Windham's tighter corners, and there's a smattering of titanium hardware to save weight wherever possible.
"We like things light, too!" Hatfield said.
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Both brake callipers are held in place with titanium bolts
Hatfield is even meticulous about how the number plate is attached. Instead of securing the plate directly to the stanchions as is the norm, he first glues the plate to a wider base plate from UK company MarshGuard, and then attaches the whole thing. According to Hatfield, this leaves a little extra room at the top for the rear derailleur and rear brake lines to pass through for quieter running during the race.
MarshGuard also supplies the mini front fender – complete with a 'Stash' extension up front to help keep debris out of Bryceland's face.
The MarshGuard front fender keeps debris out of Bryceland's eyes while the Fox decal covers up the hollowed-out arch to prevent mud from packing
Granted, the fantastically high-end build kit doesn't leave much room for improvement, though. Adding to the outstanding Shimano Saint group is e*thirteen's extra-secure LG1+ Turbo chainguide; tough Shimano DX clipless pedals; handbuilt wheels assembled with Enve M90 Ten carbon rims, Chris King hubs, and DT Swiss Competition stainless steel spokes; an Enve carbon fibre DH handlebar, carbon fibre direct-mount stem, and carbon seatpost; and a titanium-railed WTB saddle.
Tyres are set up tubeless with about 29psi up front and 30 to 31psi out back.
The slightly clipped side knobs supposedly lend a little extra cornering traction
We weren’t permitted to pull out the tape measure or scales but according to Hatfield, the bike is "about 35lb" – roughly 15.9kg or so.
Suspension comes courtesy of Fox's fully supported, racer-only RAD program, and though we didn't actually ride Bryceland's bike, both ends were astonishingly supple for what we anticipate is a confidently glued-to-the-ground feel. The rear shock is especially notable for its fully independent damping adjustments for high- and low-speed rebound, and high- and low-speed compression.
The Fox RAD rear shock features an impressive amount of available adjustment
Hatfield says that Bryceland prefers a somewhat softer suspension tune, too, compared to many other top riders who run an unusually firm setup.
Santa Cruz still isn't saying much about its new V10 downhill chassis but the bigger wheels are clearly evident. According to team mechanic Doug Hatfield, the difference between those and the old 26in wheels is subtle but still evident to team riders, saying they roll better over obstacles and carry speed better.
Other details are lesser known but given common complaints on the currently V10, we're guessing the cockpit has been lengthened to give riders a little more breathing room.
We're eagerly awaiting further information but until then, Bryceland sure seems to be making the new bike work just fine for him.
Complete bike specifications Frame: Santa Cruz V10 27.5, size large Rear shock: Fox DHX RAD Fork: Fox 40 Float RAD Headset: Chris King InSet Stem: Enve direct mount Handlebar: Enve DH Grips: Lizard Skins Lock-On Charger Front brake: Shimano Saint BR-M820 w/ 203mm RT86 rotor Rear brake: Shimano Saint BR-M820 w/ 203mm RT86 rotor Brake levers: Shimano Saint BL-M820 Chain guide: e*thirteen LG1+ Turbo Rear derailleur: Shimano Saint RD-M820 Shift levers: Shimano Saint SL-M820 Cassette: Shimano Ultegra CS-6700, 11-25T Chain: Shimano Crankset: Shimano Saint FD-M820, 165mm, 38T Bottom bracket: Shimano SM-BB80 Pedals: Shimano DX PD-M647 Rims: Enve M90 Ten, 32h Front tyre: Maxxis DHR II 3C, 27.5 x 2.4in, tubeless, clipped, 29psi Rear tyre: Maxxis DHR II 3C, 27.5 x 2.4in, tubeless, 30-31psi Saddle: WTB Vigo Titanium Seatpost: Enve, 5mm offset Other accessories: MarshGuard front fender and 'Stash', MarshGuard number plate, titanium hardware
