Santa Cruz

Bullit 2023

Discontinued✎Full Power · GravityLegacy · 0.4/10iFreshness 0.4/10
How current the bike is — newer chassis, motor and battery score higher. 10 = brand-new, 0 = legacy.

Playful mixed-wheel carbon enduro with lower-link VPP poise

Motor

Shimano EP8 (DU-EP800) · 85Nm · 500W↗

Battery

Shimano BT-EP800 630Wh

Travel F/R

170/170mm

Wheels

MX (29F / 27.5R)✎

Frame

Full carbon✎

Weight

21.99 kg

Price

From £7,499

View the Santa Cruz Bullit on Santa Cruz’s site

📋Owners’ report 3,362 posts

Santa Cruz Bullit 2023

From £7,499

The 2023 Santa Cruz Bullit is the brand's full-power, mixed-wheel (29in front, 27.5in rear) carbon enduro eMTB. Every UK build runs the same Carbon CC frame, a lower-link VPP layout with 170mm of travel front and rear, the Shimano STEPS EP8 (DU-EP800) drive unit and a 630Wh battery. The frame takes a 170mm 38mm-chassis fork and a 230x62.5mm shock, and rolls on four sizes (M, L, XL, XXL) sharing a slack 64-degree head angle and a 449mm chainstay across the range.The UK range ran six builds. The R (£7,499) is the value entry with a RockShox Zeb fork, SRAM NX Eagle and SRAM Guide RE brakes. The S (£8,699) steps up to a Fox 38 Float Performance fork, SRAM GX Eagle and Code R brakes. The XT and XT Coil (£9,499 each) pair a Fox 38 Performance Elite with a full Shimano XT M8100 groupset and 203mm Ice Tech rotors, the Coil swapping in a RockShox Super Deluxe Coil shock. The flagship X01 AXS RSV and X01 AXS RSV Coil (£11,699 each) add a Fox 38 Factory fork, SRAM X01 Eagle AXS wireless shifting, Code RSC brakes and Reserve carbon wheels.Geometry is firmly enduro: a 64-degree head angle, 450mm reach in M growing to 515mm in XXL, and a low 348mm bottom bracket. It is a heavy, gravity-focused bike rather than a lightweight, so the EP8 motor and 630Wh battery are doing real work on the climbs. This model year is discontinued, having since been replaced by a later Bullit generation.

EMTB Forums verdict

The 2023 Santa Cruz Bullit is the brand's full-power, mixed-wheel (29in front, 27.5in rear) carbon enduro eMTB. Every UK build runs the same Carbon CC frame, a lower-link VPP layout with 170mm of travel front and rear, the Shimano STEPS EP8 (DU-EP800) drive unit and a 630Wh battery. The frame takes a 170mm 38mm-chassis fork and a 230x62.5mm shock, and rolls on four sizes (M, L, XL, XXL) sharing a slack 64-degree head angle and a 449mm chainstay across the range.

The UK range ran six builds. The R (£7,499) is the value entry with a RockShox Zeb fork, SRAM NX Eagle and SRAM Guide RE brakes. The S (£8,699) steps up to a Fox 38 Float Performance fork, SRAM GX Eagle and Code R brakes. The XT and XT Coil (£9,499 each) pair a Fox 38 Performance Elite with a full Shimano XT M8100 groupset and 203mm Ice Tech rotors, the Coil swapping in a RockShox Super Deluxe Coil shock. The flagship X01 AXS RSV and X01 AXS RSV Coil (£11,699 each) add a Fox 38 Factory fork, SRAM X01 Eagle AXS wireless shifting, Code RSC brakes and Reserve carbon wheels.

Geometry is firmly enduro: a 64-degree head angle, 450mm reach in M growing to 515mm in XXL, and a low 348mm bottom bracket. It is a heavy, gravity-focused bike rather than a lightweight, so the EP8 motor and 630Wh battery are doing real work on the climbs. This model year is discontinued, having since been replaced by a later Bullit generation.

Geometry read

What the numbers mean on the trail

Computed from this bike's geometry, spec and build kit — reach, wheelbase, chainstay, head and seat angles, travel, motor, weight and the fork/tyre/brake spec — and worked out per size, because a fixed chainstay can make an S and an XL feel very different.

Size

Descending

Slack 64° head angle, 170mm travel and a long 1267mm wheelbase — composed in the chunk, confident when it gets steep, and stable through fast corners.

Playfulness

Short 449mm rear and a lighter build — easy to pop, manual and throw around.

Size balance

Balanced front-to-rear in L (FC:RC 1.82) — weight sits evenly between the wheels.

Technical climbing

Climbs well — a 77.1° seat keeps the front planted. 500W of peak power and 85Nm of torque — a strong full-power motor.

Best suited toPlayful trail riding — jumps, pumps and tight, techy singletrack.

Easy to throw around; happiest when you're active on the bike.

Watch out forNo major red flags in the L geometry.

The numbers are well balanced for its category.

How it stacks up vs other Full Power · Gravity bikes (from 135 bikes in the database)

Weight21.99 kg1.8 kg lighter than average

Battery630 Wh79 Wh below average

Motor torque85 Nm16 Nm below average

Value for money16/100from £7,499 · most Shimano EP8 (DU-EP800) bikes ~£6,119

Computed from geometry + spec, not a paid review. Scores are guidance, not gospel.

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💬 Forum discussion

2026 Santacruz Bullit Owners - Setup - Tricks - Discussion

339 replies · 69k views · last reply 9 days ago

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“Hey All, I wanted to create a thread specifically for ongoing discussion for owners and prospective owners of the bruiser that is the 2026 Santacruz Bullit. The intention is that this the place for us to share setup, ride impressions,…”

— ebsocalmtb · ♥ 11 · most-liked post

OWNERS’ REPORT

Santa Cruz Bullit — what owners actually know

3,362 posts · 540 owners · data through Jul 2026

20LEGACY: 2021-2025 EP8 Bullit (used-market value play) · typical onset: Battery lock any time; range and creaks in the first weeks to months.

62026: factory-dry headset and motor-area creak/knock · typical onset: First handful of rides to a few weeks.

62026: pre-purchase structural complaints (fixed battery, mullet-only) · typical onset: At the spec sheet.

✓2026 bike: zero frame, motor or battery failures in 14 months of owner reports; the issue list is bushes, a bent brake lever and app friction.

Inside: the community setup plate · numbered field notes · the used-buyer checklist.

Read the full owners’ report →

Geometry · hover a row to highlight the measurement on the bike

	M	L	XL	XXL
Reach	450 mm	475 mm	495 mm	515 mm
Stack	621 mm	630 mm	648 mm	670.4 mm
Seattube	405 mm	430 mm	460 mm	500 mm
Chainstay	449 mm	449 mm	449 mm	449 mm
Headtube Angle	64°	64°	64°	64°
Seattube Angle (eff)	77.2°	77.1°	77°	76.8°
Wheelbase	1238.5 mm	1267.9 mm	1296.7 mm	1327.7 mm
Headtube	100 mm	110 mm	130 mm	155 mm
BB Height	348 mm	348 mm	348 mm	348 mm
Standover	748 mm	747 mm	745 mm	745 mm
Front Centre	789.5 mm*	818.9 mm*	847.7 mm*	878.7 mm*
FC:RC	1.76	1.82	1.89	1.96

Trims · 6

	R £7,499	S £8,699	XT £9,499	XT Coil £9,499	X01 AXS RSV £11,699	X01 AXS RSV Coil £11,699
Motor	Shimano EP8 (DU-EP800) · 85 Nm · all trims
Battery	Shimano BT-EP800 630Wh · 630 Wh · all trims
Travel F/R	170/170 mm · all trims
Frame	Carbon CC · all trims
Fork	RockShox Zeb, 170mm	FOX 38 Float Performance, 170mm	FOX 38 Float Performance Elite, 170mm	FOX 38 Float Performance Elite, 170mm	FOX 38 Float Factory, 170mm	FOX 38 Float Factory, 170mm
Shock	RockShox Super Deluxe Select	RockShox Super Deluxe Select+	RockShox Super Deluxe Select+	RockShox Super Deluxe Coil Select+	RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate	RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate Coil
Headset	Cane Creek 10 IS Integrated Headset	Cane Creek 40 IS Integrated Headset	Cane Creek 40 IS Integrated Headset	Cane Creek 40 IS Integrated Headset	Cane Creek 40 IS Integrated Headset	Cane Creek 40 IS Integrated Headset
Stem	e.13 Base	Burgtec Enduro MK3	Burgtec Enduro MK3	Burgtec Enduro MK3	Burgtec Enduro MK3	Burgtec Enduro MK3
Handlebar	e13 TRS Base	Santa Cruz e35 Carbon Bar, 800mm, 35mm Rise	Santa Cruz e35 Carbon Bar, 800mm, 35mm Rise	Santa Cruz e35 Carbon Bar, 800mm, 35mm Rise	Santa Cruz e35 Carbon Bar, 800mm, 35mm Rise	Santa Cruz e35 Carbon Bar, 800mm, 35mm Rise
Grips	Santa Cruz House Grips · all trims
Saddle	WTB Silverado Race Saddle	WTB Silverado Medium Cromoly SL Fusion Saddle	WTB Silverado Medium Cromoly SL Fusion Saddle	WTB Silverado Medium Cromoly SL Fusion Saddle	WTB Silverado Medium Stainless Fusion Saddle	WTB Silverado Medium Stainless Fusion Saddle
Seatpost	SDG Tellis Dropper, 31.6	FOX Transfer Performance Elite Dropper, 31.6	FOX Transfer Performance Elite Dropper, 31.6	FOX Transfer Performance Elite Dropper, 31.6	FOX Transfer Factory Dropper, 31.6	FOX Transfer Factory Dropper, 31.6
Brakes	SRAM Guide RE; rotors: Front: Avid Centerline 220mm, Rear: Avid Centerline 200mm	SRAM Code R; rotors: Front: Avid Centerline 220mm, Rear: Avid Centerline 200mm	Shimano XT 8120; rotors: Front: Shimano XT, Ice Tech, Centerlock, 203mm, Rear: Shimano XT, Ice Tech, Centerlock, 203mm w/ Magnet	Shimano XT 8120; rotors: Front: Shimano XT, Ice Tech, Centerlock, 203mm, Rear: Shimano XT, Ice Tech, Centerlock, 203mm w/ Magnet	SRAM Code RSC; rotors: Front: Avid Centerline 220mm, Rear: Avid Centerline 200mm	SRAM Code RSC; rotors: Front: Avid Centerline 220mm, Rear: Avid Centerline 200mm
Rear derailleur	SRAM NX Eagle, 12spd	SRAM GX Eagle, 12spd	Shimano XT M8100, 12spd	Shimano XT M8100, 12spd	SRAM X01 Eagle AXS, 12spd	SRAM X01 Eagle AXS, 12spd
Crank	Shimano EM600 Crank Arms 165mm	Shimano EM600 Crank Arms 165mm	Shimano XT M8150 Crank Arms 165mm	Shimano XT M8150 Crank Arms 165mm	Shimano EM900 HollowTech Crank Arms 165mm	Shimano EM900 HollowTech Crank Arms 165mm
Shifters	SRAM NX	SRAM GX Eagle Single Click, 12spd	Shimano XT M8100, 12spd	Shimano XT M8100, 12spd	SRAM GX AXS Shifter	SRAM GX AXS Shifter
Cassette	SRAM PG1230, 12spd, 11-50t	SRAM XG1275 Eagle, 12spd, 10-50t	Shimano XT M8100, 12spd, 10-51t	Shimano XT M8100, 12spd, 10-51t	SRAM XG1295 Eagle, 12spd, 10-50t	SRAM XG1295 Eagle, 12spd, 10-50t
Chain	SRAM NX Eagle, 12spd	SRAM GX Eagle, 12spd	Shimano XT, 12spd	Shimano XT, 12spd	SRAM X01 Eagle, 12spd	SRAM X01 Eagle, 12spd
Drivetrain	SRAM NX Eagle, 12spd; Shimano EM600 Crank Arms 165mm; SRAM NX; SRAM PG1230, 12spd, 11-50t; SRAM NX Eagle, 12spd	SRAM GX Eagle, 12spd; Shimano EM600 Crank Arms 165mm; SRAM GX Eagle Single Click, 12spd; SRAM XG1275 Eagle, 12spd, 10-50t; SRAM GX Eagle, 12spd	Shimano XT M8100, 12spd; Shimano XT M8150 Crank Arms 165mm; Shimano XT M8100, 12spd; Shimano XT M8100, 12spd, 10-51t; Shimano XT, 12spd	Shimano XT M8100, 12spd; Shimano XT M8150 Crank Arms 165mm; Shimano XT M8100, 12spd; Shimano XT M8100, 12spd, 10-51t; Shimano XT, 12spd	SRAM X01 Eagle AXS, 12spd; Shimano EM900 HollowTech Crank Arms 165mm; SRAM GX AXS Shifter; SRAM XG1295 Eagle, 12spd, 10-50t; SRAM X01 Eagle, 12spd	SRAM X01 Eagle AXS, 12spd; Shimano EM900 HollowTech Crank Arms 165mm; SRAM GX AXS Shifter; SRAM XG1295 Eagle, 12spd, 10-50t; SRAM X01 Eagle, 12spd
Wheels	Front: WTB ST i30 TCS 2.0 29" Rims, Rear: WTB ST i30 TCS 2.0 27.5" Rims	Front: RaceFace ARC HD 30 29" Rims, Rear: RaceFace ARC HD 30 27.5" Rims	Front: RaceFace ARC HD 30 29" Rims, Rear: RaceFace ARC HD 30 27.5" Rims	Front: RaceFace ARC HD 30 29" Rims, Rear: RaceFace ARC HD 30 27.5" Rims	Front: Reserve 30 29" Carbon Rims, Rear: Reserve DH 27.5" Carbon Rims	Front: Reserve 30 29" Carbon Rims, Rear: Reserve DH 27.5" Carbon Rims
Tyres	Front: Maxxis Assegai 29"x2.5", 3C, MaxxGRIP, Double Down, TR, Rear: Maxxis Minion DHR II 27.5"x2.4, 3C, DoubleDown, EXO, TR · all trims
Weight	22.57 kg	22.47 kg	21.99 kg	22.49 kg	22.26 kg	22.61 kg
Price	£7,499	£8,699	£9,499	£9,499	£11,699	£11,699

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