Vala 2025
How current the bike is — newer chassis, motor and battery score higher. 10 = brand-new, 0 = legacy.
Bosch-powered mullet full-power eMTB with 150mm travel and 600Wh battery
The Santa Cruz Vala 2025 is the Californian brand's first proper full-power eMTB, a four-bar carbon (or aluminium AL) chassis built around the Bosch Performance Line CX Gen 5 motor in a 160/150 mm mullet configuration. Headline numbers: 160 mm fork, 150 mm rear travel, Bosch CX Gen 5 at 120 Nm and 750 W peak (post-PU2.0 OTA), a 600 Wh PowerTube battery, a 63.9 degree head angle, reach 432 to 522 mm across five sizes with three shock-rate/chainstay flip-chip combinations per size (giving 15 geometry rows total), 23.0 kg claimed weight and £6,029 base price. The community verdict from @Andeh is "this is a damn fine bike, and yup, it rides like a Santa Cruz. Stiff and precise but not harsh. Goes where you want it to, happy to get airborne".
Drive system and range. The Bosch CX Gen 5 with PU2.0 firmware delivers 120 Nm of torque and 750 W peak with full Bosch Flow App ecosystem support. The Vala uses the PowerTube 800 housing but ships with a 600 Wh pack, which leaves room for the optional 800 Wh upgrade. The Bosch Powermore 250 Wh range extender is supported but requires the correct cable length: @eaxford notes the 250 mm cable is correct for XXL, while @Andeh reports the 150 mm cable causes shock reservoir/battery clearance issues. Real-world range from @prolix2 on a Medium X0 Reserve at 155 lb rider weight is "29 miles in EMTB mode at about 1,200 feet vertical".
Geometry and handling. The 63.9 degree head angle is bang on category-norm for a 160/150 mm all-mountain bike. Santa Cruz's headline feature is independent geometry and shock-rate flip chips: each frame size offers three settings, giving 15 geometry rows. Reach progresses 432 to 522 mm across S to XXL with chainstays scaling 439 to 451 mm and wheelbase 1220 to 1350 mm. The bike is mullet (29F/27.5R) by default per @Chicane. @Andeh notes the rear end "seems to get out of the way / swallow holes/square hits better than their VPP bikes". @JetSetDemo at 5'9" found the Medium "perfect", suggesting sizing can run on the larger side.
Build and value. Six trims in the range. The £6,029 base is the value entry, the AL 70 aluminium at €6,299 is the alloy-frame value pick (24.1 kg, per @Nomadic Dad's 53.11 lb measurement on the AL Deore), C 70 at £7,499, CC and C 90 at £8,499, and CC X0 AXS RSV at £9,999 with 22.5 kg claimed. Standout across the range is the SRAM Maven Silver Stealth four-piston brakes as standard plus SRAM Eagle AXS T-Type Transmission on most trims. Questionable is the 600 Wh battery as standard when many competitors ship with 750 to 800 Wh at similar money, and the non-quick-release battery design that @steve_sordy notes "makes removal impractical".
Community-verified strengths. First, the chassis: @Andeh reports "stiff and precise but not harsh", and the rear end swallows square hits better than Santa Cruz's VPP bikes. Second, the size and geometry options: 15 geometry rows give riders genuine fit flexibility. Third, the spec quality at the price: SRAM Maven brakes and AXS T-Type Transmission on the base trim are top-tier picks, and @Lee Dove got a ZEB Select+ in the R-model spec rather than the base advertised.
Caveats and known gripes. The non-removable battery is the headline issue. @steve_sordy and @JJ765 both flag the fixed MX setup and non-removable battery as a "dealbreaker for some buyers". Range extender cable sizing is fiddly across frame sizes. The 600 Wh battery is the entry capacity. Brakes need bedding-in: @Lee Dove ordered Galfer pads to improve the SRAM Maven set on day two.
Verdict. The Vala is in current production and is one of the most thoroughly executed Bosch CX Gen 5 all-mountain eMTBs on the market. Buy it if you want a Santa Cruz-quality chassis with the latest Bosch motor, top-tier base-trim spec with SRAM Maven brakes and AXS Transmission, and the 15-row geometry/shock-rate adjustment package. Look elsewhere if removable battery is a hard requirement, you need 750 Wh-plus capacity, or you cannot live with mullet wheels.
Frame
Carbon (CC or C) frame with four-bar Horst-link rear suspension; independent geometry and shock-rate flip chips; MX wheel configuration; 160mm front / 150mm rear travel.
Geometry · hover a row to highlight the measurement on the bike
| S | M | L | XL | XXL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reach | 432 mm | 456 mm | 477 mm | 497 mm | 522 mm |
| Stack | 626 mm | 636 mm | 644 mm | 657 mm | 671 mm |
| Chainstay | 439 mm | 442 mm | 445 mm | 448 mm | 451 mm |
| Headtube Angle | 63.9° | 63.9° | 63.9° | 63.9° | 63.9° |
| Seattube Angle (eff) | 77.1° | 77.1° | 77.1° | 77.1° | 77.1° |
| BB Drop | 35 mm | 35 mm | 35 mm | 35 mm | 35 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1220 mm | 1250 mm | 1285 mm | 1320 mm | 1350 mm |
| Front Centre | 781 mm | 808 mm | 840 mm | 872 mm | 899 mm |
Trims · 12
C 70 £7,499 | C 90 £8,499 | CC £8,499 | GX AXS £8,599 | CC X0 AXS RSV £9,999 | X0 AXS RSV £9,999 | XX AXS RSV £11,999 | 70 | 90 | AL 70 | AL Deore | XT Di2 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motor | Bosch Performance Line CX Gen 5 · 120 Nm | Bosch Performance Line CX Gen 5 · 120 Nm | Bosch Performance Line CX · 120 Nm | Bosch Performance Line CX Gen 5 · 120 Nm | Bosch Performance Line CX · 120 Nm | Bosch Performance Line CX Gen 5 · 120 Nm | Bosch Performance Line CX Gen 5 · 120 Nm | Bosch Performance Line CX Gen 5 · 120 Nm | Bosch Performance Line CX Gen 5 · 120 Nm | Bosch Performance Line CX Gen 5 · 120 Nm | Bosch Performance Line CX Gen 5 · 120 Nm | Bosch Performance Line CX Gen 5 · 120 Nm |
| Battery | Bosch PowerTube 800 · 600 Wh | Bosch PowerTube 800 · 600 Wh | Bosch PowerTube 800 · 800 Wh | Bosch PowerTube 800 · 600 Wh | Bosch PowerTube 600 · 600 Wh | Bosch PowerTube 800 · 600 Wh | Bosch PowerTube 800 · 600 Wh | Bosch PowerTube 800 · 600 Wh | Bosch PowerTube 800 · 600 Wh | Bosch PowerTube 800 · 600 Wh | Bosch PowerTube 800 · 600 Wh | Bosch PowerTube 800 · 600 Wh |
| Travel F/R | 160/150 mm · all trims | |||||||||||
| Frame | Carbon · all trims | |||||||||||
| Fork | — | — | FOX 38 Float Factory GRIP X2, 160mm travel | FOX 38 Float Performance Elite, Grip X2, 160mm | FOX 38 Float Factory, GRIP X2 damper, 160mm travel | FOX 38 Factory, Grip X2, 160mm | FOX 38 Factory, Grip X2, 160mm | — | — | — | — | Fox Factory |
| Shock | — | — | FOX Float X Factory, 205x60mm | FOX Float X Performance Elite, 205x60 | FOX Float X Factory, 205x60mm | FOX Float X Factory, 205x60 | FOX Float X Factory, 205x60 | FOX Float X | FOX Float X | — | — | — |
| Headset | — | — | Cane Creek 50 IS Integrated | — | Cane Creek 50 IS Integrated | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Stem | — | — | OneUp, 42mm | OneUp Stem, 42mm -or- Burgtec Enduro Stem, 42mm | OneUp / Burgtec Enduro, 42mm | OneUp Stem, 42mm -or- Burgtec Enduro Stem, 42mm | Burgtec Enduro MK3 Machined, 42mm | — | — | — | — | — |
| Handlebar | — | — | Santa Cruz 35 Carbon Bar, 800mm width, 35mm rise | OneUp Aluminum Bar, 35mm Rise, 800mm | Santa Cruz 35 Carbon Bar, 800mm width, 35mm rise | Santa Cruz 35 Carbon Bar, 800mm | Santa Cruz 35 Carbon Bar, 800mm | — | — | — | — | — |
| Grips | Santa Cruz House grips · all trims | |||||||||||
| Saddle | — | — | WTB Silverado Medium Fusion CroMo SL | SDG Bel-Air V3, Max Lux-Alloy Atmos | WTB Silverado Medium Fusion CroMo SL | WTB Silverado Medium Fusion, CroMo SL | WTB Silverado Medium Fusion, Stainless | — | — | — | — | — |
| Seatpost | — | — | OneUp V3 Dropper Post, 31.6mm, size-specific 120-240mm | OneUp Dropper Post, 31.6 | OneUp V3 Dropper Post, 31.6mm diameter, size-specific travel up to 210mm (size L) | OneUp Dropper Post, 31.6 | OneUp Dropper Post, 31.6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Brakes | — | — | SRAM Maven Silver Stealth, 4-piston hydraulic disc | SRAM Maven Bronze Stealth | SRAM Maven Silver Stealth, 4-piston hydraulic disc | SRAM Maven Silver Stealth | SRAM Maven Ultimate Stealth | — | SRAM Maven | — | — | — |
| Rear derailleur | — | — | SRAM X0 Eagle AXS T-Type, 12-speed | SRAM GX Eagle AXS T-Type, 12spd | SRAM X0 Eagle AXS T-Type, 12-speed wireless | SRAM X0 Eagle AXS T-Type, 12spd | SRAM XX Eagle AXS T-Type, 12spd | — | — | — | — | — |
| Crank | — | — | SRAM X0 Eagle Cranks, 160mm | SRAM GX Eagle Cranks, 160mm | SRAM X0 Eagle Cranks, 160mm | SRAM X0 Eagle Cranks, 160mm | SRAM X0 Eagle Cranks, 160mm | — | — | — | — | — |
| Shifters | — | — | SRAM AXS Pod Controller Rocker Paddle | SRAM AXS Pod Bridge | SRAM AXS Pod Controller Rocker Paddle | SRAM AXS Pod Controller Rocker Paddle | SRAM AXS Pod Controller Rocker Paddle | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cassette | — | — | SRAM XS-1275 Eagle T-Type 12-speed, 10-52t | SRAM GX Eagle T-Type, 10-52t | SRAM XS-1275 Eagle T-Type 12-speed, 10-52t | SRAM X0 Eagle T-Type, 10-52t | SRAM XX Eagle T-Type, 10-52t | — | — | — | — | — |
| Chain | — | — | SRAM X0 Eagle T-Type Flattop, 12-speed | SRAM GX Eagle T-Type, Flattop, 12spd | SRAM X0 Eagle T-Type Flattop, 12-speed | SRAM X0 Eagle T-Type, Flattop, 12spd | SRAM XX Eagle T-Type, Flattop, 12spd | — | — | — | — | — |
| Drivetrain | — | — | 1x12 wireless electronic AXS Transmission | SRAM GX Eagle AXS | 1x12 wireless electronic AXS Transmission | SRAM X0 AXS | SRAM XX AXS | SRAM 70 T-Type | SRAM 90 T-Type | SRAM Transmission | Shimano Deore | Shimano XT Di2 |
| Wheels | — | — | Reserve carbon MX wheelset (Reserve 30 HD front / 31 DH rear) on DT Swiss 350 hubs | Aluminum | Reserve 30|HD front / 31|DH rear MX carbon wheelset on DT Swiss 350 hubs | Reserve 30|HD Carbon (front) / Reserve 31|DH Carbon (rear), DT Swiss 350 hubs | Reserve 30|HD Carbon (front) / Reserve 31|DH Carbon (rear), Industry Nine Hydra hubs | Reserve AL | Reserve AL | Reserve AL | WTB | — |
| Tyres | — | — | Schwalbe Magic Mary 29x2.5 Trail Radial Ultra Soft front; Schwalbe Magic Mary 27.5x2.5 Gravity Radial Soft rear | Schwalbe Magic Mary, 29x2.5 (front) / Schwalbe Magic Mary, 27.5x2.5 (rear) | Schwalbe Magic Mary 29x2.5 Ultra Soft Super Trail front; Schwalbe Magic Mary 27.5x2.5 Soft Super Gravity rear | Schwalbe Magic Mary, 29x2.5 (front) / Schwalbe Magic Mary, 27.5x2.5 (rear) | Schwalbe Magic Mary, 29x2.5 (front) / Schwalbe Magic Mary, 27.5x2.5 (rear) | Maxxis | Maxxis | Maxxis | Maxxis | Maxxis |
| Weight | — | — | 23 kg | 22.37 kg | 22.5 kg | 21.53 kg | 21.47 kg | — | — | 24.1 kg | — | — |
| Price | £7,499 | £8,499 | £8,499 | £8,599 | £9,999 | £9,999 | £11,999 | — | — | — | — | — |
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