2026 Santa Cruz Bullit

[mehukatti]

Opening a thread for the 2026 Santa Cruz Bullit before official launch. Some people here have already seen the bike, but cannot tell anything about it due to embargo.

 

[LautSprecher]

Is the name confirmed? Will they ditch VPP (I hope so…)???

 

[gbcoke]

It's a Valla with 170rear 170front, Same suspension, same look, same motor/battery.
A bit boring but probably will ride amazing !

 

[LautSprecher]

Guess some angles are changed. Cannot imagine they bring the same frame 1:1 same in one of their most important categories (nowadays).

 

[gbcoke]

Guess some angles are changed. Cannot imagine they bring the same frame 1:1 same in one of their most important categories (nowadays).

For sure

 

[RSG]

Is the name confirmed? Will they ditch VPP (I hope so…)???

Yes to both questions

 

[PDXRooster]

Does anyone know a tentative release date? The Levo thread has been dragging on speculation for far too long on the G4, and if no long travel option the Bullit maybe a serious contender for my next ride.

 

[leroy]

Does anyone know a tentative release date? The Levo thread has been dragging on speculation for far too long on the G4, and if no long travel option the Bullit maybe a serious contender for my next ride.

this

 

[leroy]

Opening a thread for the 2026 Santa Cruz Bullit before official launch. Some people here have already seen the bike, but cannot tell anything about it due to embargo.

can you tell us what the colours are?

 

[Redders473]

Is the battery any bigger or still 600wh

 

[gbcoke]

Is the battery any bigger or still 600wh

600w

 

[Jor4s]

My Vala, 170mm Fork 163mm rear travel.

 

[Doomanic]

In first with the “Will it be a game changer like the DJI…” comments.

 

[ckkone]

My Vala, 170mm Fork 163mm rear travel.

View attachment 154665

What didn’t you like about 160/150?

 

[dimitrin]

How did you get the 163 at the rear?

 

[cykelk]

Yes to both questions

I'd be surprised if it retained the Bullit name.

 

[Jay Bird]

My Vala, 170mm Fork 163mm rear travel.

View attachment 154665

How much does this weigh?

 

[cykelk]

How did you get the 163 at the rear?

Not the person with the bike, but there's discussion about this in the Vala thread. It's just long-stroking (65 / 60 * 150).

How much does this weigh?

Similar to above, extending the travel doesn't really add weight to standard Vala weights (aside from the X2 weight penalty over the Float X, in this specific case).

 

[gbcoke]

I'd be surprised if it retained the Bullit name.

That is the name

 

[dimitrin]

Not the person with the bike, but there's discussion about this in the Vala thread. It's just long-stroking (65 / 60 * 150).

Excellent!

 

[Jay Bird]

Not the person with the bike, but there's discussion about this in the Vala thread. It's just long-stroking (65 / 60 * 150).

Similar to above, extending the travel doesn't really add weight to standard Vala weights (aside from the X2 weight penalty over the Float X, in this specific case).

Exactly what I was getting at. Different shock. Also wasn’t sure if different linkage was added which may also change weight.

 

[Flo7]

My Vala, 170mm Fork 163mm rear travel.

View attachment 154665

Do you have a picture from the side please?

 

[darwink1]

If they're not going with the dji or the pinion unit (i didn't see a motor mentioned here) is there even a reason to release a new one?

D

 

[Martinizer]

If they're not going with the dji or the pinion unit (i didn't see a motor mentioned here) is there even a reason to release a new one?

D

Yes, because the latest Bosch motor is a more refined climber than the old Shimano motor and doesn’t rattle like a bucket of bolts on the DH.

 

[mehukatti]

Weight will be another big difference. Bosch's new 600Wh battery weighs 3.0kg compared to Shimano 630Wh's 3.7kg. So 700g weight saving in battery alone and where that weight is located in the downtube, the new Bullit will ride much lighter and more agile. This will make manuals and bunnyhops much easier. The old Bullit rode like a tank - with a bag of loose coins attached to the BB (motor rattle).

Santa Cruz fans will also love the slim downtube made possible by the 600Wh battery. No more pregnant downtube!

 

[Redlemon]

It's still a massive letdown for the Bullit to be stuck with the 600wh when the competition are all offering bikes available with the 800wh.

Santa Cruz not offering any single eMTB with full/long range sounds strange to me.

 

[darwink1]

It's a massive let down that it still has a derailleur imop.

D

 

[leroy]

so,it's the same as a vala but with 10mm more fork travel and 20 mm more rear shock travel?

 

[ckkone]

It's still a massive letdown for the Bullit to be stuck with the 600wh when the competition are all offering bikes available with the 800wh.

Santa Cruz not offering any single eMTB with full/long range sounds strange to me.

In this podcast they explain the thought process was why ride around with 800 all the time, you want to do an epic all day ride use the range extender. I agree with them 600 is perfect and I’m glad it doesn’t have 800. Building a bike that can do it all like a Levo, Rail or Amflow is lame and wasn’t their goal.

Building the Santa Cruz Vala with (nearly) half the SCB Product Team

The Roller Door · Episode

open.spotify.com

 

[cykelk]

In this podcast they explain the thought process was why ride around with 800 all the time, you want to do an epic all day ride use the range extender. I agree with them 600 is perfect and I’m glad it doesn’t had 800. Building a bike that can do it all like a Levo, Rail or Amflow is lame and wasn’t their goal.

Building the Santa Cruz Vala with (nearly) half the SCB Product Team

The Roller Door · Episode

open.spotify.com

I like the decision to differentiate this way as well, although I don't think I'd go so far as to call building something more flexible "lame" - just a different goal. Fortunately there are plenty of options for folks who need 800Wh on the regular.