The Ideal Galbraith Mt. Bike?
Santa Cruz Blur

This is Cathy Crouch's personal Santa Cruz Blur, which is outfitted with a Fox Float 100RLC fork, Progressive 5th Element rear shock, Shimano 585 hydraulic disc brakes with six inch rotors, and full fenderage for winter riding on Galbraith.

In the hands of a skilled rider, the Blur can devour anything on Galbraith -- from the Family Fun Center to Bob's -- but it's happiest where the singletrack rolls sweetly and really the scary stuff is only an occasional blip on the radar.

This is a refined XC machine, with geometry and rear suspension travel that falls somewhere in between the Titus Switchblade and the Intense Tracer. It climbs well, descends with confidence, and is sweet-tempered, even when seriously provoked. This is not a feather light XC machine, though. The Blur weighs more than either the Switchblade (which also has more travel) and the redoubtable Santa Cruz Superlight.

The Fox Racing Shox Float 100RLC is GalbraithMt.com's favorite four inch fork. Air shock light and plusher feeling than most coil/oil shocks, the 100RLC has just about everything going for it, except adjustable travel / headtube angle. If you don't care about that and you want a single crown four-inch travel fork (and you can afford it), get a 100RL or 100 RLC.

The centerpiece of the Blur's design is its patented virtual pivot point (VPP) rear suspension, which delivers 4.5 inches of travel with the Progressive 5th Element air shock. Stated simply, the Blur's VPP suspension works, putting the power down efficiently and absorbing bumps well. There is very little suspension bob under power with the Blur.

The Achilles heel of Santa Cruz's VPP design is tire clearance. The Blur can't effectively accept rear tires larger than 2.2. If you love big rubber, you should make sure you get the Bigfoot rear end that Santa Cruz introduced for the Blur last summer, which will accomodate tires up to 2.5.

More problematic are the chronic shifting problems that some 2004 Blur owners have experienced. For instance, legendary Galbraith rider Cathy Crouch (whose personal Blur is pictured above), has never been able to cure the bike's habit of occasionally slipping down a gear on the rear cog set, despite a great deal of effort by Fairhaven Bike. The problem persists today, just as it did when the bike was brand new.

Some heavier riders have broken the link that connects Blur's frame, shock, and the rear swing arm, but generally speaking this is a solid XC bike.

With 71 degree head tube angle, the Blur's geometry runs to the steep side of the XC spectrum. Sizing is full and honest.