Santa Cruz Nomad Carbon CC XTR Reserve

Nomad's reputation is built on consistently pushing the envelope on how lawless a single-crown bike can get while still remaining a capable daily driver. The latest iteration nudged the travel and geometry further towards the outer limits, and Santa Cruz surprised themselves at just how well-rounded it turned out. The fourth generation design saw a dramatic shift to the lower-link mounted shock configuration. The shock rate is a short-travel version of the V10 — which means feather-light small bump sensitivity right off the bat, supportive mid-stroke, and overall progression that you'd normally only experience on a DH bike. To handle all this newfound capability, the geometry was adapted too. It's longer and lower-slung to ensure maximum stability and confidence on absolutely everything. At the same time, the Nomad’s still a trail bike. It pedals well and tackles valley-to-valley alpine runs and all-day missions without skipping a beat — a fact helped by its pedal-friendly seat tube angle and standard 170mm dropper post fit.

The Nomad Carbon CC XTR Reserve goes all in with top-tier components. A Fox 36 Factory fork followed by a RockShox Super Deluxe RCT shock keep you glued to the trail while carrying big-hit capability when you feel like airing it out. Wide-range gearing is supplied by Shimano's new XTR 12-speed drivetrain and backed up by XTR brakes and 200mm rotors for pinpoint control on steep descents, and the Santa Cruz Reserve 30 Carbon wheelset wrapped in Maxxis Minion tires let you push harder without worry. An SCB AM Carbon bar, Race Face Turbine R stem, and RockShox Reverb Stealth seatpost topped with a WTB Silverado Team saddle finish the package, putting DH prowess in a lightweight package for a rowdy good time.