THE DIRT
Our testers have been able to spend a significant amount of time on the Heckler over the past few months and we all had similar findings. First off, the bike is very neutral in both geometry and suspension, which allows it to excel in most situations. Just like the pedal bikes from Santa Cruz, the Heckler is a great all-arounder but has some down sides as well.

Climbing performance aboard the Heckler was very solid. The geometry and 27.5” wheels let the bike perform in tight switchbacks, technical chunky climbs, and steep up-and-overs. At 76 degrees, the seat tube angle puts the rider in a nice position to put power down while feeling centered over the bike and keeping it from lifting the front end on steep climbs. In terms of motor power and battery life however, the Heckler’s climbing range and capabilities are lacking, especially when compared to Bosch Performance CX-equipped bikes.

We found that the battery consistently dropped bars quicker than most of our other bikes, which makes sense since the battery is 150-200Wh smaller. On the other hand, the Heckler is also a couple pounds lighter, and on 80% of our rides, the range wasn’t an issue. It just meant we needed to charge the bike after every ride instead of getting 2 or three in before recharging.

On the way down, the Heckler is competent in most situations and absolutely excels in some. Once again, the crowd-pleasing geometry allows the bike to thread technical, tight descents with ease. We could speed through tight and technical obstacles without much delay yet the bike still remained stable at higher speeds.

Our absolute favorite place to ride the Heckler was in twisty, turny terrain. It seems that this bike inspired us all to ride like maniacs, trying to drag handlebars and pedals in berms. Santa Cruz somehow made the Heckler feel like it wants to dive into each corner with a smile on its face. We couldn’t help but pedal straight back up hillsides just to session our favorite turns on every downhill trail we rode. If you live in an area with slalom-like trails or you just love blasting corners, this bike is for you.

The downside to this bike comes when the trails get rougher. We’ve definitely developed a reputation of not being fanboys of VPP bikes, however Santa Cruz has been making us eat our words as each generation of Bronson, Nomad and 5010 gets better and better at eating up square-edge hits. Our biggest complaint of VPP-equipped bikes.

Sadly, it seems that some of the positive gains made on Santa Cruz’s pedal bikes, didn’t make the jump to the Heckler. Our testers found that the rear wheel hung up a bit on square-edge hits. Four to six-inch tall rocks and roots transferred a bit of feedback to our riders feet and hands. Once the suspension got moving and we were in the rock gardens or landing bigger hits, the suspension opened up and worked very well, but the initial hits are where we had the biggest issues finding a happy medium with suspension tune. It’s possible that if we were on larger 29-inch wheels the hits would also be a bit smoother, but then we’d lose out on the fun, playful and peppy demeanor of the Heckler. Some of our favorite parts about the bike’s performance.

The Wolf’s Last Word

If you’re a die-hard Santa Cruz fan, then the Heckler could be the bike you’ve been waiting for. If you are a discerning eMTB rider who loves to climb and venture deep into the wilderness, then you’ll likely find issue with the Shimano Steps system, 27.5” wheels and 504Wh battery. While the Shimano Steps system never gave us any problems, after spending more and more time on Bosch-equipped bikes, it’s harder to go back to the Steps, which hasn’t been revised in a number of years.

Overall, we found the Santa Cruz Heckler to be a solid performer in almost every situation. It climbs very well, and the geometry allows it to remain nimble while putting the power down. You will find it difficult to upset the Heckler on the way down after dialing in the suspension unless your trails have lots of higher speed sections where you’re regularly encountering square-edged hits. If you are looking for an eMTB that instills confidence while you’re literally laying the bike over in corners, slashing berms and ruts alike, then you will fall in love with this bike. Its weaknesses are balanced out by its strengths. While we wouldn’t recommend this bike to everyone as the ideal bike to buy, there is no denying that for riders who live and ride the terrain where this bike excels, you will have a new favorite sled in the garage! Although we normally live for the rockiest of rock gardens, we’ve found ourselves avoiding those trails in favor of sessioning our slalom track up in the woods, and we’re not too bummed about that.

Price: $10,599;
Weight: 46.5-lbs;
Website: Santacruzbicycles.com

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SPECIFICATIONS

CHASSIS
Frame: Carbon CC; 150mm
Fork: FOX 36-E Float Performance Elite, 160mm
Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe Select Ultimate

POWERPLANT
Battery: Shimano 504Wh Integrated
Drive Unit: Shimano DU-E8000

COCKPIT
Brakes: SRAM Code RSC, 200mm
Handlebar: Santa Cruz Di2 Carbon, 25mm rise
Stem: Race Face Aeffect R
Headset: Cane Creek 40 IS Integrated
Shifter: SRAM X01 Eagle Single Click, 12spd
Seatpost: RockShox Reverb Stealth
Saddle: WTB Silverado Team Saddle

WHEELS
Hubs: DT Swiss 350
Rims: Santa Cruz Reserve 30 V2 27.5 Carbon [F], Reserve Carbon DH 27.5 [R]
Tires: Maxxis Minion DHR II, 27.5×2.6 EXO+ TR

DRIVETRAIN
Bottom Bracket: Shimano
Cassette: SRAM XG1295 Eagle 10-50T
Cranks: Shimano M8050 Hollowtech, 165mm
Derailleur: SRAM X01 Eagle