The question then becomes, are owners willing to own two batteries for big mountain epics or riding exotic destinations, or would they rather have a heavier bike on their weekly loops just to have the range for their quarterly big trip adventures? We’re not sure yet but having a lighter bike sure is fun. Two pounds is a significant difference and while the range is undoubtedly shorter, most of our local rides don’t drain batteries. We had just returned from ten days of testing 16 ebikes at our 2020 eMTB Roundup and every single bike we tested in the 150/160mm range was 48-53 pounds. The Santa Cruz Heckler weighs just over 46 pounds. ![]() “Weight and trail performance,” was Seb’s initial reply. We pushed a bit, asking why Santa Cruz chose to spec a 504Wh battery when the current trend seems to be going bigger. Shimano batteries work well, they’re readily available and can be quickly replaced in the unlikely event an issue comes up.” Dealers would also have to stock them, and we just didn’t think that was worth risking our customers having a long wait should something happen. Seb explained that “There are lighter, larger or cheaper battery options available, but that would mean Santa Cruz would have to stock those items in case any issues arose. While aftermarket battery options are available, Santa Cruz chose to use a fully integrated Shimano system. Other important elements while developing the Santa Cruz Heckler were reliability, durability, and ease of service. The Heckler is here to stick its tongue out and wiggle its fingers at us all, reminding us that fun is fun. So, it’s fitting that the Santa Cruz Heckler comes back during such a contentious time. Santa Cruz Bicycles was founded by Rob Roskopp, who has a bit of an anti-scene mentality, and the Heckler name was a bit of a jab to go along with Santa Cruz’s somewhat unorthodox bike and mentality in the mountain bike space. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense though. After roughly seven years away, it was time for the Heckler to make a comeback. After playing the guessing game in my head for the last month, I thought for sure it was going be the MegaWatt, I was blindsided when I read Heckler on the top tube. ![]() Luckily for us, the snow wasn’t sticking to the ground and we arrived at The Lure with enough time to unload the van and get our first glimpse of the new Santa Cruz Heckler. If nothing else, we’d have a great time hanging in our cabins by the fire talking about ebikes. As we twisted our way into the Sierras, sunshine turned to snow and we all watched the temperature drop on the Grand Caravan’s lovely digital dashboard display.
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