[Closed] Santa Cruz Chameleon

We have three, thing they are great, also got a small frame which Abigale has out grown for sale

Had mine for 5ish years, abused in Morzine and many UK uplift days, been raced on 100k enduro's and your more traditional style XC race and still begs for more!

Most adaptable bike I've owned only time I replace it will be if/when it breaks/gets stolen!

In its current 1x9 set up coming in at approx 25lb (have photographic evidence if anyone doubts me!):
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Id probably have one, but for some reason SC decided to put bottle cage mounts on the seat so you cant drop the seatpost all the way down on the larger sizes. Idiots.

Best bike I've ever owned/ridden. Tough as old boots. Will do everything from DH to XC. I'll be riding it until it falls apart and then I'll buy a new one

Our bottle mounts are on the downtube

Abigales

New

[img] http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=1fb5om&outx=600&quality=70 [/img]

Old

[img] http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=yq3s3a&outx=600&quality=70 [/img]

Katies

[img] http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=yq3s3b&outx=600&quality=70 [/img]

Mine [won it]

[img] http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=yndibp&outx=600&quality=70 [/img]

nice looking bikes - what fork travel?

Our bottle mounts are on the downtube

Presumably because you have small frame sizes, non?

Great bikes, really versatile. I jump mine and ride xc on it, also taken it on the lifts in the pyranees. However, it is harsh at the back and long rides become a bit of an uncomfortable chore even with biggish tyres.

Old ones look much nicer than the new one IMO

I have one, handles everything I dare throw it at and probably can handle a lot more! I replaced the EBB to stop it squeaking, no other complaints. I'd buy another one

Thanks all for sharing

Forks are 130mm Revelations

2 medium frames 1 small frame

I assume just aluminium frame?

Yes

[i]However, it is harsh at the back and long rides become a bit of an uncomfortable chore even with biggish tyres.[/i]

Never really got this, even huge days out, mine's perfectly comfortable. Has more to do with the rider than the bike I think.

seat tube bottle mounts on large frame only.

Love those girl's bikes Tracey 🙂

I did not like mine, it was a real bone shaker and did not like rocks and roots. I am loving my Dialled Bikes Alpine though.

"Never really got this, even huge days out, mine's perfectly comfortable. Has more to do with the rider than the bike I think"

Yeh maybe your aR$e is more padded than mine

I am a stand up out of the saddle kind of rider as well and I just though it was harsh.

[i]Yeh maybe your aR$e is more padded than mine [/i]

Methinks the lady doth protest too much.

Have a mk1 Chameleon, not representative of newer models perhaps?

However it has been awesome. Gone down Inners DH courses and been a team bike in 24hr races.

It does hurt if you have to sit down through rougher sections, which tends to happen when you are knackered. I run a 2.35 high roller to ease this a bit. However after longer 5+ hour rides I tend to feel a bit pummeled.

Horizontal dropouts are hilarious.

Oh.. and it has 140mm Maxle'd Thors. Had 130mm Toras, but it loves the Thors. Just pure gravy when the damn things can keep their air inside.

Id probably have one, but for some reason SC decided to put bottle cage mounts on the seat so you cant drop the seatpost all the way down on the larger sizes. Idiots.

poppa - Member
Our bottle mounts are on the downtube
Presumably because you have small frame sizes, non?

My XL has no bottle cage mounts on the seat tube either. I'd ignore the comment.

Great bike.

My XL has no bottle cage mounts on the seat tube either. I'd ignore the comment.

Yours is probably old and shit then, the new ones seem to have.

I had a 2009 model with EBB.

I ran a large with a 60mm stem and 140 Pikes.

Never really got on with it as I always felt it was too harsh (i'm not old either 🙂 ) Id sold it within 3 months.

Lots of people rave about them though

bought one second hand off here, one of the best bikes I've ever owned. Really direct and immense fun.

Use 130mm magura's.

[img] [/img]

If Carlsberg made a hardtail...

Seriously, mines a 2004 model and I have loved it ever since I brought it home. I've since swapped the stem for a short Thomson and lower riser bars which has made it snappier at the front but apart from that it's still as is the photo.

I shall be looking to upgrade some of the bits very soon (forks, brakes, front wheel) but that's only for the want and not for the need.

Chameleon you say?

I could post pictures on here all day of my chameleon. So I will..

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[img] [/img]
(Not the engine equipped model unfortunately)

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Racing shots

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Harsh? Its mountain biking. If you want comfy, stay at home and sit in armchair. Honestly. Its the best bike I've ever had.

Oh and leaning against a wall shot..

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

Adjustable fork is brilliant on it. It climbs so beautifully at 110mm, and then you wind it up to 140mm, shove the saddle down, and just rip it up. Its so stiff, its so responsive, its so nearly perfect. Only things I don't like about it are the EBB (I'd rather have sliding drop outs for SS duties - easier to maintain). And some of the welding isn't that UK friendly, but these are just niggles. Some people (me included) can suffer with a creaky EBB from these two slight faults. But when you just stop listening to the creak that pops up now and then under big power, you realise you're riding something very, very special.

God I want to ride it right now. It doesn't help that its right next to me (my leg is leaning against the wheel).