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Yeah I know, it reads like something out of a museum to most of you 😉
has anyone done it? Im tempted, but always prefer learning from someone elses mistakes...
Offset shock bushes are a cheap way.
Www.offsetshockbushings.com.
Or I think someone does a straight 1 1/8 steered slackest (superstar or works components maybe?)
I did it with my old 26" Turner Flux
Step 1: break it down into components
Step 2: Wait for an eBay £1 listing day
Step 3: Sell each component for far more than I thought it was worth
Step 4: Use the money towards a new bike
Now the bike rides way better than ever, pedals better, descends better. Its a bit heavier but I can keep up with my mates on their modern bikes and its far more capable everywhere.
I suggest you wouldn't regret getting a Vitus Mythique 29 £1349. If the Santa Cruz is dripping with hope and XT you won't be far off a grand by splitting it.
Keep an eye for their 2021 stock drops https://vitusbikes.com/pages/2021-vitus-bikes-stock-availability
If its got less than a 44mm head tube I don't think it will work since it won't have enough internal space to allow the steerer to be offset.
If it will work you will need both cups to be external, potentially increasing your stack height over what you have.
You will lose approximately 8-12mm of reach and Santa Cruz bikes have traditionally been very short. This may or may not be an issue depending on fit.
Put a 130 mm fork on it, that'll give you 2 or 3 degrees slacker head angle, but will raise the BB a bit and slacken the seatpost. Fit a dropper post and move the saddle as far forward as possible to compensate. Add wider bars and shorter stem. Ride it three times and then conclude that you should have left it rotting in the back of the shed because it will never be as good as a modern bike.
I slackened mine by adding a 100-130mm u turn Revelation, doesn't make it into a trail bike for rocky stuff but is the perfect bike for fast twisty woodland singletrack, so mine gets used loads locally.
ran mine on a 120 fork which was good for most stuff for a few years then I realized what I actually really needed was a blur, and after riding the blur for 5 years I realized what I actually needed was a hightower.
So my advice is to learn from my folly and just buy the hightower.
Get some offset bushings from Bounce (cheapest and super-durable).
Maybe add a bit of fork travel if that's an option, but don't go nuts or it'll ride badly.
Don't spend too much, because - as others have said - you'll likely end up getting a new bike anyway.
One of these?
I fitted it with a Works Component 1 degree angleset and a 120mm fork.
Compared to a modern bike it still feels like the fork is on backwards!
I had a 26er Superlight. Compared to modern bikes it's ever so short, and slackerizing it will make it even shorter...
But it will make the wheelbase longer, so it's swings and roundabouts.
But it will make the wheelbase longer, so it’s swings and roundabouts.
Surely it'll turn tighter than that 😉
Cheers all, some food for thought.