f in doubt, take a Bronson out.

You know what's hard about choosing what model of Santa Cruz suits you? It's having to narrow down what kind of riding you want to do. But what if you don't want to be pinned down by labels? What if you want to just be a mountain biker in the broadest sense of the word? What if you want to choose how you ride rather than what to ride? If this sounds familiar, then try a Bronson.

Our demo crew have a saying, 'If in doubt, take a Bronson out'. The 150mm-travel bike can go deep on any landing and the VPP suspension design makes sure that there's no wasted energy when heading back up for another go.

If you value style at speed or want to have fun feeling fast, then mixed wheels (29" up front, 27.5" out back) show that the spectrum is a loop, not opposite points on a scale. The larger front wheel provides more traction and stability that'll make you feel more confident squaring off the turns and diving for the inside lines. But a 27.5-inch tire in the rear means this bike still loves getting up on the back wheel and into the air.

From flat out on the trail to fully flat over a table, each generation of Bronson rider redefines expectations of what a mountain biker is.

Fork: FOX 36 Float Performance, 160mm 

Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe Select+ 

Brakes: SRAM Code R 

Drive-train: SRAM GX Eagle

Seat-post: RockShox Reverb Stealth, 31.6