Santa Cruz Bicycles Bike Setup

Setup Guide

So you’ve got yourself a shiny new steed, now it’s time to turn it into your own personal workhorse—dialing in your ride is the first step. From suspension setup to saddle height, this guide will show you the basics of bike setup.

Santa Cruz Bicycles Bike Setup

Setup Guide

So you’ve got yourself a shiny new steed, now it’s time to turn it into your own personal workhorse—dialing in your ride is the first step. From suspension setup to saddle height, this guide will show you the basics of bike setup.

Setup Guide

So you’ve got yourself a shiny new steed, now it’s time to turn it into your own personal workhorse—dialing in your ride is the first step. From suspension setup to saddle height, this guide will show you the basics of bike setup.

Ebike Charging and Range

We make our ebikes just like all our bikes - built to last many lifetimes. Ebikes don’t require much more maintenance than traditional bikes. You can get them wet and hose them off, but like any other bike it’s best to avoid high pressure jet washing. Most of the details for looking after your bike are found in the Support pages (above) but here’s some specifics for ebikes. It’s pretty easy to do most things but we still do recommend you consult your local Santa Cruz dealer, as they have the knowledge and tools to do the best job.

Santa Cruz Bicycles Heckler
Santa Cruz Bicycles Heckler

Battery Charging and Care

We use only high-quality ebike batteries that have been thoroughly tested for long life, long range, and safety. However, to extend the life of your bike’s battery it is important to take care of it, just like you would any other electrical device.

If you're riding your ebike regularly, keeping it plugged in when not in use is a perfectly acceptable way to keep it topped-up. If you're not going to be riding your bike for an extended period, most battery manufacturers recommend keeping the bike's battery at about 70%. When you're ready to use your bike again, charge the battery to 100% before riding for best results.

It is safe to charge your bike indoors. Ebike batteries don’t like extreme heat or cold, just like smartphones or laptops. We recommend bringing your bike inside to a more moderate environment (like a garage) when the weather hits either extreme. If your bike has a removable battery then bring it inside to store but also make sure not to contaminate the electrical contacts on the battery or the frame.

Santa Cruz Bicycles Vala
Santa Cruz Bicycles Vala

Range

How far your battery will take you on a single charge depends on several factors—your weight, including the bike, you and your gear; how much climbing and how steep that climbing is; your power mode; and even ambient temperature. Our advice is to kit up, make sure your battery is fully charged, set out on a baseline route you know well, and cycle through the riding modes to see how the bike performs in the various power modes on different gradients and terrains. Understanding how power settings and your environment affect battery life will help you later as you venture further from home.

Another way to optimize your bike is to use the mobile app from the drive unit’s supplier to dial in the modes and assist levels. We use Bosch, Shimano and Fazua systems, all of which allow you to optimize your ride and track performance of the components in their apps.

Bosch's Range Assistant calculates how much range your next ride could be.

Check it out HERE

BATTERY RECYCLING

In North America, Santa Cruz (and most of the cycling industry) have partnered with the non-profit Call2Recycle for the safe upcycling and disposal of end-of-life or damaged ebike batteries. Check their website, your local dealer or our Rider Support team for the nearest battery drop off location.

If your battery is damaged in a crash or an impact, take it to your local bike shop for an inspection as soon as possible.

BATTERY RECYCLING

In North America, Santa Cruz (and most of the cycling industry) have partnered with the non-profit Call2Recycle for the safe upcycling and disposal of end-of-life or damaged ebike batteries. Check their website, your local dealer or our Rider Support team for the nearest battery drop off location.

If your battery is damaged in a crash or an impact, take it to your local bike shop for an inspection as soon as possible.