SANTA CRUZ BICYCLES is a high-end mountain bike manufacturer based in Santa Cruz, California, established in 1993.
We would like to introduce a Chameleon hardtail mountain bike—designed for aggressive trail riding—that we recently custom-built from the frame up for a client, and have now delivered!!
The Chameleon's aluminum frame, loved by freeride mountain bikers around the world, boasts the strength to withstand even the most rugged riding while remaining lightweight.
We installed a Chris King DropSet1 headset into the Chameleon’s integrated head tube. The Matte Punch color pops against the Slate Blue frame—a testament to the owner’s playful sense of style.
The components are entirely Shimano SLX. In terms of both shifting and braking performance, this group set is just as precise as the higher-end tiers.
I personally use and recommend SLX because it hits that perfect balance of performance and price.
It’s not just a case of "SLX will do," it’s "SLX is the one I want."
For 27.5+ tires, we went with Teravail Cumberland. They provide a stable platform on loose dirt and rugged jeep roads, while the high-volume casing offers excellent traction and performance on both climbs and descents. With an outer diameter comparable to a standard 29-inch tire, they are a reliable ally for trail riding that offers both superior terrain clearance and stability.
The RockShox front suspension fork features 140mm of travel. The combination of the high air volume from the 27.5×2.8 tires and the 140mm travel suspension makes this bike capable of handling everything from local mountain trails to lift-assisted downhill runs.
A dropper post is practically a standard requirement these days, so we equipped it with a PNW Components Rainier, which matches the internal routing design of the frame. It’s reasonably priced but performs flawlessly. The newly updated remote control lever also feels incredibly smooth!!
As I mentioned in my recent blog post, this Santa Cruz Chameleon was built based on a "leave it to us" request. We were given the frame, model, color preference, and budget, and had a great time building it while imagining how the owner would use it.
I actually joined the owner for a shakedown ride on the local trails the other day, and seeing them have so much fun on the trail really got me fired up too!!
I was having so much fun that I ended up crashing on a descent—but that’s just between us.
So, how about a Santa Cruz Chameleon for the local trails once the snow melts, or for the green season at the bike park!?
We currently have an Orange frame in size S in stock, so you can come by and see it in person!
We can also order other sizes and colors for you. Of course, it’s also available in our WEB SHOP, so check it out!!
