Santa Cruz Vala E-MTB in the test: Outstanding all-rounder with Bosch drive

Test / E-MTB: With the Santa Cruz Vala, the Californians are expanding their range in the E-MTB sector even further. The newcomer ventures into new territory in several respects, relies on an unusual rear triangle and, for the first time, a Bosch drive.

As one of the cult manufacturers in the mountain bike sector, the Californian company Santa Cruz was an early player in the E-MTB sector. First with the Bullit, and later with the Heckler, the qualities of the non-motorized bikes were seemingly effortlessly transferred to the motorized sector. Recently, the Heckler SL followed, a racy light E-MTB based on the Fazua Ride 60 drive. For the 2025 model year, the company is now venturing into new territory in several ways and breaking with several traditions with the new Santa Cruz Vala. No more VPP rear triangle, and for the first time with a Bosch drive and a rather unusual look for Santa Cruz.

A look at the key data and the equipment table shows that Santa Cruz's Vala is filling the gap between the two current E-MTBs Heckler and Bullit - both of which will remain in the range. While the suspension travel of 160 mm at the front and 150 mm at the rear corresponds to that of the Heckler, the mullet wheels and the fairly robust components, which are more suitable for rough terrain, are familiar from the Bullit. The balancing act that the Californians are attempting with their new E-MTB is accordingly demanding.

Bosch premiere for Santa Cruz

Until now, the Californians have always relied on the Japanese drive expertise of Shimano for their full-power e-MTBs. Heckler and Bullit were both equipped with Shimano EP8 or EP801, and the Bullit also had Shimano's own battery. That is now over: In the new Vala, a Bosch unit provides the necessary support for the first time: the new Bosch CX Gen 5. Even if this is no different from its predecessor in terms of support performance, it can stand out from it with significantly better responsiveness and an improved noise level in every respect.

Bosch CX 2025 (Gen 5) in the test: The revolution is postponed

Published: 30. September 2024

Bosch CX Gen 5 / Test: Since the Eurobike this year, it has been clear: A new Bosch CX motor is in the starting blocks. At the world's largest bicycle trade fair, the new drive was already seen in masked form on many new e-bikes and e-MTBs. Today the time has finally come: Bosch is presenting the successor to its probably […]

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Built-in 600 Wh battery

The motor in the Vala is combined with the new Bosch Powertube 600 battery. This offers a capacity of 600 Wh and a weight of around three kilograms, giving it a very good energy density. The decision was made to avoid the larger 800 Wh energy storage unit: this would increase the range even further, but it would weigh almost a kilogram more and is also significantly more bulky. This would not have made it possible to have such a slim down tube or a comparatively low weight of 21,5 kg. However, the slim look and weight also meant that the battery could not be removed: unfortunately, it is permanently installed in the Vala's carbon down tube and cannot be removed for charging.

The decision in favor of the 600 Wh battery is understandable and, in our opinion, the right one for a sporty e-MTB. Thanks to the even better efficiency of the Bosch CX compared to its predecessor, most day trips can be mastered with the slightly smaller battery without any problems. You can also optionally use the PowerMore 250 range extender. This fits on the down tube at the holes for the bottle holder and increases the total capacity to 850 Wh.

Departure from the proven VPP rear triangle

The decision to use the Bosch motor forced the designers at Santa Cruz to take a bold step: the VPP rear triangle, which has proven itself on so many of the Californians' bikes and is part of the manufacturer's DNA, had to give way to a traditional 4-link system. According to Santa Cruz, the larger design of the Bosch motor and the complicated redirection of the VPP system meant that neither the desired kinematics nor the right geometry could be achieved. This step caused quite a bit of discussion among Santa fans after the Vala was introduced: Is a real Santa Cruz without a VPP rear triangle even possible?

In these discussions, it was often forgotten that the VPP system, for all its advantages, also has disadvantages: the high anti-squat value and the associated pedal kickback are among them. While at least the anti-squat and the associated hardening of the rear triangle when the chain is pulled is desired on a non-motorized mountain bike because it suppresses the rocking, this is not quite as important on an E-MTB - on the contrary. It also means that the rear triangle noticeably hardens on slightly flatter trail sections and intermediate sprints - even more so with additional motor power. This is precisely why Santa Cruz has made improvements here and significantly reduced the anti-squat on the Vala.

Adjustable progression

The Santa Cruz Vala has a special trick in the rear triangle: there is a flip chip on the lower shock mount that allows the progression of the rear triangle to be adjusted in two settings. The change is clearly noticeable in practice - due to the already quite high progression in the low setting, we would recommend the higher progression especially in conjunction with a coil shock or for very aggressive riding.

Geometry of the Santa Cruz Vala

Unsurprisingly, the geometry of the Santa Cruz Vala is quite sporty and appropriate for a modern E-MTB. The steering angle is quite flat, the steep seat angle and the rather high front ensure a relaxed seating position. The reach is not too extreme and does not force the rider to ride actively. Thanks to the relatively short seat tubes in combination with the dropper posts with a lot of travel, those who prefer a long bike can go for a larger size without hesitation. The Vala deserves special praise not only for its five different sizes, but also for the chainstays that grow with the rider, which should ensure consistent handling.

Equipment: Models from 7.499 euros

There are a total of five models of the Santa Cruz Vala. Prices range from €7.499 to €12.999 - so there is no really cheap entry-level model. All equipment variants use a full carbon frame, which comes in two versions: C and CC. These differ mainly in weight. In our estimation, the more expensive CC frame, which is only used in the two top models, should weigh around half a kilogram less while - according to Santa Cruz - having the same stiffness and stability. Speaking of stability: the Santa Cruz Vala's payload is a very good 136 kg.

All models of the bike are available in two colors: Gloss Grey and Midnight Green

The differences in the components of the individual variants are considerable. The entry-level model, which is already quite expensive at over 7.000 euros, relies on solid but by no means high-quality components such as a RockShox ZEB Base fork, a Sram NX Eagle gear system and Sram DB8 brakes. A much better overall package is available with the Vala S for 8.499 euros with Fox Performance chassis, Sram GX Eagle gear system and Maven brakes. At the latest from the variant for 9.799 euros, you can't go wrong and get a pretty strong component package. Nevertheless: In terms of price, the Vala is quite good and you should perhaps look out for good offers.

Robust components

In general, the components installed, regardless of their quality, clearly show where Santa Cruz sees the Vala in terms of application: The beefy Fox 38, as well as the powerful brakes, the stable but heavy Schwalbe Radial tires and the robust wheels, suggest an enduro bike rather than an all-mountain or even a trail bike. The weight of the new Santa Cruz E-MTB is all the more impressive: even the cheaper models with the heavier frame remain well under 23 kg, the top models are just 21,5 kg. If you want to do some weight tuning afterwards and don't need the heavy tires, for example, you could even get pretty close to the 21 kg mark. Great!

The Santa Cruz Vala X0 AXS RSV in detail

For testing, we had the Vala in its X0 AXS RSV variant for 11.499 euros. In frame size L and without pedals, the scales came to 21,6 kg, which is pretty much the same as the manufacturer's specifications. Otherwise, we were pleased with top components from AZ, which is to be expected given the high price. The Fox Factory chassis with Float X at the rear and the 38 with new Grip X2 damping promise strong performance while also being very easy to adjust. Shifting is done with the Sram X0 Transmission group, which communicates wirelessly and allows for problem-free shifting under load.

The brakes also come from Sram: the new Maven stoppers in the silver version provide the necessary power. Santa Cruz deserves special praise for the dropper post: the OneUp Dropper comes in frame size L with a generous 210 mm stroke, and from frame size XL there is even 240 mm. The short, straight seat tube makes it possible.

When it comes to tires and wheels, Santa Cruz has almost traditionally used robust materials: The Reserve carbon rims from its own company are among the best available on the market, and there is even a slightly more stable downhill version on the rear wheel. The new Schwalbe Radial tires, the Magic Mary to be precise, are mounted on them. At the front in the slightly lighter trail version with an ultra soft rubber compound, at the rear with the slightly harder soft rubber, but with a puncture-proof gravity carcass.

The Santa Cruz Vala on the trail

The new Santa Cruz E-MTB keeps the promise made by the Vala's key data on the trail: It shines as a potent all-rounder whose application area knows almost no limits. Thanks to its comfortable seating position, it is pleasant and comfortable to pedal, even over longer distances, and its strong chassis and well-rounded choice of components ensure a big grin on your face on the trail.

Even rougher riding or trips to the bike park hardly make the bike break a sweat. Of course, at a certain point the suspension travel limits it, especially at the rear, but for the vast majority of e-mountain bikers the Vala should be an excellent companion. The really impressive noise level on the trail is also noticeable. The bike doesn't make a sound, only the rich rolling noise of the grippy tires can be heard.

You can find detailed driving impressions and further information in our test video on YouTube: