Santa Cruz Chameleon R Complete

The Chameleon is back again—the affordable, capable beast in Santa Cruz’s hardtail lineup. While lacking the comfort of a full suspension ride, this Santa Cruz hardtail is going to be significantly more rugged than most full suspension rigs in this price range—ultimately meaning longevity and less mechanical issues on the trail. Many riders will end up customizing this bike: the 130 mm RockShox fork can be swapped with compatible forks in the 110-150 range, while the included 11-36 t Shimano SLX cassette is often switched out for a single speed setup. Hence, ladies and gentlemen, the name “Chameleon.” Wild as it may be, this beast isn’t for riders in search of a camouflage option—it’s for burly (albeit clean) lines and boosting off packed dirt.