Santa Cruz Vala

No truck? No problem. The Santa Cruz Vala is a one man shuttle rig powered by the latest Bosch Performance Line CX Drive Unit and svelte 600Wh battery. Roast the climb, attack the trail, and head straight back up for another bite of the cherry. With 150mm of rear suspension travel and a playful mixed wheel setup, this full power Santa Cruz e-bike delivers unmatched precision and performance on every trail.

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BIKING TYPE

e-MTB

WHEEL SIZE

Mixed (29" Front / 27.5" Rear)

TRAVEL

160mm Front / 150mm Rear

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Vala 1 Review

Check out the full deep dive review and follow along as we put the Santa Cruz Vala through its paces.

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Bosch Performance Line CX Drive Unit

The next generation Bosch Performance Line CX motor is smaller, lighter, and quieter than ever, taking riding dynamics and agility to a new level. Ten years of experience and countless trail rides all over the world have gone into its evolution, creating the optimal balance of power, dynamics, efficiency, and range.

Mixed Wheels

The mixed wheel configuration provides big 29er traction and stability up front, while the 27.5" rear allows for quick back wheel steering and maneuverability. The best of both worlds.

Carbon C & CC Frames

A minimal weight gain of approximately 250 - 280 grams (0.6 lbs) for the C frame over the CC due to the different grade of carbon used. Whether you're riding a carbon CC or C frame, you get exactly the same legendary strength and stiffness because Santa Cruz uses exactly the same manufacturing facility and techniques.

Vala 1 Build Kits

Build	70	90	GX AXS	XT Di2	XT Di2 RSV	XT Di2 Lite RSV	X0 AXS RSV	XX AXS Lite RSV	XX AXS RSV
Frame	Carbon C	Carbon C	Carbon C	Carbon C	Carbon CC	Carbon CC	Carbon CC	Carbon CC	Carbon CC
Fork	RockShox Zeb Base	FOX 38 Performance, Grip	FOX 38 Performance Elite, Grip X	FOX 38 Factory, Grip X	FOX 38 Factory, Grip X	FOX 36 Factory, Grip X	FOX 38 Factory, Grip X	FOX 36 Factory, Grip X	FOX 38 Factory, Grip X
Shock	RockShox Super Deluxe Base	FOX Float X Performance	FOX Float X Performance Elite	FOX Float X Factory	FOX Float X Factory	FOX Float X Factory	FOX Float X Factory	FOX Float X Factory	FOX Float X Factory
Drivetrain	SRAM 70 Eagle T-Type	SRAM 90 Eagle T-Type	SRAM GX Eagle AXS T-Type	Shimano Deore XT Di2	Shimano Deore XT Di2	Shimano Deore XT Di2	SRAM X0 Eagle AXS T-Type	SRAM XX Eagle AXS T-Type	SRAM XX Eagle AXS T-Type
Brakes	SRAM DB8	SRAM Maven Base	SRAM Maven Bronze	Shimano XT M8220	SRAM Maven Silver	Shimano XT M8220	SRAM Maven Silver	SRAM Maven Ultimate Carbon	SRAM Maven Ultimate
Rims	Reserve 30\|HD AL	Reserve 30\|HD AL	Reserve 30\|HD AL 6069	Reserve 30\|HD AL 6069	Reserve 30\|HD Carbon	Reserve 30\|HD Carbon	Reserve 30\|HD Carbon	Reserve 30\|HD Carbon	Reserve 30\|HD Carbon
Cost	$	$$	$$$	$$$$	$$$$$	$$$$$	$$$$$$	$$$$$$$	$$$$$$$$
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Vala 1 FAQs

Who is the Santa Cruz Vala for?

The Vala is for riders who want a full-power eMTB that feels like a proper mountain bike first and a motor-assisted bike second.

With 160mm of front travel, 150mm of rear, and a mullet wheel setup (29" front, 27.5" rear), it sits firmly in all-mountain territory -- capable on steep, technical terrain while staying nimble and fun everywhere else. The Bosch Performance Line CX Gen 5 motor delivers 85Nm of torque with a natural, seamless feel, and at around 48lbs the Vala is impressively light for a full-power bike. If you want to ride more terrain, cover more vertical, and do it on a bike that doesn't compromise the trail feel you already love, the Vala is an excellent fit.

Thomas from our evo Whistler store reviewed the Vala and put it through its paces on Whistler's mountain trails. Check out his take here: https://www.evo.com/blogs/reviews/santa-cruz-vala-bike

What's new with the Santa Cruz Vala, and how does it compare to the Heckler it replaced?

The Vala is a ground-up redesign that replaces the Heckler with a more capable platform built around a different motor and an entirely new suspension design.

The biggest change is the switch from Santa Cruz's VPP linkage to a four-bar Horst-link design. Fitting a full-power motor into a VPP layout produced compromises Santa Cruz wasn't willing to accept, and the new platform gives better control over anti-squat and anti-rise. In practice, the Vala pedals more smoothly over rough terrain with less kickback through the cranks and more consistent rear-wheel traction than the Heckler delivered.

The powertrain is also new. The Heckler ran a Shimano EP8 motor; the Vala uses the Bosch Performance Line CX Gen 5, which is quieter, more refined, and better integrated. Two independent flip chips -- one for geometry, one for suspension progression -- give riders tuning options the Heckler never offered. The all-carbon frame also allows for significantly deeper seat tube insertion, so you can run a longer dropper post than was possible on the Heckler.

What's the difference between the Santa Cruz Vala and the Heckler SL?

The biggest difference is the motor: the Vala runs a full-power Bosch system, while the Heckler SL uses the lighter, more discreet Fazua Ride 60 mid-drive.

Both bikes share the same travel (160mm fork, 150mm rear) and mullet wheel setup, but the riding experience diverges from there. The Heckler SL is lighter (well under 45lbs), quieter, and closer to the feel of an unassisted trail bike -- it's the right call if a natural ride character and low weight are priorities. The Vala's Bosch CX Gen 5 delivers considerably more torque (85Nm vs. the Fazua's 60Nm), which shows up on sustained steep climbs and long big-mountain days. The Vala is also more planted on descents and delivers a more active ride under power and braking thanks to its four-bar suspension, versus the Heckler SL's VPP platform.

Check out the Heckler SL here: https://www.evo.com/collections/santa-cruz-heckler-sl

What's the difference between the Santa Cruz Vala and the Bullit?

The Bullit is Santa Cruz's full-send gravity eMTB; the Vala is the more versatile choice for riders who want capable descending without sacrificing the climb.

Both bikes share the same Bosch Performance Line CX Gen 5 motor, 600Wh battery, and four-bar suspension platform. The difference is travel and intent. The Bullit runs 170mm front and rear with DH-derived geometry, DoubleDown tires, and a frame built for the kind of punishment that would typically require a downhill bike. The Vala's 160/150mm setup makes it a better climber, a more maneuverable trail bike, and a better fit for full days in the mountains where you're earning your descents. If your rides are a mix of climbing and descending on trail and enduro terrain, the Vala is the call. If your trail list is dominated by bike-park-caliber descents and shuttle days, the Bullit is worth a serious look.

Check out the Bullit here: https://www.evo.com/collections/santa-cruz-bullit

Why does the Santa Cruz Vala have four-bar suspension instead of VPP?

VPP and a full-power motor simply couldn't coexist without compromising the ride quality Santa Cruz is known for.

Santa Cruz's modern VPP designs place the linkage and shock as low as possible in the frame -- this is what allows for the low anti-squat values that make their bikes pedal so smoothly. A full-power motor occupies exactly that space. The previous Heckler worked around this with a modified VPP layout, but the result was high anti-squat (close to 140% at sag) that made the bike feel stiff and reactive under pedaling.

Rather than compromise, Santa Cruz designed the Vala around a four-bar Horst-link from the ground up. The new platform drops anti-squat to around 100% at sag, which means less pedal kickback, more rear-wheel traction on climbs, and a more composed feel under braking. A one-piece bridged rocker link keeps the chassis stiff and prevents the flex that can plague four-bar designs. The end result rides like a Santa Cruz -- just without the VPP underneath it.