Is the back end of a Santa Cruz Chameleon stiff?

Is the back end of a Santa Cruz Chameleon stiff?

My Chameleon is about as far away from an eMTB as you can get, but the back end of the bike is stiff, and on rocky and rooty tracks the rear wheel gets a pounding. My theory is that the stiff carcass will protect the rims better, so I’m less worried about sketchy lines causing cuts and/or punctures.

How big is a Santa Cruz chameleon C Se +?

My long-term Santa Cruz Chameleon C SE+ in its original form. The Chameleon — a venerable name in Santa Cruz’s lineup — is the company’s do-it-all hardtail, designed for everything from all-day epics to slipping and sliding around in the woods. This generation has both alloy and carbon versions, with 29in and 27.5+ options too.

What kind of sprocket does Santa Cruz chameleon have?

The Chameleon comes with a 30t ring, so I started with a 16t sprocket. On a 26in wheeled bike the ‘classic’ singlespeed ratio was 32:16, so I figured with the slightly larger diameter 27.5+ rear wheel in place I’d gear-down to get an equivalent ratio.

What kind of Tyre does eddy current Chameleon use?

The Eddy Current is Schwalbe’s eMTB ‘specific’ tyre with a chunky tread and chunky carcass. My Chameleon is about as far away from an eMTB as you can get, but the back end of the bike is stiff, and on rocky and rooty tracks the rear wheel gets a pounding.

My Chameleon is about as far away from an eMTB as you can get, but the back end of the bike is stiff, and on rocky and rooty tracks the rear wheel gets a pounding. My theory is that the stiff carcass will protect the rims better, so I’m less worried about sketchy lines causing cuts and/or punctures.

My long-term Santa Cruz Chameleon C SE+ in its original form. The Chameleon — a venerable name in Santa Cruz’s lineup — is the company’s do-it-all hardtail, designed for everything from all-day epics to slipping and sliding around in the woods. This generation has both alloy and carbon versions, with 29in and 27.5+ options too.

The Eddy Current is Schwalbe’s eMTB ‘specific’ tyre with a chunky tread and chunky carcass. My Chameleon is about as far away from an eMTB as you can get, but the back end of the bike is stiff, and on rocky and rooty tracks the rear wheel gets a pounding.

The Chameleon comes with a 30t ring, so I started with a 16t sprocket. On a 26in wheeled bike the ‘classic’ singlespeed ratio was 32:16, so I figured with the slightly larger diameter 27.5+ rear wheel in place I’d gear-down to get an equivalent ratio.