'TOUGH, WELL BUILT, HEAVY FREERIDE BIKE NEEDS CAREFUL SPEC!'
Strengths: 2007 model: Very versatile - air or coil shock - best with DHX5 for UK downhill and the alps, lovely plush deep travel and still pedals OK with a double and bash. 1.5 headtube with totem 1.5 steerer feels really solid - like a dual crown without the weight. 150mm bolt through option nice and neat and feels lovely with a Hope Pro II. Paint finish is nice and welds are lovely - cable routing tabs are also excellent and make it really flexible. ISCG mounts very useful. Seat clamp QR is also lovely!!
Weaknesses: Heavy. Serious brake jack so the optional floating brake may be the way forward. Some issue surrounding spec of the BB - Santa Cruz website is confusing on this... The bike needs a careful spec to avoid steepening the head angle (put a long fork on it). Shock mount bolts come loose a bit too easy (bit of lock snot might cure this!) Single Pivot can equal pinch punctures!!!
Overall: Really great looking eye catching bike that rides almost everything (if a bit heavy for full on XC). For drops, jumps and fast downhill its really good fun if not as fast as a full on downhill bike. Bit of a short wheelbase which makes it fun on north shore and switchbacks but not as stable at high speed as other similar bikes. Single Pivot can lead to pinch punctures so get your Stans No Tubes out!!! However, I love it!!
Strengths: Solid frame, great geometry, sweet Fox shock (6.5 inch travel) nice tyres and brakes, great price decent wheelset
Weaknesses: H E A V Y as anything - 38 pounds stock weight... Marzocchi Drop Off IV is a terrible terrible fork that should never have been made. Saddle it comes with is awful too - not keen on I Beam stuff anyway but this is just plain uncomfortable on the ass!
Overall: I think the Six Two is a great purchase cos its cheap and has some good components (Hayes Nines, Sun rims, Fox Shock etc...) It is a lot harder than it looks and although the paint is a bit easy to chip it is a real strong frame that I use for DH as it has slack geometry and the huge weight doesnt affect this sort of riding. I did have to make the following upgrades to get it how I wanted ith though: New fork with bolt through axle (Marz 66 and associated hub etc...) new saddle, lock on grips - thats it!
