Santa Cruz is no stranger to creating a trail-ripping e-bike, and it's exactly what the brand did with the carbon Vala. Now, Santa Cruz is making the Vala slightly more wallet-friendly in a neat aluminium package. Prices start at £4,899 and there are two new models being thrown in the mix to rival the carbon versions. 

• The Santa Cruz Vala ditches VPP for Four Bar linkage
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• Santa Cruz Bullit - a downhill bike with a built-in chairlift

"Get the best for less"

Just like its carbon sibling released late last year and the longer travel Bullit, and well... the carbon Vala, the Vala AL sticks to simplicity. It doesn't come with the VPP suspension design Santa Cruz has been renowned for, and instead, uses a Four Bar linkage. 

It also retains the Bosch Performance Line CX drive system that the carbon models benefit from, making it a full-fat eMTB. The Vala AL, as it's known, comes with a 600Wh battery and the option to fit a 250Wh range extender. 

Overall, it comes with a claimed weight of just over 24kg (53lbs), which is over 1.5kg heavier than the entry-level carbon option, the Vala R. 

But if money is more of a concern, then alloy is a great way to go - and you can save £1,200 on a Vala AL 70 compared to the carbon equivalent. Worth a kilo and a half? Quite possibly. 

Simple, but still a shredder

The Vala AL is still designed to ride like a trail bike. It comes with 160mm travel up front and 150mm at the rear, with RockShox suspension taking the lead. You can also choose between a SRAM Eagle 70 T-Type or Shimano Deore M6120 drivetrain. The latter costing £4,899 and the former, £5,599. 

Each setup comes with MX wheels (or mullet to you and me) as standard, and oversized sealed bearings to keep the crud out. But where it's really different from the Vala carbon is in the frame geometry. Unlike the carbon option, there is no flip-chip. Santa Cruz suggests this is to make riding simpler - there's less faff and less concern about geometry, so the brand has just set the bike up the way it thinks is best for the majority. 

Santa Cruz calls it a sort of 'middle setting' in between what's offered on the carbon option, depending on the flip chip position. On a size large, this means the head tube angle is 64 degrees, a seat tube angle of 76.8 degrees, and a reach of 478mm.

Riders get a choice of sizes between S and XL, and a lifetime warranty on frames and pivot bearings. The new Vala AL can accommodate up to 27.5 x 2.5in tyres, comes with post mount brakes and 200mm rotors, and is UDH compatible. 

There's plenty to like about the alloy version of the Vala, but it is still an investment at around £5k depending on spec. Would you be tempted?

• santacruzbicycles.com

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