Santa Cruz Nickel
The Nickel brings a new name in the Santa Cruz Bike lineup, and with it, a new suspension design called APP. Compared to their single pivot bikes, the Nickel adds in a couple of clever links to activate the rear shock in a different manner for better small bump sensitivity and end-stroke progression (more on APP below). The 5" (125mm) travel Nickel is ideal for long days in the saddle and eating up miles of technical singletrack, with a bit more cush and confidence than a Superlight and a bit more efficiency and climbing ability than a Heckler. You can build up a Nickel with a 120mm travel fork for XC-like responsiveness and climbing tenacity or a 140mm travel fork for increased stability and plushness when bombing steep terrain. And if you like the sound of both of those characteristics, a 140mm travel fork that allows you to drop down the travel for climbs will allow you to eek out all the versatility this frame has to offer. Being a new model from Santa Cruz Bicycles, they've have added on some modern features like the Tapered headtube that stiffens up front end steering, and cable guides to run a dropper post such as the RockShox Reverb.
If your riding consists of a lot of climbing and descending over rocky and rooty singletrack, and you're after something that will cover a lot of miles with minimal maintenance, the Nickel should be at the top of your list.

From Santa Cruz:

“With a long top tube and snappy pedaling manners, it's a climb-happy, nimble bike with sure-footed geometry that begs to go claim some tall peaks in the backcountry. And with five inches of sophisticated APP suspension travel designed to eat rocks and roots and jumps with all the ability of longer travel bikes, it also does a mighty fine job of whipping the descents into shape as well. Does that sound a little schizophrenic? Maybe so. The Nickel's a perfect bike for those days when you have to flip a coin to decide where you want to ride.”

Actual Pivot Point
The new Nickel and Butcher models both share the brand new suspension design from the brains at Santa Cruz, which is called APP, or Actual Pivot Point. In a nutshell, the ethos behind APP was to combine the simplicity and pedal efficiency of their single pivot bikes with the suspension-absorbing characteristics of their VPP bikes, and hit a pricepoint in between the two. With the same high forward main pivot location as the Heckler/Superlight bikes, the APP design maintains the inherent stability and reactivity of the original single pivot models. However, Santa Cruz add in two small links between the swingarm and the rear shock, which manipulates how the shock is compressed as the suspension cycles through the range of travel. This means the early part of the APP suspension is able to respond to small bump forces more readily, while having enough progression towards the end of the travel to resist bottom-out from jump landings and hard G-outs. Additional suspension control with the inherent snappy pedalling from the single pivot design - that is APP.
 

Sizing
- X Small: Suits riders between 4'9" and 5'2"
- Small: Suits riders between 5'2" and 5'5"
- Medium: Suits riders between 5'5" and 5'9"
- Large: Suits riders between 5'9" and 6'1"
- X Large: Suits riders between 6'1" and 6'6"

Frame Geometry:




The Santa Cruz Nickel features:

• Lightweight Aluminum frame
• 125mm rear travel
• Designed for 120-140mm travel forks
• Sealed Angular Contact pivot bearings with Oversized pivot axle
• Fox Float RL rear shock or Fox Float RP23 Kashima Boost Valve rear shock
• Tapered Headtube
• Seatpost diameter: 30.9mm
• Seatclamp included with frame
• Front Derailleur Spec: Low Clamp, Top Pull, 34.9mm diameter
• Weight: 3020 grams (6.65 lbs) with shock