Updated on May 14, 2022
In 1993, Rob Roskopp, Mike Marquez, and Rich Novak established Santa Cruz Bicycles. To prepare for the meeting between the two, Roskopp’s Santa Cruz Skateboard company had released a “Roskop” model. To make some prototypes, Roskopp and Novak teamed up with bike engineer Mike Marquez and designer Tom Morris. Marquez specialised in bicycle suspension.
where are santa cruz bikes made
First bike was released in 1994. Full suspension with an 80-millimeter travel single pivot design was the first on the market, and it was called “Tazmon.”
When launching a new product, timing is everything, Roskopp said. No one had ever heard of us outside of the skateboarding community. ‘You guys make toys,’ was all he could say. It felt as if they were above us. To that end, we would send six to ten bikes to dealers with the message, “Let us know if you’re interested.”
High-end Some of the most extreme and challenging terrains in the world can be found on Santa Cruz Bicycles, which are sold all over the world. “(Morgan Meredith) – Santa Cruz Bicycles”)
The product was released at the right time. This piqued their interest. Santa Cruz Bicycles were renowned for their trifecta of lightness, sturdiness, and versatility.
The business took off from there. They added the Heckler two years later to their product line. In 1996, Roskopp said, “things went crazy.” “Our sales increased by a factor of two.”
Virtual Pivot Point (VPP) patents were purchased from Outland Bikes in 1999.
A single-pivot aluminium Superlight was also well received when it was released in 1999.
He said that the Blur’s launch in 2002 was another significant moment for the company’s rapid growth. It’s the lightest full-suspension carbon cross country bike SCB has ever made, weighing in at just under 23 pounds.
There were a lot of those, Roskopp stated. “In ’03, our sales nearly doubled. There was an oversupply of goods. As far as I knew, we were still making bikes here in the United States. We had to relocate to another country at that time.”
Asher Smith (left) and Anka Martin (right) ride SCB’s Heckler MX in the Santa Cruz Stone King Rally, a point-to-point enduro mountain bike rally. “(Morgan Meredith) – Santa Cruz Bicycles”)
Growth was welcomed by the company, both in terms of its products and its production capacity. It was in 2008-2009 that SCB released its first carbon bike. For the first time, it added carbon fibre wheels to its product line in the year 2017.
“I’ve been fascinated with carbon since the sixties,” Novak said. “I had a good idea of where we were going. It’s an incredible substance. As a result, we found the right people to put it through its paces.
More than a dozen bike models, including two electric bikes, are available from SCB. The Heckler, which was discontinued for the 2016 model year, was relaunched in 2020 as an electric bike. The Bullit e-bike is also available.
“Bikers are into technology, they’ve bought into it,” Novak said. “That’s why $10,000 bikes sold so well. It served a purpose and did its job. We were confident that if we produced something of the highest quality, it would sell itself.”
In addition to Santa Cruz Bicycles’ own success, the company’s team riders have been a powerful advocate for the product. The Santa Cruz Syndicate is now the most successful downhill racing team in history after 16 seasons.
It has been demonstrated that Santa Cruz Bicycles have been ridden to success in the most extreme conditions and competitions, as will be the case at the 2021 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Italy’s Val Di Sole, Trentino. “(Morgan Meredith) – Santa Cruz Bicycles”)
Novak said, “Rob was into downhilling.” His team and bike were put together.” “He was two to three years ahead of the rest of the world.”
An SCB’s investment in itself—advertising by automobiles. Since then, attention has been paid around the world.
Word spreads quickly. SCB’s lifetime frame warranty is well-known, and it’s a big selling point for riders who put the miles in.
‘You definitely see a lot of Santa Cruz bikes where I’m from,’ says Milpitas resident and native Whistlerian Rafael Zalewski, who was born and raised in British Columbia.
Last weekend, Zalewski and fellow Whistler, BC, engineer Vlad Martsinkovskyi showed up at SCB’s factory to demonstrate bikes on and around Empire Grade Road.
Martsinkovskyi tried out an e-bike, even though he is an ardent e-bike hater.. His voice cracks as he describes how difficult it is to climb these mountains. When I finish a run, I’m already blaming myself for it. All in all, it was a great experience. I enjoyed getting five rides in on the day. You know, that was pretty cool. My legs, on the other hand, are still shot.”
Both were impressed with the customer service they received.
High-end Some of the most extreme and challenging terrains in the world can be found on Santa Cruz Bicycles, which are sold all over the world. “(Morgan Meredith) – Santa Cruz Bicycles”)
Martsinkovskyi said, “They have a reputation for good bikes.” “Also, the demo bikes they have here are fantastic.” As soon as Rafael landed on the ground, they said, “Whatever, it happens.” And if you scratch their brake lever, like our friends in Whistler, they’re going to give him a hard time. These demos are a nice perk. The bike costs about $10,000, but you can rent it for $60 a day. And they’re fine with you crashing and breaking something.”
Everything comes down to what SCB stands for.
There are Santa Cruz bike riders around the world who are working out and pushing themselves to the limit on these bikes. It makes him happy to see one of the company’s bikes being used in the way it was meant to be, he told me.
It’s all about having fun, he said. “We created something that people can enjoy,” he continued.
First bike was released in 1994. Full suspension with an 80-millimeter travel single pivot design was the first on the market, and it was called “Tazmon.”
When launching a new product, timing is everything, Roskopp said. No one had ever heard of us outside of the skateboarding community. ‘You guys make toys,’ was all he could say. It felt as if they were above us. To that end, we would send six to ten bikes to dealers with the message, “Let us know if you’re interested.”
High-end Some of the most extreme and challenging terrains in the world can be found on Santa Cruz Bicycles, which are sold all over the world. “(Morgan Meredith) – Santa Cruz Bicycles”)
The product was released at the right time. This piqued their interest. Santa Cruz Bicycles were renowned for their trifecta of lightness, sturdiness, and versatility.
The business took off from there. They added the Heckler two years later to their product line. In 1996, Roskopp said, “things went crazy.” “Our sales increased by a factor of two.”
Virtual Pivot Point (VPP) patents were purchased from Outland Bikes in 1999.
A single-pivot aluminium Superlight was also well received when it was released in 1999.
He said that the Blur’s launch in 2002 was another significant moment for the company’s rapid growth. It’s the lightest full-suspension carbon cross country bike SCB has ever made, weighing in at just under 23 pounds.
There were a lot of those, Roskopp stated. “In ’03, our sales nearly doubled. There was an oversupply of goods. As far as I knew, we were still making bikes here in the United States. We had to relocate to another country at that time.”
Asher Smith (left) and Anka Martin (right) ride SCB’s Heckler MX in the Santa Cruz Stone King Rally, a point-to-point enduro mountain bike rally. “(Morgan Meredith) – Santa Cruz Bicycles”)
Growth was welcomed by the company, both in terms of its products and its production capacity. It was in 2008-2009 that SCB released its first carbon bike. For the first time, it added carbon fibre wheels to its product line in the year 2017.
“I’ve always been into carbon, since the sixties,” Novak said. “I had a good idea of where we were going. It’s an incredible substance. As a result, we found the right people to put it through its paces.
SCB offers more than a dozen models in bike line, including two e-bikes. The Heckler, discontinued for the 2016 model year, was relaunched as an e-bike in 2020. They also offer a Bullit e-bike.
“Bikers are into technology, they bought into it,” Novak said. “That’s why $10,000 bikes sold. It completed a service and it worked. We knew if we made things really, really good, it would sell itself.”
The success of Santa Cruz Bicycles’ teams has also been great endorsement on the product. Now in its 16th season, the Santa Cruz Syndicate has positioned itself as the most successful downhill race team in history.
As reinforced at the 2021 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Val Di Sole, Trentino, Italy, Santa Cruz Bicycles have been rode to success in the most fierce of conditions and competitions. (Morgan Meredith – Santa Cruz Bicycles)
“Rob was into downhilling,” Novak said. “He put together the team and bike. He was two to three years ahead of the world.”
Essentially, the teams are an SCB’s investment in itself — advertising on wheels. And the world has taken notice.
Word travels fast. And it’s well know that SCB offers a lifetime frame warranty, a huge draw to those ride hardest.
“You definitely see a lot of Santa Cruz bikes where I’m from,” said Rafael Zalewski, Whistler, BC, Canada, native who lives in Milpitas.
Zalewski and fellow engineer Vlad Martsinkovskyi, of Whistler, BC, showed up to SCB’s factory last weekend to demo bikes on and around Empire Grade Road.
Martsinkovskyi demoed an e-bike, though he’s ardent e-bike hater. “Climbing these hills kills me,” he said. “I get one run in and I’m complaining the whole time. It was cool. It was nice to get five rides in. That was cool. My legs are still shot, though.”
Both walked away from the experience impressed with the customer service.
High-end Santa Cruz Bicycles are sold throughout the world and used to enjoy some of nature’s craziest, most demanding terrains. (Morgan Meredith – Santa Cruz Bicycles)
“They have a reputation for good bikes,” Martsinkovskyi said. “And what they offer here with these demo bikes is pretty awesome. (Rafael) wiped out and broke a switch and they were like, ‘ Whatever, it happens.’ And, normally, like out friends in Whistler, you scratch their brake lever and they’re giving him crap. It’s cool they offer these demos. The bike is like 10 grand and they give it to you for like 60 bucks a day. And you wipe out and break something and they’re cool about it.”
It all comes down to SCB’s core beliefs, essentially.
Novak has seen riders on Santa Cruz bikes al over the world, getting in shape, testing their limits and enjoying themselves. He said he can’t help but smile when he sees one of the company’s bikes being used the way it was intended.
“We produced something where people can have fun and that’s the point of it,” he said.
