What We Ride Series - Matt's 5010
The #whatweride series takes a look into the bikes, components and accessories that are used by Stif staff members, team riders and close affiliates.
We’re all keen riders and regardless of whether it’s racing, shredding laps for fun, heading out on big epic adventures, or pre-work power hours, we are constantly on the search for the optimum set up and performance from the best bikes, components and accessories.
Every product on our both our physical and digital shelves is meticulously handpicked for a reason. We only stock products we fully believe in and ultimately use ourselves on the trails. The #whatwerideseries is to show these products in application and explain why
#whatweride
Who's Matt?
Our Trusty workshop mechanic by day and king of speed by the weekend, Matt has been racing for Stif since 2020. His passion for racing and love of riding bikes is astounding - If we could bottle his enthusiasm for mountain biking and sell it here at Stif, it would probably be banned by the UCI as a performance enhancing stimulant! With his racing calendar starting to fill up for 2023, he’s looking forward to a Summer of putting his new Hightower V2 between the tapes. But until then and in between races you’ll either find him sleeping or aboard his 5010 V5 Staff bike.
‘Having a 5010 alongside my longer travel ‘Enduro’ race bike is ideal, every time I ride it, it takes me back to the reason I love riding… to have fun. I’m not saying I won’t race it at some point this year, but for now it’s the ideal tool for a bit of a bit of a release away from the racing schedule.’Why a 5010?
Matt is probably the biggest fan of the Santa Cruz 5010, owning a V3, V4 and now a V5. So when the new MX format V5 was launched in December 2022, he was one of the first in the country to build one up and put it through it’s paces, instantly falling in love: ‘It’s simply the best bike Santa Cruz has designed. It’s kept it’s original playful nature and the new suspension kinematics are a huge improvement on the previous V4. With much less anti squat, it’s super sensitive over high frequency hits, tracking especially under braking is also so much better, giving bags more traction. It’s a little bit more progressive too so has plenty of mid stroke support with no harsh bottoming out when charging hard’.
How has Matt set up his 5010?
This is Matt’s Staff bike, an off the peg 5010 V5 C S Kit, which is pretty much stock, as it came from the factory. Matt feels no need to switch out any of the standard dependable spec instead just working with what it came with.”
Full Bike Specification:
- Frame: Santa Cruz 5010 Carbon C, 130mm travel
- Fork: RockShox Pike Select+, 140mm travel, 29"
- Rear Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe Select+
- Headset: Cane Creek 40 IS integrated
- BB: SRAM DUB 68/73mm threaded
- Stem: Burgtec Enduro MK3, 42mm
- Handlebar: Burgtec RideWide Alloy Bar, 800mm
- Grips: Santa Cruz Bicycles House
- Front Brake: SRAM G2 R with Avid Centerline 180mm rotor
- Rear Brake: SRAM G2 R with Avid Centerline 200mm rotor
- Derailleur: SRAM GX Eagle, 12-speed
- Shifters: SRAM GX Eagle, 12-speed
- Chain: SRAM GX Eagle, 12-speed
- Cassette: SRAM XG1275 Eagle, 12-speed, 10-50t
- Crankset: SRAM GX Eagle 148 DUB 32t
- Front Wheel: Race Face AR Offset 30 29" on DT Swiss 370 hub
- Rear Wheel: Race Face AR Offset 30 27.5" on DT Swiss 370 hub
- Front Tyre: Maxxis Minion DHR II 29"x2.4", 3C MaxxGrip, EXO
- Rear Tyre: Maxxis Minion DHR II 27.5"x2.4", 3C Maxx-Terra, EXO
- Saddle: WTB Silverado Medium CroMo
- Seatpost: RockShox Reverb Stealth, 31.6mm”
Matt has concentrated his efforts on tweaking contact points to make switching between this and his Hightower a smooth transition. So the bars have been cut to 750mm, brakes set fairly level as can be seen in the photos and the lever runs as close to the bars as possible in order to lightly feather the brake, eliminating any unwanted lost speed. For Matt, braking is a critical area of set up. Another tweak in this area is the swapping off the 200mm rotor to the rear and the 180mm rotor to the front, achieving optimal braking balance in the process for such a lightweight rider. Grips have been switched to his trusty worn in Burgtec Bartenders, a personal preference as he prefers to run a thinner grip.
Surprisingly for such a fast charging rider Matt runs the standard casing EXO 2.4WT Maxxis Minion DHR tyres front and rear with no issues, all year round, with 23psi in the front and 28psi in the rear. His suspension set up is also pretty perennial too. For a 70kg rider at 5ft 10in he runs his Pike Select fork with quite a lot of air at 80psi. The rear shock is dialled in at 180psi, with both the fork and shock run fully open in terms of compression damping. Rebound is the only setting which may vary depending upon terrain, but in general both front and rear suspension is set with minimal rebound damping, probably due to how hard and fast this guy can go!
What's he planning to do with it?
To Matt his 5010 is all about having some fun away from the race track, sessioning in the woods and having an epic pedal on big days out. His 5010 is a bike he’s always really gelled with and the new V5 has been his favorite yet, a bike he naturally reaches for more and more. As a result, he will probably race it at some of the domestic UK Enduro races where the tracks are a little shorter and less demanding than those of the EWS circuit. One thing for definite though, is that if you see him on it either down in the woods or between the tape at one of the UK Enduros he’s sure to have a huge grin on his face!
The 5010
Interested in a 5010? All 2023 models currently have 20% off RRP. Unsure if a 5010 is the best bike option for you? Give us a shout on the phone, drop an email to sales@stifmtb.com or to head to either of our stores for a brew and a chat! We have a full showroom plus a range of demo bikes in all sizes for you to ride.
Like these bike checks? We’ve got a wide variety of bikes in the pipeline so make sure to tune back in for more additions of the #whatweride series!