23 Verified Hands-On Reviews
To combat fake reviews we only accept video reviews from verified channels. Each review must show the product and the face of the reviewer.
Expert reviews [23]
- with a score: 8
- without a score: 15
| Highest score by singletracks.com |
100
|
| Average score based on 23 reviews |
89
|
| Lowest score by Bike Perfect |
80
|
Score distribution:
| 80-100 | |
| 60-80 | |
| 40-60 | |
| 20-40 | |
| 0-20 |
Expert consensus
The Santa Cruz Chameleon is a highly regarded hardtail mountain bike known for its durability, versatility, and ability to handle various riding styles and terrains.
The Santa Cruz Chameleon is a highly regarded hardtail mountain bike that offers options for both aluminum and carbon frames. Experts praise its durability, noting that it has maintained its reputation as a tough hardtail over its 25-year history. The bike is designed to handle jumps, drops, and rough terrain, making it suitable for aggressive riding styles.
Despite its durability, the Chameleon remains comfortable and light enough for longer rides, showcasing its versatility and ability to withstand various riding conditions.
The Chameleon's suspension, while lacking rear suspension, still provides some level of cushioning and control over rough terrain. It is praised for its balanced feel on takeoffs and while airborne, inspiring confidence and maintaining control. However, on rough sections, riders may experience some bumps compared to a full-suspension bike.
In terms of components, the Chameleon comes equipped with reliable SRAM Level T hydraulic disc brakes and a 1x12 SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain known for its smooth shifting and wide gear range. The specific wheel options vary depending on the model, with the Chameleon C SE featuring Santa Cruz Reserve 27 carbon wheels known for their strength and durability.
The Chameleon is a versatile hardtail mountain bike suitable for a wide range of riding styles and terrains. It is often referred to as a "do-it-all" bike that can adapt to different types of riding. It is suitable for activities such as trail riding, bikepacking, cross-country exploration, and even dirt jumping.
It can handle fast singletrack, descents, loose trails, and long-distance adventures with ease. The bike's adjustability and versatility make it a great option for bikepacking, allowing riders to load up the bike with gear for overnight trips. It is also suitable for cross-country riding and performs well on single tracks, descents, loose trails, and fast singletrack.
Additionally, the Chameleon is designed to handle jumps and drops with ease, making it suitable for freeride and dirt jumping.
Overall, the Santa Cruz Chameleon is a reliable, durable, and versatile mountain bike that can adapt to different riding styles and environments. It offers a fun and engaging ride for riders looking for a high-performing and adaptable option.
Frame Material
The Santa Cruz Chameleon is a versatile and durable mountain bike available with aluminum or carbon frames, offering options for different riding styles and preferences.
The Santa Cruz Chameleon is available with both aluminum and carbon frames, offering options for different preferences and riding styles. The aluminum models, such as the D, R, and S, come with a durable Chameleon Aluminum frame, while the Carbon Chameleon provides a lighter and more responsive carbon frame option.
Experts praise the durability of the Santa Cruz Chameleon, noting that it has maintained its reputation as a tough hardtail over its 25-year history. The bike is designed to handle jumps, drops, and rough terrain, making it suitable for aggressive riding styles. Despite its durability, the Chameleon remains comfortable and light enough for longer rides, showcasing its versatility and ability to withstand various riding conditions.
In terms of weight, the Santa Cruz Chameleon's frame weighs around 2000g (4. 4 lbs), although the exact weight may vary depending on the frame size. For example, a size XL Chameleon with additional accessories weighed 33 lbs, indicating that the weight can increase with customization.
Overall, the Santa Cruz Chameleon is a reliable and durable choice for mountain biking, offering options for different frame materials to cater to individual preferences and riding styles. Whether tackling rough terrain or embarking on longer rides, the Chameleon is designed to withstand the demands of various riding conditions.
What material is the frame of the Santa Cruz Chameleon made of?
Based on 4 quotes from 2 sources [show quotes and sources]
What do the experts say about the durability of the Santa Cruz Chameleon?
Based on 11 quotes from 6 sources [show quotes and sources]
What is the weight of th Santa Cruz Chameleon?
Based on 2 quotes from 2 sources [show quotes and sources]
Suspension
The Santa Cruz Chameleon is a hardtail mountain bike with front fork suspension that provides some level of cushioning and control over rough terrain, with a balanced feel on takeoffs and while airborne, but may experience bumps on rough sections compared to a full-suspension bike.
The Santa Cruz Chameleon is a hardtail mountain bike with front fork suspension. According to experts, while it lacks rear suspension, the Chameleon still provides some level of cushioning and control over rough terrain. The suspension quality of the Chameleon is praised for its balanced feel on takeoffs and while airborne, inspiring confidence and maintaining control.
However, on rough sections, riders may experience some bumps compared to a full-suspension bike, although the bike quickly settles back down. Overall, the Chameleon is highly regarded for its strong climbing abilities and is recommended for riders who prioritize climbing performance and control over forgiveness on hard landings.
What is the suspension system used in the Santa Cruz Chameleon?
Based on 3 quotes from 2 sources [show quotes and sources]
What do the experts say about the suspension quality of the Santa Cruz Chameleon?
Based on 4 quotes from 2 sources [show quotes and sources]
Components
The Santa Cruz Chameleon is highly regarded for its overall performance and versatility, featuring reliable components and strong climbing abilities, making it suitable for various riding styles.
Based on the expert reviews, the Santa Cruz Chameleon is highly regarded for its overall performance and versatility. It comes equipped with reliable SRAM Level T hydraulic disc brakes, which provide consistent stopping power. The bike also features a 1x12 SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain, known for its smooth shifting and wide gear range.
The Chameleon is described as a strong climber, making it suitable for various riding styles, including trail and mountain biking. The specific wheel options vary depending on the model, with the Chameleon C SE featuring Santa Cruz Reserve 27 carbon wheels known for their strength and durability.
Overall, the Santa Cruz Chameleon is a reliable and capable bike for riders looking for a versatile and high-performing option.
What brand of brakes are used in the Santa Cruz Chameleon?
Based on 1 quotes from 1 sources [show quotes and sources]
What do the experts say about the brake reliability of the Santa Cruz Chameleon?
What brand of drivetrain components are used in the Santa Cruz Chameleon?
Based on 2 quotes from 2 sources [show quotes and sources]
What do the experts say about the drivetrain reliability of the Santa Cruz Chameleon?
Based on 6 quotes from 5 sources [show quotes and sources]
What brand of wheels are used in the Santa Cruz Chameleon?
Based on 2 quotes from 2 sources [show quotes and sources]
Intended Use
The Santa Cruz Chameleon is a versatile hardtail mountain bike that can handle a wide range of riding styles and terrains, making it a great option for trail riding, bikepacking, cross-country exploration, and even dirt jumping.
The Santa Cruz Chameleon is a versatile hardtail mountain bike designed for a wide range of riding styles and terrains. It is often referred to as a "do-it-all" bike that can adapt to different types of riding. The Chameleon is suitable for activities such as trail riding, bikepacking, cross-country exploration, and even dirt jumping.
It can handle fast singletrack, descents, loose trails, and long-distance adventures with ease. The bike's adjustability and versatility make it a great option for bikepacking, allowing riders to load up the bike with gear for overnight trips. While it may not be a dedicated cross-country bike, the Chameleon is still suitable for cross-country riding and can be ridden on cross-country trails without any issues.
It offers a fun and capable ride for cross-country adventures. The Chameleon is highly suitable for trail riding, with nimble handling, good climbing abilities, and excellent descending prowess. It can handle a variety of terrain and is known for its versatility.
The Chameleon performs well on single tracks, descents, loose trails, and fast singletrack. It is a fun-loving hardtail that can handle jumps and drops with ease. The bike is designed to excel in different scenarios, including jumps, drops, dirt jumping, singlespeed trail riding, freeride, bikepacking, cross-country exploration, and general trail riding.
Overall, the Santa Cruz Chameleon is a versatile and engaging ride that can adapt to different riding styles and environments.
What is the intended use of the Santa Cruz Chameleon?
Based on 10 quotes from 6 sources [show quotes and sources]
How suitable is the Santa Cruz Chameleon for cross-country riding?
Based on 11 quotes from 6 sources [show quotes and sources]
How suitable is the Santa Cruz Chameleon for trail riding?
Based on 15 quotes from 7 sources [show quotes and sources]
How does the Santa Cruz Chameleon perform on different types of terrain?
Based on 14 quotes from 5 sources [show quotes and sources]
What riding style is the Santa Cruz Chameleon designed for?
Based on 14 quotes from 7 sources [show quotes and sources]
Best Alternatives
3 best mountain bikes in the same price range as Santa Cruz Chameleon
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| REI Co-op Cycles DRT 1.1 | Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Comp | Yeti SB130 |
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Rank
#1
out of 74
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Rank
#2
out of 74
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Rank
#3
out of 74
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| The REI Co-op Cycles DRT 1.1 mountain bike is a reliable and durable option for recreational riders who want an affordable bike for off-road adventures, offering a lightweight frame, powerful brakes, and a good range of gears. | The Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Comp is a high-quality and durable mountain bike that excels in aggressive trail riding and enduro racing, offering a smooth and controlled ride with powerful components and a strong carbon fiber frame. | The Yeti SB130 is a high-performance mountain bike with a carbon fiber frame, exceptional suspension system, and durable components, making it a versatile and capable choice for experienced riders tackling a variety of trails. |
| More product details | More product details | More product details |
Position in ranking
We maintain a monthly ranking that sums up expert recommendations for all mountain bikes.
| Rank | Change | Price | Mountain Bike |
OutdoorGearLab
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Verywell Fit
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Outside
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Runner's World
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Cyclists Hub
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Switchback Travel
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Bike Perfect
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The Strategist
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Bikexchange
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Bicycle Guider
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1
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REI Co-op Cycles DRT 1.1
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1
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7
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1
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2
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Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Comp
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3
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1
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3
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Yeti SB130
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1
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3
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4
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Specialized Turbo Levo Comp
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9
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3
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5
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Highest recommended mountain bikes this month
ReviewFinder ranks based on a combination of customer reviews, expert reviews / mentions and popularity. Expert recommendations carry the highest weight in the ranking. We do not rank based on price, our commission or brand. mountain bikes below are at the top of our ranking this May.
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| REI Co-op Cycles DRT 1.1 | Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Comp | Yeti SB130 | Specialized Turbo Levo Comp |
|
Rank
#1
out of 74
|
Rank
#2
out of 74
|
Rank
#3
out of 74
|
Rank
#4
out of 74
|
| The REI Co-op Cycles DRT 1.1 mountain bike is a reliable and durable option for recreational riders who want an affordable bike for off-road adventures, offering a lightweight frame, powerful brakes, and a good range of gears. | The Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Comp is a high-quality and durable mountain bike that excels in aggressive trail riding and enduro racing, offering a smooth and controlled ride with powerful components and a strong carbon fiber frame. | The Yeti SB130 is a high-performance mountain bike with a carbon fiber frame, exceptional suspension system, and durable components, making it a versatile and capable choice for experienced riders tackling a variety of trails. | The Specialized Turbo Levo Comp is a durable and reliable electric mountain bike with high-performance capabilities, although there have been some recent reliability issues with the motor. |
| More product details | More product details | More product details | More product details |