Santa Cruz Vala AL Deore on test: Full throttle E-MTB to save money?

Santa Cruz and cheap? Few brands are as unconcerned with value for money as the Americans. Santa Cruz is like the Porsche of mountain bikes. Cool yes, but certainly not cheap. This is changing with the aluminium version of the classic E-MTB Vala. This is a fully-fledged E-MTB with a Bosch motor for 5299 Euro that sets exactly the right accents. The best fork for the money, plus good brakes, a beautiful cockpit and perfectly selected tyres. Doesn't sound so wild anymore, does it?

Equipment: The parts that matter

When we as testers are asked what is important for a high-performance E-MTB, the answer is usually: the best fork you can afford. You shouldn't save too much on brakes, cockpit and tyres either. Gears, lightweight construction and wheels are not quite as important for the time being. This must have been the thinking of the product managers at Vala AL. Because: Santa Cruz specifies inexpensive but functionally proven parts in all key areas.

Deore four-piston brakes offer good ergonomics, and the cockpit and grips are super comfortable out of the box. The tyres offer Maxxgrip at the front and puncture protection at the rear. An ideal combination for the trail. Instead of a thick, removable battery, Santa Cruz has opted for a permanently integrated 600 battery. This is a clear concession to trail use. The bike has to be parked right next to the power socket for charging. Despite the solid parts and aluminium frame, the scales remain at 24 kilos. And there's still budget for the Psylo fork in the functionally much better Gold version with high-quality damping and aluminium stanchions.

Aggressive geo, no flip chip

Because the Santa Cruz is a serious bike for trail pros, here's a word about the geometry: the aluminium frame does without the flip chips of the carbon model. This means that neither the progression of the rear triangle on the lower shock mount nor the geometry on the seat stays can be fine-tuned. Santa Cruz chooses the centre position for the Vala AL in both cases. The head angle measures an almost extreme 63 degrees. Fortunately, you don't notice this much when you turn into trails on the climbs.

Geared towards trails: how the Vala AL rides

You sit in the centre of the bike but it is not overly progressive. On steep sections, you therefore have to actively put your weight on the front wheel, although the handling always remains easy to control and the traction is excellent, even uphill, thanks to the well-tuned rear suspension. The Bosch motor pushes powerfully and sensitively as usual. The comfortable riding position and the range of the rather small 600 battery are good for long tours. Only those who want to climb 2000 metres in one go will have to resort to an extender.

Downhill, the Vala shows its qualities. Even the most affordable version of the line-up impresses with its high riding performance and is a lot of fun on the trail. However, at 24kg, the Vala AL doesn't feel quite as light-footed as the carbon versions. The entry-level Santa Cruz shows that a successful geometry and good kinematics are worth more on the trail than the obligatory XT rear derailleur or a higher-quality shock.

The rear suspension is clearly the best in our 5000 euro comparison test and works sensitively and defined without lacking comfort. There are also reserves for hard action. This is the latest point at which most inexpensive bikes give up. The higher-quality Gold version of the Psylo fork works surprisingly well and hardly lacks any comfort. Grippy tyres provide a lot of security. The bike also remains nice and quiet. So there are hardly any real weaknesses on the trail. The fixed battery with "only" 600 watt hours is the biggest drawback in this price range.

Strengths:

• Powerful and harmoniously equipped
• High reserves for trail experts
• Good chassis

Weaknesses:

• Permanently installed battery