


But for now, we want to focus on the bikes, because that is the reason we found ourselves in Maremma, a small region on the Med in the Southwestern corner of Tuscany, riding sexy pre-release DH sleds.Ĭarbon frames aren’t built to last as long as marble staircases, but Santa Cruz’s new 5 year warranty is a significant step forward for carbon frame standards and, of course, for the consumer. And I will dish some details about all that in a following article. Riding fresh-from-the-factory bikes in Tuscany behind the greatest DH team on the circuit (best team ever?) with a world cup mechanic and a Fox race suspension tech at our beck and call for two days was as crazy cool as it sounds, even if you’ve been to tons of launches or been cursed with having to organize them (guilty). Look, I’m not going to bullshit you, the whole thing was great and I left Italy armed with lots of stories to tell, and many I can’t repeat. I didn’t hesitate. And off I was less than a month later to ride the new V10c in Tuscany, along with a small group of media.Īnd the Syndicate. For his part, Morgan has spent time over there, too, and can speak un pochino Italiano, but he’s the late man to the party that is NSMB, so he never really had a chance at this one. Normally the assignment would fall to Morgan Taylor, but Cam and I have both logged time in Italia, speak the language, and dream of retiring one day to a life of relaxing in the shade of a Cypress tree with a steady supply of good wine and perfect food.

Uhhh, I think we can clear the decks, Will. How is your availability that week for a three-day-two night trip to Tuscany with the Syndicate?” Santa Cruz’s new marketing manager Will Ockelton dropped us a note that went something like this: “…it appears the new V10, with carbon swing-arm will be ready for the media’s mitts in early November. The 2013 Santa Cruz V10c Under the Tuscan Sun.
