Santa Cruz Bikes

Custom Builds

What kind of headset will I need for my Nickel?

This bike uses a tapered headset- which have many different configurations these days. Ours uses a standard (external) 1.5" lower cup, and a semi-integrated 1 1/8" upper. The semi-integrated upper headset is a pretty standard size these days- we use the 44mm ID standard. As all of us frame manufacturers seem to be using slightly different configurations with tapered headtubes, these headsets are custom items. We will offer options from Chris King and Cane Creek in our kits, and also as an option with your frame purchase

What fork sizes are recommended for the Nickel?

120mm-140mm. The forks we offer are all 130mm, which is kind of the sweet spot, but they can all be reduced to 120mm or extended to 140mm by removing or installing a travel spacer.

What size shock does the Nickel use?

7.875"x 2" (200x50mm)
The shock mounting hardware is 22mm wide (or 21.8mm for Rockshox product) with an 8mm through hole.

What size seatpost do I need?

The Nickel uses a 30.9mm seatpost. Make sure you always have it inserted a minimum of 4" (100mm). We are big fans of the adjustable seatposts on the market from Gravity Dropper and Crank Brothers, and have included guides on the frame to cleanly run the cables.

What size rear hub does the Nickel require?

The Nickel uses a normal 135 x 10mm quick release hub. There are also numerous companies offering 135x10mm through-bolt style if you want to go that route.

What size seat collar does the Nickel use?

34.9mm (supplied with frame)

What size bottom bracket do I need?

The Nickel uses a 73mm bb shell, so make sure you always get something compatible with that. Pretty much any external bearing crankset will work- Truvativ, shimano, etc. Chainline should be 50-51mm.

Can I put a chainguide on my Nickel?

Definitely. Pretty much any BB mount guide or ISCG guide with adaptor will work great- there is great chainguide clearance on the APP bikes.

What is the biggest tire that will fit in the Nickel?

We hate to answer this question, as tires vary so much (even tires of the same exact model can vary significantly). In general, a 2.35" or maybe even bigger should fit.

What size brake rotor will fit?

The Nickel has clearance for up to 203mm rotors.

What front derailleur do I need?

The Nickel uses a 34.9 top swing/top pull front derailleur. Pretty much anything from SRAM or Shimano that meets these guidelines will work (not Saint).

Can I use XX or another SRAM 2x10 group?

Yes, just make sure you buy the standard Q-factor version (166mm) and not the narrow version of XX (156mm).

Can I use my old 1 1/8" fork in this frame?

Yes, absolutely. This is one of the reasons we stuck with an external 1.5" cup on the bottom- there are a lot of options available for 1 1/8" forks. The easiest route would be to order the Chris King tapered headset with your frame. You can buy a reducing crown race from King so that you can use a standard 1 1/8" fork.

The other option would be to use a reducing lower headset of some sort (lots of options here). There are internal headsets available that will lower the front end a few millimeters if you are into that.

The cheap option would be to get a headtube reducer from us that allows use of a standard 1 1/8" lower cup with your fork. That still leaves you short a semi-integrated upper cup- but these are common as dirt these days...

Is there a place for a water bottle on the Nickel?

Yes- two water bottle mounts on all sizes. One is on the underside of the downtube, and one above. Depending on frame size/bottle size and shock choice, you may want to flip the shock around (propedal lever towards the back) if using a bottle.