Santa Cruz Bullitt 2025 Review: Riding like in a bike park - again and again!

First things first: Yes, there's an elephant in the room – and it's called the rear suspension. Anyone who thinks of Santa Cruz mountain bikes inevitably pictures the Virtual Pivot Point (VPP) system – after all, it defined the bikes' design for years. But that's all over with the new 2025 Bullitt from Santa Cruz.
The reason for the change? The new Bosch motor. Due to its design, optimal rear suspension function with VPP wouldn't have been possible. So instead of making a poor compromise, the folks at Santa Cruz chose a completely new approach – opting for the Horst Link and against the familiar and beloved Twin Link rear suspension for the new version of their popular e-mountain bike.

Is that really a Santa Cruz? You'll likely encounter this or a similar question. Just like with the Santa Cruz Vala, the new (Horst-Link) four-bar linkage on the new Bullitt is turning heads. The VPP-typical frame triangle is a thing of the past on the new Bullitt. The cool thing is: even with this new approach, the Bullitt still comes across as very well-thought-out and "grown-up." However, the typical "brand look" is gone.

Top news: The Californians have taken the feedback from many smaller riders to heart and are now offering the bike in size S for the first time. The Santa Cruz Bullitt comes in five different sizes (S, M, L, XL, XXL). The head tube angle is a very downhill-friendly 63.3° (Lo) . The effective seat tube angle is a comfortable 78.3° (Lo) , and the bottom bracket height is 342 mm in the low setting . The reach (size L) is 480 mm and the stack is 640 mm .

An interesting and clever solution: Like the Vala, the new Santa Cruz Bullitt 2025 features two flip chips . This allows riders to individually adjust the head angle and rear suspension progression . Typical of Santa Cruz: The chainstay length is adjusted separately for each frame size to ensure consistent performance for all riders.
Here, the Americans are deliberately going the extra mile for their customers.

As is typical of the brand, the frame is of absolutely high quality. Everything appears seamless and impresses even under close scrutiny with a magnifying glass.
Cool: The new Santa Cruz Bullitt also gets the popular Shuttle-Guard downtube protector , which will please more than just pickup-truck mountain bikers. The generous chainstay protector would probably even protect a wild Fred.
It can withstand flint. Needless to say, it nips chain noise in the bud .

Speaking of noise: The Santa Cruz Bullitt also performs flawlessly when it comes to cable routing. Another useful feature we appreciated: The mini-fender on the lower seat tube protects the rear triangle and stays from rocks and other hard debris, preventing the Bullitt from unintentionally becoming a nutcracker. The only point of criticism, for which Santa Cruz isn't really responsible, is the rubber cover of the Bosch charging port. Don't get me wrong, it fits very well. But visually, it doesn't look entirely well-thought-out and is more reminiscent of a compromise from the development department. So, dear Swabians, you're welcome to improve this.

Another striking feature is how well the Americans have integrated the new Bosch motor into the frame. While its predecessor with the Shimano EP801 motor was immediately recognizable as an e-MTB , this isn't quite so obvious with the new Bullitt 2025. It's not exactly an "undercover" light e-MTB , but we were instantly impressed by its overall silhouette.

As with many bikes these days, the software plays a significant role in the new Bosch drive system. The Bosch Flow app not only allows for custom ride modes but also performs updates completely wirelessly. It also features route planning functions, including navigation. In our test, the app ran very smoothly on the iPhone. The clear highlight for us: the personalized ride modes, which allow you to precisely adapt the motor to your riding style, going beyond the "normal" modes.

With a 600 Wh battery capacity, the Bullitt e-mountain bike strikes the perfect balance between low weight and ample range. The Bosch PowerTube battery is integrated into the downtube, which should be considered when charging.
The most important question: Is 600 Wh enough for everyday use? We think so. The bike is surprisingly efficient. So, unless you're constantly bombing up mountains in radical Boost mode, the capacity will be more than sufficient. In our case, we were able to tackle trails and climbs for an entire afternoon (with medium support) and still had plenty of charge left at the end of the day.

The new Bosch motor impresses on uphill climbs with a very natural and consistently predictable riding feel . The drive system always has more than enough power in reserve, even on steep ascents. Our test repeatedly demonstrated how accurately and quickly the motor responds to inputs. While the DJI Avinox offers even more power, the control and power delivery of the Bosch Performance Line CX are excellent.