The do-it-all 27. 5-inch trail bike is back and better than ever. Santa Cruz made some meaningful updates to its ever-popular 5010 recently, bringing it up to speed and defining the modern, mid-travel trail bike and making the 5010 Carbon CC 27. 5+ X01 Eagle Reserve Complete Mountain Bike even more capable with its longer wheelbase and slacker angles which provide a boost in confidence as you mob technical trails at higher speeds. It also adds in plenty of clearance for running plus-sized tires for extra cushion and traction if your riding conditions are particularly rough and loose. What wasn't lost from the original 5010's, and indeed why this bike has received much acclaim by a legion of trail riders is its versatility. Nimble and agile enough to make quick work of tight singletrack, yet stable on high speed stretches in desert landscapes, add in the pedaling efficiency that's appreciated on all-day epics in the backcountry, and you end up with the new 5010, truly a rig you can show up with on any trail and have the right tool for the job. The third generation 5010 is slacker than ever, at least in the headtube department, kicking back to a 66. 5-degree angle in its high setting and a more gravity-friendly 66. 2-degree angle in its lower setting. The addition of a flip-chip makes this possible, letting you tune the bike's geometry for different trails and riding styles. So if you're seeking out a bit more of a sports car feel with greater efficiency and climbing or you want a trophy truck that devours steep terrain littered with loose rocks and thick roots, the swap can be done on the trail in about 2 minutes. The flip-chip not only allows you to alter the bike's personality to a degree, or more specifically 0. 3 up front and 0. 7 for the seattube, it also provides the frame the ability to run wider tires, up to 2. 8 inches in width. Santa Cruz outfits this particular 5010 with its "new" plus-sized 2. 6-inch tires, which deliver all the traction and bump-smo...