Ever since its initial release, the Santa Cruz Bronson has consistently been one of our favorite mountain bikes. Excelling at everything from all-day missions on rugged singletrack, to lift-assisted bike park days, and even a bit of enduro racing, the Bronson is the first model we think of when we're asked what makes a true all-mountain bike. Its well-balanced geometry, 6-inches of smooth VPP suspension, and stout carbon frame make for a bike that's just as happy plowing through chunky rock gardens as it is jumping over them entirely--boosting your confidence and the fun factor to level 11. Now in its third generation, the Bronson is more refined than ever, ensuring this bike remains among the top of the pack when it comes to aggressive trail machines. One of the biggest changes to the third-gen Bronson lies in a longer, slacker geometry that pushes it deeper into the gravity end of the riding spectrum. However, this redesign doesn't significantly alter its all-around versatility, meaning it's still great for the rider that desires the monster truck plushness of a slack, long-travel rig while having fun on trail systems with big climbs and high-speed descents. To be specific, Santa Cruz lengthened the reach by approximately 15 millimeters per size for a more confident, comfortable feel at higher speeds, plus a centimeter lower standover height for a better fit with shorter riders. The head tube angle drops from the previous generation's already slack 66 degrees to an even slacker 65. 4 degrees in its highest setting, complete with a flip-chip that slackens it out even further to a bike park-friendly 65. 1 degrees. These were numbers that you'd only see on a freeride or mini-DH bike just a few years ago, meaning you'll have tons of confidence bombing those technical descents littered with steep drop-offs and nasty rock sections. Another significant change to the latest Bronson lies in a reconfigured VPP suspension platform. Instead of relying on upper-link drive...