Positioned between the agile and playful 5010 and the big-hitting Nomad, the Bronson strikes a perfect balance for riders seeking a mixed-wheel bike that truly does everything well, and fast. Enduro racing, jumps, and gravity trails are well within its realm, but so are all-day pedalfests deep in the mountains. That's why it's been a favorite of ours (and many other riders) since we threw a leg over the first generation way back in 2013. Now in its fourth generation, the Bronson is an ultra-refined package as you expect from a modern Santa Cruz, and comes with a workhorse parts kit that's ready for season after season of hard riding. The fourth-generation Bronson receives the trendy mixed wheel treatment, with a redesigned frame that's built to work around a 27. 5in and 29in wheel combo. The bike maintains the same 150mm rear travel as previous generations linked up to Santa Cruz's VPP platform. The revised wheels bring the mixed wheel size game into the park and enduro lineup, giving riders a bike that's nimble in the corners but rolls over the chunder all day long. This Bronson also sees some significant changes to geometry, pushing it further into the gravity spectrum. The reach and wheelbase are longer and the head tube is slacker, providing more stability during high-speed sections and technical descents. Santa Cruz knows that pedaling prowess matters, so they incorporated a steeper 77. 1-degree seat tube angle on a size medium to balance the long and slack geo. Combined with the efficient VPP platform, the bike tackles tough climbs with ease. The geometry is also adjustable via a flip-chip in the linkage, allowing you to tune the handling to suit the trail at hand. Lucky for all of us, one thing that hasn't changed is Santa Cruz's carbon frames, which is a good thing if you're after the legendary strength and unwavering stiffness of their renowned carbon layups. This particular Bronson benefits from the Carbon C layup, which makes for a resoundingly stif...