What Year Is My Santa Cruz Bike?

‍It can be very helpful to know your Santa Cruz bike's year for repairs, upgrades, and getting your bike back in the event that it’s stolen.

You can identify the year of your Santa Cruz bike by taking a look at the first two digits of its serial number, which is typically on the bottom bracket. For instance, if your bike was manufactured in 2017, the first two digits of the serial number will be "17."

This article will walk you through the most common methods for determining the production year of your Santa Cruz bike. We've gathered trustworthy research from legit sources to ensure you locate the year of your Santa Cruz bike and can rely on us for future information on difficulties with your bike.

‍Locating the Serial Number

Locating the serial number on your Santa Cruz bike is important when trying to determine the year it was made. The serial number of your bike model will help determine the production date, model, and other important information about your Santa Cruz bike.

So…to make life easier on all of us, bike manufacturers like Santa Cruz include a serial number to help you with upgrades, warranty claims, and to help you find your stolen bike in case of theft.

Remember, once you find the serial number of your Santa Cruz bike, the first two digits of the code will indicate the manufacturing year. These are the most common serial number locations on Santa Cruz bikes.

Bottom Bracket

Pretty much every hardtail and aluminum frame bike from Santa Cruz features a serial number on the bottom bracket. That said, most full-suspension mountain bikes will also have a serial number in this location.

The serial number is usually engraved on the metal surface and, but if you are like me - it may be covered in dirt or grime. I recommend cleaning the bottom bracket thoroughly if you are having any trouble seeing the serial number.

Main Triangle

I pretty much only ride Santa Cruz bikes with carbon frames these days. If that’s the case with you, the bike serial number will be located on the main triangle.

You can find the serial number, commonly referred to as a frame number, on the main triangle by looking above the bottom bracket.

Same as the bottom bracket, there may be dirt covering the serial number. Wipe the main triangle and remove any dirt or dust to get a better view of the bike serial numbers.

QR Code

If you own a new bike from Santa Cruz it should feature a QR code that contains the serial number. You should be able to see a sticker located near the bottom bracket of your bike with a QR code.

The bottom of the sticker normally contains the entire serial number of your Santa Cruz bike. Alternatively, you can simply scan the QR code on the sticker which will also give you the serial number.

Bike Box

Still got your Santa Cruz bike’s box lying around? If so, the serial number is located on the box near the product information.

Sales Receipt

When you buy your Santa Cruz bike at a retailer, the business will often print the serial number of the product directly onto the receipt. If you still have the receipt from when you purchased the bike, check to see if the bicycle serial number is on there.

For online purchases, a receipt should also be included in the box that the bike was shipped in.

Determining the Model

If you're trying to figure out what year your Santa Cruz bike is, the model can help identify when it was manufactured. Here are some tips to help you identify your Santa Cruz bike’s model:

• Check the bike's decals and graphics. Santa Cruz bikes often have unique graphics and decals that can help you identify the model.
• Look at the bike's suspension design. Santa Cruz bikes have a variety of suspension designs, including VPP, single pivot, and more. Knowing the suspension design can help you narrow down the model.
• The head tube and seat tube design are also key characteristics that you can use to cross-reference with other Santa Cruz MTB models.
• Check the bike's frame material. Santa Cruz bikes are made from a variety of materials, including aluminum, carbon fiber, and steel. Knowing the frame material can help you pin down the specific model of your Santa Cruz bike.

Once you've identified your Santa Cruz bike model, you can use this information further investigate the year it was made.

If you're having trouble identifying your Santa Cruz bike model, you can contact Santa Cruz technical support for assistance. They can help you identify your bike based on its features and serial numbers.

Additional Resources

If you're still having trouble figuring out the year of your Santa Cruz bike, there are a few additional resources that can help. Here are some options to consider:

Online Forums

There are several online forums dedicated to Santa Cruz bikes, where you can ask questions and get advice from other riders and enthusiasts. Some popular options include MTBR, Pinkbike, and Reddit's MTB community.

These forums can be a great resource for troubleshooting and getting information about how to tell what year a Santa Cruz bike was made.

When engaging with these communities, it's essential to provide clear photos and descriptions of your bike, including any distinguishable features or components that could help determine its year. These enthusiasts are often more than willing to share their expertise with you to help pin down the exact production year of your Santa Cruz mountain bike.

Bike Forums

Bike Forums is a great platform to connect with other Santa Cruz bike riders who can help you identify your bike's production year based on specific features or components.

MTBR

When you need to get info about your mountain bike MTBR can be very reliable. You can utilize this forum to discuss bike parts, components, deals, and performance, as potentially get some helpful info about your Santa Cruz bike's production year.

Reddit for Mountain Bikers

Reddit has one of the best online forums for MTB riders. The Reddit for Mountain Bikers community is often very helpful and may be able to assist you with pinpointing the year of your Santa Cruz MTB.

Just create a discussion on the platform detailing the specs and info of your Santa Cruz MTB and you should get a response from the community in no time!

Santa Cruz Catalog Forums

Santa Cruz publishes catalogs every year that showcase their bikes. You can compare your bike to the photos in the bike index to get an idea of what year it was made.

However, keep in mind that some parts may have been changed or upgraded over time, so it may not be an exact match.

Santa Cruz Customer Support

Santa Cruz has a dedicated Contact Us page on their website where you can send them a message just get more information about your bike’s manufacturing date. All you need to do is fill in the fields on the page and submit your query. You can expect them to get back to you shortly.

Another option is to check out their Support page for more information. The Santa Cruz support page offers resources such as bike registration, warranty, and info about their crash replacement program details.

Santa Cruz actually has an entire page that details the different ways to identify your bike’s year: “How to Find the Serial Number on Your Bike”. By locating the serial number, you can provide it to the support team, making it easier for them to help you identify the year of your bike.

Over the years, Santa Cruz has built a very solid reputation for their durable and long-lasting products, which are backed by their legendary support team and lifetime warranty for the bulk of their frames. If you have any doubts or are running into walls during your search, don't hesitate to reach out to them for assistance with identifying the year of your bike, as they will be happy to help.

Bike Shops

When in doubt, your local bike shop is always there for you! Bike shops are experienced in working with a variety of different bike brands and models, and may be able to offer info about your specific Santa Cruz bike based on its components and features.

I recommend reaching out to an established bike shop with a solid reputation. The more experience the shop has working with bikes, the more likely they can provide you with legit info about your Santa Cruz model.