Santa Cruz rolls out flat

While there are now a ton of ebikes on the market, many are heavy, kinda dumpy-looking things from obscure companies. Santa Cruz's new carbon Skitch, however, is sleek, lightweight, and ready to hit the street or gravel.

California-based Santa Cruz Bicycles is best known for its high-end mountain and gravel bikes.

Following that pedigree, the Skitch itself is available in a drop-bar gravel configuration, although a flat-bar city version is also on offer. Both feature a full carbon fiber frame and fork, with the whole bike reportedly tipping the scales at slightly under or over 30 lb (13.6 kg) depending on how it's spec'd.

The two versions also both feature a Fazua Ride 60 system, which combines a down-tube-integrated 430-Wh lithium-ion battery with a bottom bracket motor that produces 60 Nm (44 lb ft) of torque. This setup augments the rider's pedaling power to a top speed of 28 mph (45 km/m), and delivers a claimed range of over 60 miles (96.5 km) per charge.

Buyers of either version can choose between SRAM Apex and GX AXS build packages.

The Apex build includes an Apex Eagle 1 x 12 drivetrain with a 10-50t cassette; Apex (gravel) or S-300 (flat bar) hydraulic disc brakes with Avid Centerline rotors; a WTB Silverado Medium saddle; DT Swiss 370 hubs; plus WTB EZR rims clad in Schwalbe G-One Overland Evo 700 x 45c tires.

Upgrades in the GX AXS build include a GX Eagle AXS drivetrain with a 10-52t cassette; Rival AXS (gravel) or Level Silver Stealth (flat bar) brakes with SRAM Paceline rotors; plus Easton ARC 25 Offset rims.

The Skitch is available in four frames sizes and just one color (flat olive green). Buyers should expect to pay US$5,999 for the Apex Flat Bar, $6,299 for the Apex Gravel or $7,299 for either of the GX AXS builds.

Source: Santa Cruz Bicycles