Constructed with an alloy frame, Santa Cruz’s Vala AL 70 is built to take all of the goodness of its carbon-framed brethren but offer it at a more accessible price. But the move to metal has resulted in a bike that has no business being as dynamic and fun as a 24kg e-MTB should be, thanks to a superb suspension design and wisely picked geometry. That said, a couple of componentry changes would really elevate what the Vala AL could get up to.
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Santa Cruz Vala AL 70 – Technical details
Released in 2024, the Vala made waves as it was the first of Santa Cruz’s bikes to ditch its renowned VPP linkage in favour of a more familiar Four Bar linkage. I’m told that this shift has been made to help package its Bosch motor. However, the brand claims that it has still managed to build in some of the suspension features of its newer bikes, such as the Bronson and Hightower. Namely, that’s lower anti-squat, which should reduce pedal kickback and boost traction through the techy stuff.
To touch back on that motor, the Vala AL runs Bosch’s Performance Line CX system, and it’s paired with a 600Wh battery. That is a little smaller than what’s on a range of e-MTBs, which commonly use Bosch’s 800Wh unit, but I’ll get onto that later. The Vala AL is also equipped with the more basic Bosch System Controller with Mini Remote, and it can’t accommodate an upgrade to the newer Kiox 400c. Though no harm is done there in my books.
As for frame features, it’s all pretty simple but certainly modern. There’s internal cable routing that enters the sides of the downtube, and the ports look rather neat. There’s space for a bottle in the front triangle, an accessory mount under the top tube, and UDH compatibility.
It then runs a mixed wheel size as standard (29in front, 650b rear), without an adjustment to go full 29. There’s 160mm of suspension travel up front paired with 150mm at the rear, which is certainly enough to take on the bulk of what the UK’s riding has to offer.
Recommended for riders between 5’9” and 6’1” in height, the large frame I tested comes sorted with a 478mm reach, a 64.1-degree head tube angle, a 76.8-degree seat tube angle, and a 445mm wheel base. None of those numbers are pushing the envelope by any means, but they all contribute to a well-rounded ride that’ll suit all manners of trail riding. And given the fact that the Vala AL 70 weighs around the 24kg mark, that’s all good stuff.
Santa Cruz Vala AL 70 – Componentry
It’s not only the Vala AL’s alloy frame that brings the bike to a more affordable price point, as it’s packed with kit that’s designed to perform, but without being unnecessarily blingy.
Suspension is provided by RockShox with a ZEB Base fork and Super Deluxe Base trunnion-mounted shock. SRAM delivers the shifting with its rather great Eagle 70 Transmission drivetrain, combined with an e*thirteen Helix eSpec crank.
Stopping comes from a pair of SRAM DB8 Stealth brakes mated to a 220mm Centerline rotor at the front with a 200mm disc at the rear. There’s then a set of Reserve 30HD AL rims laced to SRAM MTH hubs, and they’re wrapped with a 2.5in Maxxis Assegai in its MaxxGrip compound and EXO+ casing. A 2.5in Maxxis DHR II in a MaxxTerra rubber and Double Down casing sits on the rear wheel.
These tyre choices are pretty much on the money for a bike like this. Santa Cruz has picked the right rubber compounds to blend traction and durability, and it’s great to see more robust carcass constructions, given the extra punishment an e-bike will put them through.
While this bike is a little pricer than similarly equipped e-MTBs, Santa Cruz has graced the Vala AL 70 with a host of branded finishing componentry. So there’s an SDG Tellis dropper post, OneUp Enduro stem and WTB Silverado saddle. The only own-brand stuff present is the handlebar and grips.
Santa Cruz Vala AL 70 – Performance
Now, I’ve come into this review with a little bit of experience on the carbon Vala, having raced it at Ard Rock last year, but as always, I was keen to check out what Santa Cruz has managed to do when bringing its performance to a lower price. During my time with the Vala AL 70, I rode plenty of natural trails with the odd bikepark effort thrown in for good measure.
But I’ve got to start with that battery, as I imagine that may be the main hangup for folk who are interested in this bike. Yes, it’s smaller than what’s generally found on Bosch-powered e-bikes, but I’ve managed to squeeze out nearly 30km and around 1,100m of ascent. While it can be slung into turbo and flung up the hills for quicker power hour rides, that smaller battery encourages a slightly different choice of power modes. For that 30km ride, I was flicking between Tour+ and eMTB+ modes for more demanding climbs. Range anxiety is still a thing, but as always, more can be eked out of the bike if you’re willing to put in some work.
Speaking of ascent, the Vala AL is a pleasant and rather capable climber. I’d say that the seat tube angle is a little slacker than I’ve been used to, so weight is a little more over the rear wheel, but with the saddle pushed forward on its rails, I’ve been perfectly comfortable. What that slacker (though certainly not slack) seat tube brings is a roomy cockpit with plenty of opportunity to shift weight forward when needed.
When paired with a shorter chainstay (the 445mm measurement of the Vala does lean to the shorter side of things, compared to the 450mm chainstays that are a bit more common these days), you’d expect the front end to feel light. Although it’s a touch wandery on steeper sections, the front wheel has remained planted and well controlled.
The bulk of the bike’s performance hinges on its suspension platform, and with it, Santa Cruz has done an absolutely stellar job. It’s active enough to keep traction coming by the shed load, but it’s supportive enough to stay propped up through compressions. It does an excellent job of absorbing bumps, too, as you would expect. The result of all of that is a super capable bike, but one that doesn’t skimp on feedback and liveliness.
Despite weighing what it does, the Vala AL is a bit of a hooligan, as that support in the suspension makes it surprisingly easy to lift off the ground. The large frame’s 643mm stack only supports that, making the front wheel a doddle to raise.
As always, a great suspension kinematic doesn’t mean all that much without a good geometry. Thankfully, Santa Cruz has done a solid job there, too. As mentioned before, it follows the shorter rear end, longer front end formula that instills plenty of confidence when tipped into a descent. Although the reach isn’t especially long, it’s well balanced, as with the head tube angle, it places the front wheel far enough in front to instill plenty of support when pushed down steeper terrain, while the shorter rear end delivers a very surprising level of pep to the Vala AL’s handling, balancing a stable and confident ride that’s also flickable and impressively easy to maneuver.
There are a couple of downsides to the Vala AL 70. While the DB8 brakes work well on a lighter, regular mountain bike, I found them to be a little undergunned when slowing the weight of the Vala AL. They make for a great starting point, but they lack the power that’ll be incredibly useful when the bike is pushed a little harder.
And while it’s great to see a ZEB propping up the front and keeping handling in check thanks to its stiffness, it is a basic fork. When ridden harder, through steeper terrain and heavier compressions, it tends to dive through a bit more travel than I would like. A low-speed compression adjustment would fix this straight away. Again, the fork in this configuration is great to start with, but those who have a bit more experience under their belts may be left wanting for a damper upgrade.
But the good thing here is that both of these components can be upgraded, and the better takeaway is that Santa Cruz has absolutely nailed the bits that can’t be changed. But downsides considered, the Vala AL 70 is a ridiculously fun bit of kit that does what few e-MTBs manage – a fun, lively and engaging ride combined with awesome capability.
Santa Cruz Vala AL 70 – Verdict
Santa Cruz bikes have never been known for being cheap, but the Vala AL 70 does put up a good fight in the value ring. A serious contender in the value bout is Whyte’s Kado RS. It’s pricer at a round £6,000, but for the extra cash, you get a carbon front triangle, SRAM’s Eagle 90 drivetrain, an 800Wh battery and a slightly upgraded ZEB Select fork. Having tested the Kado S, it’s not as agile a bike, but it is a belter, nonetheless.
There’s then Specialized’s Turbo Levo 4 at £6,000 again. It also gets SRAM’s Eagle 90 drivetrain, but there’s a Fox 38 Rhythm fork, a larger 840Wh battery and SRAM Maven Bronze brakes. While the fork isn’t much of an upgrade compared to the Vala’s ZEB, the Maven brakes solve my issues with the DB8s. That’s all bolted onto an alloy frame, too. For some impressions, here’s the review of the mega spendy S-Works Turbo Levo.
With that, the Vala AL 70’s value certainly isn’t bad at all, and it’s a contender that’s well worth considering if it sits within your price bracket.
If it does sit in your price bracket, the Santa Cruz Vala AL 70 will reward you with a ride that very few e-mountain bikes can. It’s agile and engaging, rich in feedback and support, while being lively but mega capable. If you’re happy to manage battery power a touch more, and make the odd upgrade here or there, it’s all the e-MTB you’ll ever need.
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Alloy frame, RockShox ZEB Base, RockShox Super Deluxe Base, Reserve wheels, DB8 brakes, SRAM Eagle 70 drivetrain.
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