ItsTimeToBike

I recently purchased this Blur for a family member and am doing some maintenance etc. on it prior to presenting it to him.
I've seen various model references to Blur (XC, Classic, etc.) and am curious what this particular model one is. My guess is its 2004-2006. We're likely going to dive into it a first time for me of bleeding brakes and servicing the shocks. Pivots seem to be moving nicely. This will be the riders first mtb after spending his riding years on bmx's. He's 17 and about 6-1 and skinny and a deserving kid. I can include more pics if needed. Fork is Fox 100 RLC.
Thanks!!

redcon1

Looks like V-brake bosses on the frame so I'd say that's an early Blur (Classic), '04 or '05. they had a running change to widen the rear swingarm clearance and at that point they did away with the bosses.
There are some SC-specific forums on other boards, they may be able to pin it down farther. There are also some onl SC geometry charts floating around the web, you could confirm your measurements with one of those.
Good luck, looks like she still has plenty of life in her!

ItsTimeToBike

thanks Redcon1 for your reply - I'll have too check the other forums as well but this was helpful.
I havent found any images to ID the exact bike frame but it may have been in a transition during 2005 or so.

ColinL

I just sold my '04 Blur Classic to my brother-in-law a few months ago. My bike didn't have v-brake mounts, and I'm pretty sure all Blurs (they started in 2004) had discs from the get-go. So that part is a bit of a mystery.

If anything needs repair or replacement:

I can tell you that Santa Cruz still has the bearing kit for it, and it's $85. If the shock is from 2004 or near it, most likely the bike will have a lot of pedal bob as Fox didn't have any platform in the Float back then. You can compensate by running a lot of air pressure (say 12-15% sag), but it's a crutch. The fork can be rebuilt and the damper customized by various tuners like PUSH, Vorsprung, Avalanche, and so on. Or you can get a whole new fork - I ran 120mm on mine and it slackened the steering.

This is a wonderful first FS bike for a 17 year-old! He'll have a blast.

dminor 

In 2004, SC evidently made a Blur called a Blur Classic with a narrower rear triangle and V-brake bosses.

ColinL

I'll be damned.

So... I was riding a Blur Disc all those years and didn't know it?? My bike did have JUST enough clearance to fit large 26x2.25 or average 2.3s in the rear. It was tire height that was the concern; there's a bridge (probably for stiffness and also for the v-brake models) that just barely cleared the tread. The side knob clearance on the chainstays and seat stays was good.

ItsTimeToBike

I wonder if having v-brake bosses is the defining characteristic for all "Blur Classics", and if all other aspects of the Classic frame and bearings would match up with the frames without bosses of that year...

I do believe the Float RLC fork is of the 2004 era but cant be sure - good to know about the bobbing of the rear shock. I think we'll attempt our first DIY re-build of the front by ordering a kit and watching the youtube vid. Will also need brake bleed - our first attempt as well.

Its currently running tubeless 2.2's in the rear and 2.4 in front. As you can see there is indeed limitation from the bridge, with clearance of about 1/2 inch.

ColinL

The rear triangle looks identical to my old bike. I'd have the boy ride the Mountain Kings until they're dead, just add sealant every 60-90 days. When it's time to replace the rear tire I'd suggest a Maxxis Ardent Race. It'll clear a little bit better than the MK and it will be faster rolling with similar grip except in mud.

Air can service on a Fox Float shock is pretty easy, significantly easier than changing seals and semi-bath oil on the fork. Oh yeah, the weak point for bushings and bearing is actually the lower shock mount. It's a funny size, and Fox is not making the new 2-piece plastic & metal bushings for it, and nor can you find a needle bearing conversion. You can still get the original bushing which is crappy because it has a notch in it; it's just a rolled piece of metal. (Aluminum or steel, I'm not certain.) It deforms easily because of that design, so I'd get a strong bush from BETD. I switched to those several years ago and they last 3 or 4 times longer than the Fox bushing. I think BETD also sells a bushing install / remove tool on that same page I linked above.

Oh wait... yes. Through the magic of Gmail, I still have a receipt from BETD. (They're in the UK, by the way.) This is what you want:
Product: Hula hoop bushes
Attributes: Fox (1/2'') Pack of 1
Quantity: 1
Price: £4.75

Product: Strongbushes
Attributes: Fox (1/2'') 18.00 mm 9.53 (3/8'') Santa Cruz Blur only
Quantity: 1
Price: £17.99

The hula hoop bush is the new style Fox for the upper shock mount. It's smooth and reliable. The strong bush is not as smooth, but it is reliable, and you can't do better with the original Blur's lower mount. I want to say two of them come in a pack.

ItsTimeToBike

ColinL - thanks so much for your advice and valuable info on the Blur! I'm thinking about adding tubes as the tubeless ones have leaks, and it would be lower maintenance for us. Hopefully we'll be riding in about a month and will be able to access the needed work. I did get the brake bleed kit
and will need to do that before riding.

ColinL

I don't know... I got a LOT of flats as a youth due to the prevalence of 'goathead' thorns around here. I would have killed for tubeless tires and sealant.

If there's any sealant in the tires, you should just need to check the tires daily and add a little air. Hopping on a bike and riding without checking the air pressure isn't recommended, tubed or tubeless.