Basketball Legend Reggie Miller Rocks the MTB Game and Blur Is One Bike He Dominates On

Folks, if there's a name in basketball that most people have heard of, it's Reggie Miller. Even these days, he can be seen on TV as one of the leading broadcasters of NBA matches.

However, few people know that Miller is an avid cyclist, and I really mean avid, even being a member of the USA Cycling Board of Directors. According to his Instagram page, for this year, 2022, he will be competing in nine races over a few months, including quite a bit of endurance and XC riding.

However, what the heck will he be riding? Well, the most common brand of bike that Reggie enjoys and loves is Santa Cruz, and the machine most prominently used by him is Blur, a magnificent cross-country bike fit for this tall gentleman. Why? It simply seems to be one of the few bikes suitable for a 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) tall human. Santa Cruz's Tallboy is another.

But, if you want to be like ol' Reggie, you'll have to pick a Blur for yourself and let me tell you, you may need to break open your piggy bank for this one. But it sounds and looks so worth it.

By now, you've picked up that this bike is from Santa Cruz. Well, this crew was founded in 1994 and since then has not slowed down one bit. Since their beginnings, they've done one thing and one thing only, mountain bikes.

And according to the manufacturer's website, Blur is a bike that encompasses all those years of knowledge and experience into one neat package. There are two Blur lineups, but we'll focus on the XC Blur and not the TR, which is a slightly more specialized XC version.

Now, the Blur lineup is completed from nothing other than carbon fiber. With that, the least expensive of the versions available comes in with a price tag of 5,200 USD (4,541 EUR at current exchange rates).

For this cash, you'll be able to say that you're a sort of mini-Miller, and will be riding a trinket with a weight of 26.18 lbs (11.87 kg). From here, a RockShox Sid SL Select+ offers 100 mm (3.93 in) of travel, while a SidLuxe Select+ shock takes care of the frame travel, up to 115 mm (4.52 in).

SRAM is the manufacturer chosen for the drivetrain and brakes and is equipped with a GX Eagle setup tuned to 12 speeds. An SDG dropper post and 29 in Maxxis Aspen tires should give you an idea of what to expect.

At the far end of the Blur spectrum lies the most expensive version into which Cruz poured their knowledge, the XX1 AXS RSV. This carbon wonder weighs 22.56 lbs (10.23 kg) and features a RockShox Sid SL Ultimate fork with 100 mm (3.93 in) of travel and a SidLuxe Ultimate shock.

SRAM is called upon once again for this version, but this time, with a full XX1 Eagle AXS setup, this is SRAM's wirelessly controlled groupset, tuned to 12 speeds. The seat post is a dropper and completed from carbon fiber; just about anything that can be carbon on this one is. Overall, this puppy will be running you 11,300 USD (9,869 EUR). Yup, sounds like you have to be Reggie Miller to own this one, or just a really die-hard XC rider.

Whatever your reasons for wanting a machine like this, be it you want to walk in Reggie's footsteps or be his competition in this year's tournaments, Blur sounds like the sort of XC bike that's fit for a serious rider.

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