A massive cloud of dust rises from the dirt road, churned up by the tires of the rider in front of me, and in seconds the brown smokescreen obscures the hot summer sun. I blink and squint in the futile hope that somehow I'll be able to see through the gritty haze, but nothing seems to help. I'm riding blind, careening down a dirt road in the Aysén region of Patagonia aboard the Hightower, Santa Cruz's latest carbon creation.
The Hightower fills the void left by the departure of the Tallboy LT from Santa Cruz's lineup, stepping up to the plate with 135mm of rear travel and the ability to run either 29” or 27.5+ wheels. It wouldn't be a stretch to call it a big wheeled Bronson, and it shares many of the same frame design features as its sibling, including a low slung top tube, a 150mm dropper post, 12 x 148mm rear spacing, and a VPP suspension layout. Meet the HightowerWhere does the name 'Hightower' come from? Well, Santa Cruz wanted to make sure that the new bike had its own identity – the Tallboy LT name no longer seemed appropriate given how drastically the bike had changed, so they used Eric Highlander (aka Hightower), Santa Cruz's demo tour coordinator, and one very tall human, for inspiration. The Hightower is only available in three sizes (M, L, XL) due to the fact that Santa Cruz's designers felt that smaller riders would be better suited to a bike with 27.5" wheels, like the 5010 or Juliana Furtado.
With a 450mm reach for a size large, a 67° head angle, and 435mm chainstays, the Hightower's geometry numbers are thoroughly modern, and make it clear that the Hightower is meant to be capable of taking on just about anything a rider can toss its way.
Hightower Details• Travel: 135mm
• 29" or 27.5+ wheels
• Carbon frame
• 67° head angle
• 433mm chainstays
• 12 x 148mm rear spacing
• Threaded bottom bracket
• Sizes M, L, XL
• Weight as shown: 26.9 pounds. Frame only: 5.88 pounds.
• Colors: Sriracha red, matte carbon & mint
• Price: $4599 - $7799 USD (ENVE wheel upgrade available)
•
www.santacruzbicycles.com
Santa Cruz's VPP suspension design handles of the bike's 135mm of rear travel, and uses the same layout found on the Bronson, with the lower link tucked up and out of harm's way between the swingarm and the bottom bracket. As we've come to expect from Santa Cruz, expanding collet hardware and angular contact bearings are used at the pivot locations to keep everything locked securely in place.
In order to get the Hightower's chainstays as short as possible, Santa Cruz chose to do away with the ability to run a front derailleur, an inreasingly common design decision that's been made possible by the advent of 1x11 drivetrains. The rear dropout spacing is 12 x 148mm, and 15 x 110 spacing is found up front, numbers that allow the bike to accommodate both 29” and 27.5+ wheels without running into any frame clearance issues.
To further facilitate switching wheel sizes, a chip is located on the link that drives the rear shock. Switching the orientation of this chip helps keep the geometry numbers consistent between the 29” and 27.5+ configurations. Switching from 29” to 27.5+ wheels without using the chip or increasing the amount of fork travel would result in a bike with a less-than-ideal bottom bracket height and head angle, which is why Santa Cruz worked to ensure that the handling between the two options was as close as possible, and the reason that a 150mm fork is spec'd on the 27.5+ version of the Hightower, while the 29er gets one with 140mm of travel.
SpecificationsComplete bikes will be offered with 29” or 27.5+ wheels, and pricing starts at $4,599 for the Hightower C S model, which comes with a RockShox Pike RC fork, Monarch RT shock, and a SRAM GX 1x11 drivetrain. The top of the line model is the Hightower CC XX1, spec'd with an XX1 drivetrain, RockShox Pike RCT3 fork, and a Race Face Next SL crankset for $7,799 USD. The Hightower frame alone will be available for $2,899.
Geometry Ride ImpressionsOn the trail, the Hightower feels battle-ready, with a solidity that leaves no doubt about its ability to mow through anything in its path. I'd love to get it into even more technical terrain than what was on hand in Coyhaique to really test its capabilities, but on the instances where the dirt roads were replaced with twisty downhill singletrack the Hightower didn't disappoint. The faster you go the more it comes alive, urging you to let off the brakes and see just how hard you can push the rear wheel into a turn. 135mm may not seem like much travel, but don't be fooled – this is a lot of bike, and that travel combined with the big wheels goes a long way towards taking the edge off big hits and forgiving line choice mistakes.
With the Monarch RT3 shock set at 30% sag the Hightower's rear suspension feel was on the sportier side of things – it's not quite as supple as Trek's Remedy 29, but the benefit is that the bike responds very quickly when you stomp down on the pedals. There's minimal undue suspension movement during out of the saddle pedaling, one of the hallmarks of Santa Cruz's VPP suspension design. The bike's longish reach (450mm on the size large) did occasionally make the front end feel a little light on steeper climbs, but there's enough room that it's easy to perform a slight weight shift to balance everything out, and that length is welcome on the descents where it provides loads of stability.
What about 27.5+? I was able to spend a full day with the Hightower set up in the 27.5+ configuration, which, in addition to trading out wheels, entailed swapping the 140mm RockShox Pike for one with 150mm of travel, and changing the position of the flip chip.
Climbing through grassy cow pastures on a bike with 2.8” tires seems like it would be a painfully slow experience, but luckily the Maxxis Recon and Icon tires didn't feel sluggish in the slightest, despite what their oversized appearance would make you think. If anything, the larger footprint and the low pressures that can be run allow them to better match the contours of the ground, creating a smoother ride than the 29” wheels. It doesn't take much time to adapt to the handling characteristics of the wider tires, and the slight steering differences that are required quickly became second nature. There was plenty of cornering traction, even with the fairly minimal tread pattern, and even when I pushed them hard enough to set them adrift, with a little bit of countersteering I could comfortably slide around dusty corners to my heart's content while still feeling completely in control. Getting airborne wasn't a struggle either, and it didn't feel any harder to bunnyhop over the numerous downed logs that littered the trails.
Personally, if I was going to purchase a Hightower I'd set it up as a 29er with a 150mm fork. I still prefer the feeling of side knobs digging into the trail during hard cornering, as opposed to the more vague feeling of the 27.5+ wheels. I do see the appeal, though, and riders that are looking for even more stability and extra traction, particularly in sandy, loose terrain will find it in spades with the 27.5+ wheels.
Riding in Coyhaique, Chile
The location for the unveiling of the Hightower wasn't chosen randomly out of a hat; it's the site of next year's Rally of Aysén, a brand new, multi-day race with several times stages each day. Rather than timing only the downhill portions, as in an enduro, some of the uphill portions of the course will also be timed.
As stunning as the photos of riding in Patagonia look, I wouldn't rush out to purchase plane tickets just yet, at least not with the expectation that you'll be welcomed with miles and miles of epic singletrack. Mountain biking in Coyhaique is still in its infancy – several of the trails we rode were less than two weeks old, and currently most of the riding takes place on dirt roads and doubletrack, with countless barbed wire fences to climb over, and plenty of speed-sapping, grassy pastures to cross.
It's currently more about the spectacular views and the feeling of adventure that comes with riding on unfamiliar terrain, rather than slashing berms and hitting manmade features. There's certainly loads of potential, and given the enthusiasm and work ethic shown by the locals, I wouldn't be surprised to see the mountain bike scene grow exponentially in the next few years.
Visit the high-res gallery for more images from this article.
Sincerely yours: all those people from all over the world who don't have as much clay on trail surface.
Personally, I think santa cruz should cover that linkage by either extending a thin part of the frame or by providing some way of mounting a tiny bit of plastic as a fender. In southern california this probably isn't a concern but it is in many other parts of the world.
It is still an excellent bike but there is a design shortcoming that hopefully santa cruz will address in the future.
Here's an example of what kills those bearings... good times!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=019XimRHzgM
forums.mtbr.com/santa-cruz/santa-cruz-bronson-picture-thread-846759-53.html#post12376726
74.2 degrees.
So basically it's effective not actual.
(I'll see myself out now.)
And it looks rideable for someone over 6ft tall who doesn't want the saddle back behind the rear axle.
None of you that are complaining because you already have wheels would be buying a complete bike anyway so it's a non issue, you can still use your old fork on it.
If you buy a complete, comes with the fork and wheels anyway, so it's still a non issue.
You'd have a legitimate gripe if they changed the headset standard so that you HAD to run a boost fork, but they didn't.
www.ebay.com/itm/MTB-Tools-Adapter-Set-For-a-12mm-x-142mm-Rear-Hub-to-148mm-Boost-Application-/252230870077?var=&hash=item3aba21a43d:m:mY_qBNhOlfgclkSCAp1BoNw
I rode a Process 111 and loved the geometry. But the bike seemed too harsh - I'm a heavy guy, though, so to get the recommended sag numbers, well, let's just say the air springs were pretty loaded up. I rode the old LT and liked it - so well balanced. But not nearly as playful as the Kona. Both leagues better than my Trance x 29er, though.
I thought it's curious that Mike says he'd got with a 150mm fork even on the 29er setup. In stock config, the 29er has a 67 degree heat tube angle - that's pretty damn slack. And supposedly it was already a bit vague on the climbs. So why the extra slackening? Or is it just to have the ability to swap back and forth between wheel sizes?
The bike can be set up either way. Not with one of each... That might be odd.
@MikeKazimer - thanks for stating your preference between 29" and 27.5+. Can you elaborate more on the difference in steering feel. Would your opinion change if the 2 bikes were using similar tires - Minions vs Ikons are not apples to apples.
29" --> 27.5+ is a great idea and makes tons of sense from a customer and manufacturer standpoint. 2.35" tires on 30mm rims are great, but I think even wider and lower pressures would be better . . . bikes like this with tons of clearance make experimenting with tires more possible.
P.S. There's this guy in your hood named Jeff Phillips...........
I am going to ride with a trailer after me, loaded with a 5010, a Htower, a Bronson and a Nomad and I am going to change bikes all the time; just to have the exact right bike for every single meter I travel.
Hey, wait a minute I think I need...even more choices!!!!
Read more at www.bikemag.com/gear/first-look-santa-cruz-hightower/#QmuYQ3JRqK7mtzjk.99
I have an XL Hightower that I'm running with a 160mm Fox 36 which is roughly 16mm taller than the stock 140mm travel Pike. This gives a calculated 0.7 degree slacker head angle. The flip-chip changes things maybe 0.2-0.25 degrees. I run it in the high position for BB height and the head-angle was roughly measured at 66.3 degrees.. You can check out my Hightower setup with pictures here: www.fullenduro.com/#!Bike-Check-Santa-Cruz-Hightower/cmbz/56b0ea0e0cf26832893542e6
The low setting combined with a longer (57mm) stroke shock does not work though. The rear tire bottoms out on the seat-tube before full-travel. Currently at full bottom-out in the high position there is about 3-5mm of clearance between my 2.30" Highroller II and the seat-tube which isn't much.
Running it this way definitely voids the warranty and is NOT recommended. This is a temporary experiment to satisfy my own long-travel curiosity.
I overlooked the tires~
I'd have the same concern based on this review, the reference to the lightened front end to me reads that the Hightower suffers from the same issue. Yes, you can push your weight forward and your technique can compensate, but if it's anything like what I had to do on the v2 Bronson, I was up over the bars on some climbs trying to keep the front wheel from popping up and it was a lot of work to keep the wheel planted.
In other words, I think your v1 TBLTc is probably more versatile than the Hightower is, at least if the changes they made to the Bronson are any indicator.
27.5 plus has promise but after only trying the Spec Purgatory on a narrow rim the above statement nails my feelings. I really like the plus ride character until you get close to the limit and then it's no longer reassuring. I'll try a wider front rim and the bigger knobed Nobby Nick next and see how much that helps. I think bikes that encourage people 2 different wheel sizes are going to be terrific for a lot of people.
My E29 is 655 on 135.
The Evil Wreckoning is 659 on 139.
I guess in Santa Cruz, 'very tall' means 6'1". Which is kind of what tall means for Ibis too (also based in Santa Cruz). Go figure.
To put it in the chief engineer from Santa Cruz's own words back in the day.(see below)
Not to mention I can no longer customize my ride with a Works Components angleset. (big deal for me as I am picky about my ride being just so....)
www.ninerbikes.com/taperedheadtube
In the words of......
"And I mean things that are fairly basic, albeit time consuming, like calculating the system weight by switching a frame to integrated headset from a plain old boring press in style. Call us crazy, but that seems like something that should be considered in the decision making process."
www.santacruzbicycles.com/en/us/news/343
A Hightower but standard headset.
www.pinkbike.com/news/Intense-Carbine-29-Review-2013.html
Cant say the first ride venue was well chosen - looks like a bmx bike would have coped with those trails...
Bronson 2 geo, and room for a bottle, please.
Nice color mind...
Befuddling.
It's a small detail, but SC bikes check most boxes for me 'cept this one.
Oh, and there's the great value box that isn't checked either. Eh.
Oh, I wonder how people rode up and down mountains just a few years ago. Probably all the pictures are fake like the moon landing.
Now compare it to 32:50, that is a gear ratio of 0.64
Now included the fact that 27.5" is the new standard instead of 26", the gear ratio is about the same as what you are talking about in the past.
I'm sorry but your comment just didn't make sense. The whole point of even wider range cassettes is to get the exact same gear range with a 1x set up, as people used to have with a 3x set up.
I use 2x10 on my Tallboy LT all the time on NWS trails
"You have to be conscientious of it, but like I said we’re not going to go make fatbikes. I think if we started going down that path, we’d definitely lose our niche and the soul."
RIP SANTA CRUZ
"Plus" tires have thin sidewallls, and they are made to run very low pressure. Otherwise you ride a basketball. Can't turn very fast, otherwise they fell off the rim.
RR in the interview bundles the fat and plus tires. Plus tires are just fat tires. Same concept and functionality, just a little smaller. You don't need a FS to ride in the snow.
Just saying... New ownership, new priorities.
It can be 2.8 or 5.0, does not matter. It is a soft tire made to go straight.
Plus tires= fat tires.
DH tires: thick sidewallls, smaller volume, large knobs, higher pressure.
Regardless of the size, they are made to go fast and turn fast.
SC says plus tires... Not just room for 2.8.
A long travel with Fat tire is just an oxymoron.
Size does not matter...
The tires on the SC built are not "Plus". Are just large.
Plus tires have tin sidewalls. Look at the weights.
Read interviews online, I think there is one w Rocky Mountain about the Sherpa (?) where they say the exact same thing.
There is a difference between 2.8 normal and 2.8 Plus.
Ok, good to have the option of running many wheels, but then don't have the attitude of "We make bikes to go fast".
SC: Adventure by Bike.
You can't be this dense- it's a 29er that can fit at 650B plus. How they hell does that mean they went from making bikes that go fast to adventure bike?
Once I see a pro race with 27+ Fat then call me a fool.
However how did you like the Lenz?
This has got to be something else...
oh its $2,899 maybe not
some one make this bike in ali and cheap i would buy