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Santa Cruz Bicycles
Highball Carbon 27.5 R Complete Mountain Bike - 2016

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The grey area.

When it comes to understanding the technology behind a given bike model, we've encountered two extreme genera in the XC family: marketing copy enthusiasts and riders who have no idea what's underneath them, only what's ahead on the trail. Situated neatly in the greyest of areas between these two poles lies the rider who recognizes the Santa Cruz Highball Carbon 27.5 R Complete Mountain Bike for the versatile, dangerous trail racer that it really is.


The marketing hyperbole guys will be turned off when they see that it's not Santa Cruz's pricey Carbon CC construction, and the "I just ride, bro" crowd won't even be looking at this bike because they're in the middle of a five-day pannier touring epic on the fully rigid road-to-mountain conversion their uncle made while attending a liberal arts school in Marin county during the late '80s.


In both cases, ignorance is a shame, as the former group would benefit from the Highball Carbon C's efficient stiffness, which is the same as the Carbon CC model, while barely noticing the nominal claimed weight gain of around 280g. The latter group would benefit because the frame's durability is also equal to the more expensive Carbon CC version, so it'd be equal to whatever abuse they threw its way.


The 69-degree head tube angle and 12x142mm rear axle would also interest both crowds. The catalogue mongers would immediately recognize them on the spec sheet for the long, low geometry and efficiently stiff back end they confer on the Highball. The guys riding with an IPA in their water bottles will intuitively feel the improvement while startling dog walkers as they mash up grades with abandon and stick gnarly lines on descents that would cause other hardtails to balk.


As with the 2015 Highball Carbon C, the 2016 model still enjoys Santa Cruz's meticulous construction practices, featuring a single layup instead of a jigsaw puzzle of individually-cured carbon tubes. This allows Santa Cruz to wrap the fibers continuously around structurally important junctures like the head tube and bottom bracket, strengthening the frame, dissipating the force from impacts, and more efficiently channeling pedal input. Efficiency, durability, and even a touch of weight loss compared to building with individual tubes — the advantages of Santa Cruz's construction methods go some way toward eliding the differences between Carbon C and Carbon CC.


The Highball's R build kit also falls into the gap between riders paralyzed with tech-envy and their blissfully unaware foils. It's a full Shimano affair, combining XT, SLX, and Deore for shifting that’s equal parts cost-conscious and durably precise. The GS Shadow Plus rear derailleur is of special note for our two imagined protagonists, as the guy who falls asleep reading electronic drivetrain reviews demands a chain slap-free ride and the guy who's tubes are now 50% butyl and 50% patches would be on cloud nine if he noticed that his chain was no longer slapping. But he won't, because neither he nor his over-informed friend will ever appreciate this bike the way we do.


Frame Material
Carbon C
Fork
RockShox Recon Gold TK Solo Air
Front Travel
100 mm
Headset
Cane Creek 10
Shifters
Shimano SLX M670
Front Derailleur
Shimano M618
Rear Derailleur
Shimano XT M786 GS Shadow Plus
ISCG Tabs
yes, ISCG 05
Crankset
22 / 36 t Shimano Deore M615
Bottom Bracket
BSA threaded
Crank Arm Length
75 mm
Cassette
11 - 36 t Shimano SLX HG81
Chain
KMC X10.93
Brakeset
Shimano Deore M615
Brake Type
hydraulic disc
Rotors
160 mm Shimano RT66
Handlebar
Race Face Evolve
Handlebar Width
720 mm
Grips
Santa Cruz Palmdale Lock-On
Stem
Race Face Ride
Saddle
WTB Volt Race
Seatpost
Race Face Ride
Wheelset
[rims] WTB STi19 TCS
Hubs
SRAM MTH 716/746
Front Axle
15x100mm
Rear Axle
12x142mm
Tires
Maxxis Ikon
Tire Size
27.5 x 2.2 in
Pedals
not included
Recommended Use
cross-country
Manufacturer Warranty
lifetime on frame

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