Santa Cruz Bicycles

Highball Carbon CC XT Complete Mountain Bike 29in - 2015

At this point, the impact of 29ers on the cycling industry is pretty damn hard to overstate, and while the latest attempt to split the difference between wagon wheels and 26in bikes has been gaining ground, there's still no substitute for the 29er die-hard in need of a fix. Santa Cruz's Highball Carbon CC XT Complete Mountain Bike is the cure for what ails you: a hardtail for efficient sprinting and climbing, Santa Cruz's untouchable Carbon CC construction, and a double crankset for top speed whether the trails going up or the finish line is coming up.

Though this is a 2015 model, the only difference between it and the 2016 Highball Carbon CC frame is the paint. The carbon layup is the same single piece instead of a jigsaw puzzle of individually-cured carbon tubes, so the fibers are wrapped through and around structurally important junctures like the head tube and bottom bracket. This strengthens the frame, dissipates the force from impacts and pedaling load, and allows for the same strength and stiffness as the more pedestrian Carbon C frame while using less material to shave a couple hundred unwanted grams. The Carbon CC construction means this bike hits the bricks when you stomp on the pedals, dampens high-speed chatter, and holds lines like a cat on carpet — all with a low-weight that makes virtually any other 29er — full suspension or hardtail — feel like an unresponsive iron anchor.

The Highball somewhat addresses the lack of rear suspension with a diminished seatpost, slimmed down to 27.2 millimeters. While this doesn't quite equate to the square-edge hit capabilities of the Nomad or Bronson, it does help to eat up chatter that will otherwise accumulate over the course of a long ride. Up front, the 29-inch model has a sharper head tube angle than the Highball 27.5 so it dances nimbly through switchbacks and technical sections. Although it has longer chainstays than the 27.5 version, The Highball 29er actually has a shorter wheelbase, courtesy of that head tube angle, which contributes to the confident handling when quarters get tight.

If you scan the relevant spec sheets, you'll note that Santa Cruz made some slight changes to build kits between model years, even if the frame construction and geometry are unaltered. The 2015 Highball XT build is spec'd with a Shimano XT drivetrain, the highlights of which are definitely the Shadow Plus rear derailleur and the M785 hydraulic brakes — both of which are staff favorites around the Competitive office. The spec sheet is rounded off with a pair of reassuringly familiar names: tubeless-ready WTB rims laced to DT Swiss hubs.