Highball Carbon S Complete Mountain Bike 27.5in - 2015
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Don't worry though, we have a lot more Hardtail in stock than that.
Shop Similar ProductsThe longer, lower Highball.
Since Santa Cruz is renowned for obsessive R&D that continually pushes the industry standard into the future, it may seem strange that the 2015 "innovation" that many of us are most excited about is something of a step back. For the 27.5-inch Highball Carbon S Complete Mountain Bike, Santa Cruz lays-up the frame with a lower modulus of carbon than that used in the "pro" models.
This requires more material to achieve the same stiffness and durability, which brings the weight up by a claimed 280 grams while bringing the price down to a self-sponsored level — a balancing act that immediately catapulted the Highball Carbon S up the charts at Competitive. It may not be the future of the World Cup champions, but it's certainly the future for those of us more interested in the ride than the scale.
The California manufacturer still brings its meticulous construction practices to bear on the slightly heavier chassis, using 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.
Translated into trail talk, this means it hits the bricks when you stomp the pedals, dampens high-speed chatter, and holds lines like a cat on carpet — all with a low-weight that makes any full-suspension bike look like a bloated gravity machine that only sees inclines from the chair lift. The Highball 27.5 does somewhat address 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.
Santa Cruz justifies the choice of a 69° head tube angle by citing the all-mountain benefits of a trail-friendly rake combined with mid-sized wheels. Compared to the original 29er Highball, the 27.5-inch model has a lower, longer geometry, so it's tethered to lines both on the way up and the way down. Despite its long wheelbase, the Highball 27.5 has shorter chainstays then the 29er, so it capitalizes on the stiff, carbon hardtail and 12 x 142mm rear axle for efficient power transfer that lends itself to pushing through grades and carrying speed out of switchbacks.
The drivetrain's blend of Shimano's XT and SLX components ensure that the frame's power transfer isn't hampered or interrupted altogether by sloppy operation or dropped chains, and the FOX 32 Float fork's 100mm of travel and Climb, Trail, Descend settings mean you'll be optimally poised to handle the varying terrain of trial riding and cross-country racing. The included WTB rims are also tubeless-ready, so you can save weight and ride with impunity through the goat head patches of late summer.
- Frame Material
- carbon fiber
- Fork
- FOX 32 Float CTD Performance Fit
- Front Travel
- 100 mm
- Headset
- Cane Creek 40 tapered
- Shifters
- Shimano SLX M670
- Front Derailleur
- Shimano XT
- Rear Derailleur
- Shimano XT M786 Shadow+
- ISCG Tabs
- no
- Crankset
- 24 / 38 t Shimano SLX M675
- Bottom Bracket
- BSA threaded
- Cassette
- 11 - 36 t Shimano SLX HG81
- Chain
- Shimano SLX HG75
- Brakeset
- Shimano SLX M675
- Brake Type
- hydraulic disc
- Rotors
- 160 mm Shimano RT66
- Handlebar
- Rece Face Evolve Flat
- Handlebar Width
- 720 mm
- Grips
- Santa Cruz Palmdale Lock-on
- Stem
- Race Face Turbine
- Saddle
- WTB Volt Race
- Seatpost
- Race Face Ride
- Wheelset
- [rims] WTB STi19 TCS, [spokes] DT Swiss Competition
- Hubs
- SRAM MTH 716/746
- Front Axle
- 15x100mm thru-axle
- Rear Axle
- 12x142mm thru-axle
- Tires
- Maxxis Ikon
- Tire Size
- 27.5 x 2.2 in
- Pedals
- not included
- Recommended Use
- cross-country
- Manufacturer Warranty
- 5 years on frame
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