Tallboy Carbon CC XT Complete Mountain Bike - 2015
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You're not alone if you occasionally get overwhelmed by the industry hype machine. It feels like every week brings yet another round of latest, greatest, newest technology — all of which promises to revolutionize the mountain bike world. It turns out that, despite the constant deluge of newness, the act of hitting the trail is actually pretty damn simple, and bikes like the 2015 Santa Cruz Tallboy Carbon CC XT Complete Mountain Bike are more than capable of matching our imagination and ambition on any course this side of gravity madness. While it's not in vogue to admit this in the age of enduro, we find that the Tallboy capably handles most terrain without sacrificing any gallop power when the rock gardens end.
Of course, that's not to say that the Tallboy is limited to smooth singletrack and fire roads only. Its four-inches of Virtual Pivot Point travel are surprisingly forgiving, feeling almost bottomless across most terrain that doesn't require a dual crown fork. VPP's two counter-rotating links yield a vertical wheel path in initial travel to maintain a firm platform over small bumps and climbs, but as the bike compresses deeper into the suspension, the axle moves rearward to accommodate bigger hits without sacrificing pedal input. The mid-stroke support and small bump compliance translate to snappy pedaling across trail furniture that keeps you glued on climbs and encourages aggression when you drop in, taking advantage of the efficient 17.5in chainstays and stiff, lightweight chassis for speed that doesn’t let-up when the trail points down.
The Tallboy's agile, forgiving 29er geometry has been virtually unchanged since its inception; instead, any alterations to the frame were made with an eye toward saving weight and improving stiffness. These gains are owed primarily to Santa Cruz's inimitable Carbon CC frame construction, which features a higher modulus carbon than the Carbon C model, so less material is required to hit the same strength and stiffness numbers. The chassis is lighter, so fewer watts are required to propel it, and the increased stiffness means those watts are transferred more efficiently.
The frame's two carbon triangles are built as whole pieces rather than glued together from disparate bits. This saves weight and increases structural integrity by allowing Santa Cruz to wrap carbon continuously through and around key junctures, eliminating the artificial stress points that result from bonded construction methods while saving weight by requiring less material. Finally, the carbon is also compacted from the inside and the outside for a more even finish that avoids any structural defects, excess material build-up, and resin pooling for — you guessed it — even more weight savings.
The Shimano XT drivetrain included here is everything we want from a build kit meant to abuse on the trails, not hang on the wall and admire from under the brim of an artfully distressed trucker cap while sipping a fashionable Northwest IPA during the après. Everything from the Shadow Plus rear derailleur to the knee-saving double crankset to the brakes (which may be our favorite hydraulic option in the industry, pound for pound) is built to eat dirt and spit out speed.
- Frame Material
- Carbon CC
- Suspension
- Virtual Pivot Point
- Rear Shock
- FOX Float CTD Adjust Factory Kashima
- Rear Travel
- 100 mm
- Fork
- FOX 32 Float CTD Adjust Factory Kashima
- Front Travel
- 120 mm
- Headset
- Cane Creek 40
- Shifters
- Shimano XT
- Front Derailleur
- Shimano XT
- Rear Derailleur
- Shimano XT M786 GS Shadow Plus
- ISCG Tabs
- yes, ISCG 05
- Crankset
- 22 / 34 t Shimano XT M785
- Bottom Bracket
- BSA threaded
- Cassette
- 11 - 36 t Shimano XT M771
- Chain
- Shimano SLX HG75
- Brakeset
- Shimano XT M785
- Brake Type
- hydraulic disc
- Rotors
- 160 mm Shimano RT86 Ice-Tech
- Handlebar
- Santa Cruz XC Carbon
- Handlebar Width
- 720 mm
- Grips
- Santa Cruz Palmdale Lock-On
- Stem
- Race Face Turbine Basic
- Saddle
- WTB Silverado Team
- Seatpost
- Thomson Elite
- Wheelset
- [rims] WTB Asym i19 TCS
- Hubs
- DT Swiss 350
- Front Axle
- 15 x 100mm
- Rear Axle
- 12 x 142mm
- Tires
- Maxxis Ikon Tubeless
- Tire Size
- 29 x 2.2 in
- Pedals
- not included
- Recommended Use
- cross country
- Manufacturer Warranty
- lifetime on frame
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