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Santa Cruz Bicycles
Tallboy R Complete Mountain Bike - 2015

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Big wheels and big speed for not-big budgets.

The Tallboy is one of the most popular 29-inch mountain bikes in the world, which is saying a lot. Wagon wheels now rival 26-inchers in the numbers out on the trails (with 27.5-inchers rapidly claiming market share now, too), so that's a lot of bikes. Hoping to ensure that everyone can get in on the action, Santa Cruz offers the venerable Tallboy frameset in a few different versions and with a few different build kits, the most affordable — but no less capable — of which is what you see here, the 2015 Santa Cruz Tallboy R Complete Mountain Bike.


So why step up to 29-inch wheels? They may be a bit heavier than 26-inch wheels, which can make the bikes slightly less agile and slightly slower to accelerate, but once you've adjusted to them, they offer tremendous advantages, like lower approach and departure angles to roll over obstacles more easily, and increased contact patch length for greater traction in cornering and climbing. The greater inertia of the larger wheels maintains your momentum better, as well. To be fair, it took a few generations before most manufacturers could dial in the proper geometry to 29ers so that they didn't feel awkward on the trails, but the Tallboy is an excellent example of it done right.


The Tallboy's a well-balanced bike, with agile handling and geometry that's slightly aggressive, but not so much so as to compromise its comfort in non-aggressive situations. It's as capable on the climbs or descents as you want it to be. A size Small is available, too, with a very low standover height, making the Tallboy an exceptionally friendly 29er to shorter riders out there. Santa Cruz has long been established as masters in alloy formation, and the Tallboy showcases this, as well. Hydroformed and butted tubes create a laterally stiff and responsive chassis, with a tapered head tube for accurate steering and threaded bottom bracket to keep maintenance down. The bottom line is a fast, stable machine that's as happy to race as it is to quietly cruise your favorite trails for an afternoon.


Santa Cruz's revered VPP suspension platform can be blamed for much of the Tallboy's overachieving performance, as well. Granting the Tallboy 100mm of rear-wheel travel, the wheel doesn't simply bounce up and down — it's precisely guided by a dual linkage system that keeps the bike sharp and responsive under smaller bumps and trail chatter, so you don't have to endure dreaded pedal bobbing or suspension squat under power. When taking bigger hits, however, the rear wheel's travel path moves the wheel rearward, lengthening the bike's wheelbase for greater stability and harnessing your momentum in an arc that avoids square-edged bumps that would otherwise be jarring. All told, the Tallboy is smooth and supple, yet taut enough to feel like the race machine it is.


The Tallboy R parts kit takes a value-oriented approach, but it doesn't cut corners. Santa Cruz could easily have spec'd out a much cheaper machine with lesser parts, but that would belie the capabilities of the Tallboy. FOX handles rear suspension duties with a CTD Evolution shock and its Climb, Trail, and Descend modes, while a 120mm RockShox Recon Gold TK Solo Air fork keeps you in control up front. The Shimano drivetrain, comprised of an XT rear derailleur and Deore shifters, crankset, and front derailleur, is light, but tough and reliable, while the Deore M615 disc brakeset will give you smooth, predictable stops every time. The Race Face stem, bar, and seatpost are tested to RF's rigorous durability standards, while still being nearly as light as some carbon configurations. Tubeless-ready Maxxis Ikon 2.2-inch tires wrap around some strong WTB STi19 tubeless-ready rims, and WTB also tops off the package with a comfortable-all-day Volt Race saddle.


The 2015 Tallboy R Complete Mountain Bike comes in five sizes, from Small to XX-Large, and in two colors: Satin Black/aqua blue and White/burgundy.


Details

  • 29er speed meets XC travel
  • Trusted, lightweight, and stiff aluminum shaped into Tallboy geometry
  • VPP suspension remains the benchmark for steady pedaling across terrain
  • Curated mix of FOX and RockShox for race-ready travel
  • Shimano drivetrain combines precise shifting with durability
  • Threaded bottom bracket avoids the creaking imprecision of press fit
  • Item #SNZ002N
Frame Material
aluminum
Suspension
VPP full-suspension
Rear Shock
FOX FLOAT CTD Evolution
Rear Travel
100 mm
Fork
RockShox Recon Gold TK
Front Travel
120 mm
Headset
Cane Creek 10 (tapered)
Shifters
Shimano Deore M610
Front Derailleur
Shimano Deore
Rear Derailleur
Shimano XT M786 GS Shadow+
ISCG Tabs
yes, ISCG 05
Crankset
38 t 24 t Shimano Deore M615
Bottom Bracket
Shimano
Cassette
36 t 11 t Shimano SLX HG 81 10-speed
Chain
Shimano SLX HG75
Rotors
160 mm Shimano RT66
Handlebar
Race Face Evolve Flat
Handlebar Width
720 mm
Grips
Santa Cruz Palmdale Lock-on
Stem
Race Face Ride
Saddle
WTB Volt Race
Seatpost
Race Face Ride
Seat Collar
34.9 mm
Hubs
[F] SRAM MTH 716, [R] SRAM MTH 746
Tires
Maxxis Ikon
Tire Size
2.2 in
Recommended Use
cross country, trail
Manufacturer Warranty
5 years on frame

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