Santa Cruz Bicycles

Hightower C GX AXS Transmission Mountain Bike

Bigger, bolder, and back with a new look, Bronson's big-footed little brother, the Hightower, caught wind of the recent updates and wanted in. Stepping up its suspension travel in both the front and rear, the Hightower positions itself as the dedicated 29-inch option to the Bronson. The same changes seen in the recent release of the Bronson transform the Hightower with a revised frame shape, updated VPP suspension kinematics, a larger sag window, and size-specific geometry across five sizes for an all-new fit and feel. Now rolling on 150mm of VPP rear suspension, the Hightower gets a boost in rear travel for more capability and revamps its geometry to better tame aggressive terrain all over the mountain. The Hightower is longer, lower, and slacker across all aspects of its geometry compared to the previous iteration, giving us more traction, confidence, and capability than ever before. The revised VPP kinematics reposition the lower pivot points for a more progressive stroke, throwing down more traction and staying more active in technical terrain for a smoother ride. The Hightower still sports its dual 29-inch wheels for maximum traction and rollover ability and its threaded bottom bracket and UDH configuration for durability and easy replacements. The finishing features for the Hightower include chainstay and downtube protection, Glovebox internal frame storage, a flip chip to slacken out our geometry, and silent internal cable routing.

The GX Eagle Transmission build of the Santa Cruz Hightower offers tremendous value with high-level components at a much more friendly price. This build starts with the Carbon C frame, offering much of the same performance as the top-tier CC frame but at a slight weight penalty. Next, SRAM's GX Transmission AXS drivetrain equips us with the latest technology in the electronic drivetrain market, giving us precise shifting and a super durable design without the cables. The Fox Performance Elite Float X rear shock keeps our rear end planted for massive traction, and the Performance Elite 36, Grip X2, 160mm fork makes quick work of rocky descents. Race Face ARC 30 aluminum rims are lightweight and super durable and are paired with DT Swiss 370 hubs for a premium wheelset. Santa Cruz made a clear effort to spec their new bike releases with proper tire treads, casings, and rubber compounds for the bike's specific use, issuing this build Maxxis DHF and DHRII tires with EXO+ casings and MaxxGripp/Maxxterra rubber compounds so we are ready to roll from the first day. Finally, we are kept in control by the SRAM Maven Bronze brakes, offering serious stopping power, and paired with SRAM HS2 rotors for a top-spec braking system.

*Due to a high demand in the global supply chain and bike industry since the start of the pandemic, material weight and exact components are subject to change. We are working diligently to keep tech specs updated, and any adjustments will be of equal or better spec level. If you have any questions, reach out to a Gearhead by chatting online or calling 1-888-276-7130.