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Santa Cruz Bicycles
Hightower Carbon 29 S Complete Mountain Bike - 2017

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29er-er.

Some people may dismiss SRAM's GX one-by group as so much start line slop. Some may believe that anything under six inches of travel is an XC bike. Who are these people? Certainly not us. Or Santa Cruz. And it's obvious that the Hightower Carbon 29 S Complete Mountain Bike doesn’t care. It's a bike for people who ride, not people who read catalogues. Of course, those catalogue readers will be aware of the industry's recent forays into the world of low-travel 29ers that ride more like trail bikes. Those people will be surprised by the Hightower's ability to push that trend into the all-mountain world, adding rock gardens and heavily latticed root systems to the wagon wheel menu.


The Hightower's mid-range travel belies its true nature. Though its travel and wheel clearance may inspire initial comparisons with Mr. Moderate (the 5010) or SC's equivalent of a center in basketball (the Tallboy LT), Santa Cruz instead encourages us to "think of it as the Bronson's taller brother." Yep, that Bronson. Given the implied big-hit aggression of this comparison, we're compelled to dip into the lore of North American ball sports again for another analogy: the Hightower isn't a gangly hoopster so much as a two-wheeled version of a predatory linebacker.


The Hightower's 29er mode and a pair of chainstays that are 15mm shorter than the Tallboy LT mean it's a helluva lot faster over light terrain and rocky climbs than bikes like the Bronson; however, its 67-degree head tube angle, Boost axles, and reworked Virtual Pivot Point suspension all mean that it's just as capable of engaging that speed on enduro descents that would make the steep-angled Tallboy befoul its long-legged pants. Whether you're into taking the direct route over the crux or the big line when dropping in, the Hightower can handle it.


SC is so intent on proving the Hightower's outsized merit over rock gardens that it actually bypassed the Bronson and went straight to the 6.5in Nomad for suspension inspiration. The result is that the link stays out of the way, which may be why the Hightower can accommodate a piggyback shock and a bottle cage — yet one more indication that the Hightower isn't just for XC hardpack or enduro shuttle loops. Instead, it's designed to be the engine on the way up and the sled on the way down.


In the end, the Hightower is still a Santa Cruz, so it features the same Carbon CC frame construction that's ruined our tastes by giving us unrealistic expectations for how carbon should feel. For the top-tier CC frame, the engineers use a higher modulus carbon than the Carbon C model, so less material is required to hit the same strength and stiffness numbers. Less material equates to less weight, and, well, you can see where we're going with this. Climbing and pure speed both benefit when there's less mass for your engine to propel, a stiffer chassis tracks truer across the kind of terrain the Hightower will tempt you into.


The Hightower's two triangles are joined by the latest generation of VPP suspension. SC refers to it in-house as VPP3, but it's essentially the same VPP we know and love with the Nomad-inspired updates mentioned above. A repositioned lower link now shelters above the bottom bracket, increasing ground clearance to decrease the chance of rock strikes while indulging the Hightower's desire to masticate scree fields and pick through the rooty, rocky, techy stuff. The upper link has also wandered up and forward, which makes for a more accommodating standover height for smaller riders wanting a huge ride, and it also stiffens the back end.


The latest VPP's changes aren't limited to wandering links, though; the system's tuning has also been tweaked. Where the old suspension curve described a deep "U," the new VPP's curve resembles a flattened check mark, with less dramatic ramping on either end of the arc. The results are that, during the initial and mid stroke, it boasts increased bump compliance to keep the tires glued to the trail for more traction across lumpy climbs. It also maintains its predecessor's firm feel during accelerations while jockeying for position in a mass start or a finishing sprint. The RockShox Monarch's ramp-up arc doesn't dramatically alter as the shock compresses, so the pedaling platform stays consistent across travel, with less wallowing, bob, and bottom-outs — even while the Boost axle's path turns rearward to absorb big hits deep in its travel.


As you've no doubt gathered from the above, we're obviously big fans of what the Hightower is capable of when run as a mid-travel 29er; however, we do also love the plushness of 27.5+ tires. Sometimes this can be logically rationalized — for riding in snow, for example — but often it comes down to pure impulse. If you can relate, then you'll be pleased to note that the little flip chip niblet that sits in the upper link allows the shock mount to migrate. Being able to reposition the shock attachment point effectively accounts for the 9mm difference in radii between 27.5+ and 29in tires, keeping the geometry as static as possible while allowing the Hightower to serve as three-season race rocket and, come winter, a 27.5+ sleigh ride machine.


Frame Material
Carbon C
Suspension
VPP
Rear Shock
RockShox Monarch RT
Rear Travel
135 mm
Fork
RockShox Pike RC
Front Travel
140 mm
Headset
Cane Creek 40 IS
Shifters
SRAM GX (right only)
Front Derailleur
n/a
Rear Derailleur
SRAM GX
ISCG Tabs
yes, ISCG 05
Crankset
30 t Race Face Aeffect SL
Crank Arm Length
175 mm
Cassette
10 - 42 t SEAM PC1130
Brakeset
Guide R
Brake Type
hydraulic disc
Rotors
180 mm Shimano 66
Handlebar
Race Face Ride Lo-Rise
Handlebar Rise
25 mm
Handlebar Width
760 mm
Grips
Santa Cruz Palmdale lock-on
Stem
Race Face Turbine Basic
Saddle
WTB Volt Race
Seatpost
RockShox Reverb Stealth 150mm
Wheelset
[rims] Easton AR
Hubs
SRAM MTH 716/746
Front Axle
15 x 110mm Boost
Rear Axle
12 x 148mm Boost
Tires
[front] Maxxis Rekon EXO 3C, [rear] Maxxis Ikon EXO
Tire Size
29 x 2.3 in
Pedals
not included
Claimed Weight
29.73 lbs
Recommended Use
trail
Manufacturer Warranty
lifetime on frame

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