And you can always run the stock Minion 2.3” tire in the rear with the axle flip chip in the longer position if that’s your preference. Santa Cruz eventually added more 29er models, but the Tallboy remained the shortest travel 29er and maintained its position as a lighter, trail focused bike. Click the link below to find out how to start. That means you can enjoy maximum torque from pedaling while enjoying the perfect grip to go into the toughest of trails with excellent stability.Whether you’re going downhill super-fast or uphill in tricky terrain, you’ll find an extra-low design that elevates the front but lowers down the space between tire & handlebar. As more and more riders turn to less travel, and bikes with less travel get better and better, you could probably make a decent argument for trail bikes being the most relevant segment for much of the mountain biking world. Our CC test bike with the X01 spec and Reserve wheels comes in at € 8,399, leaving nothing to be desired. You can’t help but smile the moment gravity takes over and the trail heads back down. In one sense, I almost preferred how it felt with the added weight. Speaking of bottles, bravo to Santa Cruz for leaving the pair of mounts under the downtube.Historically speaking, short-travel 29ers have been designed around steeper and more conservative geometries, in part because short-travel bikes are usually pegged for XC-style trails and expected to be ridden more conservatively as a result. Santa Cruz uses their lower-link VPP system, just like on the two 'towers, the Bronson, and the Nomad, to deliver 120mm of travel.My test bike got the slightly lighter CC carbon frame (left). The Tallboy pedals well enough to cover huge miles, but it's also happy to roll down anything you might come across on that journey.The 130mm-travel Fuel EX was released only a few days ago. Not only you would be spending a lot of money on a bike you’re not getting the most from, but also it will make you feel uncomfortable and stressed.So, pass over this bike unless you’re truly serious about taking to the road. The suspension consists of a RockShox Pike Select+ fork and a FOX FLOAT Performance Elite DPS shock. With the wheels set up tubeless and a size L frame, the scale reads out 12.8 kg for this build.If you compare the geometry of the Tallboy with that of the Megatower or Hightower, Santa Cruz’s other 29” trail bikes, the differences are only marginal, giving the Tallboy extremely progressive and modern geometry for a short travel bike. As for the rest of the build, there are a few bits I was pleased with. I am a professional dirt biker for more than 10 years. Visit this section to learn how to choose a route, and some insight into navigation. According to Santa Cruz, this maximizes the efficiency of the VPP (Virtual Pivot Point) design and allows a more responsive, lightweight chassis. Nevertheless, for an $8,000+ bike, I expected the high-end Pike Ultimate to make it into the build. Ultimately, the local bike shop where he purchased it had to replace the cassette to resolve the issue—after quite a few tuning attempts. Both are fantastic seatposts in their own way, combining amazingly well with the frame to provide not only the extra suspension but also tons of space to maneuver when needed.And to make it even more evident that this bike is a mountain model which can still feel pretty comfy, you can add the saddle. You’re likely to think of weight saving, pedalling efficiency and climbing prowess. Going for Aluminum, Carbon C, or the most expensive Carbon CC will make a massive difference in results. All in all, I was nicely surprised and think this could be a great bike for the AZT or other singletrack-heavy races where a light load is all you need.A couple things to note about packing and space. There are also nine build options between the aluminum and carbon models, ranging from the $2,699 AL D to the high end CC XX1 AXS RSV for $10,399. We have ~100 routes on our worldwide bikepacking routes map. Even more compelling is the axle flip chip. Additionally, with the rearward plate in place, the Tallboy can fit 29 x 2.6″ tires.Once the “longer” plates are in place, the Tallboy comfortably fits 29 x 2.6″ tiers with room to spare. However, pairing a promising suspension redesign with a modern 130mm fork, new-school geometry—and mechanisms to tweak it—should make the Tallboy suited for a little bit of everything. The 2020 Santa Cruz Tallboy was revamped with lower-link suspension, 120 millimeters of travel, and an interesting axle flip-chip that allows 10mm of chainstay adjustment and clearance for 29 x 2.6″ tires. Here, you’ll be enjoying the WTB Silverado model in any of its variants: either the Race model, the Pro model, or the Team Saddle model. Even so, the Tallboy remains the archetype. Or, rather, it was that bike. But it also makes it clear why it is such a great option.If you’re a tough-trail biker who loves getting challenged, this bike is the one for you. The combination of an excellent low frame with short suspension travel, it will make you the happiest trail rider out there.As long as you aren’t expecting much height on the front or ride on the road for days, you’ll feel like this bicycle has everything you may need.This Santa Cruz Tallboy review should help you understand why such an excellent design and set of components cost so much. While other bikes in this category rely on less aggressive tires, there’s no denying what the Tallboy was designed for. Santa Cruz is a manufacturer of high-end mountain bicycles, and their newest XC bike, the Santa Cruz Tallboy has stirred some interest.