The Downhillers XC Bike | Santa Cruz Tallboy Reviewed
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- Опубликовано: 9 фев 2025
- With a tagline like “the Downhiller’s XC rig”, @santacruzbicycles2841 was always going to spark the interest of The Loam Wolf crew. So when we managed to get one in to test for the long term, we were stoked to see if it would live up to the expectations, and to find out exactly where its capabilities would tap out. In the 120mm travel Tallboy, Santa Cruz have delivered an incredibly fun machine, but it’s still very much a short travel rig. So let us share our experiences, and help you decide if it’s the mountain bike for you.
Written Review/Feature:
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Very happy with mine 🔥
I bought a tallboy on sale as a one bike solution downsizing from a 150 remedy and I love it. I can ride the mellow xc trails from the door and yet it still held its own at Golfie. I don’t have much to compare but as far as one bike garage I think it’s spot on.
Spot on review. I have a V4 Tallboy...had to ditch the SRAM G2 brakes right away. I actually went lighter and faster on the tires, but I'm not super aggressive downhill.
Thanks for sharing!
I just build this bike put on a 34 and a float x Maxxis dhr dhf tires and a xo T type best bike I have ever ridden
Right on thanks for sharing.
Great review. I have a 22 hightower and trying to decide whether to get a new hightower or tallboy. The older I get the more I need help on the climbs but also the older I get I need security on the downs.😃
Thank you Chris! The new Hightower is certainly going to give you that increased security on the downs, so we'd likely lean that way if you feel like you'd appreciate it. But the Tallboy is too damn fun on the right terrain.
I had a chance to demo this bike a few years ago. I enjoyed how this bike rode. I'm a fan of short travel bikes that rip. I ended up buying a Norco Optic over this bike. One of the reasons was lack of value. Or shit components for the price tag compared to other brands.
I got a used 2023 Optic for a blazing price, and haven't regretted it a bit. It's very at home at, say, lift-access parks (particularly if you spring for the Cascade Components link, and fork up the 36 to 150, as I've done), but I've never been super satisfied with the climbing or pedaling performance; the previous gen of Optic was notorious for pedal bob, not that it actually kills your efficiency, it just kinda feels bad. I'll be getting a downhill bike this year, and then I'm probably going to swap to a Tallboy frame (which also has a cascade link, and incredibly lengthens the chainstay by 5 mm!) when I scrape the money together.
@billydeewilliams8909 That's how I have my Optic setup too. 150mm 36 and the Cascade link. I just built up a 2024 hp Optic with the Vivid air and a 150mm 36. Geo feels the same but with a way more capable rear end and what they were able to do with anti squat being tunable from all other suspension forces do to being able to tune thru idler pulley placement. Nice pedaling platform less pedal bob and ridiculous traction on climbs.
The price to component spec ratio is typically worse with Santa Cruz than many, but the frame quality goes a way to making up for it.
@TheLoamWolf I don't disagree with that but it's a hard pill to swallow when dropping your hard earned $$$!
For sure, that’s something we can appreciate!
I own a v4 aluminum Tallboy that I upforked to a 140mm fox 36, upgraded to dominion Hayes a4 brakes and run the SL Reserve wheels on. That thing absolutely rips. I mainly ride DH and gnarly enduro tracks on my V2 Megatower, but for any other trail the fun factor is way too high riding my Tallboy.
Sounds like a killer pair of bikes for your garage.
Own a TB4 w Fox 34 140mm, Code RSC, Float X instead of the DPS, Maxxis DHR2 f/r. Bike rips on the way down and is 31lbs on the way back up!
The Tallboy is no XC bike. To unlock the bikes potential, I would want a 140mm travel Pike or Fox 36, 200mm rotors, powerful brakes, and more aggressive rubber. However, once you've done all that, you might as well buy a Hightower.
Hightower now comes in 150mm travel, which is too much for most people and if you're going to buy almost any kind of 'true' AM bike like that, you may as well just buy an enduro like the Megatower. The Megatower R build is one pound heavier than the like Hightower (the Hightower R notably lacks a piggyback shock), and is $1000 cheaper. Now the Fuel EX on the other hand...
@@billydeewilliams8909 Personally. I think that there are only 2 types of the trailbikes to own. The first would be the XC/Downcountry bike with a 120mm fork like the Epic, Scalpel, Chizel FS, and Spur. The second would be the long-travel trailbike with a 160mm fork like the Hightower, Ripmo, Switchblade, and SB140 LR. Because the Fuel EX and Stumpjumper don't come with a 160mm fork, they don't make the list. In addition, I don't see most Enduro bikes as everyday rides.
It’s no XC bike, but there’s always a balance to strike between efficiency/snappiness and capability/toughness. Your setup sounds rad, but will of course reduce its pedal friendliness. It’s a fun game to dial a bike in to your preferences!
I have a TB4 for 3 seasons now. Swapped fork for a Fox 34 grip2 140mm, Code RSC brakes with 200/180 rotors, and the shock to a Float X (no travel change or Cascade link). Tires are DHR2 front and rear. The bike is amazing at decents, I can ride down very steep stuff and unless there's harsh repetitive hits it's great for the job. Weighs 31lbs with pedals and still climbs very well after the modifications
I had a Tallboy then I rode a Ripley AF. Sold my tallboy and bought a Ripley AF. In my opinion the Ripley AF did everything a little bit better and was less money
For some reason Ibis nailed it with the Ripley AF. Better than the V5 Ripley.
Thanks for sharing and glad you found a bike to make you happy!
Super VPP fan, but came across a Pivot 429 this winter. After watching I hope I don’t make the wrong choice
Both are killer rigs, it's hard to go wrong either way.
Ive a TB5 and a Mega v2 .... The tallboy is soo much more fun
Great bike, sold it and bought an overforked Yt Izzo… even better.
Would be interesting to overfork a Tallboy too, for sure.
Hey guys, I am interested in buying a tallboy. I have to pedal quite a bit to get to the trails. The problem is the trails itself are pretty steep. Is the tallboy the right bike for the job or should I go with something bigger, like the Bronson? I currently have a canyon spectral 125. I would consider myself a beginner to intermediate rider, so I don’t really push a bike to its limits.
Yooooooo!
Any thoughts about a comparison between the Tallboy and the SB120?
They're kind of similar in a lot of ways and I think they're aiming toward the same riders. What do you guys feel like each one does better than the other?
Looks like they already moved off those Levels, they come with Codes now.
A wise call!
I purchased A Brand New 2022 Santa Cruz NOMAD CC I’m 5’ 11” 220 pounds, so I opted for the Large size but didn’t think at the time to go to a dealer and swing a leg over a large etc…. I’m feeling cramped and sitting over the bike not in it . I already added spacers and a 35mm SC Carbon bar to where it look awkward, I feel it slowing down my confidence . Anyone have any suggestions? THANKS IN ADVANCE!!!
Do you think the wheelbase is a bit long for a Large? What is your ideal wheelbase for a bike like this?
The wheelbase felt great on this size large for this genre of bike - balanced stability and agility well.
5:07 Aiyoo that is not the headtube angle...
Is this in line with the new v5 SCs? The ones with the revised VPP layout, cause the shock tunnel looks the same as the older versions.
IMO they should have called the V5 the V4.x. It's a V4 with slightly tweaked geometry. Deleted chainstay adjustment for UDH. Added storage in down tube. I might be missing something. Essentially the same bike though.
This is just a Tallboy v5 which has been around since 2023, so it won’t have the updates of the Hightower v4 and Bronson v5
@@smithysendy Ah, yeah, they put a little window in there. Would make measuring sag a little easier.
As mentioned, this is a previous generation Santa Cruz frame. Will be interesting to see what they do to it when it gets updated in the future
I think that the C-CC Carbon options are a big joke carbon is carbon lol don't be fooled by these companies .
They are heavy and really stiff. Definitely not an XC bike. Great bike for trail centre red runs though.
🛑🛑I don't like this presenters style of speaking. I'm sure he is a nice guy but there is something about his way of speaking that is hard to listen to.🛑🛑
Sorry to hear that Jason.
He's the best reviewer on this channel
Really? That was your comment?
Jason. Apparently, your mom didn’t tell you “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all”
I found his manner of speaking clear and concise.