2018 Santa Cruz Hightower LT Review // The EWS bike for you and me

[@DailyMTBRider]

Great review Savant! I love you’re recommendation at the end because that’s what I’m always curious about! I’m jonesin’ to compare this with my Wreckoning and other LT 29ers I’ve ridden - seems like this and the Kona are similar

[@mtbsavant5414]

Looking forward to that video! haha

[@monstervlogster1157]

Savant, another great video man....i dont think i will ever be able to afford a bike like this in my lifetime but i enjoyed the ride...thanks for taking the time to make this video dude !

[@mtbsavant5414]

Thanks bud. I enjoyed making this one ALMOST as much as riding it ;)

[@monstervlogster1157]

ALMOST lol !

[@matthewhall554]

Santa Cruz Demo truck stopped by South Florida, rode the HT LT. The term "steamroller" immediately came to mind, after shedding. Currently, on the fence over a 5010, I'm 6'3" and my friends say I'm too tall for a 27.5, but I lived the lively feeling of the bike.

[@mtbsavant5414]

The 5010 is going to feel like a BMX bike compared to this thing!

[@RyanMarcyesOutdoors]

One of the coolest reviews yet. Love the Mom and Rider comparison at the end!!

[@mtbsavant5414]

Thanks bud!

[@gm2256]

Damn, dude. First video of yours I've seen, but you knocked it out of the park. Very very well done!

[@mtbsavant5414]

Thanks!

[@TheCrashingDad]

VERY well done! I experienced some funky rear end issues as well... No matter how much i played with and adjusted the rear shock. Had that same feeling of riding "on top" of the travel...

[@mtbsavant5414]

Thanks dude. Yeah if it were my bike I'd add some tokens to see if I could add more mid stroke support. Then again that'd be like going into a marriage thinking I could change someone ;)

[@TheCrashingDad]

MTB Savant - yeah... It was a tough balance... I wonder how many opinions are forms on bikes based off a suspension setup that's not quite right for the rider... But I feel like that bike should come equipped with 2-3 volume bands in the shock...

[@MrTonka]

I just put volume reducers in my shock for the first time and man, game changer. Have some coming for the SB5, but gonna ride it as is a few more times. I was surprised by how much air pressure that shock needs to get the sag set right.

[@TheCrashingDad]

Mr Tonka - it's all about *more air spacer/less volume *Correct sag at lower pressure 😎👌

[@mtbsavant5414]

This is where a good dealer adds their value. Given the rider weight, location and riding style they SHOULD be able to add the appropriate amount of spacers and shock pressure. Then again most people probably just pump and go.

[@harveycasey1900]

Great review & spot on with the ride description. I ride a Santa Cruz LT and I absolutely love it 😍and I'm just the average Schmo Joe Rider. Mine isn't as decked out as yours, well not yet that is but it still gets the job done. I took it to Whistler a couple of weeks ago & it did not disappoint me. Top of the world was crazy fun on this bike. Heading to Bellingham WA with it tomorrow🤗

[@mtbsavant5414]

Glad you're enjoying this awesome bike

[@mtbboy1993]

1:19 The cable routing looks neat, but it looks like the housing will be bent too an shape and wire & housing will wear fast. But I guess its no wear near as bad as on my 2014 fuel ex

[@FoVision]

Woot! Digging the multiple camera angles. I just got my LT XXL a week ago and I hit 25mph for the first time ever coming down one trail. Amazing bike, after demoing it, I knew it was "my" bike. I was between it and the 5.5, but the XXL fits me perfectly. Plus the warranties made it the best choice for me. It's a bit too much bike for me as I'm going into my second year of riding, but it's something I can grow into as my skills progress. Hope to ride with you one day.

[@mtbsavant5414]

That's one thing I didn't mention in the review. It's definitely a bike that will grow with your skills!

[@BrianVaughn]

So next year I'm starting my search for my next bike. Part of me is like, 5010 or Hightower... nothing else. Santa Cruz bikes are just so well built and reliable. I know I'll try a couple different brands but it's hard to imagine riding something else.

[@mtbsavant5414]

Agreed which makes them easy recommendations. I don't have to explain why their BB is creaking after a few months or why they're forced to drink from bottles with poo on them. The lifetime warranty on the frame is icing on the cake.

[@arlingtonguy54]

Your comments about suspension helped me understand it all better. I like a soft squishy ride so removed a token on my Tallboy but I guess that hurts me on climbs.

[@mtbsavant5414]

The tokens affect more of the mid stroke and bottom out resistance more than climbing. I feel the pedaling is more than enough on the LT and I would try and add spacers to add support in the mid and end stroke to make it feel a little more supportive through it's travel.

[@ryand121984]

awesome review brother! I am enjoying my OG hightower 29er but after upgrading my wheelset to Santa Cruz Reserve wheels man, it became a Beast! HTLT is a frameset that I will be looking for to replace my OG HT for sure but not anytime soon.🤙🏽

[@mtbsavant5414]

Those are some of the best carbon wheels right now. Nice!

[@Antweak83]

This video was so well made. Well done that was sick

[@mtbsavant5414]

Thanks!

[@alexthemtbr]

Love the review!! I felt the same way on every VPP bike I’ve ridden. Little to wallowly on the mid stroke. But man is it a good looking bike. I saw some clips at the ridge in there 🤭

[@mtbsavant5414]

Yup your neck of the woods. Thanks for the comment dude, glad you enjoyed it!

[@pricey7856]

Great review - really like the way you edit your videos. Liked and subscribed 😀🚴

[@mtbsavant5414]

Thanks man! Really appreciate it!

[@JustinCaseWages]

Great review and Merry Christmas!

[@mtbsavant5414]

Thanks Justin. Hope you had a terrific holiday!

[@JediSuPhu]

I had so many pedal strikes when I took this demo bike out at Fort Ord. Seemed like any rock or manzanita tree stump that stuck up out of the ground wanted to catch my pedal.

[@mtbsavant5414]

I didn't notice that to be a issue on the bike I rode. How much sag were you running?

[@JediSuPhu]

The sag appeared to be between a quarter and a third

[@bandittwentynine5131]

Nice vid! What frame protection kit is on that thing??? You can really see it (not a bad thing) with the 4k vid. Got one coming with 160mm + push coil set up front and rear! Can't wait! Want to get out and ride so bad!!!

[@mtbsavant5414]

I believe it's invis but don't quote me on that. Your build sounds like a slayer, congrats. Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@jctrails]

Your buddy Ken must be broke after this build. I would personally buy the regular HT with the 150 fork and add a beefy rear shock (baby LT). Keep some of the playfulness of a shorter travel bike, but still smeash the downhills. Great review Savant!

[@mtbsavant5414]

Thanks dude. Great tip. Wouldn't mind throwing a leg over the regular HT.

[@quantumcreator8888]

Ur videos reviews .. are the best .. can you review the new trust fork .. world Cyclery might let you demo it !! Cheers 🥂

[@mtbsavant5414]

Thanks. I'm actually working on arranging a demo at a local bike shop

[@LookAtNelson]

great review! Hope I get to try one soon.

[@mtbsavant5414]

I'm guessing it feels similar to your bike, with a bit more squoosh!

[@mtbboy1993]

Great review. I like the look of this bike a lot, but not the piss yellow paintjob. The Enve cockpit is interesting. resale value, yea, they sure do, even in size XXL saw few bikes that were gone fast, but XXL is way too big for me anyway.

[@mtbsavant5414]

Looks better in person but the color won't be for everyone. Thanks for the comment

[@TrailBikeBebop]

great review! the way a bike pedals is important to me.

[@mtbsavant5414]

That was the biggest surprise for me. Thanks for watching!

[@BradBuege]

Thanks for the review- planning to upgrade to a HTLT soon but am a bit worried about rear suspension as you mentioned. Basically worried if initial anti squat in the first part of the travel will make it feel more harsh and track poorly over fast bumpy terrain. Have you tried a coil shock on it? I'd like to try one but am worried it will blow through it's travel in a way that can't be overcome by the adjustment of the shock (high speed compression).

[@mtbsavant5414]

I haven't tried a coil shock on this bike although I'm not sure it would be the best fit considering the regressive nature of this suspension. I do feel spending some more time tuning this bike would have yielded good results. For instance running lower shock pressures and a large volume spacer could bring back some of that initial plushness and ramp up towards the end.

[@BradBuege]

MTB Savant thanks for your reply. Yes, air with volume spacers is what I was thinking too, though the coil still calls to me. I had the same problem on my current bike (giant trance), always bottoming out even with proper sag, resolved with volume spacers to give end stroke ramp up but it’s still plush.

[@michaelzwiener395]

Just ordered my 2019 model with a 40 percent discount because the 2020 is out. Crazy. Good for me, though

[@mtbsavant5414]

Score!!

[@MTBFlowRider]

Well done dude! It's on my list to demo.

[@mtbsavant5414]

Demo at demo!

[@plata0190]

Why you choosed HT over the bronson? HT its more agile on steering on flat ground comparing to bronson?

[@mtbsavant5414]

No particular reason. This bike became available for me to test.

[@mtbboy1993]

threaded BB & isg 05 mounts :-) Enve cockpit light but expensive. I bet Hightower LT is stiff, it sure looks like it.

[@mtbsavant5414]

Definitely stiff which again surprised me considering how svelt the frame looks.

[@t-roy9800]

Awesome channel! Can you do a review on a 2018 Nomad 4?

[@mtbsavant5414]

Would love to!

[@marcwentworth3321]

great review question where are you riding?

[@mtbsavant5414]

Trails are in the description. Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@jonathanvasquez9604]

Hi! What hubs are on that wheel set? Ty

[@mtbsavant5414]

Dt Swiss 240

[@bharris975]

You stated you are riding a Medium; how tall are you? Trying to figure out sizing and I am between a M and L. Rode both and not sure what fits better for me.

[@mtbsavant5414]

5'9 with 31 inseam. I'm inbetween a M or L. I thought the M felt pretty good

[@th_js]

Awesome video!!

[@mtbsavant5414]

Thanks for watching!

[@andrewjensen4476]

Have you ridden an enduro coil edition?... and can you compare to the Hightower lt?

[@shouldislayorshouldiflow8827]

I have an enduro coil (and have ridden the trails seen in the video above). I've demoed the yeti5.5, and B.Gong above rides a 5.5 on the same trails (all of us are on strava for these downhill trails in JMP, though I'm usually lagging behind everyone). I demoed the LT and am switching to one soon - the major factor being it fatigued me far less than the enduro, which surprised me especially on the climbs since the enduro has a steep seat angle compared to the LT. Both bikes are way stellar, and choosing between any of the top brands (spesh enduro, yeti 5.5, trek slash, SC HTLT, orbea Rallon, Transition Sentinel, Ibis ripmo, evil wreck, etc etc) essentially comes down to personal preference. Even though I killed my PR's on both downhills and climbs with the enduro, it transmitted too much of the trail back into my old man body. Yes, the Hightower leans more to this type of ride versus riding a total absorptive couch, but I just preferred it to the enduro and 5.5 (which felt a little steep to me, where I felt like I was riding on top of rather than in it). Although i will say the coil, while it was a brick-anchor on the slogs uphill, kept me planted on the screaming downhills where I've gone way faster than a 50-year old should. Bottom line, go out and demo all you can and find one you like.

[@mtbsavant5414]

Great feedback. Thanks for sharing!

[@MrTonka]

Sweet review! Trails look awesome, bike ain't bad either. ;)

[@mtbsavant5414]

Haha, thanks! Yeti has the LR. I'm calling this one the Michelin Star Dinner Ride edition.

[@MrTonka]

I'll never find a SC dealer to demo that bike around here, you should demo the LR and let us know what you think.

[@MrTonka]

I'll never find a SC dealer to demo that bike around here, you should demo the LR and let us know what you think.

[@bbarker5766]

Man you're making mu decisions even harder... Well I guess Santa Cruz is. Lol. Excellent review but I cant do the top build like that however I have heard nothing but praise for this bike in every review I've seen or read in pretty much all builds too. Merry Christmas bro

[@mtbsavant5414]

If you prefer the suspension feel this bike checks all the boxes. I had a great time riding it!

[@briangong007]

Try a sb55c now!

[@mtbsavant5414]

If you have a local hookup for a Medium let me know!

[@Stomperproductions]

Not sure you can review its enduro capabilities when you're riding it in places that a road bike would be able to go.... Have you seen EWS tracks?

[@d0u6s]

Good stuff!

[@mtbsavant5414]

Thanks!

[@mohicanairways]

Sweet Vid! SC bikes are sexy but no thanks to VPP; they inchworm up climbs and have that horrible wallow feeling.. SI or DW for me please!

[@mtbsavant5414]

I too prefer DW link suspension bikes.

[@JoySenChtOfficial]

It's price.?

[@mtbsavant5414]

This was a custom build and the best estimate I have is almost 8k.

[@MloVisual]

Was reading up on a high tower. This video helped out a lot.

[@mtbsavant5414]

Glad to help!

[@jackplaysviola6428]

Would you recommend this bike over the yeti SB5.5?

[@mtbsavant5414]

I can't speak to the 5.5 yet as I haven't ridden one yet. Stay tuned!

[@danielpalma3804]

Joaquin Miller!

[@mtbsavant5414]

Daniel P. Yup!

[@scottgovers3347]

Lol. I was thinking this looks like Redwood/Chabot Regional. Awesome!! I live a mile from Joaquin Miller. Nice Review. Thinking about buying this same bike.

[@99problemsbutafishaintone35]

I rode this bike today and dropped 9500 Canadian Can’t wait to shred the nar😜

[@mtbsavant5414]

Woot! Congrats

[@HallMarc_Trails]

I need a great bike, unfortunately my bike isn't that great, it does the job though and at least i'm out there enjoying riding, good vid, left a like :-)

[@mtbsavant5414]

I appreciate that!

[@kenny_kaos]

You forgot the brakes in your bike "check", looks like shimano XTs?

[@kenny_kaos]

Nevermind, saw they're XTR at the end there!

[@mtbsavant5414]

Yup, XTR. Thanks for pointing that out.

[@ihavethreesons21]

The 5.5 was way better for me - just upgrade your 4.5 😲

[@mtbsavant5414]

I'm trying to find one to ride, and it hasn't been easy thus far.

[@shouldislayorshouldiflow8827]

Rhythm Bikes in Montclair, right down the road from JMP, has 5.5's to demo. I rode one to compare to the Enduro 29 I ride currently, although I ultimately decided to switch to the Hightower LT.

[@Cartsp70]

Yes I had a free demo day on this bike on Sunday and I rode it for about four hours and truly unbelievable just even though it’s not downhill

[@mtbsavant5414]

Yeah the climbing abilities are what surprised me the most. Thanks for your comment

[@Cartsp70]

MTB Savant I still think the HTLT would still be the better option

[@jaredscott547]

Looks like a crack at the bolt on 0:20

[@mtbsavant5414]

It's actually the invis protection skin

[@B1KER]

That edit was awesome! I might unsubscribe just so I can re-subscribe!!!

[@mtbsavant5414]

LOL, glad you enjoyed it!

[@kingrat738]

It's the iPhone of the MTB world!? You've single handedly, just halved their sales o_0

[@mtbsavant5414]

Lol. I swear that was a compliment!

[@thexardas8395]

Let"s talk numbers.:) It is 9k bike before tax, delivery, LBS maintenance and adjustments fees. You'll end up spending close to 10k on a fucking bike. As much as I like it for me there is no big difference between 10k and 3k bike. I am not competing and will eat 1 less sandwich before a ride to save that precious 1 LB weight difference. Yes XO1 is better then GX and carbon wheels is lighter and nicer then alloy. But does price difference of 6-7k makes any sense? Not for average rider. BTW good luck to get more then 50% if you decide to sell it after 1 ride.

[@mtbsavant5414]

I agree however there are cheap and expensive components for very different customers. To each their own.

[@plutoplatters]

whos this bike for .... people with more money than the average. ?

[@mtbsavant5414]

So true!

[@gregpalombo5140]

GUCCI CRUZINNNNNNNN

[@mtbsavant5414]

Indeed!

[@nickridgway8933]

if i didnt have a sb5.5 id have one of these

[@ihavethreesons21]

Nick Ridgway same here!

[@ltj999]

Exact same for me, it was between both those bikes. When I bought my 5.5 the Hightower LT wasn't out yet, and the longer travel was one of the deciding factors of why I went with the 5.5. If the LT was out then, would have been a really really tough choice.

[@mtbsavant5414]

Timing is everything!

[@pepitopepito2967]

ive narrowed between this and the 5.5 and maybe the POLE machine always wanted a yeti but gets put off by cracking frames

[@WoodGang]

Yo MTB Savant ! We are french riders ! The filmmaker GoldenHelmets makes edits for us ! Can you give us a review of our channel ? ;)

[@ahmetkayakusu5696]

lucky bastard

[@mtbsavant5414]

Indeed

[@RyanBoardman234s]

I feel like this is a love/hate bike. I know tons of people that think it is the best bike in the world, and I also know a lot of people that think it is way overrated.

[@mtbsavant5414]

True true. Regardless they're VERY popular bikes in our neck of the woods ;)

[@acoitheadventurer1001]

Yep overrated.. No proven success in ews..

[@shouldislayorshouldiflow8827]

Huh? Well, Mark Scott did come in 9th overall in last year's EWS - beating out Richie Rude in the 10th spot - riding both the Hightower and the LT. Although I wouldn't rate the awesomeness of a bike based on pro rider results - just because, for instance, Richie Rude had a down year after back-to-back championships doesn't mean the Yeti 5.5 all of a sudden sucks as a bike or is over-rated. For that matter, many of the most popular long-travel 29ers out there (Trek Slash/Remedy, Specialized Enduro, Orbea Rallon, Evil Wreckoning) have fairly subdued results in EWS. Given that the series is fairly new and has coincided with light-speed development of 27.5 and 29 enduro/race/dh-oriented bike technology, rather than judge the bikes on the results, I'd say choose the one that works best for you, whether you race or not.