2023 Santa Cruz Megatower V2 | Long-Term Review

[@MountaineerFPV]

6mo in and this bike likes to climb and is very stable and fast. This is the big boy Santa Cruz, for us bigger dudes. At 6’1 240lbs the L fits me perfectly. Size down on this one as its slacked out pretty good. Love it. I believe it is a keeper for me 👍👍🇺🇸🌬️💨💋

[@AZMTB]

LLLLLOVE my v2! My v1 was great, but this one just does everything a little bit better. Most noticeable in the turns, I think.

[@brucehamilton6019]

That's just the review I was looking for. All the info needed. Thx

[@kanger328]

Got this exact bike. Excited to test it out at Whistler next season.

[@competitivecyclist]

🤘

[@kylemiddleton848]

long term review on the Nomad v6?

[@girafingo9280]

Great review guys!

[@competitivecyclist]

Thank you!

[@ericdelchiaro9502]

Solid review. Thanks!

[@competitivecyclist]

🤝

[@michaelplumpton8873]

This is my next bike

[@koolkeith8908]

Megatower vs. Nomad review would be great. Thanks!

[@sambolo]

@@ghostdaddy83 Same geo, almost same travel, other just mullet.

[@SnakeC666]

Santa Cruz must come definitively with the 2.0 version of the glove box. When washing, it simply leaks, also because it is not well sealed and does not touch, it causes small vibrations. The construction in which the lid is attached also looks very cheap and weakly "plastic"...

[@dkone1746]

Great review guys! Happy to watch more of these from you. Cheers

[@competitivecyclist]

Thanks!

[@taraxiasrelated9548]

what about sizing you took the XL?

[@juanhidalgo7043]

Yea, the long term reviews are great! Any comments on the suspension serviceability? I do would like to ride a megatower! If I had to change the built, I would go with ENVE M735 Chris’s king wheels, full ENVE bar/stem, full shimano XTR drive train, keep to fox shock and and fork. Add Chris king headset and BB.

[@competitivecyclist]

We did a mid-season fork rebuild and serviced all of the pivot points within the linkage. It's definitely due for rear shock service now that the season is over.

[@Bonky-wonky]

I have an x2 on my nomad, very composed and ‘deep’ feeling shock compared to the superdeluxe that came with the frame. It does require quite a few tokens to be punchier, adding hsc/lsc also works but makes the bike feel a bit ‘dead’. I have a feeling the new Vivid will have almost the same levels of control but can be made livelier, sram told me the volume could be reduced to the sd’s, which certainly isn’t the case with the x2.

[@azzy9532]

Where did sram say you can reduce the Vivid to the same volue as the sd?

[@Bonky-wonky]

@@azzy9532 they replied somewhere on yt when I asked them. I’ll see if I can find the video.

[@siddhantmishra3598]

great review guys , could you confirm if there is enough clearance to run a 2.6 inch tire in the rear ? thanks

[@Micarmn]

I tried to put a dhr2 2.6 in the rear and no bueno

[@basicwrc]

Finally interesting review

[@mtbhussler]

6'4" on an XL and I think it's too small for me. Wish I got the XXL in retrospect. 3 items warrantied so far, downtube protection broke 1st ride, race face rims delaced themselves 1st ride, and reverb lasted about a month. Wheels and dropper replaced already so I can keep on riding. Parts been in for warranty for 2 months now. Can't get a replacement down tube protector at present.

[@surfin0861]

also 6'4'' , which pants are the long tan backcountry? need to pick up a pair.

[@djjmann]

Had a V2, lazy bike for single track. A total gravity bike, very good at that. Just not a bike if you have to pedal through tech. Lots of better options. Built a new 5010 MX as well, great in turns, but not as lively as i hoped, and also climbed a bit sluggish. I think i would have gotten a long better with a v6 nomad. Would plow just as well on downs and also have turn in of 5010.

[@SidiNic]

I am 1.84cm so right at the end of the Large frame size. The reach is 10mm shorter than current bike but the XL frame is 10mm larger in reach. What would you suggest buying from size? I ride mostly enduro, normal to steep things and jumps

[@lyzyrdskydr4961]

Large would probably be better for you. I'm a similar height to these testers (195cm) and also prefer XL over XXL for Santa Cruz. The reach seems short, but the stack/headtube length is much taller than most other brands. So you end up using less headset spacers, and the effective reach ends up being similar to other brands.

[@stepan.furman]

I have this frame and I have no clue how you can move a glove box even 1 mm. for me it's a rocksolud glovebox door, you can for sure move it making enough effort but not even close to what was shown in this video. You should contact SC, maybe this is a warranty case... I also like this bike a lot, I had Megatower V1 and it's quite big improvement in comparison to the old one.

[@bryanha79]

Yeah, mine fits tight. It's not water proof but it definitely doesn't rattle.

[@EK-xk7zt]

A bit on the heavy side for a carbon enduro. Transition Spire weighs significantly less with a bigger brake rotor up front, more travel in the back, and more aggressive geometry. But hey, Megatower has the glove box 🤣

[@Davidskates603]

When you say "do it all bike" would you say you can enjoy mellower single track on this? I;m in New England and there are not really any " enduro" style trails, its more XC heavy. We do have a few bike parks but most trail systems are uppy downy type of riding. Would you say this bike would still be fun for that stuff?

[@carlocacciatore2534]

Do not get this bike for XC/regular trails. I am lucky enough to have a few bikes an this thing only comes out for the super steep and gnarly days. Anytime I am doin regular trails I grab a lighter better pedaling bike

[@Davidskates603]

@@carlocacciatore2534 good to know. It wouldn’t be strictly for XC/trail, but most of the unplanned spur of the moment riding I do is that style.

[@competitivecyclist]

It sounds like the Hightower or Bronson might be a better fit for you! Reach out to a Gearhead if you still have questions.

[@DM-hw4cr]

Looks like he could go up a frame size.

[@aaronrosenberg2037]

I'm on the line between M and L and went with M.... definitely a bike to size down on

[@competitivecyclist]

Kendall prefers a snappy, playful bike but he says he probably could have also ridden the XXL 👍

[@Claro718]

Santa Cruz made in china? Santa Barbara?

[@sambolo]

Yes china.

[@Claro718]

@@sambolo Enjoy Chinese bike

[@sambolo]

@@Claro718my fake megatower is from Taiwan

[@Claro718]

@@sambolo Perfect!