Santa Cruz Hightower 4 Live Ride Reaction Review

[@bardame]

My V2 2020 hightower is looking at me all anxious and jealous now. "Are you going to leave me? Are you going to leave me? After all we have been through together??"

[@Mardegente2024]

Great review, as always but you’ve got me battling a dilemma here: bronson or Hightower? I have a 2022 epic evo as my long distance daily ride and was looking for something burlier for my local trail center type of riding and some more agressive terrain in general. Steeper, chunkier, you know the type. Now, having the epic, should I go for a more extreme Bronson or a more verstile Hightower? And the crowd I usually ride are going for enduro 170 rigs, which I find excessive. And which one jumps better, btw…Really in a picle, here. Can you help me?

[@stuartwilkes4434]

This review just makes me want to get out and ride, All of my bikes🎉

[@GuyKesTV]

@@stuartwilkes4434 that’s great to hear. New stuff is cool but the best bike in the world is always the one you can ride right now 🤘🏻

[@craigsteele8178]

Absolutely great content you produce Guy. I enjoy your passion for riding these great bikes you test. What part of Yorkshire are these trails in? It looks fantastic to ride? I too have travelled many countries riding my bike and would love to experience parts of Yorkshire. Many Thanks.

[@GuyKesTV]

Thanks Craig, these trails are on Ilkley Moor

[@craigsteele8178]

@@GuyKesTV Thank you sir!

[@sirvince7853]

I just compared the geometry to the Bronson and the only difference is rear center. They use the same upper link (p/n 29-27474) and lower link (p/n 29-27473) part numbers. Maybe the only difference is the location of the front triangle pivot which might account for the rear center difference.

[@GuyKesTV]

Awesome detective work mate. I know they've created different effective rear centre lengths by using the same swingarm with different mounting points so that might be what they've done here. It certainly feels like there's a more difference in the kinematic than the official 10%

[@323johnnybravo]

I was so tempted to buy the V3 at a discount but the new one has me intrigued!!

[@GuyKesTV]

A V3 with a 160mm fork would be a very similar bike to this, just a bit more poppy / punchy at the rear end

[@drlangingtonphd2909]

@@GuyKesTV Happy like other v3 owners to hear this might be the case but I have to admit I’m still feeling the fomo. Never ends..

[@gonzoliam1720]

I’m still 100% content with my V2 Hightower. They are just tinkering at this point. I do fancy one with a Bosch motor though ! N+1 never ends 😂

[@naturaltrails7947]

still ride the v1, the riding that you show in the video is exactly what I do, but not as fast, all day epics etc, I love my v1, I am curious with more travel and the downhill bias, has it lost out in the climbing dept? I am not a bike expert but if I was to look at Santa cruz range now I would look more at the tall boy than the Hightower for all day fun.

[@GuyKesTV]

It still climbs really well but it's a lot heavier than your V1 will be so I reckon you're right to look at Tallboy if these sort of trails are what you're into. I actually shot the Tallboy review on the same moor so it should be a good comparison

[@grantwilliams2912]

Sounds like you are loving the new HT far more than the Bronson V5.. I have the current 5010, and am keen to see if the updated VPP will form part of a new 5010.. The bike that still seems to of made you buzz the most in a recent live ride is the Druid V2.. 🙂👍

[@GuyKesTV]

@@grantwilliams2912 definitely prefer HT to Bronson but yeah, Druid is still ‘the one’ for erasing drama but still including you in the wild experience

[@sirvince7853]

@@GuyKesTV How do you explain the geometry being identical between the Bronson and HT4.

[@GuyKesTV]

@@sirvince7853 I wouldn't be surprised if the front end's were the same but ive not had it confirmed/denied yet. They got very indignant when I asked if the Bronson rear end was identical Heckler SL. What's funny is that if they just stuck a smaller red wheel in the geo would be different. In other words they've deliberately changed stuff (frame or linkages or both) to make it the same. In case you haven't watched both videos I'm not sure they should have done as a longer rear end on an MX bike just doesn't make sense to me 🤷‍♂

[@totalglitch]

Since the numbers are the same on the HT and Bronson besides the longer swingarm and 27.5 tire in the rear. Is the HT faster, more agile? The numbers are almost twins bes9the rear. I'm surprised the Bronson is longer and heavier than the HT.

[@GuyKesTV]

@@totalglitch it’s not that simple in terms of ‘agility’ as the smaller rear wheel offsets the longer rear end of the Bronson to an extent. I found the Hightower more naturally balanced in handling and suspension though. It definitely feels faster rolling too

[@octodadmtbmartyrichards2862]

Short back ends on 29er trail bikes are good 👍: manuals, smaller jumps and corners are great because it’s the 29er mullet effect 😂

[@SpencerBaum]

Lol, I've found the opposite. My RM instinct has adjustable chainstays between 438 and 448mm. Just swapped to the 448 setting and the bike is way better! Corners better, jumps the same, and is way way more stable and faster through the rough stuff.

[@marklouieadame]

Agree short chainstay 29in feels like mullet setup. Thats why i like VPP it feels like it's compressing and floating. If you want extra bump sensitive use a coil shock on VPP you get both plush and supportive setup.

[@marksandoval5361]

If I could only have one mountain bike, it would be the Trailbike with a 160mm fork (Fox 36 or Lyrik) and a 65-64* HTA. This is the most versatile bike made. With light fast-rolling tires, it's a long-travel Downcountry bike. With burly aggressive tires, it's a short-travel Enduro bike. The Hightower, Stumpy Evo, SB140 LR, Switchblade, and Ripmo are just a few. That the new Stumpy, Fuel Ex, and Spectral come with a 150mm fork is a disappointment.

[@GuyKesTV]

@@marksandoval5361 you’d like this then

[@diorite81]

Don’t think a lack of 10mm in travel make a bike not versatile

[@davidfoxton7905]

Nice video, riding looks great fun. Are you sure it’s Yorkshire? Where’s the rain and mud?

[@GuyKesTV]

😂 I know, gutted I knackered my wrist in that tumble at the end or I'd be up there again today!

[@simonbowlzer9046]

Love my V3 . The V4 Looks well tasty !. Santa Cruz are deffo going down the big and burly route now it seems . New tallboy? Mmmm 😊. Christ knows what the Megatower will be like! ?😮 .

[@GuyKesTV]

I'm already scared of the Meg 😄

[@alexcerutti793]

I’d love a comparison between this & the ibis Ripmo V2, V3

[@GuyKesTV]

I’ll try but Ibis are hard to get in the UK ATMO

[@antoinebergeron7388]

This or the new Bronson? I don’t really care about my times but more about the fun my bike bring thank you

[@GuyKesTV]

All round trails or mostly steep stuff?

[@antoinebergeron7388]

Both but must of the time all round trail and bike park 2-3 times per year

[@GuyKesTV]

@@antoinebergeron7388 Bronson is better in the steeps but doesn't climb as well. Hightower is the more balanced all rounder

[@luccarrier5915]

How does it compare to the stumpy 15? Downhill and uphill…

[@GuyKesTV]

Expect a video on that topic very shortly.

[@luccarrier5915]

Looking forward to it! Thank you!

[@girafingo9280]

Does this new VPP lose that famous SC pop factor? I used to ride a tallboy which was so poppy and moved to a stumpjumper for more travel and didn't like the mushy feel of the Horst Link

[@GuyKesTV]

most of the pop has gone on the Bronson, but thankfully there's plenty left in the new Hightower

[@daveatlossie]

Does it need the Maven's?...... Admittedly I'm running my HT V2 + Cascade + MegNeg + F38's (Because I'm unforgiving on the front end) so it's pretty similar to the V4 geo and travel. However I run Hope E4's on 200mm and that's enough to stop me... Do the Mavens give it an even more digital feel? Question from a fellow Yorkshire Grit Tredder!

[@daveatlossie]

Note - wait until the end of the video to comment!

[@GuyKesTV]

@@daveatlossie Maven on 180 is pretty similar to E4 TBH. The issue with brands speccing SRAM ATMO is that Code and G2 are being phased out and the new brake (I’m guessing it’ll be mineral oil) isn’t available yet.

[@daveatlossie]

@@GuyKesTV Roger that. You've got me drooling for the future SC content - Cheers for the vids!

[@rickmoz]

You can’t beat the quality of Santa Cruz I loved my 5010 V4 cc, but I do feel recently the range just looked a bit stale and clinical. Maybe it is because every bike looked the same and unless you knew what you were looking for, you didn’t know what you were looking at. If the rumours are true, especially with the E-MTB I think it will bring the sexy back to the brand.

[@GuyKesTV]

super interested to see what they do with that eh?

[@rickmoz]

@@GuyKesTV definitely, I love bike tech as much as riding… all brands are struggling as we know but from an outsider looking in I feel not all is well in the house of Graney. Look at the massive discount and the lower prices on the hot new models and its not because Santa Cruz are bad bikes, quite the opposite but there’s a bit to much Honda civic not enough sex appeal and something needs to be done before the Pon Fathers comes a knocking. Stepping aside from VPP and one of the first using bosch Gen 5 😉 will get the pink bike fingers tapping. It’s unfortunate it’s not the DJI motor… anyway I’m rambling.

[@lordtennyson6669]

This or the Tallboy if you're only gonna have one bike for everything?

[@alk399]

When you say turning the taps on next week..is that for Santa Cruz content or just in general?

[@GuyKesTV]

In general boss. Time to stop running the channel as a side quest and get fully into it 💪🏻

[@paul682682682]

Would you buy gx axs v3 hightower or bottom spec v4? As they are the same price and I don't know if it's worth getting the bottom or mid range spec. I want it to cycle to work but also want it be okay for bpw, glencoe dh and Fort William top cheif. I already have a nomad and this will be my main dh bike. But my other half might ride it at the bike parks from time to time

[@GuyKesTV]

As you've already got the Nomad for DH I'd go for the V3 as there's more difference between them but it'll still be fun on Top Chief / BPW etc. Plus if it'll be your daily driver better quality kit will handle the miles whereas cheap stuff will die pretty quick

[@duffyrides]

Would be curious for you to compare this to the new Ibis Ripley V5 (just got one ) and the Ripmo.

[@GuyKesTV]

@@duffyrides I’ll try but Ibis are hard to get in the UK ATMO, hope you’re enjoying the Ripley anyway 🤘🏻

[@duffyrides]

@@GuyKesTV cool. And thanks ! Ripley has been awesome so far !

[@apositivemodernlife8885]

So am I right to assume you liked it a lot more than the Bronson?

[@GuyKesTV]

@@apositivemodernlife8885 for the more varied riding I do, yes, definitely. If i was more into super steep descents and cared less about pedalling I’d probably go Bronson

[@stuartthomasson5027]

Best thing Santa Cruz has done with the V4 Hightower is ditching the Reverb dropper post.

[@GuyKesTV]

@@stuartthomasson5027 Amen to that 🤣

[@jeffcalam]

If you did get a frame only to build up, which fork would you pair it with?

[@GuyKesTV]

@@jeffcalam probably a Lyrik or the previous 36 with GRIP2 damper. GRIPX2 is too damped for me even if it’s fully open.

[@erictrelz3519]

How does the new Santa Cruz Hightower compare to the Yeti SB140?

[@GreenTimYoung]

Exactly my question - Loved Guy’s review of that bike - interesting to see the differences (and Pivot Switchblade??)

[@GuyKesTV]

@@GreenTimYoung @erictrelz3519 I should probably do a video comparing all three but in short Hightower feels a lot stiffer up front, esp with the GripX2 fork. It's also slacker so it's more of a beast feel overall. It has internal storage and represents better value too. Yeti has a gorgeous supple, flowing frame feel though and the handling is less extreme so it's more agile on slower/techy singletrack. Pivot feels very similar to the yeti but with a more XC/trail handling vibe. The suspension is fantastic on all of them though and you're getting a superb ride either way.

[@Jusamatt-i4j]

When are these going to be on sale? Can’t seem to find them online

[@GuyKesTV]

@@Jusamatt-i4j they’re on the Santa Cruz site now (in US and UK anyway)

[@aguyholding1024]

Do you have any experience with the Ripmo V3 to compare them?

[@GuyKesTV]

Afraid not as Ibis are hard to get in the UK ATMO

[@aguyholding1024]

@@GuyKesTV I suppose that does make it difficult. I can see they are both available in a great purple. haha

[@YanDoroshenko]

Stumpy Evo 150/160 vs Hightower V3 145/150. Stumpy 15 145/150 vs Hightower V4 150/160. I find that deeply funny.

[@GuyKesTV]

yup, be interesting to see who wins. Current intel is that Spesh are struggling to shit the Stumpy 15

[@madmountainman5197]

What do yoiu know about the next gen e-bikes then Guy?

[@GuyKesTV]

More than I'm allowed to say now I've been invited on the launch. If it was just 'unconfirmed gossip' that'd be different, but I'm not going to bust a legal NDA as nobody wins that way.

[@madmountainman5197]

@@GuyKesTV Well, it strikes me as creating a storm in a tea cup. We'll know soon enough, but i'm currently deliberating over the Nicolai and the Amflow, with both being available t the end of the year in the size I require, so I hope SC don't waste too much time before letting the cat out of the bag,

[@GuyKesTV]

@@madmountainman5197 Pinion Nicolai? That and the Amflow are potentially the bikes that make everything other people are doing look exactly the storm in the teacup you say. Unfortunately I'll be surprised if the new SC is equally radical but I don't know all the details yet. I kind of hope that Nicolai finally get the recognition they deserve for decades of properly pushing ahead of the curve with all sorts of stuff like gearboxes and geo though. Fitting considering that Kalle started his biking career refining what became the FSR link with Horst Leitner way back when.

[@madmountainman5197]

@@GuyKesTV Well i'm happy to wait and see what vthey come up with, as I do like my V1 Mega. Being 6'6" and 17.5 stone, I find it handles more like a trail bike, whereas if I ride a trail bike, I get absolutely hammered. Talking way back, my folks used to live in West Yorkshire and your ride over Ilkley Moor brought back some fond memories, but my nearly 60 year old legs struggle when i'm oop north these days. 😁

[@jlh530i1]

like this comment if there's an SL bullit coming

[@GuyKesTV]

Not heard anything yet

[@NocSuKow]

This or the stumpy pro

[@GuyKesTV]

Expect a video on that topic very shortly 👍

[@denisjolliet6398]

Don’t forget to compare them against the new ripmo ;-)

[@NocSuKow]

@@denisjolliet6398 true!

[@GuyKesTV]

@@denisjolliet6398 I’ll try but Ibis are hard to get in the UK ATMO