My Hightower LT Long Term Review | Bike Check 3.0

[@alexlamy1271]

Santa cruz high tower LT is the best bike in the world..Feliz año amigo✌🏻

[@kmcnelley1981]

Missed totally using “Longer Travel Review” pun. Awesome review, recently bought SC HT LT myself, very happy with the bike :)

[@RideEatWander]

I see what you did there!

[@billw_mtb3220]

Nice update. That thing is really dialed!

[@RideEatWander]

Thank you Bill

[@cooperza]

I’ve got an HTLT also. You should try MOTO foam/gutter foam to cut up and put in the frame above the vpp link. It works really well to prevent mud and debris build up on the link, especially over here in western Washington.

[@RideEatWander]

Hey Thanks Zach. I have thought of doing that but just haven't yet. Been trying to brainstorm making a custom molded guard but I should probably just use the foam for now.

[@mtbboy1993]

great riding:-) great bike check.

[@RideEatWander]

Thank you very much Johannes!

[@Guineson]

How do you find pedal strikes? I was considering HTLT along with all the other SC bikes after cracking my 2012 Nomad and settled on the Bronson for various reasons. I demoed the HT and HTLT and experienced pedal strikes for days and they felt very notchy in technical rock gardens. Where I live it's pretty Rocky so pedaling through rock gardens is a must.

[@RideEatWander]

I do get strikes occasionally. No as much now that switched to 170mm cranks and with a 160-170mm fork it lifts the BB even more. I would not say that occurs enough that it bothers me or something that I am conscious about.

[@mtbboy1993]

7:42 looking at this it looks like this bike would not fit my requirements, as for me having the saddle even further with the tip over the bb would suit me better. the seat tube angle is overly slack imo, I see you already have it almost all the way to the front. I use mid foot position, and use Pedaling Innovations Catalyst pedals, but my current bike does not fit me well, I got 43mm reach & saddle to stem, but longer bike would be nice. I looked at the second hand market in Norway, seems to be impossible for me to get a bike that fits me, so I will try to build a bike from parts I got & buy new frame, and see what has to be changed. but I have my eyes on Nicolai G13 & G1 Pole Evolink. so far for suspension MRP or fox seem most interesting, from reviews. what do you think about the TRP rotors? how is the Tioga saddle holding up? do you have to replace it every year as Tioga suggest? do you feel like the Fox 36 is stiff enough for you? so far I have only used fox 32 120mm, not the stiffest fork, but works ok.

[@RideEatWander]

I definitely wish the Seat Tube was steeper. But I manage it and when you actually sag down it doesn't ride as bad as it looks when sitting static. The Pole I think would be an awesome bike and even thought about doing a Pole Machine Frame build. You build you mentioned sounds awesome and hope you can make it happen. I really like the TRP rotors. I will probably get some 180s at the start of next season. These combined with Galfer pads has been an effective combo for me. Tioga saddle is awesome and I have not replaced it. This would mark a full year on it though but all I can see myself doing is replacing the silicone pads since those are kind of worn down. Love my Fox 36. Best fork I have ridden yet. I find it plenty stiff but I also have a pretty stiff wheelset. I would say though the stiffest setup I have used is the Lyrik with Torque caps.

[@lsame11]

Can you tell me the code of the air shaft 170 mm that you use? Is 820-02-451-kit ? Tks

[@RideEatWander]

For my Specific Fork and model year this is what you would use. www.worldwidecyclery.com/products/2018-fox-float-36-air-shaft-assembly-170mm-travel-1?variant=889881100293#

[@alexk.6351]

Why you move from the Anvl cockpit to the Renthal? Thanks for your great review, you are one of the reasons why i bought a Hightower LT.

[@RideEatWander]

Hi Alex I moved on from the Anvl stuff because I wanted to go shorter on the stem and higher rise on the bar. Anvl at the time only had stem lengths of 35mm and 50mm and I thought 35mm would be too short. Also their bars only had rises of 20mm and 35mm and I didn't want to go quite that high. Renthal just had more options at the time and 40mm length on the stem and 30mm rise on the bars has been perfect for me. The Anvl stuff is very high quality and they have more options now which is great. I would not hesitate purchasing their products. You are welcome on the review. I am glad you find my information useful. How are you liking the Hightower LT?

[@alexk.6351]

Bike|ariously thank you. I love my Hightower LT. I sold my Nomad 4 CC Coil to buy my LT. Itˋs the better bike for the stuff i ride. The Nomad 4 is a great bike, but too much for my enduro tours or my hometrails. And the Hightower looks better with me on it than the Nomad do. Iam a tall guy with 6.36. Greets from Germany

[@RideEatWander]

Thats awesome! I would agree that 29ers fit taller riders better especially to the eye test. Glad you are liking the bike and thanks from watching all the way from Germany!

[@scottmccrea9506]

I have a very similar setup and am 230lbs and find the float X2 struggles to manage my weight, I need like 300 plus PSI to get correct sag with my weight. I assume you just need to get the correct spring rate for an 11-6?

[@RideEatWander]

Push will make their best recommendations and tune the valving accordingly with the correct spring weight. I do find that the bike rides higher most of the time and I actually believe i have more mid-stroke support. I do hit the end more than I did but they are soft bumps.

[@scottmccrea9506]

@@RideEatWander Thanks,

[@bike_somm]

Really want to know how this set-up can compare to a top tear build Trance 29! I have a long travel Reign 27.5 & want a XC / all mountain capable bike for 80-90% of my trail riding!? Any thoughts or suggestions

[@RideEatWander]

Jay, If you plan on keeping the Reign as your "big" bike, the Trance 29 would be an excellent compliment to your stable. My build I think would be too indifferent from your reign in terms of intended use. Even a stock Hightower LT would still blur the line too much. I rode and reviewed the Trance 29 not too long ago and that is one heck of a bike. The Geometry of that bike gives you the capability to charge confidently even with the smaller amount of travel that it has. In my honest opinion I would go that route instead. Now if you plan on replacing the Reign, my current build would be something to emulate.

[@bike_somm]

Thank you so much for your attention to detail & honesty! Really liking your channel & some of the things you have to give to the MTB community/world! I may Just need to hold onto the Reign seeing how amazing of a descendant it has been & sell the Roady for a more appropriate XC/Trail bike that’s best for most rides! Thanks again making everything seem very clear!

[@RideEatWander]

No problem Jay. I appreciate the kind words and hope to load more content more consistently. The Reign is a great bike. Maybe hold out for a Reign 29 because it has to be coming.

[@thecount1001]

hey mate. thoughts on how this bike contrasts with the Sentinel you have/had would be appreciated. thanks.

[@RideEatWander]

They are very close as long as you go apples to apples and go carbon on the Sentinel. The Sentinel has the potential to be a more comfortable bike because of the steeper seat tube but you just have to make sure you don't fall into a size that is overkill on the reach numbers for you. I don't know if it advisable or even if Transition will honor a warranty if you put a 170mm fork on the bike but honestly with the geometry the Sentinel has it would not "need" it. What I like about my bike over the Sentinel would be better climbing/pedaling performance, extra bit of travel for more comfortable flat/square landings, What I like about the Sentinel over my bike, better geometry, better fit for a water bottle cage, better rear suspension feel through the feet, All other things I would consider equal or near equal. If you have any more specific questions please let me know.

[@adriantrip3385]

Hey great review!! I am currently looking to replace my enduro 29 with something a bit more playful and poppy. From what I have read and seen the hightower lt is more geared towards that than monster truck. Also what are your thoughts about the different offset in the fork, has it made a positive difference?

[@RideEatWander]

Thanks Adrian The LT can definitely get playful and I would say is less plush than an enduro. The FSR and VPP just react and feel differently as you could probably guess. Regarding the less offset, I would say it made a positive difference for my riding style. I am not about to say that it is the future and that everyone should have it but if one was looking for a different feel I would say its a great thing to do. 44mm Offset on any bike coming from 51mm offset will make the bike feel more stable and planted. It could help provide more front end feel if the rider struggles with that as well. It is easier to hold line when cornering as well. Steering will feel slower though and with more weight which could lead to slower reactions even when climbing. 51mm would be great for those that require sharper bike handling. Climbing will be more precise and easier to steer into lines that you choose. You lose some DH stability but not much. Steering will feel faster and lighter and it will also feel like the front tire is further in front of you vs under you.

[@John_D2]

What's the rise on the bars ? thanks

[@RideEatWander]

30mm on both the Alloy and Carbon that are shown

[@mtbboy1993]

maybe you should try motofoam or similar, to avoid mud clogging the linkages.

[@RideEatWander]

Ya I have been looking at different options for that. Brainstorming a molded option to make it look clean

[@mtbboy1993]

what were the quality control issues with the DVO fork? not as tempting anymore. seems like I will be deciding between Fox grip 2 and MRP ribbon.

[@RideEatWander]

It was starting to develop some vertical lines on the stancion. Some hairline but some that could be felt with a fingernail. They tried to tell me it was from metal shavings from install my EDC tool but that is impossible because I always Tap the EDC tool with the fork upside down. Their seals also are not the best and there does not seem to be aftermarket options from SKS or others. It was and is still a great fork and very possible I was an isolated incident but it was just my experience that I had.

[@mtbboy1993]

@@RideEatWander did you try to tell them that? I got similar thing with Race Face Turbine dropper post, exactly same spot on both droppers.but I got refund:-) I am not sure how it happen, but bad seals might be the reason, but same scratch at the same spot the same way, means it same problem on both.I had good luck with Fox seals. But I managed to damage CTD damper, so now I got Grip damper, it's apparently more reliable, so Grip 2 might be too. but I got two Rock Shox fork that came with very sloppy seals, one blew off. on the other fork one was off from shipping, and it was covered with oil and grease all over the fork. but Rock Shox fixed it,with seals that work. but never had problems with a fork. I hope DVO resolve this, they should do Dyno test of every fork they make. Imo they should have fixed the fork fork you for free. I struggled with Trek warranty, I am probably going to try agian one last time, but in my local shop, I contacted Trek via twitter it seems like they think I need new swingarms. the shop I sendt it to did not do anything, just claim Rep checked it and measured it, might be BS. but flawed design, and too flexy bike. so need new bike anyway, longer reach too. As long as SKS & DVO sizing match it should fit, I assume DVO don't use some weird sizing no one else uses. But I am no expert on seals.

[@RideEatWander]

I didn't fight it too hard. Honestly I was ready to move on at that point because I wanted to try less offset and they were slow to roll out their new forks with less offset. I am at a pretty good place now. The 36 is lighter, I think has more usable HSC and LSC controls than the Diamond had and is just as good at small bump sensitivity. Also Fox and Rockshox have more aftermarket support which is always nice.

[@mtbboy1993]

@@RideEatWander yea MRP is not so common in Norway. but the two big brands still are common. but MRP does Dyno test on all the forks & shocks before they go in the box. sadly a lot of the bicycler industry is not up to proper standards of testing, and quality control. But a experienced service person could probably service these forks with ease, if they got the parts, but fox & Rock Shox are easier to get. Carbon frames are a common example of this, but maybe Santa Cruz is different, but many brands are not, badly said carbon, inaccuracy, voids/air bubbles.

[@mtbboy1993]

@@RideEatWander small bump sensitivity is important for me, I got back & neck issues, I want to eliminate as much of back & neck problems as I possibly can, so if I can get a more supple but yet supportive fork I am all for it. but so far my set up will do, Installing Cush core and dropping 4 psi has been a huge help, next I want to try studded tyres with tubeless setup, might try Schwalbe ice spiker, cus the current set up with SUomi 294 is harsh and heavy. to keep weight down might be nice to keep usign air, but coil sure has it's benefits. I want to keep my bike in 13K range or lower, current set up is 16kg with studded tyres, and hte heavier mechanical from E134 dropper has added weight from previous setup. Not sure how to keep it low without going carbon crazy, I want to avoid carbon, I am too afraid of damaging frames, and I also don't know how well it will react to subzero conditions, the expanding & shrinking rate, like with metal BB shell in carbon frame, and so on, but I know many are carbon only with press fit BB. I am no expert on this subject, but I research and worry about things most people don't worry about, I dig really deep, I eliminated most bikes, most interesting are Nicolai & Pole, but with Nicolai I know how they make their bikes, And I approve of it, they use great techniques which does a accurate job, which many brands don't, and some keep it a secret how they make their bikes, but some display flawed carbon bikes on displays at festivals and so on. but alloy is like from Nicolai I think is a safer bet for me. But I am not sure which model I want yet, I want a biek that can handle everything I throw at it, but still be light enough.

[@pianoman84d]

Why a tube if you’re running cushcore?

[@RideEatWander]

There is still a chance to flat even with Cushcore. Cushcore states that you can still run a tube with cushcore if needed. You just need to make sure you have a valve that is long enough and push it through the foam.

[@pianoman84d]

@@RideEatWander Fair enough, guess I can't see getting a tube in there and then getting the bead reset trail side. The one time I got a flat with cushcore that a plug couldn't fix, I just rode it out on the cushcore, which actually worked just fine. Thanks for the reply!

[@RideEatWander]

I know it would be a pain but I'm kind of a creature of habit. I know I should probably ditch it.

[@pianoman84d]

@@RideEatWander You do you, man, was just curious what your thinking was.

[@mdmattmann]

Do you find that RWC shock eyelet bearing kit give you a noticeable difference in small bump sensitivity?

[@RideEatWander]

I honestly do. After owning a bike that had bearing pivots and then going to a bike that didn't, I had to add them. I think they can make a basic shock good and a good shock great. When you have Zero stiction, you reduce a variable in the tuning and therefor all the Tuning can be placed at the shock level without having to account for a bushing that sticks.

[@mdmattmann]

@@RideEatWander Pretty much what I was hoping to hear! Will I have to get their tool to install them?

[@RideEatWander]

It definitely makes the job easier especially if you currently have a DU bushing to press out. If you have a Fox Igus bushing you can typically remove those without special tools. On my Push shock I was able to press the new bushing in with some grease and used a motorcycle Chain breaker to press it in.

[@mdmattmann]

@@RideEatWander Thanks for your help Andrew.

[@RideEatWander]

Any time!

[@chriswest579]

What size chainring?

[@RideEatWander]

I alternate between 30t and 32t.

[@patb6281]

Are you on a medium frame?

[@RideEatWander]

XL. Could be on a large easily though.