Santa Cruz Hightower Review - 2020 Bible of Bike Tests

[@elearning9873]

*I'm very happy with my **Latest.Bike** . I have put a lot of miles on it, paved trails, gravel, sand, and it rides great. Thank you for a quality product.*

[@davidgunther1282]

I’m just entering the mountain bike scene, doing research into purchasing my first all mountain bike. The one thing that keeps revealing itself is that ya’ll have your own little language which is SUPER cool. It’s pretty rad that when I check out videos of this bike or that bike that I’m not only learning about the bikes that all shred, right, but also of the bike language and how you guys talk and are SUPER stoked, right, like when someone crushes the gnarliest trails and goes big and gets sendier, right, and hit the biggest drops. Epic! So epic….

[@ArmTheCreative]

I wish bikes gave riders reviews.

[@EmotionRadio]

I love the reviews you guys do but I feel like for 2020, you seem love ALL the bikes in the lineup. Were there any duds?

[@ryanhicks382]

EmotionRadio I second that

[@jctrails]

Definitely a bike to consider if your looking for that do it all bike. (Quiver Killer)

[@Planetone.]

Didn't you buy one?

[@shamrock4840]

JC TRAILS have you ridden the Tallboy ?

[@jctrails]

Sham Rock yup

[@shamrock4840]

JC TRAILS what did you like best ?

[@dadventuretv2538]

Let’s face it, SC struck gold with the new lower link driven VPP. They managed to find a linkage that is equally great going both up and down with no need for a lockout switch. Sure there are some other bikes with similar numbers that go up slightly better or go down slightly better, but there are none that do both equally as wells as the Santa Cruz bikes. And their geometry is spot on and allows you to size up or down for desired reach and length. And if you want one that focuses more on the up or more on the down, just go up or down their lineup in the suspension travel.

[@DnBQemist]

This bike was modeled after the SB150. "There are none that do both equally as wells as the Santa Cruz bikes..." not true at all Yeti far excels and its not even close IMO. I was completely unbiased testing out both Yeti and SC (Hightower vs SB150) and the 150 is light years better

[@ErichVonCartmann]

I don't consider SC lower link bikes that great of a climber bike. Sure the Santa Cruz Generation now is better than the last generation of SC bikes, but they still do NOT climb as well as Ibis' and Yetis'. The lower link SC bikes, do descend with the best of them, but Geometry plays a big part in descending than the VPP link location. My old Nomad V3 was a smasher and plush ride due to the 65 degree HTA. Back then, few "trail bikes" had a 65 HTA. Now all the trail bikes have 64-65 HTA.

[@dadventuretv2538]

DnBQemist ya kinda missed the part where I said sure there might be some that do one or other better. I agree that Yeti and DW link bikes climb better, but it is only slightly. I’ll put it this way- on a Bronson with no lockout switch I’ve never had a problem keeping up on the climbs with guys on any other bike or cleaning the same technical lines. And lower link Santa Cruz’s descend better, as you say- not even close. But that’s my opinion. You can have yours. Even if you are wrong. 😜. Bottom line is it is actually really close. Most of the high end bikes- Santa Cruz, Pivot, Ibis, Yeti, Evil etc- They are all great bikes. The time when there were really good mountain bikes and really crappy ones is gone. Pretty much any high end mountain bike is going to be really really good. IMO, the Bronson (27.5) and the Hightower (29er) are the two best balanced bikes on the market, while every other one has a bias either toward descending or climbing at the expense of the other, however slight those differences are becoming.

[@dadventuretv2538]

Erich von Cartmann see my reply to DnBQenist. And agree, geometry, frame stiffness, linkage, shock tune all play a huge part.

[@ErichVonCartmann]

@@dadventuretv2538 , it is always 95% rider. Comparing how you do with others is NOT a good measuring stick. "A bike will NOT make you faster than others, it will only make you faster than yourself" -- Master Erich von Cartmann. I saw your part about "some bikes doing one part better than the other". To me, Ibis and Yetis descend just as good as SC bikes, but they climb much better. Of course it is 95% rider. I myself have been an SC Fanboi for over 20 years now. I love the SC lower link bikes due to ease of maintenance, and they are a simple design that is reliable and sturdy, and they look kick ass! the looking kick ass part is the most important factor to me when determining where I put my dollars. Hightower V4 and Bronson V3 both make a great ONE BIKE, but to me, the Ripmo or Ripley V4 are the better ONE BIKE quiver.

[@andrewrivera4029]

The 2020 Hightower feels so good on the techie uphill, love the cornering going down hill, the only difference I feel with the prior Hightower is the straight ahead speed of the latter was faster but haven’t taken the new Hightower to the big mtn yet so will see. Happy new year!

[@furion..]

No way, it's a slug by comparison, no *"dance"* in it like the old Hightower LT

[@ryanhicks382]

I really want to know how this HT compares to the ripmo v2 on super techy climbs. My trails are riddled with them.

[@colinbooky1150]

Hey guys. Great vid. I am trying to decide if I should go for the base carbon or the top-spec aluminum S. The price difference is only a couple hundred but over $1000.00 for the carbon S. Do you think it is more important to have better components on the Aluminum or the carbon frame with lesser components? Also for size. I am currently on a 2018 medium trance 2 and I am right in the middle of Large and Medium based on me being 5 foot 9. I ride in Ontario so it is relatively flat. I am not crazy aggressive but like do smaller 4-foot drops at the most. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated

[@sohaibyounus]

Sounds good to me that’s the bike I am looking for that does good everywhere instead of just being good at one aspect. Just picked one up yesterday and can’t wait for the weekend!

[@amirhermelin125]

Truthfully - how does it compare to the Hightower LT? Pros and cons?

[@garybusy6102]

The pros: it climbs better... Cons: it feels very numb and blah. Compared to the HTLt it lost that fun liveliness that the HTLT had. Geometry is improved but honestly, its not much of an upgrade over the HTLT. If I had the HTLT I would keep it, the V.2 hightower is a bit of let down. Or upgrade to a Ripmo, which is so much better.

[@travelthenarrowtrail8660]

I agree, if you have a Hightower LT, it might not be that much of upgrade. You definitely lose that lively poppy party feeling that the Hightower LT had to it. That fun factor is not really there on the new hightower, it does everything super well but its just not that fun of a bike.

[@IamSeafarer]

@@garybusy6102 Definitely agree, it felt Numb. Good way to put it. It was missing the play I wanted.

[@bern8270]

Would love to hear what you think about the Hightower 29 versus the Bronson 27.5

[@chm1701]

Although they both use a similar linkage set up, they couldn’t be more different. The tyre size plays a big part in this. As always, try before you buy.

[@garybusy6102]

@@chm1701 Hightower 29.5?

[@travelthenarrowtrail8660]

Hightower is only 29

[@PsychoMonkeyStudios]

Niiice!! Thanks for the test, I am looking for a new bike and this is really useful. Last year you tested the Bronson, how does the Bronson handle compared to the new Hightower? I ride on the Swiss Alps and I think a bit more travel would be nice, but, having 29 wheels could also be nice. Thank you again Marco

[@MaxMustermannnnnn]

PizzaMTB how fast are you? If you can ride really fast go for the Megatower.

[@PsychoMonkeyStudios]

Max Mustermann I’m not a really fast rider, but the target for next year is focusing on improving speed and skills, also I would like to start racing enduro just to test myself.

[@MaxMustermannnnnn]

PizzaMTB if you could go for a testride with a Megatower. I had a Fuel EX and tested the Megatower. It needs a fast groundspeed. Highspeed for fuel ex is lowspeed for megatower. Its a lot of bike and suit not every one. If you ride it you will notice its build for racing. I bought one, it will come in 2 month 😭

[@PsychoMonkeyStudios]

@@MaxMustermannnnnn Yes I will for sure test ride it, but I think it is a bit too much for what I do. Have fun with your new bike!

[@thomasmiddlebrooks5169]

I have the v1 Hightower and I love it but I would love to ride the new version on my home trails for a wet.

[@geoffkoop]

At 5’9.5” would I fit best with a large? I currently have a large Hightower LT

[@mikecody5473]

I'm 5'9 and just bought one. It fits like a glove

[@bdmtb8092]

I'm 5'7 and I fit best on a size large

[@MrSatchelpack]

Are these guys pro riders. Who are they? Do they just work for the magazine?

[@timzermeno987]

How many times did we hear the word "LIKE" in this video????

[@kamilkostrej]

I mean, like, too much!

[@ioannisparaskevopoulos1120]

I am into buying a new bike, and I am between the Hightower and the Troy 29...tough decision

[@Rasakson]

i am between hightower and rocky mountain slayer

[@henryhild7404]

Toxic Hobbit go Hightower, I have just bought one, it flys downhill, the ultimate bike

[@sxxzetezza]

@@henryhild7404 i wanna buy aluminium hightower, will it be normal?

[@ioannisparaskevopoulos1120]

Great video, we have been waiting for you guys to review the new Hightower.In all your reviews you test the bikes in Large. Is any of you around 5ft 8 or 9 where the bike didn’t feel too big and the Large was comfortable enough?

[@chm1701]

Although taller than in your question, sizing is very subjective. I’m 5’11”, and should be within their size large (5’10” to 6’1”), but I really do find the larger XL fits like a glove. They aren’t exactly the longest bikes around, but the main thing is also your saddle height; can you ride a size large and lower the saddle height enough to fit?

[@ioannisparaskevopoulos1120]

Chris Morris Seems that upsizing has really worked for you. For the record, was the XL for you as manoeuvrable and nimble as the Large? Were you able to perform jumps easily? I ‘ll demo a Large to find out if it works for me too. Thanks!

[@chm1701]

Ioannis Paraskevopoulos. I work in a bike shop, so I don’t own one, but I can demo them. So being in a position to try all the models I wanted to try (Nomad, Hightower, MegaTower and Chameleon) and being able to them in both the L and XL was really beneficial. The larger XL size was definitely not as manoeuvrable, but at the time I tested them, I wasn’t able to change the stem size to see if that would help. For their cost, I’d always try and get a demo. If your LBS doesn’t have the model or size for you to try, ask them to give their SC importer a call, because they should have a fleet ready to send out (if they aren’t being used in a demo day). And continuing that theme on demo’s, also have a look for demo days at your local trails. Chances are you should be able to try a few models and sizes. Good luck! Edit: forgot the mention that jumping wasn’t as bad I was expecting, and the extra length that upsizing gave, made the bike super stable. It’s all down to the compromise you’re willing to live with. I have a suspicion that a Medium would be better suited to you though, especially if you want it to be playful.

[@ioannisparaskevopoulos1120]

Chris Morris Many thanks!!!

[@Musicsson]

I have the 17/18 Tallboy. Absolutely superb on climbing and pretty decent for downhill. Thinking which one to buy next: new Hightower or the new Tallboy. Would love the HT‘s 140mm fork but climbing like a mountain goat is also a dope feeling with the TB. Any of you guys know if mounting a longer travel fork on the TB is okay? Or does it totally mess up the geometry & kinematics?

[@blazerman61]

Don't know why they changed the Tallboy headtube angle!?.. Stupid

[@Musicsson]

@@blazerman61 So one can shred more aggressively.

[@blazerman61]

@@Musicsson ..yeah well they already have bikes that do that!.. I guess you just like change for changes sake!@?

[@Musicsson]

@@blazerman61 Me? Did I say anything like that? However, I do not think that the slacker ht-angle will "ruin" the concept of the TB. Surely still an amazing bike.

[@blazerman61]

@@Musicsson ..some people dont like the steering characteristics of slacker HTs that's all...why change a bike ppl liked as is when you have the Hightower?.. it's just progressivism in the bike industry

[@epicwarrior1018]

This is another one of the testers' favorites. It sounds like a true do it all rig.

[@chadclark2070]

Santa Cruz probably paid them the most. How else do you get that many bikes in one Bible... BTW no bikes from Guerrilla Gravity.

[@epicwarrior1018]

@@chadclark2070 It's a possibility. However, the suspension design is similar to the specialized enduro which all of the bikemag reviewers rave about.

[@ProMachineRider]

Nice work love all these reviews. But it is hard to differentiate bikes in the same class based on your reviews. Yeah there’s a lot of great bikes and all have their niche but in the end reviews are supposed to help with buying decisions.

[@trailblazeratv6306]

So what bike was the best ?

[@arturo_garza_4069]

Tallboy or High tower?

[@Peanutdenver]

You guys should address your female presenter more. My sister and all her buddies ride with us and love hearing a female perspective on ALL these bikes, but pointed out that the dudes in some of these vids ignore the female presenter in some cases. Otherwise solid reviews that I look forward to every year.

[@jesseespinosa9739]

Thunder Chicken then assume the bike is the same for females. The engineers spent a ton of time tuning both to feel equal. Just go ride one.

[@BarrettHooperific]

Jesse Espinosa you can’t assume it’s the same for females. Their experiences can be different, and women might like to hear from female reviewers to get a perspective they can better relate to.

[@feelslikefilm1861]

I picked up the HT2 about 3 months ago and I've gotten a bulk of hours on it in various configurations. The Lyric/Select combo does feel over damped and chattery, however it's great for jump/flow stuff. I threw on a Helm Coil 160mm and Double Barrel IL 55mm stroke (146mm), and the bike completely came alive. Still climbs incredibly well thanks to Cane Creek's climb switch tune, and it just lights the trail on fire on the descents.

[@travelthenarrowtrail8660]

I would love to get a leg on yours to see how much livelier it is. I wondered if it is that shock that is on the bike that holds it back and leaves it feeling sort of blah.

[@jesseespinosa9739]

You fit a coil on the new frame?

[@travelthenarrowtrail8660]

When I reviewed this on my channel, it was one I was waiting to demo for along time. It is an improvement over the Hightower Lt in many ways but I feel it lost its fun factor liveliness that the Hightower Lt had. I can't put my finger on what it could be but maybe its the weight of the frame? Compared to the Ripmo or Revel Rascal, it does not have the fun poppy bmx feeling these bikes have.

[@garybusy6102]

This bike gives you that blah feeling when you ride it. Its not as poppy and fun as the Hightower LT was it feels sort of eh... It does everything well enough but not exceptional. I wanted it to feel lively like the Hightower LT did and I've been on this bike several times and its always the same. I wonder if the weight is what is causing this because this bike is a little too heavy. The Ripmo is not as heavy and is such a lively poppy fun bike for having 145mm of travel.

[@chavoxo50]

Well for that kind of $$$ it better be good AND cook me dinner!

[@zebmarcotte2861]

Expect to hear “like” about 46 times in this one.

[@robinstam1987]

damn no you said it, i can't watch this video anymore...xd

[@toyyib9189]

👍👍

[@epicwarrior1018]

This is a heavy bike for an $8K spec though.

[@travelthenarrowtrail8660]

Correctly stated!!! SC has now chosen to overbuild their carbon frames and each one of the lower linkage frames are much heavier than the competitors bikes. For example, you can build a Ripmo around 28.5 to 29 pounds with a GX set up, which is affordable.

[@jesseespinosa9739]

This Santa Cruz is going to last many more seasons though as a result.

[@cosmicheretic8129]

This is one reason why I scored a used blinged out CC OG HT instead of building up a new frame. I wanted this to be a good all around lightish trail bike.

[@gerry2541]

Jesus. Who needs advertising with reviews like these...

[@nl3712]

Gerry Ryan 👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@Musicsson]

Me. I need info like that. :)

[@gerry2541]

@@Musicsson Info that's eerily similar to the manufacturer advertisements. Be surprised if there weren't some brown lips after this "test".

[@Musicsson]

@@gerry2541 Dude, come on, it is a great bike and a great manufacturer. A bit of ad does not hurt anybody. :)))

[@SpartanStanSteele78]

"Chattery rear suspension" - translation: Not plush, not that active, buy DW link.

[@furion..]

Hate the new HT, climbs like it's a lead sled, not lively or fun - keeping my HT LT

[@jimrutherford2773]

are you talking about the Highball or Chameleon?

[@furion..]

@@jimrutherford2773 "SC HT" (High Tower)

[@furion..]

correct, SC = Santa Cruz HT = High Tower as per the video you're currently watching 🙄

[@inMotionOutdoors]

You guys riding Park City trails wet...that is a no no! ... Ruins the trails with that type of soil

[@jordanlongstreet3057]

Haha GMBN did a video for if you should be running different tires in winter in the uk which is wet and muddy and i was thinking the same thing, no you shouldnt need different tires because you shouldnt be riding in those conditions, not because its unsafe but because youre being an arse and ruining the trails, its called trail etiquette.

[@inMotionOutdoors]

@@jordanlongstreet3057 yes! Some soil just cannot handle it

[@jordanlongstreet3057]

InMotion Outdoors For sure, it could be different for them but where i live there is a high clay content in the soil so when you make ruts it tends to stay that way, they could call it “character building” but i call it unpleasant and a royal pain in the back to maintain.

[@inMotionOutdoors]

Interesting. I live in park city and when people ride wet trails it is like someone violating the community. People get pissed and trail volunteers are taken advantage of

[@jordanlongstreet3057]

InMotion Outdoors ya the same goes here but the problem is its only us trail builders that get pissed and we are less than 5% of the people that ride the trails lol well i guess the riders get pissed too but theyd rather blame it on a lack of maintenance while theyre riding rutted up wet trails than the actual reason theyre rough which is because people ride rutted up wet trails lol

[@nibbenebbs891]

Stop drinking whatever your drinking in every vid you do as a gimick why???? Try to do a episode without it.

[@dano727]

Who is that beautiful young woman?

[@MloVisual]

idk but the dudes are ignoring her lol

[@marcomusto22]

Regalenme la Santa Cruz TR 11, tan solo cuesta 10000 dólares 🤣

[@jimrutherford2773]

What's the chick's name?

[@chadclark2070]

Another Santa Cruz in the test... Yawning...

[@jordanlongstreet3057]

Another person bitching about Santa Cruz being popular... Yawning... Oh sorry did i say that out loud...my bad 😂 Get of your “boutique bikes are over rated” high horse and realize Santa Cruz bikes are fantastic, there fore they are popular, there fore they get reviewed a lot because nobody cares about a bike review that is unpopular and irrelevant. Yes they are expensive but not because you’re “paying for the name” as you internet idiots would like to believe, they just simply do not have the mass production capabilities of the corporate mainstream bikes like Norco, Giant and Trek. Get over it. Rant over.

[@tarikmoore849]

@@jordanlongstreet3057 Santa Cruz is not boutique

[@MartinTeerly]

It's just an overpriced crap

[@notjacob923]

No, Santa Cruz is NOT overpriced. I get that they are pretty expensive, but not overpriced. You pay for some of the best ride quality in the world