This new 4th-generation evolution of the Santa Cruz Hightower is extra succesful than ever, shifting the 29er all-mountain bike slightly additional in the direction of enduro, and blurring traces between disciplines a bit additional. Similar to the current Bronson overhaul, the brand new 4th-generation Santa Cruz Hightower will get a totally reshaped VPP for a burlier journey, plus an extended journey enhance, too!
Certain, it’d now be tougher than ever to select between the Bronson and this new Hightower. However 29er followers might be fairly psyched to get a extra succesful all-mountain bike!
2024 Santa Cruz Hightower carbon 29er all-mountain bike updates
Should you liked the updates to the most recent playful do-it-all-mountain Bronson gen 5, however nonetheless really feel like you actually need massive 29″ wheels for a quicker enduro-tastic journey, this gen4 Santa Cruz Hightower goes to be proper up your alley. Now, the Hightower will get the identical 150mm rear wheel & 160mm fork journey because the Bronson. And it’s actually simply the wheel sizes that set the 2 bikes aside.
Slacker geometry than earlier than and a lower-slung and extra environment friendly VPP suspension design, that is the one bike to rule all of them for wagon wheel fanatics. Consider it as a shorter-travel, extra real looking Megatower… the answer for mountain bikers in search of the “legendary do-it-all bike”.
What’s new?
The actual massive shift right here is from the 145/150mm journey of the gen3 29er Hightower to 150mm out again & 160mm up entrance for the Santa Cruz Hightower gen4, nonetheless with 29″ wheels. 5mm extra on the rear wheel, 10mm extra on the entrance wheel. Extra journey merely means extra functionality on the steepest and most technical trails. It is a fast-rolling bike meant to fly over all kinds of terrain. And extra journey means extra fun- whether or not on all-day journey rides or journeys to the bikepark.
Then, precisely like on the Bronson, Santa Cruz reconfigured the Hightower’s long-running VPP (digital pivot level) suspension format. By transferring the important thing decrease hyperlink ahead and the primary pivot barely down, Santa Cruz say they’ve lowered the bike’s anti-squat. The result’s a extra supple bike that may take in the large bumps even if you end up standing on the pedals and filter out path chatter even if you end up pedaling. There’s additionally a aspect profit that the brand new bike is authorized for coil shocks too, with extra room to suit every little thing low within the body.
Santa Cruz name it all-around higher VPP efficiency for a greater all-rounder bike…”Lowered pedal kickback on square-edge hits. Stays lively whereas pedaling up and throughout tough, technical terrain. Much less anti-squat advantages descending sensitivity as a result of decreased pedal kickback related to standing on the pedals.“
New 29er All-mountain geometry
With longer journey, the brand new Hightower additionally will get slacker geometry at round a 64° headtube angle – relying on flip-chip place. The change is comparatively small – simply 0.6° slacker than the earlier era – however it pairs to virtually 2° steeper seattubes and barely longer (+5mm) body Attain to shift weight ahead for extra management going up and down.
The brand new bike additionally will get barely longer chainstays – once more sticking with size-specific rear heart dimensions to supply a constant balanced journey really feel to mountain bikers of all sizes.
Tech particulars
- 5 sizes (S-XXL) with proportional geometry
- Glovebox safe inner body storage within the downtube beneath the bottle cage mount
- enclosed fully-guided inner cable routing from the perimeters of the headtube
- C carbon frames are suitable with mechanical shifting
- now CC carbon frames solely embrace inner routing for a rear brake & dropper submit – wi-fi digital shift-only
- 2.5″ max tire clearance, entrance & rear
- Enhance 148mm spacing
- Put up Mount brakes with 200mm entrance /180mm rear rotors
- ISCG05 chain information mounts
- BSA Threaded backside bracket
- Santa Cruz UDH
- IS 1.5″ tapered headset
- Lifetime body guarantee
- Straightforward-to-source, easy-to-service bearings
2024 Santa Cruz Hightower – Choices & availability
The brand new Hightower now is available in two colours – Previous Development inexperienced and Matte Deep purple – and in 6 full bike construct choices. Or as a $3900 frameset.
Three builds – a $4800 R, $6000 S & the $7000 / 7400€ GX AXS get the extra inexpensive C carbon body.
Whereas the highest three $8000 X0 AXS, $9000 X0 AXS RSV, and XXAXS RSV specs get the top-tier CC carbon body.
As for spec updates, these prime 4 new SRAM AXS bikes all get Maven brakes, all however the entry construct get Fox 36 forks and Float X piggyback rear shocks. And all bikes get traditional all-mountain-ready Maxxis DHF EXO + DHR II EXO+ triple compound tire combos.
