Californian bike manufacturer Santa Cruz continues to push ahead with new MTB models. At the beginning of the year, the US company launched a new Heckler E-MTB followed in May with the Race Enduro Megatowerbefore Santa Cruz also launches new versions of its mountain bike models in the summer. Nomad and 5010 with MX impeller mix announced for 2023. Now comes the next coup: the Tallboy trail bike with 130/120 mm travel is also getting a new carbon frame. The fifth generation of the Santa Cruz Tallboy, which the manufacturer describes as an "XC bike for downhillers", will be available from the end of the year. We present the new trail bike in detail, which sits between the TR version of the Blur (120/115 mm) and the 5010 trail bike (140/130 mm) in the Santa Cruz line-up.
Santa Cruz Tallboy: Optimised VPP rear triangle and geo update
As with its other MTB innovations, Santa Cruz has reworked details on the new Tallboy rather than developing the trail bike from scratch. Visually, you can see the differences between the "old" tallboy and the fifth generation are most likely to be found in the storage compartment under the bottle cage mount in the down tube. Santa Cruz calls this storage compartment on the bike a "glovebox". The storage compartment - which can also be found on bikes from Specialized, Trek and other Santa Cruz MTBs - guarantees that a multitool and a spare tube are always with you on tour. This means you don't need a rucksack for a short trail ride after work. The bag supplied keeps the "glove compartment" organised and prevents rattling.
Santa Cruz has also adapted the characteristics of the familiar VPP rear suspension with low-mounted shock for the Tallboy. A lower anti-squat value should ensure better response behaviour on rough surfaces. At the same time, the characteristic curve should be sufficiently progressive so that the suspension, with its 120 millimetres of travel, does not immediately come to its knees even on harder landings.
What's new in the geometry? The Tallboy is longer and has a steering angle of 65.5 degrees. In addition to a customised carbon layup for each frame size, Santa Cruz now also relies on a size-specific chainstay length for the Tallboy. As a result, the rear triangle increases with the frame size - from 431 for size XS to 444 for the XXL frame. Santa Cruz also allows the seat angle to "grow" with the frame size. In the LO setting of the flip chip, it increases from 75.7 degrees for XS to 76.8 degrees for the large XXL frame.
The facts about the Santa Cruz Tallboy for 2023
- Two different carbon qualities: C and CC frame
- Suspension travel: 130/120 mm
- Frame size: XS to XXL (six sizes)
- Wheel size: 29 inch
- Storage compartment in the down tube
- Six Tallboy models and individually available as a frame set (3799 euros)
- Price: 5399 Euro to 10999 Euro
Models and prices
Four models of the new Santa Cruz bike are available with the simpler C-carbon frame. The entry-level model is the Tallboy C R 29 for 5399 euros. It comes with a Sram NX Eagle 1x12 drivetrain, Rockshox Pike Base fork and Sram Guide T stoppers. For a bike with electronic shifting, the Tallboy C GX AXS 29 will set you back € 7899. And only from 9099 euros do you get the exclusive Reserve 30|SL carbon wheels as standard equipment, on which Santa Cruz offers a lifetime guarantee.
