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There is hardly any other manufacturer that divides its model range as finely as the cult brand from California. There are a total of seven models in the full-suspension range between 100 and 170 millimetres of travel alone. There are also hardtails, gravel bikes, downhillers and e-MTBs. Santa Cruz has the right bike in its programme for every niche, no matter how small. Good if you know what you want, and a nightmare for anyone who is undecided and already overwhelmed by the colour options. With the exception of the Blur race bike, all fullys up to the Nomad enduro bike have the same visual signature. All models rely on the tried and tested VPP rear triangle, have a bulbous down tube and a low horizontal shock, which ensures a high recognition value.
Sumptuous equipment variants
Our Tallboy test bike is the shortest VPP fully in the line-up and offers 130 millimetres of travel at the front and 120 millimetres at the rear. With only five millimetres less at the rear, the Blur TR borders on the Tallboy from below and the 5010 with 130 millimetres from above - but here with a 27.5 mm wheel.
With a price of 9999 euros, the Tallboy X0 AXS leaves nothing to be desired in terms of equipment. There is only a version with a Sram XX SL transmission drive, which is another 2000 euros more expensive and weighs 250 grams less. Santa Cruz's own Reserve carbon wheels are also fitted to our test bike, as well as top suspension from Fox. The only drawback is the weak Sram-level brakes with little bite.
Unlimited trail enjoyment with the Santa Cruz Tallboy?
On the trail, the Santa Cruz Tallboy scores with its feel-good geometry. The slightly sporty riding position matches its propulsion-orientated character. The good saddle rake provides sufficient pressure on the handlebars on flat terrain. On really steep climbs, however, the front becomes light and the front wheel rises. The reason: at 75.2 degrees, the seat angle is relatively slack. The Tallboy doesn't just hang on to the throttle because of the fast Maxxis Forkaster tyres and knows how to parry any increase in speed. Even when pedalling out of the saddle, the VPP rear triangle shows its efficient side and remains surprisingly stable even without the shock platform. Annoying bobbing? Not a thing! Nevertheless, you don't have to do without sensitivity and traction - even under chain tension - on the Tallboy.
Because the chassis offers plenty of support and pop, the Tallboy invites you to play and reacts directly to the rider's impulses. Bunny-hopping over a tree trunk, jumping over root patches or a small manual - the Tallboy does all of this almost effortlessly. However, as soon as the terrain becomes rougher and therefore more demanding, the bike quickly reaches its limits. The rear suspension works well, but with its 120 millimetres it doesn't shine with its ability to swallow and passes larger chunks directly to the rider. This is where the Tallboy would prefer to refer to its bigger brothers. Which brings us to the question of where it should be used. At 12.8 kilos without pedals, the high-priced trail bike is light, but by no means as ascetic as some of its down-country competitors. The tyres reach their limit too early for unrestricted trail enjoyment. Both the grip and the comfort of the suspension could be better. The range of use is therefore correspondingly narrow, but a suitable alternative is not far away in the Santa Cruz range.
Santa Cruz Tallboy X0 AXS RSV: The equipment
- Fork: Fox 34 Factory
- Damper: Fox Float Factory
- Spring travel: 130/120 mm
- Circuit: Sram X0 AXS Trans.
- Translation / Bandwidth: 32; 1052 / 520 %
- Brakes: Sram Level SLV 180/180 mm
- Telesupport: / Hub One V2 / 150 mm
- Impellers: Reserve 30 SL
- Wheel size: 29"
- Tyres: Maxxis Forekaster Maxxterra Exo 29 x 2.4
- Price: 9999 Euro
Measured values
- Total weight: 12.82 kg
- Weight of wheels: 4434 g
- Acceleration impellers: 3459 kg x cm²
Rating: The BIKE judgement is made up of the subjective impressions of the test riders and our laboratory measurements. The judgement is independent of price. Range of grades: very good (0.5-1.5), good (1.6-2.5), satisfactory (2.6-3.5), sufficient (3.6-4.5), poor (4.6-5.5).
BIKE rating
LABOUR (10 %): 2.5
- Weight without pedals 2.5
- Inertia impellers 2.5
EQUIPMENT (25 %) 2.1
- Equipment quality 1.08
- Usability/added value 3.25
- Transport vol. bottle 2,00
- Saddle retractability 1.50
- Quality/processing 2.75
Driving behaviour
+ Playful handling
+ Efficient chassis
- little swallowing capacity
- Tyres reach the limit early
Service friendliness
Conclusion
Experienced riders can really let it rip with the playful Tallboy, even if the range of use is narrow. For touring bikers, however, the bike lacks the traction qualities and racers are bothered by the excessive weight. - Max Fuchs, BIKE editor
