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Santa Cruz Bicycles
Hightower Carbon C Mountain Bike Frame - 2018

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Hightower Carbon C Mountain Bike Frame

The Hightower Carbon C Mountain Bike Frame might be the most versatile rig in Santa Cruz's lineup, excelling on a wide variety of terrain without ever feeling like you're lugging around too much bike. It can be set up as an unstoppable 29er speed demon, or as rock-crawling 27.5+ trail machine via a flip chip in the linkage. And with 5.3-inches of plush yet efficient rear travel, the Hightower confidently handles rugged descents and then happily pedals back to the top for more. When the trails are not so intense, the Hightower feels just as fun winding through flowy singletrack due to its balanced geometry and playful trail manners. With the geometry and travel numbers hitting right in the sweet spot for an aggressive trail bike, the Hightower does have one side effect: ear-to-ear grins while pedaling back to the car after riding almost any trail. Though that's less of a side effect and more a symptom of a successful all-rounder.


Regardless of what wheel size you run, the Hightower solidifies its status as an aggressive trail bike with its slack but not too slack 67-degree head angle. This provides the stability needed for high speed descents without causing the front end to wander about on the climbs. The head tube angle is practically the same between both wheel sizes, so long as you choose a 140mm fork on the 29er and a 150mm fork in 27.5+ form (though you can run it as a 29er with a 150mm fork to slacken things out by roughly half a degree). Both setups retain a roomy cockpit and a reasonably long wheelbase for a comfortable and confident riding position, also lending stability when you open it up at high speeds. To help offset the longer geometry, Santa Cruz designed the Hightower with relatively short chainstays of 17.1in for quick turning capabilities, as well as nimble handling both on the ground and in the air. It also sits pretty low, with its 13.2in bottom bracket keeping you glued to the trail when you're rallying across rock gardens and bombing downhill at high velocities.


As is always the case with Santa Cruz, the Hightower uses their renowned Virtual Pivot Point rear suspension design. Santa Cruz has two different VPP iterations: the gravity-inspired lower-link design featured on the Nomad and V10, and the all-mountain upper-link design found on the Hightower and most of their other trail bikes. The upper-link mounted VPP design is known for efficient pedaling and smooth yet supportive travel. The counter-rotating links allow a high degree of anti-squat to minimize suspension bob and provide a firm pedaling platform. This helps the bike pedal well when you're sitting and spinning but also when you're out of the saddle mashing up a climb. When the trail transitions from a climb to a descent, you'll enjoy a plush initial stroke for maximum bump absorption, a supportive middle stroke for popping off lips and rollers, and a more progressive end stroke to take the harshness out of drops and bigger hits.


Santa Cruz sets the bar on carbon frame construction, and the top-notch fit and finish is present on this frame. The Hightower Carbon C is fully constructed from carbon fiber and boasts the same ride quality and durability of Santa Cruz's top-of-the-line Carbon CC frame. It packs more value since it's a less costly material, carrying about 250g more mass but bringing down the price of admission substantially. Construction methods are identical for the C and the CC classes, and each triangle is built as a whole unit, allowing the engineers to wrap carbon through high-stress junctions to avoid weak points or areas of the frame with less structural integrity. The carbon is compacted from the inside as well, eliminating resin-pooling or migration issues for a stronger frame while saving weight over quicker and less precise construction methods.


Details

  • Aggressive trail bike for big days on challenging terrain
  • 5.3in VPP travel soaks up rough trails yet pedals efficiently
  • Balanced geometry for lung-busting climbs and scorching descents
  • Carbon C frame offers CC ride quality with a minor weight penalty
  • Choose 29in wheels for speed or 27.5+ for rock-crawling traction
  • Clearance for 27.5 x 3.0in or 29 x 2.4in tires
  • Boost axle spacing stiffens the rear wheel for precise tracking
  • Santa Cruz Bicycles are known for rugged reliability, backed by lifetime warranty on frame
  • Item #SNZ00KT
Frame Material
Carbon C
Suspension
VPP
Wheel Size
29in, 27.5+
Rear Shock
Fox Float DPS EVOL Performance, Fox Float DPS EVOL Performance Elite
Rear Travel
135mm
Head Tube Diameter
1 1/8 - 1 1/2in tapered (IS41/IS52)
Bottom Bracket Type
BSA threaded 73mm (English)
ISCG Tabs
ISCG-05
Brake Type
IS-mount
Seatpost Diameter
31.6mm
Seat Collar
36.4mm
Rear Axle
12 x 148mm Boost (DT Swiss RWS thru-axle)
Recommended Use
enduro, trail
Manufacturer Warranty
lifetime

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