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Santa Cruz Hightower Aluminum R

Santa Cruz Hightower Aluminum R
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Details

Our greatest hits compiled into one bike—just hit play.

If ever a bike resembled your most cherished mix tape compilation, the Hightower is it. Featuring our lower-link mounted shock design, updated, adjustable geometry, this “Engineering Best Of...” assembles some of our biggest design pleasers into one belter of a road-trip companion.

The Hightower has been a does-it-all-well trail bike since its inception. More maneuverable than its longer-travel sibling, the Megatower, and more at home in the steep-and-chunky than its snappy cousin Tallboy, Hightower excels when the route covers ‘all points in between,’ and descents come courtesy of some big-ass climbs. The VPP suspension’s lower-link-mounted shock creates a nearly linear leverage curve, meaning it mops up bumps of all sizes and maintains the kind of progressivity normally reserved for our V10 DH bike!

140mm of rear travel complemented by a 150mm front end gives Hightower just a bit more front and rear travel over the first generation model. Combined with a slacker 65-degree head tube angle, the Hightower still sits squarely in the Goldilocks zone, but with a touch more “Get me out of here!” capability when the porridge gets too hot!

Balancing stiffness and weight savings in all the right places is a hallmark of all Santa Cruz carbon frames and the Hightower flies the flag yet higher. The advanced composite chassis tracks well across all trail surfaces, holds a line, and is reactive to rider directions while isolating pedal-influenced inputs.

The Hightower also has a bonus disc to heighten the experience—the flip chip. In the High setting, the BB height is a little higher for those tricky tech trails and/or when Plus sized tires are required. In the Low position the shock rate is more progressive, to provide additional bottom-out resistance. Whatever mood you’re in, the tone of the Hightower can be adapted to meet your individual taste.

And speaking of taste, there’s a room for a water bottle inside the main frame and a threaded BB for convenience. There’s refined cable routing for better shifting performance, simpler installation, and no cable rub. On top of that, there’s a tailgate shuttle guard, downtube protector, shock fender, and noise-canceling chainstay protector keeping things quiet.

The lifetime frame warranty, lifetime pivot bearing replacement policy, and lifetime guarantee on the optional Reserve carbon wheels assures you that the Hightower will keep delivering the hits for years to come.

The Aluminum R build is ready to ride with SRAM's 12-speed NX drivetrain, Guide R hydraulic disc brakes, and wide tubeless-ready WTB ST i29 TCS rims wrapped in Maxxis Minion DHR2 tires. The RockShox Yari RC fork and Fox Float Performance DPS shock supply stiffness and sensitivity where you want it, and a Race Face Ride stem paired to an Aeffect R 780mm bar with 35mm clamp ensures superior handling all the way around.

A dropper seatpost allows you to quickly lower and raise your seat to give you an ideal riding position. Dropping your seat creates a lower center of gravity for better control and maneuverability on steep descents, while raising it puts you at normal riding height for efficient pedaling.

Construction can include either hydraulic- or cable-actuated systems and the post’s travel can either be infinitely adjustable or stopped at set intervals, depending on the model.

Dropper seatposts come in standard lengths and diameters and vary by the amount of travel.

Specs

Frame Hightower Aluminum
Fork RockShox Yari RC 150mm 29"
Headset Cane Creek 10 IS Integrated Headset
Rear Shock FOX Float Performance DPS
Axles Front: 110 x 15mm
Rear: 148 x 12mm
Rims/Wheels WTB ST i29 TCS 2.0 29"
Hubs Front: SRAM MTH 716, Torque Cap, 32h
Rear: SRAM MTH 746, 32h
Spokes DT Competition
Tires Maxxis Minion DHR2 29x2.40 3C EXO TR
Crankset SRAM NX Eagle 148 DUB - 170mm (S-L), 175mm (XL-XXL)
Chainrings 30T
Bottom Bracket SRAM DUB 68/73mm Threaded BB
Chain SRAM NX Eagle
Rear Derailleur SRAM NX Eagle
Cassette/Rear Cogs SRAM PG1230 11-50T
Shifters SRAM NX Eagle
Handlebars Race Face Aeffect R 35x780mm
Tape/Grips Santa Cruz Palmdale Grips
Stem Race Face Ride 50mm
Brakes SRAM Guide R, Avid Centerline rotors 180mm
Saddle WTB Silverado Race Saddle
Seat Post Race Face Aeffect 150mm
Accessories & Extras Stans Sealant 2oz

* Subject to change without notice.

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