For a Utah desert guy like me, the conditions were a bit challenging, to say the least. The PNW has seen unseasonably wet conditions this spring. I did all of my test riding over a crash course (literally) in Oakridge, Oregon. Oh, it also gets the Glovebox like the new Megatower-praise be! Now let’s get into how this thing rides.

The new Hightower features a cutout on the non-drive side of the shock tunnel, so you can more easily set up your suspension. It’s hard even to see where the sag indicator is, let alone gets your hand in there to move it. In the past, setting sag on Santa Cruz frames has been a little tricky. Some might see it as being too conservative, but not every bike has to push the envelope to be a good bike for a lot of people, myself included.Ī new feature that many folks will love is the sag window cut into the shock tunnel.

I appreciate that Santa Cruz doesn’t always go overboard when it comes to the slacker, longer and lower treatment. All frame sizes see an increased stack height, keeping the front end taller and more confident on the descents. Each frame gets a specific chainstay length that varies from 431 on a size small to 443 on the XXL. The wheelbase on my XL test bike is 1276mm with 440mm chainstays. The wheelbase is what grows the most due to the slacker head tube angle and new size-specific chainstays. The reach stays about the same at 492/495mm in a size XL. The Head tube angle is now 64.5/64.8° paired to a 76.6/76.9° seat tube angle. You’ll not be surprised to hear that the Hightower 3 gets slacker and longer. The updated leverage curve will keep the suspension more consistent with better bottom-out support-more on that in the ride impressions. What does that mean on the trail? The reduced anti-squat will help with suspension sensitivity. It also sees more progressivity in the end stroke. *NERD ALERT* It sees reduced anti-squat in the first 40% of the travel and a little more linear leverage ratio. Since then, Santa Cruz has been on a heater with suspension. Things started to get really good with the Heckler 9 launch last year. Each new bike Santa Cruz designs tends to get a little better and more refined. It makes sense, as Lower-Link VPP started with the V10. The first few Lower-Link VPP bikes tended to be a little heavy on the traction emphasis and a little light on the fun factor for me. The Hightower has 150mm of travel up front and 145mm of rear travel.Let’s start with the suspension. How much travel does a Santa Cruz Hightower have? No, there isn’t a coil spring option available for any of the Hightower models. The Hightower originally launched in 2016 and is now in its third generation, complete with significant improvements to the suspension and geometry. What year did Santa Cruz Hightower come out? Riders simply add sealant and inflate the tires and they’re good to go. Yes, the bike ships tubeless with the appropriate rim tape and valve stems already installed. The bike's name refers to the amount of travel, with Hightower’s suspension falling in between two other popular Santa Cruz models: the shorter-travel Tallboy and the bigger sibling Megatower.

No, the Hightower runs exclusively 29” wheels, ideal for maximum rollover and ultimate traction. The Tallboy is an XC-inspired setup for more snappy riding that doesn't overcook the suspension specs. The Hightower has longer travel and is best suited to harder-hitting climbs and rough descents. The wide tire clearance eats up the rough stuff while the moderate suspension won’t overdo it. Yes, the Hightower is a pure-bred trail bike because of its mid-length travel designed to perform well all over the mountain. No, the Hightower is classified as a trail bike due to having slightly less suspension and steeper geometry than an enduro bike. Is the Santa Cruz Hightower an Enduro bike? The mid-length suspension and Goldilocks-zone geometry give riders the confidence to conquer the gnarliest parts of the mountain. The Hightower is a do-it-all trail bike that excels on the rough stuff. What is the Santa Cruz Hightower good for?

Santa cruz hightower v3