Bikes

The Tallboy cuts a whole new swath across the trail bike landscape. The Santa Cruz Tallboy muddles the line between XC and trail with 110mm of rear wheel travel paired with a 120mm Fox Rhythm 34 fork. Fast-rolling WTB ST i29 29er rims are wrapped in front- and rear-specific Maxxis tires selected to maximize speed and control. The Tallboy climbs almost as well as a straight-up cross-country bike, due in part to the 12 wide-ranging gears from SRAM’s NX Eagle drivetrain. But it shows its true colors when the trail turns downward, where SRAM Level T hydraulic brakes put precise control and reliable power at your fingertips and the brilliantly simple yet effective suspension design keeps you glued to your line without weighing you down. The Tallboy’s short-travel chassis gives it scalpel-like handling while maintaining tremendous trail capability. At first glance, 110mm of travel might seem like it’ll get overwhelmed on technical trails, but 110mm of travel designed and tuned by the experts at Santa Cruz will usher you through some pretty fast, hairy terrain long before waving the white flag, delivering the descending goods for a fraction of the climbing costs.

Since the day it was born the Bronson has had the biggest personality in Santa Cruz's range of bikes. From flat out on the trail to fully flat over a table, each new generation redefines expectations of what a 150mm bike can do. The new lower-link mounted shock configuration opens up greater possibilities for maximum bump performance, a supportive mid-stroke, and a barely detectable bottom out. With 150mm of VPP travel on 27.5-inch wheels, the Bronson continually rides the sharp edge between agility and stability. Ideal for negotiating tech-gnar one moment and fast flowing terrain the next, the 160mm fork travel and 65-degree head angle ensure handling remains refined. Meanwhile, the redesigned, one-piece swingarm keeps the rear wheel tracking on point however twisted you get. There’s plenty of room to run up to 2.8-inch tires on plus rims. Santa Cruz offers build kit options for “regular” 27.5 and Plus using 2.6 tires. It feels like sorta-big is the sweet spot between the Velcro-like traction of plus tires and the traditional feel of a supportive casing on standard-width tires. The Bronson Carbon C R serves as entry into Santa Cruz's famed carbon technology, featuring SRAM's NX Eagle 1x12 drivetrain, SRAM Guide T hydraulic disc brakes paired to 200mm front and 180mm rear rotors, and a Race Face bar and stem combo. A tubeless-ready WTB wheelset wrapped in Maxxis Minion tires ensure confident traction, and the RockShox Yari fork and Super Deluxe shock complement the VPP suspension design, giving you off-the-top response with the capability for big airs when you're ready.

As the sport of enduro mountain biking grows, so does the need for a bike that can handle evolving course designs. Nomad takes this idea to the limit, resulting in a surprisingly rideable bike that's built to rip on gravity-oriented tracks. 170mm of Santa Cruz VPP suspension provides a linear shock rate that mimics the feel of longer-travel DH bikes, and the RockShox Super Deluxe Air R rear shock delivers ample control, from big-air jump lines to technical, rocky descents. 27.5-inch e*thirteen TRS rims wrapped in Maxxis Minion rubber are built around Boost hub spacing for increased torsional strength, and the RockShox Lyrik RC fork smooths brake-bumped berms and sketchy landings to keep you focused on the line ahead. Smart details show that Santa Cruz knows a thing or two about gravity-fueled mountain biking, like a bolt-on shuttle guard and downtube protector, double-sealed collet axle pivots, a recessed lower link, and an integrated shock fender to keep your suspension clean. The Nomad Aluminum S build is finished with a SRAM GX Eagle 1x12 drivetrain, four-piston Code R hydraulic disc brakes paired with 180mm rotors, and a Reverb Stealth dropper post to ensure maximum confidence on absolutely everything you ride.

Today's XC courses are more technical than ever and the Santa Cruz Blur is built to excel from start to finish. The Blur combines 100mm of predictable and responsive VPP rear travel with a 100mm fork and 69-degree headtube angle to give you punchy acceleration and confidence to make your move when others balk at sketchy terrain. The 11-speed drivetrain features e13's huge 9-46t cassette and Shimano XT cranks for impressive gearing in a lightweight package, and Shimano XT brakes paired with 160mm rotors put responsive braking power in your fingertips. Ground control comes from a sensitive Fox 32 Performance Step-cast fork with remote lockout and Float Performance DPS shock, which harmonize with the ultra-efficient suspension design to ensure your effort translates to podium-worthy times no matter what the course brings. Finishing this Blur S/C build is a Race Face/DT Swiss wheelset wrapped in race-ready Maxxis Aspen tires, giving you second-nature control on your all-out push to the finish.

As the name implies, the Santa Cruz Chameleon is a bike that can change to match its environment. Twenty-niner or 27-plus, geared or single-speed, this adaptable hardtail utilizes a suite of swappable dropouts to convert it from aggro trail charger to husky bikepacking mule to anything in between. The Chameleon is capable on a wide range of terrain—aggressive trail riding to jump lines to all-around mountain bike use. Choose your Chameleon wisely. The Chameleon D+ grants you the tremendous traction and float of 27.5 x 2.8-inch Maxxis Rekon tires, wrapped around wide WTB rims with the strength to let you huck it around, as Chameleon riders are apt to do. To help keep all that rubber in contact with terra firma, a 120mm RockShox Revelation fork soaks up the chop and precisely steers where you point it, thanks to rigid Torque Cap fork-hub interface. SRAM’s NX Eagle drivetrain and Level brakes perfectly complement one another, providing a wide 11-speed gear range to get you anywhere on the mountain, with the braking power to make sure you get back in one piece. Race Face and WTB outfit your control points, with lightweight control that opens terrain and encourages adventure.

As the name implies, the Santa Cruz Chameleon is a bike that can change to match its environment. Twenty-niner or 27-plus, geared or single-speed, this adaptable hardtail utilizes a suite of swappable dropouts to convert it from aggro trail charger to husky bikepacking mule to anything in between. The Chameleon is capable on a wide range of terrain—aggressive trail riding to jump lines to all-around mountain bike use. Choose your Chameleon wisely. The Chameleon D grants you the go-anywhere rollover and high speed of 29-inch Maxxis tires, wrapped around WTB rims with the strength to let you get rowdy, as Chameleon riders are apt to do. To help keep your trajectory on track, a 120mm RockShox Revelation fork soaks up the chop and precisely steers where you point it, thanks to rigid Torque Cap fork-hub interface. SRAM’s NX Eagle drivetrain and Level brakes perfectly complement one another, providing a wide 11-speed gear range to get you anywhere on the mountain, with the braking power to make sure you get back in one piece. Race Face and WTB outfit your control points, with lightweight control that opens terrain and encourages adventure.

From charging up punchy climbs and sprinting across flowing singletrack, to rallying over root-infested descents and ripping through turns, the Tallboy 29 Carbon combines all-out speed and rowdy trail-taming agility for nonstop fun everywhere you ride. 110mm of VPP rear suspension lets you mash on the pedals with satisfying response, and thanks to 120mm of Fox suspension up front your point-and-shoot attack is rewarded with predictable, stable handling. Boost hub spacing improves tracking through the rough stuff and, coupled with the geometry-changing Flip Chip, also allows you to run a 27.5+ wheelset for amazing versatility from just one bike. The Tallboy 29 Carbon C R build features SRAM's NX 1x11 transmission, Level T hydraulic disc brakes, and a Race Face Aeffect dropper post to create a trail bike that's ready for your wildest adventures.

Santa Cruz's Hightower LT Carbon C S is made to go fast, give you a bigger margin of error, and take on the biggest mountains in the world. With a whopping 150mm of Santa Cruz' proven VPP suspension design and a slacked-out 66.4-degree head angle, the Hightower LT is designed for maximum speed in the biggest mountains. It’s truly race-bred, its design the result of the demands of racing at the EWS, Crankworx, and Andes Pacifico. Short chainstays and a spacious cockpit ramp-up the fun when railing technical descents while putting you in a powerful position for blazing uphill battles. The increased travel means the reach is slightly (7mm) shorter than the standard Hightower, the head angle a half-degree slacker, and the seat angle a half-degree slacker, as well. The rear triangle retains the dual upright design, but adds a post-mount rear brake. The Hightower LT Carbon C S comes equipped with a 150mm-travel Fox 36 fork, Fox Float Performance shock and 12-speed SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain that offers solid performance in a wallet friendly package.