Long Termer Review: Dave’s Santa Cruz Highball
So here’s the getting to know you bit about my new longtermer, a Santa Cruz Highball. Due to holidays, mag trips and deadlines I didn’t get time to write up the plans for this one earlier so here we go. First off it’s fair to say that due to experiences with early 29′ers I didn’t [...]
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Posted on: September 5, 2011
How are you finding comfort over longer distances? Vertical compliance seems to be the industry buzz word of the moment. Might be useful to know your height and weight too.
Thank you
“a tendency to endo on steep local trails”
Some might say that has nothing to do with the bike…
“Some might say that has nothing to do with the bike…”
Well that’s the only bike it happened on ;oP
Binno – 12.5st 5’9″ ish and I’m riding a medium.
Comfort has been fine on 5hour+ rides with the big wheels smoothing away small hits much like a 26″ soft tail would.
Interesting. I’m 5.10 and found the large (24″ TT) to be just a tad short in reach with the fitted 70mm stem. Only a car park try, but the bike did spin up to speed nicely.
In practice, i think the wide 29er style handle bars reduce the reach of the bike – is this the case? As I usually run a 23.5″ TT on a 26″ MTB.
Finally does running smaller front chain rings assist in overcoming the initial sluggish ‘spin up to speed’ factor inherent in the longer wheelbase of the 29er geometry?
binno – ime wider bars generally increase room on a short bike. They allow you to stretch out by moving your hands out rather than forwards like a longer tt / stem would.
the increased wheel base has nothing to do with increasing the accel time, its the bigger rotation inertia of the larger wheels. Again, in my limited experience I didn’t really notice it, not nearly as much of a big deal as people reckon i think. The wheelbase on a tallboy is (significantly) shorter than my mega.
As a general aside, I never thought I’d get on with a 29er…until I rode one (SC Tallboy) and loved it! Much more in the bike than on. Still could do with a slacker head angle or more offset fork to keep the front axle further away on slow steep stuff and make it feel less ‘tucky’ on corners. Can wait till more manufacturers make bikes that realise the potential for 29ers for all mountainy stuff rather than focussing on the xc mile munching (although we’re getting there; sounds like thats what transition have done with their bandit 29er)
What’s the rear tyre clearance like?
Hi Dave, I would be very interested to hear an update on the Highball.