The Santa Cruz Tallboy is very probably the original Down Country bike. Hush now. It’s true. We ain’t seen the new one in the flesh, let alone ridden one yet (we’ve asked for one ASAP though!)
And yep, there’s the women’s version too. AKA the Juliana Joplin, see below.
Santa Cruz Tallboy nutshelled
- C & CC frame options
- 120mm rear travel
- 130mm fork
- 29in wheels
- Glovebox downtime storage
- XS-XXL frame sizes
- Prices: £5,299 – £9,499
Choice snippets from the marketing bumf
We mimicked our longer travel geometry to create a bike with a 65.5-degree head-angle, generous front center, and short offset fork.
120mm of lower link-driven VPP suspension is designed to handle tough climbs and yet still take on high-speed descending.
Proportional Geometry: seat tube angle steepens and rear center grows as frame size increases.
The reduced rolling resistance and larger footprint of 29-inch wheels inspires confidence and helps riders cover ground efficiently.
In addressing the leverage curve, we found that reducing progression, both by lowering the starting ratio and increasing the ending ratio, improved sensitivity further in the travel and helped the bike ride higher in its stroke, producing a more responsive, snappy feel.
Glovebox: High quality fit and finish. Comes with a Tool Wallet and Tube Purse
The Tallboy has earned a loyal following amongst those who seek a go-to bike that will hold up to the relentless hammering of “power hour” hot laps or long days in the saddle harvesting the best trails.
The highly-refined VPP suspension on the Tallboy combines pedaling efficiency and all-out bump-chomping prowess. If ever there was a gravity riders’ XC bike, the Tallboy is it.
Don’t expect drastic changes on this [bike] – the Tallboy 4 is well loved, and is commonly referred to as a ‘magic bike’ around here. People are reluctant to sell theirs should the next version stray too far from the one we know and love. There are significant suspension upgrades, but aside from a bit of reach and rear center, geo’s almost unchanged, and in our opinion, that’s a good thing.
The Tallboy is for riders who like to squeeze the life out of every ride. It’s a bike that can be ridden on more technical trails than we normally see 120mm bikes on– and sure, the rider might take a bit more of a beating, but the efficiency you get in trade makes up for it. Like the 5010, it’s a great bike for riding fast on familiar trails.
Juliana Joplin
Same as the Tallboy above but with some different contact point components, only one colourway and only in XS – M sizing.
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