Details of the new Santa Cruz Hightower 4

A quick look over the new Santa Cruz Hightower 4; a bit slacker up front, a bit longer out back but the main rejig is in the VPP rear suspension kinematic.

Santa Cruz Hightower 4 bullet pointed

• CC & C Carbon Frame
• 29in wheels
• SM-XXL frame sizes
• 150mm rear travel
• 160mm fork travel
• Slacker 64° head angle (previously 64.8°)
• Re-configured VPP layout (lower anti-squat)
• Fits piggyback and/or coil shocks approved
• ‘Glovebox” downtube storage
• Chainstays are a bit longer (and change with frame size)
• SRP from £4,899 to £9,999

Santa Cruz Bicycles press release:

THE HIGHTOWER.

MORE TRAVEL, MORE BRAWN, HIGHER POWER.

Big on wheels, short on fuss, this is the pinnacle of go-anywhere-anytime bikes. A balance of travel, wheel size and attitude makes this a true MTB for modern mountain biking. Whether that includes the rarefied air of the alpine or just local trailheads, built and burly trails or sublime natural singletrack, the Hightower is an all-terrain thriller.

AN ALL-TERRAIN THRILLER

The Hightower trail bike was always Santa Cruz’s most versatile bike and also our “engineer’s greatest hits”. It has the travel, brawn, attitude and specs to heighten the Hightower rider’s powers.

29-INCH WHEELS: The faster rolling and larger footprint of 29-inch wheels inspires confidence and helps riders cover ground efficiently.

150mm VPP TRAVEL: The latest generation Hightower boasts more travel than ever (150mm rear / 160mm front) to give it a wider operating envelope. An active but efficient pedaling platform to take you up anything and just enough travel to get you down from there.

MILLIMETERS MATTER: Moving any of the VPP pivots a couple millimeters in any direction changes the ride feel. This generation of VPP provides a plush, open feel with a lot of traction.

DIALED GEO: Proportional geometry so every rider, no matter their size gets the best riding bike. The geo makes it confident across all terrain, without losing the light, fast, agile feel of a trail bike.

Geometry chart

Pricing and builds

santacruzbicycles.com

Ben Haworth

Orange Switch 6er. Stif Squatcher. Schwalbe Magic Mary Purple Addix front. Maxxis DHR II 3C MaxxTerra rear. Coil fan. Ebikes are not evil. I have been a writer for nigh on 20 years, a photographer for 25 years and a mountain biker for 30 years. I have written countless magazine and website features and route guides for the UK mountain bike press, most notably for the esteemed and highly regarded Singletrackworld. Although I am a Lancastrian, I freely admit that West Yorkshire is my favourite place to ride. Rarely a week goes by without me riding and exploring the South Pennines.

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