I’m looking getting one of the above bikes but a little undecided which.

I ride mostly trails with the odd enduro thrown in and am going to the alps a few times this year too.

My quandary is mainly based on travel, i’m a little heavier than your average rider at 92kg, so wonder whether the 135mm shock & 140mm fork on the standard HT is enough for the alps or would I be better going for the LT version?

After reading reviews, the LT version doesn’t seem to suffer on climbs compared to the standard model and they’re the same price.

I’m a bit heavier on a standard Hightower and I fell that the travel has’t held me back.

I like steep, techy stuff with the odd big drop thrown in too and it’s handled everything I’ve thrown at it!

I was in the same situation deciding between Tallboy, Hightower/LT. Got the standard Hightower because it was a better spec at a cheaper price at the time (plus the Sriracha Red is my favourite colour!).

The only issue with mine is that I need to pump the shock to near max pressure to get 30% sag. Could do with some volume reducers to have a play.

I’ve just built up a Hightower LT with 160mm forks and having been riding the 5010cc for the past two years i was a bit worried about it being a bit sluggish.

After about 10 rides (albeit Winter rides through Dartmoor slop etc) i haven’t noticed any major negative issues with the LT over the 5010cc. Its a bit less zippy getting started but it goes downhill like a dream.

I dont think i’d hesitate in going HT LT over HT any day.

I’ve just bought a (second hand) standard Hightower, but I’ve put 160mm 36s on the front. I’ve also bought a 2nd shock, a 57mm stroke cane creek DB air, I read about a few people long shocking the hightowers to give 150mm travel, I seem to think that it’s what SC did with the enduro team before they made it an official model. Intention being to swap the shock out for uplift days and alps trips.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/Fc8gDG]Santa Cruz Hightower[/url] by Matt Cotterill, on Flickr

Do you need to swap between 27.5 & 29 wheels?
If so, you have no choice…get the non-LT.
If you don’t, as far as I can tell, there’s no particular penalty for getting the LT version as the weight and price are the same…

I’ve got the normal LT from 2017, tried a 57mm shock and the tyre rubs the seattube even in the high setting, be very careful.

As for LT or Normal, where is 90% of your riding done? buy for that rather than 2 trips to the Alps. the non LT is a seriously capable bike and a decent shock transforms it into an even more capable weapon. The standard Monarch RT3 is utterly rubbish.

I’ve never felt held back or much difference in terms of spped and capability compared to 160mm 650b bikes i’ve had in the past. I run mine with 150mm forks as well.

Nothing wrong with either bike for what you describe.

If you’re not sure which one of the 2 you want are you also considering alternate suggestions or dead set in a Hightower if some variety/spec?

So, its confession time….I have recently purchased a HT (non LT) and im not getting on with it at all.  Im putting it down to the Monarch shock that came with it!  So im planning on long shocking it with a 57mm stroke shock.  Fitting a Fox X2 so a least i can add the spacer to bring stroke to 51 should that not work.  Im genuinely gutted, geometry feels spot on for me.  Would of liked it a touch slacker.  But compared to my Jeffsy with a coil it just feels harsh and wooden.  Im sure i will get it dialled, but at the moment its like i have met my hero and it turned out the had bad breath.

In true STW tradition – I think you should get an OG Hightower

How do both the HT’s compare to the Bronson? Is the LT hard for the shorter rider in comparison? Looks like they have switched to Fox this year – I always found the RS very squidgy without air / tokens, looks like would be even more annoying for a long 29er.

I was set on getting a 29er due to finding they suit me better. I agree with the Monarch shock comments. That’s the next thing to be changed eventually.

I’m not sure what I’ll swap it to. I was coil-curious, but I’m not so sure now with the added weight.

The LT was tempting, but I doubt I’d have noticed much difference with the extra travel. The biggest upgrade to mine was the SC Reserve wheels. Totally transformed how the bike rides and handles!

Missus rides a Roubion CC (Bronson) dripping in Hope/Ohlins and she loves hers. I think the coil makes it a bit harder on the climbs though (although that might be her little legs :P).

HT owner here, I am 95kg and didn’t get on with the monarch either. I replaced it with a Fox DPS EVOL shock in a very slightly firmer tune, feels much better. I had it set at 150mm but changed it to 140mm front easy to do on Pikes.

Russyh, maybe change your forks to 150mm if they aren’t already it’s cheap and easy it may slacken it off a touch for you.

Can’t speak on the LT model but I love my 17 Hightower. Best bike I’ve ridden. Mine came with 150mm up front despite being a 29er. It’s great. It’s an XL which puts me at lower end of the size guide but it’s fine. Rather that than be on the he upper limit of the L.

I demo’d a bronson and a hightower from the factory last summer and the bronson was okay but didn’t live up to the hype for me. i then took the hightower out for a ride and was blown away at how good it rode, it just took everything in it’s stride, no messing. it was a lot more confidence inspiring. it sold me on 29ers.

i’ve had 2 rockshox forks go on me in the last year and am currently without a bike whilst waiting for the most recent one to be warrantied, so there’s no chance i’d have rockshox suspension again (unfortunately my hardtail has a 1.1/8th steerer, so i’ve little choice there!)

Thanks all for your comments 🙂

I’ve demo’d a top spec normal Hightower with the Reserve wheels but it felt very stiff and unforgiving, the bike itself felt fantastic otherwise, so i’m hoping that with a different wheelset, it’ll feel better.

I’m demoing an LT next week so will see how she rides in comparison. I may have another go on a standard HT also.

I’ve demo’d a Slash 9.8 and an Enduro Elite 29er too, didn’t really get on with them. The Slash was a bit squirrely on the front end when climbing and the Enduro was just okay, felt very soft, even after fiddling with the suspension.

I don’t think I need a 27.5+ wheeled bike, but it might be helpful if winters keep being as interesting as they are in the UK!

I’ve seen lots of people comment they’ve upped the forks on a standard HT to 150mm, did you do this when buying the bike and did it cost you extra?

The mango standard HT is such a lovely looking machine – it puts that vomit green LT to shame ha!

I never even asked for 150s but was happy it came with them. I don’t know if it was a mix up at the shop or if SC pushed out the last few 17s that way.

It’s interesting that you found the Reserve wheels stiff (or suspected them to be). This is my first set of carbon wheels and I’d read a lot about carbon being quite stiff on wheels.

All the reviews said that SC had made these to strike a fine balance. It could be that I’m heavier and the stiffer wheel suits me better?

zerolight, yours may have started life as 27.5+ in the shop? I wonder if they changed some of the wheels to 29ers to sell them?

I bought mine as 27.5+ and it came with 150mm fork. The Plus wheels were fun, but I prefer the speed and nimbleness the 29ers gave.

I will say that on slightly bumpy fireroad or Singletrack the rear of my HT with the Monarch isn’t as small bump plush as some bikes (with. 30% sag) and maybe the Pike isn’t as plush as the Lefty on my last bike (I’m running the Pike 25% sag). However it feels really agile and responsive and when the going gets a bit more rough and technical it’s a joy and feels super plush. Maybe a Fox in the rear would improve things and a Luftkappe up front but thats an expense for another year, I’m very happy with it as is. I never use the pedal platform lever on my Monarch because it doesn’t work (does nothing at all), but the bike doesn’t feel like it needs it.

My only issue is that as I am right at the bottom of the XL sizing it feels like it wants to wander a bit on steep techy climbs, though I suspect if I get out the saddle more on that type of climb my weight transfer would be better.

What I love is that with the saddle up it feels like a big mile munching cross country machine, but as soon as you drop it out the way, you seem to drop into the bike and it feels so agile and playful. It’s like two different bikes.

As other people have said I’d probably go with a 150 mm fork on a standard hightower as a good comprise. Same amount of squidge at the front and only 15 mm less at the back. That’s what I have. Pity about the ’18 colours though 😉

Standard Hightower here with a 150mm fork. Spot on for all my needs and didn’t feel under biked in the Alps last year

Standard HT here with an X2 and 160mm 36 fitted.

Kind of relegated to my more cross country bike now I have something a lot bigger.

Still fast fun and can handle the odd uplift day fine for a bike with only 135mm on the rear.

The X2 made a massive difference to the stock Rockshox shock and even stretching the 150 Pike it came with out to 160 helped.

Gets used with + wheels in the dry and 29ers when it’s wet.

[/url] by multispeedstu, on Flickr</span>

Built mine up from a standard HT frame with 36 Fox’s at 150mm and an X2 – haven’t ridden the LT but guess I’d probably err that way now because I can’t see any real disadvantage, never felt like I’ve been limited by the rear travel though – absolutely awesome bike for big descents in the Alps, cheeky trails round S Wales etc. 170mm dropper is worth getting if it’ll fit you. Definite crossover point somewhere around BPW blues / average trail centres – short travel XC is definitely more fun there, hightower really starts to come into its own once you’re shifting on techy stuff. Have found it v sensitive to susp setup & tyre pressure – can get away with some v.low pressures on beefy 29ers and the traction is unreal.

I’ve been looking at bikes in this category.

Still need to get some demos of my own (trying to time it so that they’re close enough together to be useful), but I just wondered if anyone that ended up with a Hightower had looked at the Primer?

I looked at a primer, but if I remember the BBwas some ridiculous press fit rubbish again BB92!!  Plus the lifetime bearing warranty ticked the box for me with the HT.

‘What I love is that with the saddle up it feels like a big mile munching cross country machine, but as soon as you drop it out the way, you seem to drop into the bike and it feels so agile and playful. It’s like two different bikes’

Describes my Bronson perfectly! SC really have the geometry dialled IMO.

I bought a new CC mk1 HT frame within a few weeks od the launch, Pikes at 150 up front & standard monarch.

After three warranty Monarchs it was enough for me, as good as the bike was I decided it was time to go, not before popping the Float X into it out of our V2 Bronson for a little test, no clearance issues fully compressed like on some HT’s

The bike much plusher but the tune wasn’t right obviously, after mulling it over I thought I wasn’t about to drop £550 on a X2 when the LT was launched & SC had addressed the rear end issues finally, which the mk1 HT should of been from day 1.

The HT was really harsh over hi speed chatter, I tried all sorts with the shock & finally gave up.

Having ridden a LT CC with reserve wheels ( a mates) it was night & day, the feel of the rear end was much improved gone has the chattery feel and small bump sensitivity is much better& though I was happy riding the Bronson recently I couldn’t resist a new LT so it’s built ready to enjoy,

I was impressed with the reserve wheels, not as harsh as my Roval Fattie SL carbon wheel set, some how SC have go the spoke tension / flex in the wheel just right to be noticeably more comfortable, strength wise they’re about to be tested properly in the lakes very soon.

Colour wise it’s a personal thing, the Red was never my thing but having had a tennis yellow Bronson a colour I loved, the Wicklow Green is spot on.

Cheers

Mark

LT here. Climbing is great on it. Noticeably better than my old 650b Enduro. The bike just feels fast everywhere. Took a minute off a 16 minute climb at the weekend so it’s definitely not sluggish uphill. I demoed the normal HT but not for long and it felt fantastic. The LT feels even better. Ridiculous amounts of lateral grip and it feels so plush. Fox Float DPS shock is a huge improvement over the Monarch and the 36s are perfect. Everything felt great right out the box with the recommended air pressures.

Nobeerinthefridge I was all set to buy the Bronson until deciding wanted a 29er and figured the HT was pretty much a 29 Bronson. Both great. I wanted a raspberry Bronson for the sheer different-ness of it.

Just dropped my stem 5mm so I could get my Elemnt to fit over the top of my renthal stem – the Garmin was fine, but the Elemnt on a top cap mount clashed. Wonder if I’ll notice a 5mm drop. Assuming it will be an improvement given I’m at the lower end of the size guide for XL frame.

Thanks all