Where does the Santa Cruz Tallboy fit?

As in, what are it’s natural rivals? seeing as XC bikes like the Epic are creeping up in travel is the Tallboy a shorter travel big bike or an XC whippet? I assume the weight will be similar to the XC gang?

Asking as there’s some decent deals about and I’ve been looking at something like the Epic Evo (or those cheap Lapierre’s) to replace my carbon XC Cube HT. I don’t need it to be gnaar, just quick across steady stuff and light enough to notice.

Typing on my phone so might not display properly but here goes…

XC………………………………………………Trail

Epic…EpicEvo…Spur…Tallboy…Smuggler

Cheers mate, it worked! Where would a Orange Stage Evo fit in to that? Think Epic Evo is the answer tbf.

My tallboy leaves the mega v2 in the study almost all the time .  I cant think ive owned another bike like it (im on 31 at the moment )  Its an xc bike .. trail centre bike . West Highland Way 19 hour epic bike .  Lakes all mountain bike  . Hike a bike up daft stuff to ride down daft stuff bike .  Maybe this years Morzine bike.  Fast  loads of fun and did I mention  I like it a lot !

By the sounds of things, the Blur might be more suitable.

Compared to even the Spur it’s significantly stiffer & feels much ‘bigger’. You can build it light, but your probably giving up a decent amount of weight in the frame alone.

It is a really good bike though.

It’s not a light bike and it pedals uphill ok. It goes downhill fantastically well.

It’s main rival that it gets tested against on YouTube is the Ibis Ripley. That goes uphill like a rocket and is decent on the down sections.

I’ve got both and concur with the YouTube reviews. Albeit my tallboy is the alloy V4, the carbon version is not famed for being super light either. The carbon Ripley blows it out the water on xc and undulating trails where you’re wanting to put some power down and work the terrain.

I’m riding the Ripley all the time. Feels much lighter, the power deliver is instant. Shock position is always wide open. No need for the climb lever on the shock unless you’re on a road and really really want to use it.

Bikers Edge on YT does a couple of good comparison reviews of the two and and one where he includes the Transition Spur.

Demoed one and it descended incredibly well for such a short travel bike, almost as good as the 150mm ish bikes (although I suspect repeated hits would see it start to struggle). On the flip side on technical climbs I found it worse than the bigger bikes I was demoing.

Would probably suit a use case of covering big distance with a focus on the descents but where the climbs are generally road or fire road. For me the better technical climbing ability meant that bikes like the trek fuel and Nukeproof reactor that I demoed that day were better for the riding I do. If I wanted to cover ground quickly, a proper XC/down country bike like the epic would be a different class.

Like Devash’s summary, I considered it against the Spur. Ended up going for the Spur over the Tallboy after reading a lot of reviews (mainly for the pedalling efficiency of the Spur, which really matter to me as I can end up doing some long xc style days on it) which I don’t regret at all, but admit to never demo’ing either.

https://bebikes.com/the-hub/best-trail-bike-for-2021/

https://nsmb.com/articles/2021-transition-spur-v-santa-cruz-tallboy/

Thanks all, looks like it’s not the bike for me as I’d prefer uphill and flat performance over down hill as I’ve other bikes for that.

Like lots of people above, after taking a Tallboy out for a demo I decided against it and got a Blur instead. The riding position with the Tallboy felt very upright and certainly wasn’t an xc bike as far as I was concerned. The Blur on the other hand has been excellent – it goes up hill so quickly and loves descending too. I’ve even taken it to Bike Park Wales and it coped fine. Amazing bike.

If that’s the type of riding you’re into then get a look at the Ibis Ripley. Seen a few on sale not that long ago. Merlin Cycles have some ex demo’s for sale. Fox Factory stuff and SLX gearing. Cheaper than the equivalent Tallboy.

I can’t quite work out why the various reviews keep comparing the more recent Tallboys to the Ripley, which by the numbers should sit right next to the Epic.

Other than the travel, they are very different bikes. I wouldn’t even compare the Ripley to the Spur/Element.

I have (and am soon be selling) the prior generation V3, which is a very different bike, probably straddles the line between the current Blur and Tallboy albeit with a slightly slacker seat angle. New Tallboy is essentially a short travel Hightower (and not much lighter)

I have a Tallboy 4 in Carbon. I love it but it has been beefed up a bit as a short travel all mountain rig. With the right wheels and tyres you could have a quick bike but its not an XC bike by any means! Having said that it is great for long days out and super comfy plus incredibly capable for a short travel bike. Stack is more than most so quite upright, plus the shock definitely needs a bit more pressure than most recommendations. I found it a bit wallowy at the Fox and SC pressures and have increased by 15-20 PSI depending on backpack or not. The climbing improves dramatically and it has plenty of pop – though I am over 90Kg which doesn’t help!

Cheers for the replies, you’ve certainly steered me away from the Tallboy! Was only interested as there’s 40% off a few models and the blue one looked decent.

Looks like Epic Evo, Spur, Ripley, etc are on the list, depending on what deals are about.

Thanks all, looks like it’s not the bike for me as I’d prefer uphill and flat performance over down hill as I’ve other bikes for that.

Think about the Blur instead. With the 120mm travel version it would probably give you the best of both worlds.

Do you already have a Stage Evo?

Maybe just get some light wheels & tyres to swap onto that?

Think about the Blur instead. With the 120mm travel version it would probably give you the best of both worlds.

Currently looking at sale stuff so the Blur’s out. I ‘may’ be in a position to spend more soon so I’ll defo look at one then.

Do you already have a Stage Evo?

Maybe just get some light wheels & tyres to swap onto that?

Still on a Stage 5 and it’s currently my big bike so can’t really XC it. Ultimately, as a massive Orange fan the plan is to replace that with a longer travel Orange for fun duties but most of my riding is from the door atm hence the XC which will replace the carbon HT that replaced my Trig. Do you reckon a Stage Evo could be brought under 30lb and  do the job? got the feeling it’s be a Tallboy type which I’ve already discounted as not the right tool?

 Do you reckon a Stage Evo could be brought under 30lb and  do the job?

I’ve not weighed mine yet, but my old Stage 4 (which seemed about the same frame weight) was 30lbs with light-ish (but not XC-light) wheels and tyres and a mid-range build.

The used prices are still very reasonable, worth giving one a try.

As you know, they’re pretty light but also just pedal really well.

Could be worth another look at the discounted frames then.

If you have a Stage 5, then the Tallboy will have a lot of overlap – there’s what, 10mm travel difference? Add a waterbottle and some downtube storage and the Tallboy will be heavier too!

Sounds more like you want a modern true XC bike. Or ‘downcountry’ the Stage 5 and buy a big bike…

just about to pickup a SC tallboy, what fork is everyone running, i need to convert a fox36 to 130 or 140mm, probably go 140, looking for riding local woods / pennines moorland riding / cutgate/ladybower loop 4-6hours type rides..

demo’d one at stainburn last year, and it just felt like my old 5010. so couldnt pass up

130mm Pike Ultimate on mine, as I have bigger trail bike & wanted a bit of distinction between the two.

Ride on Exmoor, 140 fox 36 factory on mine at the mo with 50mm stem, coming from a 130 rs pike ultimate with 35mm stem, can’t say I’ve noticed a massive difference in climbing efficiency descending is improved but then I’m not exactly a DH demon. It has helped the pedal strikes. Also make sure your shock sag is dialed in well with the pressure this effects the climbing more than anything IMO. Might have to switch the forks back over just to see if there is more of a difference!

140 Pike Ultimate on mine. It used to be 130mm, but I prefer the longer travel with more sag 👍

Im running a 150 Lyric charger 3 on mine …shusshh…   As above it just slackens it out every so slightly.  Im even tempted to take it to the Alps over the bigger bike..  chuffing love it !

:0) LOL @ stevedoc, i have no warranty so a 150mm could work and my fox36 is 150mm and i think its the 2021+ model so thats the expensive airshaft :0( to make it 140-130.

i was thinking i might ride it at ardrock on friday if its up and running by then, over my slash

i had a quick blast on it last night, with the stock NX / pike 130 and shock/fork fully open it actually felt faster on road than my yeti arc (albight tyre choice and placebo may impact that assessment.

what tyres every one running, it came with a dissector (which intend to use for summer (any good for winter) and recon, i usually run an assegai (too burly i feel) or DHR front/back.

Dhf front and Dissector rear .  Im all seriousness  its been my go to bike over my Megatower for the last year .  Is just fast and fun for my riding. Id ride it on the Ard rock but I would be slower on the stages than the Mega but I would feel happier on the transitions and it  would be a much wilder ride on the downs .  Its just jibbier  poppier .

Summer mode Rekon front and XR3 rear on lightweight Silt XC wheelset, for dryish singletrack and moorland xc bimbling. It feels proper rapid compared to the winter setup below.

Winter mode – Hillbilly T9 front with a butcher T9 rear (grippy but that rear is draagy AF so will change next winter) on EX1501 30mm enduro wheelset.

I just noticed that I need to revise my “Gnarometer” due to the updates the Epic has had:

XC………………………………………………Trail

Epic 8…Spur…Epic 8 Evo…Tallboy…Smuggler

thanks for tyre indo, is the rekon alright on a 29er 2.4, i’ve only ever used the 2.8s on 27.5 and remember hitting a corner and a friend saying hes going a bit fast for that..  no side grip whatsoever. skidded on sheep poo and bike went sideways

yeeaaa 2.4 is alright, keeps you on your toes!

final question, i promise, what downtube protector?,

i messaged rockguardz and they only do XL on the latest model V5 ? the one with the trap door frame,

anyone know if the down tube sizing is identical to the V4 2020 onwards, it certnainly looks the same.

Tallboy 4 Carbon 2020

I had a V4 and now have a V5. Pretty certain that the downtube is a chunk bigger on the V5.

The v5 will not fit the frame of a v4 .  And the mold on the xl v5 came from my frame 🙂  I left the bike with the guys there before I rode it .. better to be safe than sorry 🙂

the tallboy is up and running, fox36 140mm front end, pedals lovely uphill , ridiculously fast on tarmac to/from wood,

fast acceleration in woods, feels just like my old v2 5010,

downhill , i’m yet to change my tyres and darent push it too hard, too much coming up

anyone wanting to buy a yeti arc :0)

trying to devise a way to make a day trip to oswestry and rockguardz

ardrock on friday, which i’m sure it would handle well, but thats what the bigger enduro bike is for, think the tallboy will be used on the easier events