Santa Cruz Bicycles

Highball D XC Complete Bike - 2012

No matter where you ride, it's likely that the 29er revolution is taking your local trails by storm. Riders are flocking in droves to the larger hoops due to their fast-rolling, momentum-saving capabilities. 'Maybe it's time to join the movement,' you think ... but you don't know if you can afford a new toy. Well, consider letting the Santa Cruz Highball Aluminum D XC Complete Bike carry you into this brave new world.

The Highball rolled out last year as Santa Cruz's first full-carbon hardtail, and was received by the masses like a conquering hero. This year, Santa Cruz has put its renowned expertise with hydroformed aluminum to work to create a frame that mimics the performance of the carbon version, but at a friendlier price point. Additionally, the geometry of the Highball Aluminum is identical to that of its carbon brother.

And speaking of geometry, there's a lot to like with the Highball. Its shortish 17.3in chainstays put your center of gravity more over the rear wheel. This position provides a surprising amount of flickability—the Highball lacks the lumbering feel of some 29ers. It pops out of corners and navigates tight, technical lines with glee. For this reason, if you've been considering moving up to a big wheeler, but have been wary because of some the common objections—such as reduced maneuverability and slower acceleration—this bike may make you question the validity of claims about what a 29er can't do.

To be clear—this is a race-oriented machine. You'll be responsible for absorbing most of the bumps when you're in the saddle as you roll over technical terrain. For a cushier ride, you may want to look at a bike with longer chainstays. Adding to the aggressive, racy feel of the Highball is a short headtube—only 3.9 inches in the Medium and Large frame sizes. This gives you a compact front end that allows you to get into a powerful cross-country position.

In addition to dialing in the geometry, Santa Cruz incorporated several worthwhile finishing touches. A strut reinforces the brake-side rear dropout to provide confident, vibration-free braking. This is a feature you'll appreciate, considering that 29ers require more stopping power due to their larger wheel diameter and greater rolling mass. Look down near the bottom bracket of the Highball Aluminum and you'll discover an asymmetric, forged chainstay yoke that provides maximum strength and stiffness while ensuring adequate tire and chainring clearance.

The Highball Aluminum D XC Complete Bike comes standard with fixed dropouts for geared use, but they're removable. Santa Cruz offers swinger-style dropouts for single-speed conversion. The component package for this complete bike offers great bang for the buck. You'll be squishing a RockShox Recon Silver TK 29 100mm fork that is plush and easy to service. The hoops are WTB Laserdisc XC rims laced to Shimano hubs, wrapped in Maxxis Crossmark 2.1in tires. The 10-speed drivetrain and triple crankset give you a wide range of gear choices. A Shimano SLX rear derailleur, Deore front derailleur, and Deore shifters control those gears. The cockpit includes an Easton EA30 low-riser bar, which offers a riding position that blends comfort and performance. Avid Elixir 1s handle the braking duties.

The Santa Cruz Highball Aluminum D XC Complete Bike is available in Small through X-Large sizes. Santa Cruz points out that the 22in top tube length and 28.3in standover on the Small size are shorter and lower than some competitors' X-Small sizes. The Highball Aluminum comes in two color options: Pearl White/green and Traffic Blue/orange.

US Santa Cruz dealers are prohibited from shipping Santa Cruz bicycles outside of the United States.