Santa Cruz Bicycles

Tallboy LT Carbon CC X01 Complete Mountain Bike - 2015

The Santa Cruz Tallboy LT was designed for riders who love the original Tallboy but wanted to take their riding to bigger runs and drops. This Tallboy LT Carbon X01 Complete Mountain Bike features longer travel and the venerable SRAM X01 group to max the excitement factor.

The LT maintains Santa Cruz’s carbon construction that we’ve come to know and love. Both the front and rear triangles have been molded as single pieces rather than being connected via joints. The process by which this is accomplished maximizes the compaction of the carbon fibers and resin after they are laid into the mold. This not only increases the strength of the entire frame, it also means that excess epoxy resin is removed from the frame for even more weight-saving benefits. Oversized 15mm collet-style hardware and a 12x142mm thru-axle in the rear add to the strength and durability benefits of the design.

The Tallboy LT uses the VPP suspension, for a balance of smoothness and optimal power transfer. This rear system utilizes two counter-rotating links. And if counter-rotating seems counter-intuitive, well while the upper link provides the movement as the bike travels toward the sag point, the lower link moves the rear axle backward and out of the way of large obstacles. This means a smooth, less jarring ride.

While the geometry doesn’t suggest a slack ride, paired with the 29in wheels, the 69.5-degree head tube and longer travel RockShox Pike RCT3 Fork make for secure handling at speed. Because Santa Cruz has embraced the short-stem, wide-handlebar setup, the top tube of the LT provides plenty of room to move. That said, you’ll notice that the smallest available size is a medium. It’s not that Santa Cruz doesn’t want every rider on an LT, it’s that it refuses to compromise and design a 29er that doesn’t handle with near perfection.