Santa Cruz Bicycles

Tallboy LT R Complete Mountain Bike - 2015

If you live for wide-open, high-speed trails, the Santa Cruz Tallboy LT wants to come along. Built from hydroformed aluminum, this Tallboy LT is a bit heavier than its carbon counterparts, but every bit as strong, and quite a bit less expensive. It all starts with the Tallboy LT’s VPP suspension. While many companies talk about virtual pivot points, only Santa Cruz has been constantly developing the VPP design since its acquisition of the patents in the ‘90s. And when 29ers came around, Santa Cruz wasn’t quick to jump on the bandwagon, opting instead to develop a bike that exploited the wheel size’s unique characteristics, rather than a me-too frame.

You see that attitude in the size range of the Tallboy LT — it starts at a Medium. Santa Cruz felt that things got too wonky when the bike got any smaller than that, so they simply don’t offer this model in a small or extra-small size. You also see it in the head angle, which sits at a relatively steep 69.5 degrees. At first glance, it looks out of place, but after riding a bunch of test bikes, the engineers at Santa Cruz decided that, when combined with the big wheels and long-legged fork, 29.5 felt just about right. We’d have to agree.

This LT is spec’d with a mix of SRAM and Shimano drivetrain components, with a RockShox Sektor Gold 140mm fork up front and a FOX FLOAT CTD out back. It rolls on SRAM’s reliable hubs, laced to WTB rims, and wrapped in Maxxis tires (a High Roller in front and an Ardent in the rear). Race Face takes care of cockpit components, and you’ll sit on a WTB Volt Race saddle.