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Santa Cruz Bicycles
Tallboy 29 Carbon R Complete Mountain Bike

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Tallboy 29 Carbon R Complete Mountain Bike

When the Tallboy was first released it had 100mm of rear travel and geometry that was focused on XC riding and racing. With each successive generation the bike got a little longer and slacker, and suspension travel increased as well. For a while this left Santa Cruz without a dedicated XC race bike in their lineup, but now that that the Blur has filled that role, Santa Cruz was free to mold the Tallboy into the short-travel trail slayer it was always meant to be. Now in its fourth generation, the Tallboy 29 Carbon R Complete Mountain Bike is more aggressive and more capable than ever, ready to hit the trails with newfound speed and confidence. It comes ready to rock with 10mm more travel than the previous generation, along with a new lower-link VPP suspension that soaks up rough terrain so well that you'll swear you have more travel than the numbers show. The bike also gets radical new geometry with a 65.5-degree heat tube angle that improves stability on high-speed descents, and a steep 76.3-degree seat tube angle that keeps the climbing performance lively and efficient. The bottom line is that you no longer have to hold back on any trail just because you're not on a bigger bike, because the new Tallboy redefines what short-travel bikes are truly capable of.


Because Santa Cruz's Bronson and Hightower got makeovers in the suspension department, it doesn't come as a huge surprise to see the tweaks to the Tallboy went in the same direction. The new Tallboy follows the trends of its deeper-travel siblings, moving the VPP suspension down to a lower-link that offers improved stabilization in the roughest terrain, while an extra 10mm of travel helps soak up additional rocks and roots that the previous Tallboy would have shied away from. This makes the new ride more confident than ever, ready for bigger trails, rutted out lines, brakes bumps galore, and even turning the odd set of rollers into doubles—but not at the cost of climbing. The new suspension is designed with the same engineering principles as the brand's longest travel bikes, making it just as at home riding cross-country as it is extreme backcountry. Santa Cruz's VPP suspension is designed to stabilize the suspension when you're putting power down on the pedals, meaning the rear end ceases to bob, providing a much more responsive and lively feel when you hammer up steeps, so you aren't wasting all of the power you put down. This is achieved with counter-rotating links that are carefully arranged to resist activation by pedaling forces, all but eliminating bobbing under power.


But suspension is hardly where Santa Cruz stopped on upgrades with the new Tallboy. The bike sees a full makeover this year, with entirely different geometry, but continues to use the flip-chip we saw in previous years for adaptable geometry that can be tuned to your own personal riding needs. In the front things start out with a much slacker head tube angle that shifted from the 68-degrees in years past to the ultra-long 65.5-degrees it is today (with the flip chip in Low). This slack head tube elevates the confidence of the Tallboy when you point it downhill, providing improved handling in rough and jarring terrain, and boosting control at high speeds. With the head tube's shift into the slacker realm, balance needed to be achieved to maintain the bike's reputation for lively pedaling and handling, so the engineers at Santa Cruz opted to move the seat tube angle up a few degrees to a steep perch of 76.3 degrees—a full three degrees steeper than the previous model, allowing you to stay on top of the bike when pedal power matters, and keeping the cockpit compact enough for comfort when handling the bike in rowdy terrain.


In previous years the flip-chip on the Tallboy seemed to beckon for loftier 27.5+ hoops, but this year it serves a purpose tuned more acutely to riding style preferences. The flip chip not only tweaks head tube and seat tube geometry, but there's also a full 10mm of adjustability to the stubby-short 430mm chainstays, which allows riders of all sizes and riding styles to make the necessary tweaks to feel right at home. This combines with a low bottom bracket for a combination that's built to thread the needle, rail berms, and launch out the other side with power and confidence.


The frame on the Tallboy Carbon R build uses Santa Cruz's Carbon C construction, which is Santa Cruz's second tier carbon level. It's just as strong as the higher-level CC carbon, though a little bit heavier. The carbon layup process remains the same, just with a different carbon modulus that's a bit more budget friendly, which is why you're able to score the Carbon C at a much more modest asking price, all you sacrifice is an equally modest 240g of gained weight.


Final details include a threaded bottom bracket that's what we've come to expect from the California-based brand, and it's a strong selling point for those who don't like dealing with the tricky tolerances and creaky interfaces of pressfit models. There's also a fender to protect the rear shock from dirt and debris, as well as molded protectors for the downtube and chainstays. Santa Cruz specs this model with a solid set of components that keeps the price reasonable for budget-conscious riders without sacrificing much in the way in of performance. It starts with Fox suspension boasting 120mm of rear travel and 130mm up front, a SRAM NX Eagle 12-speed drivetrain with a wide gear range for tackling steep terrain both uphill and down, SRAM Guide T brakes that are more powerful than the Level brakes found on previous generation Tallboys, and a Race Face dropper post as standard equipment. The whole package rolls on 2.3in Maxxis Minion rubber, which occupies a sweet spot of cush and traction without feeling too sluggish, bouncy, or vague.


Details

  • The new Tallboy is faster & more capable both up & down the mountain
  • 10mm deeper travel soaks up more rocks, roots, and trail chatter
  • New lower-link VPP suspension improves performance across the board
  • Super slack head tube feels controlled descending at high speeds
  • Steep seat tube angle allows for comfortable & efficient pedaling
  • Flip chips let you tweak geometry and chainstay length
  • Longer reach increases stability and high-speed composure
  • Carbon C frame rivals performance of CC frames at a lower cost
  • Item #SNZK15V
Frame Material
Carbon C
Suspension
VPP
Rear Shock
Fox Float Performance DPS
Rear Travel
120mm
Fork
Fox Rhythm 34
Front Travel
130mm
Headset
Cane Creek 10 IS Integrated Headset
Shifters
SRAM NX Eagle, 12-speed
Rear Derailleur
SRAM NX Eagle, 12-speed
ISCG Tabs
ISCG-05
Crankset
SRAM NX Eagle DUB
Chainring Sizes
32t
Crank Arm Length
[x-small] 165mm, [small] 170mm, [medium - xx-large] 175mm
Bottom Bracket
SRAM DUB
Bottom Bracket Type
English threaded (BSA)
Cassette
SRAM PG-1230 NX Eagle, 12-speed
Cassette Range
11 - 50t
Chain
SRAM NX Eagle, 12-speed
Brakeset
SRAM Guide T
Brake Type
hydraulic disc
Rotors
Avid Centerline 180mm
Handlebar
Race Face Ride
Grips
Santa Cruz Palmdale lock-on
Stem
Race Face Ride
Saddle
WTB Silverado Race
Seatpost
Race Face Aeffect dropper
Seat Collar
36.4mm
Wheelset
[rims] WTB ST i25 TCS 2.0
Hubs
[front] SRAM MTH 716, 32h, [rear] SRAM MTH 746, 32h
Front Axle
15 x 110mm Boost
Rear Axle
12 x 148mm Boost
Tires
[front] Maxxis Minion DHF EXO TR, [rear] Maxxis Minion DHR II EXO TR
Tire Size
29 x 2.3in
Pedals
not included
Recommended Use
cross-country, trail
Manufacturer Warranty
lifetime on frame

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