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Third generation Santa Cruz Tallboy grows slightly longer legs, ability to run fatter tires

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Santa Cruz Tall Boy 29 27 plus joplin womens mtb mountain bike_-2

For many, including those at Santa Cruz, the Tallboy has been a revelation in big wheel form. The first generation was introduced at a time when 29ers were still a hot topic of debate and it just happened to be the first 29er from Santa Cruz – a 4″ travel VPP carbon stunner. Needless to say that in spite of the company’s wariness of big wheels, the bike was a hit thanks to geometry that didn’t suck and the touch of VPP suspension. That first gen 29er was eventually followed up by more 29ers including the Tallboy LT/LTc long travel version, and most recently the Tallboy 2.

Now with the Tallboy LT gone from the Santa Cruz website and replaced with the new Hightower, the Tallboy sees another update. Growing into a bit more of a modern trail bike with big wheels, the gen 3 Tallboy adds new geometry, enhanced suspension, and yes… the ability to run 27.5+ wheels and tires…

Santa Cruz Tall Boy 29 27 plus joplin womens mtb mountain bike_-9

Santa Cruz Tall Boy 29 27 plus joplin womens mtb mountain bike_-15 Santa Cruz Tall Boy 29 27 plus joplin womens mtb mountain bike_-11

Much like the Hightower before it, the Tallboy sees increased clearance out back to make room for 27.5 x 2.8″ tires on 40mm rims. To make up the difference in size between the two sizes, the frame is equipped with a flip chip with a High and Low setting. On the Low position the now 110mm travel frame (up from 100mm) is best suited for 29″ wheels and a 120mm travel suspension fork. In the High setting, the bike is balanced around 27.5+ wheels and tires with a 130mm travel fork. Bikes will be sold complete in both set ups and with the fork the better suits the wheel size – that means that ideally for wheel size swaps you’ll need a new fork along with another set of wheels, or at least an air shaft to switch out of your fork.

Santa Cruz Tall Boy 29 27 plus joplin womens mtb mountain bike_-16 Santa Cruz Tall Boy 29 27 plus joplin womens mtb mountain bike_-6

Along with the suspension adjustment and the change to 110mm of travel for the frame, the overall suspension of the frame is upgraded with a new 34mm chassis fork from Fox for more precise handling, and a new suspension tune out back. The Fox Float with EVOL air can has been tuned to work with the suspension linkage to offer improved small bump compliance through higher initial leverage, and a more consistent but progressive suspension tune to give a more constant suspension feel that will better resist bottoming out.

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Tallboy 3 geometry

As 29ers have evolved, so has mountain bike geometry. Current trail bikes are longer, slacker, and lower than ever and the TB3 is no exception. New is a 2.2º slacker head tube angle, 40-50mm longer reach, 11mm shorter chainstays, a 0.6º steeper seat tube angle for better pedaling, and a 30mm shorter seat tube to allow more room for dropper posts as well as better stand over. By the numbers, the new bike should be a riot on fun, fast trails.

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Fans of the front derailleur will be happy to see that they haven’t been forgotten. However, Santa Cruz did a nice job of making the mount removable and clean so you can forget that front derailleurs even exist if that’s your goal. Elsewhere it’s standard Santa Cruz practicality with a threaded 73mm bottom bracket, downtube and molded chainstay protector, internal routing for derailleurs and droppers but external for the rear brake, and size specific RockShox Reverb droppers with 125mm on the S, 150mm for M-XL, and 170mm (!) for XXL frames. Santa Cruz did make the switch to a 148 x 12mm Boost rear end, but that’s not surprising given the plus tire compatibility.

Santa Cruz Tall Boy 29 27 plus joplin womens mtb mountain bike_

Tallboy 3 build specs

At the time of the launch, Tallboys will be shipping (or already shipped) out to dealers which is why they were already hitting the assembly line when we stopped by before Sea Otter. Like their other bikes, all Santa Cruz Tallboys will be built up in house – including the wheels. As for the Tallboy, initially 29er builds will be offered in the 29 CC XX1 for $7799 with a claimed weight of 26 lbs/11.6kg and Enve wheels, and the 29 CC X01 at $6499 with a 0.2lb/0.1kg weight penalty (along with quite a bit of component differences).

Tallboy 3 build specs plus

On the plus side, the Tallboy will only be offered in one build at $6499. As mentioned, it comes with a 130mm travel Fox 34 Float Performance Elite fork and Easton/DT Swiss wheels and Maxxis Rekon 2.8″ tires. At a claimed weight of only 26.3 lbs/11.95kg, you certainly aren’t giving up much in terms of weight over the 29er…

santacruzbicycles.com

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Jdog
Jdog
7 years ago

It is worth noting that the TB3 comes in a small where the HT starts at a med.

dirtybird
dirtybird
7 years ago

#winning

fourthandvine
7 years ago

This looks great but the least expensive point of entry is a whopping $6500 USD?! The outgoing (carbon) Tallboy had a $3300 USD option IIRC (or thereabouts), which I was actually considering getting, but no way now. Pity. Any word on other build options in the pipeline?

JB
JB
7 years ago

SC has stated there will be cheaper builds and framesets available at some point. Would have been nice to include that in the article…

Jonas Morsbøl
Jonas Morsbøl
7 years ago

I really like the shorter chainstays and to some extend the added travel. However, I am not so sure about the longer reach and slacker head angle which in the end increases the wheel base. Riding a gen. II XL I will have to go to size M in gen. III to get a similar reach and size S to get same wheelbase. I understand that the slacker head angle and longer reach is more “trail-like”, but I just thought that tallboy was supposed to be the more XC inspired offer where a short wheelbase and a bit more unstable steering is desired for the nimble turns.

Thomas
Thomas
7 years ago
Reply to  Jonas Morsbøl

Jonas, I wouldn’t worry about the longer wheel base. The shorter chain stays add more nimbleness then the longer wheel base takes away, yet, you still get the stability from the long wheel base. As a person with an XC racing back ground, who’s been riding a 120mm bike with this ‘new school’ geometry for the past year all I can say is good things. When I go back to a XC geo bike I only feel disadvantages and I’m from the east coast where our trails get tight and technical.

Gabe
Gabe
7 years ago

It’s safe to say the only XC bike left in the Santa Cruz lineup is the Highball.

120mm or 130mm travel 34mm fork, Boost spacing for 2.8″ tires, Dropper post…….Nothing about this says “XC Race bike”

The Hightower ST (shorter travel) might have been a better name.

Mike D
7 years ago
Reply to  Gabe

That price is pretty “XC Race bike” though 😀

All joking aside, I guess it depends where you’re racing–most XC racers I know are on carbon hardtails. However, I would consider the Salsa Spearfish an elite level racer, and it’s geometry has been slacker than most of its peers for years now. If you are riding/racing trails that garner a full squish bike, perhaps a slacker HTA is welcomed for most. Boost spacing is a non-issue, and only adds to the versatility. I see people riding droppers on their Lynsky hardtails or SC Highball… again, just depends on where you ride as to what works best for you.

I think they knocked it out of the park with these revisions. This really puts the Tallboy back in the ring this year.

Greg
7 years ago

Interesting reply Mike D cause my choices are narrowed down to the Sasla Spearfish you mention and the TB3. Just not sure of the shorter travel rear on the Fish though the DW link is supposed to support the lack of 100mm. Im riding technical rocks and roots often on tight twisty as well as more open stuff so I want diversity as well as XC and Endurance racing. So very hard to decide since I havent ridden either and dont think Ill have the opportunity to.

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