Description

2017 Santa Cruz Bicycles Tallboy Carbon CC 29 XX1 Eagle Complete Mountain Bike

 

The Santa Cruz Tallboy CC 29 XX1 Eagle Reserve complete mountain bike represents the pinnacle build of one of the most beloved trail bikes of this generation. Lauded for its impeccable handling and eager to take on your biggest rides, this is an undisputed dream ride for those who are constantly looking to push farther and faster.

Many of you will remember the commotion that the original Tallboy caused, what with its lively handling that immediately dispelled a mountain of preconceived notions about how 29-inch wheels were supposed to handle. The latest iteration of the Tallboy retains its praiseworthy handling with an added dash of versatility and a pinch of aggressive intent that takes the Tallboy into uncharted territory.

Part of the story of the Tallboy’s success is due to its ability to blur the lines between cross-country rocket and surefooted trail bike. To that end, the Tallboy was built to accommodate 27.5+ wheels as well as 29-inch wheels, as it’s presented here. This split personality is enabled by the reversible “flip chip” at the upper link. Setting the flip chip to the “low” mode relaxes the head angle by roughly half a degree and lowers the bottom bracket, which makes for an ideal setup when paired with the slightly larger diameter of 29-inch wheels. The slightly smaller 27.5+ wheels pair with the “high” setting, allowing for similar clearance between the bottom bracket and the ground. The upshot is headache-free swaps between wheel sizes, which gives you more options than ever when you hit the trail.

The Tallboy generates 110mm of travel through the latest version of Santa Cruz’s VPP technology. As with all VPP bikes, the Tallboy’s counter-rotating links are carefully arranged to resist activation by pedaling forces, all but eliminating unwanted bobbing under power. This being the latest iteration of VPP, it’s tuned to provide more midstroke support than previous generations of the VPP platform, giving the rider a better feel for the terrain, and a livelier ride feel.

While the excellent suspension plays a large role, a key part of the Tallboy’s secret sauce is its carefully tuned geometry. At 68 degrees, the head angle is sufficiently nimble for whipping through tight chicanes, while remaining relaxed enough to stay composed at high speed. The 17-inch chainstays enhance the ability to change directions quickly, while retaining enough length to provide ample traction when the trail points skyward. And the way the moderately roomy cockpit positions the rider between the wheels makes for reflexive handling with a minimum of effort.

The Tallboy is built using Santa Cruz’s top tier CC carbon fiber construction. By using some of the finest, and strongest, raw materials available, Santa Cruz is able to make its CC level frames extremely lightweight, while maintaining outstanding impact resistance, exceptional stiffness, and just the right amount of finely tuned flex to cancel out trail chatter. Of course, balancing these factors requires true mastery of carbon fiber, and the design team at Santa Cruz has proven time and time again that their command of carbon fiber construction is unsurpassed in the bike industry. The result is a frame that will hold up to years of hard riding, will provide a comfortable ride, and will do so at a very competitive weight.

This premier build of the Tallboy includes some of the finest components available, beginning with a worthy suspension package from Fox: a 34 FLOAT FIT4 Factory fork paired with a FLOAT DPS Factory air shock. This setup offers a supple stroke courtesy of the distinctive Kashima treatment, on-the-fly adjustments at the flip of a lever, and easy tuning. SRAM’s phenomenal XX1 Eagle groupset provides the gear range necessary to venture into uncharted territory, while the Level Ultimate brakes keep things under control as speeds increase. The Rockshox Reverb Stealth dropper post enables the necessary on-the-fly saddle height adjustment, while the Santa Cruz carbon fiber handlebar offers a perfectly tuned balance of stiffness and flex that simply surpasses many of the best aftermarket carbon fiber handlebars available.

Despite all that, our favorite part of the build may be Santa Cruz’s Reserve carbon rims, which are laced to an Industry Nine Classic hubset, which boasts an incredible 3-degree engagement. The Reserve rims showcase Santa Cruz’s carbon fiber expertise, with a highly refined profile and reinforced nipple beads that nearly eliminate any chance of failure. And should you defy those odds, the Reserve rims are backed by a no-nonsense lifetime warranty—just like Santa Cruz’s carbon fiber frames.

 

2017 Santa Cruz Bicycles Tallboy Carbon CC 29 XX1 Eagle Complete Mountain Bike

Short travel trail bike with a wild side

4in of highly efficient VPP travel

Flip-chip enables compatibility with 29in and 27.5+ wheels

74-degree seat tube angle optimizes pedaling efficiency

Longer reach shifts weight forward for better traction

Carbon CC frame saves weight without sacrificing strength

XX1 Eagle drivetrain provides a massive gear range

Reserve carbon hoops bring SC’s carbon genius to the rim world

 

2017 Santa Cruz Bicycles Tallboy Carbon CC 29 XX1 Eagle Complete Mountain Bike

 

Frame Material:

CC Carbon Fiber

Suspension:

VPP

Rear Shock:

FOX FLOAT DPS Factory

Rear Travel:

110mm

Fork:

FOX 34 FLOAT FIT4 Factory

Front Travel:

120mm

Headset:

Cane Creek 110

Shifters:

SRAM XX1 Eagle

Rear Derailleur:

SRAM XX1 Eagle

ISCG Tabs:

ISCG05

Crankset:

SRAM XX1 Eagle

Bottom Bracket:

SRAM GXP Team

Cassette:

SRAM XG1295 10-50t

Chain:

SRAM XX1 Eagle

Brakeset:

SRAM Level Ultimate

Rotors:

SRAM Centerline

Handlebar:

Santa Cruz XC Carbon

Handlebar Rise:

0mm

Handlebar Width:

750mm

Grips:

Santa Cruz Palmdale

Stem:

Easton Haven

Saddle:

WTB Silverado SLT

Seatpost:

RockShox Reverb Stealth

Seat Collar:

Santa Cruz

Wheelset:

Santa Cruz Reserve 27 Carbon

Hubs:

Industry Nine Classic

Tires:

Maxxis Ardent Race/Minion DHF

Tire Size:

29 x 2.3

Recommended Use:

Cross Country, Trail

Manufacturer Warranty:

Lifetime (Frame, Rims)

Actual Weight:

Gloss Yellow/Emerald, S: 12200g

 

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