2017 Santa Cruz Bicycles Tallboy Carbon CC 29 XT Complete Mountain Bike

 

The go-to choice for Santa Cruz Factory riders seeking a fast-rolling, terrain-eating bike for racing technical courses such as Downieville, the Tallboy Carbon CC 29 XT Complete Mountain Bike excels when it’s pushed to the ragged edge where traditional XC bikes would normally falter. We chalk this up to its more relaxed 68-degree head tube angle paired with 110 millimeters of VPP travel striking the sweet spot between pedaling efficiency and bump-absorbing compliance on the descent. In this 29-inch wheel configuration, you’ll find it absolutely steamrolls anything standing in your path by increasing the bike’s angle of attack over rocks and roots, complemented with a longer 120-millimeter fork smoothing out the rough stuff.

Not only is the newest Tallboy more capable across rough sections of trail and technical XC courses, but it’s also interchangeable between 27.5+ and 29-inch wheels with its flip chip integrated into the upper link. The flip chip maintains its geometry between both wheel sizes, so long as you swap in a 130-millimeter fork in 27.5+ configuration. This is a nice addition to the newest Tallboy, as you can readily swap out the included 29-inch wheels for 27.5+ for greater bump compliance and traction on the trail.

The Tallboy employs the third generation of Santa Cruz’s VPP Suspension platform, which attaches the upper link to the top tube for greater stiffness and increased stand-over height. The lower link configuration is revised as well, now tucked above the bottom bracket to prevent rock strikes and flinging debris from damaging it. The third-gen VPP platform retains the praised pedaling efficiency you’ve come to love from VPP, making it an ideal platform for XC racing and trail riding without pedal bob sapping speed across flats or uphill momentum. Another thing to note, Santa Cruz improved its VPP platform for better grip across root-latticed climbs and rock-strewn terrain. This is especially noticeable on long climbs where you’d normally struggle to gain traction over uneven terrain.

We’d be amiss to forget the Carbon CC frame, which is significantly lighter than Santa Cruz’s base-level Carbon C frames, due to the use of a higher modulus carbon lay-up that’s trimmed away in key areas to reduce weight, but without sacrificing its strength or stiffness. BOOST spacing increases wheel stiffness for better tracking across rough, rowdy terrain, especially notable for the bigger 29-inch wheels on this build. This XT build enjoys the crisp shifting and wide gear range of its XT 2×11 drivetrain for long races and extended climbs where conserving energy is crucial. Shimano XT M8000 disc brakes provide excellent stopping power and modulation, with Ice Tech Rotors preventing brake fade on descents where heat build-up is normally a major issue.

 

2017 Santa Cruz Bicycles Tallboy Carbon CC 29 XT Complete Mountain Bike

Blurs the line between aggressive XC and trail bike

110mm VPP suspension optimizes efficiency and traction

120mm FOX 34 Float Fork eats up rugged stretches of trail

29in wheels steamroll trail obstacles lying in your way

Flip chip allows you to swap between 27.5+ and 29in wheels

Carbon CC frame shaves weight without compromising stiffness

XT 2×11 drivetrain provides wide gear range and crisp shifts

BOOST axle spacing for greater stiffness of 29in wheels

 

2017 Santa Cruz Bicycles Tallboy Carbon CC 29 XT Complete Mountain Bike

Frame Material:

Carbon CC

Suspension:

VPP

Rear Shock:

Fox Float Performance Elite

Rear Travel:

110mm

Fork:

Fox 34 Float 29 Performance Elite

Front Travel:

120mm

Headset:

Cane Creek 40, Integrated

Shifters:

Shimano XT M8000 SL

Front Derailleur:

Shimano XT M8020 Side Swing

Rear Derailleur:

Shimano XT M8000 GS

Crankset:

Race Face Turbine SL

Bottom Bracket:

English threaded

Cassette:

Shimano XT M8000 (11-40t)

Chain:

Shimano SLX M7000

Brakeset:

Shimano XT M8000

Brake Type:

hydraulic disc

Rotors:

Shimano RT86 Ice Tech, 180mm

Handlebar:

Santa Cruz Carbon Flat Bar, 31.8mm clamp

Handlebar Width:

[S/M] 750mm, [L/XXL] 780mm

Grips:

Santa Cruz Palmdale lock-on

Stem:

Raceface Turbine Basic

Saddle:

WTB Silverado Pro

Seatpost:

Rock Shox Reverb Stealth, 125mm (S), 150mm (M/L/XL), 170mm (XXL)

Seatpost Diameter:

31.6mm

Wheelset:

Race Face ARC 24

Hubs:

DT Swiss 350

Front Axle:

15 x 110mm BOOST thru-axle

Rear Axle:

12 x 148mm BOOST thru-axle

Tires:

[front] Maxxis Minion DHF EXO 3C, [rear] Maxxis Ardent Race EXO

Tire Size:

[front] 29 x 2.3in, [rear] 29 x 2.35in

Recommended Use:

trail, cross-country

Manufacturer Warranty:

lifetime on frame

Actual Weight:

Gray, M: 13030g