2020 Santa Cruz Tallboy CC X01 Reserve Bike

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Breaking tradition and revolutionizing the short-travel trail bike, Santa Cruz has packed a full case of radness into a tight little package with the fourth-generation Tallboy 4. Straying from the usual shorter travel equals steeper head angle and shorter reach equation, Santa Cruz trickled down similar geometry traits from the Tallboy's dump truck cousin, the Megatower. The result is a long, slack, ridiculously fun, and very capable short-travel whippersnapper.

Highlights

• 29-inch wheels
• 130mm (5.1-inches) front and 120mm (4.7-inches) rear wheel travel
• Aluminum, CC and C carbon frame options
• Lower-link mounted Virtual Pivot Point (VPP) suspension system
• Hi/Lo flip chip in lower shock mount (3mm BB height, 0.2-degree head angle and leverage curve adjustment)
• Metric 190x45mm shock size with rear bearing mount
• Rear axle flip chip for 430/440mm chainstay length (carbon only)
• 29x2.5" or 29x2.6” (long chainstay and Lo BB mode) max tire clearance
• Internal cable routing with hose guides
• Threaded 73mm bottom bracket with ISCG05 mounts
• Boost 12x148mm rear axle spacing
• Fits 36-tooth boost chainring (52mm chainline) or smaller
• Integrated 41/52mm headset
• 160mm post brake mount
• Water bottle mount inside the front triangle
• Shock fender, shuttle guard, downtube protector, and ribbed chainstay protector
• Lifetime warranty on frame and Reserve wheels
• Lifetime bearing replacement
• Weight: 27.6-pounds (12.53kg as tested, no pedals)

Updates & Geometry

Forging new ground in the short-travel mountain bike category, the new Tallboy gets all the fun stuff with little to no compromise. Following suit with the recently debuted Megatower and Hightower, the Tallboy goes nearly a size up across the board with around a 20mm increase in overall reach. With a head angle only 0.8-degrees steeper head angle than the Megatower, and just 0.3-degrees steeper than the new Hightower, the Tallboy now features a very slack 65.5-degree head angle. That's 2.5-degrees more raked out than the previous version! That’s right, 2.5-degrees.

Along with the updated lower-link VPP suspension design, the Tallboy now features a Hi/Lo flip chip in the lower shock mount which allows riders to raise the bottom bracket 3mm from the Lo to the Hi setting. Flipping the chip from the Lo to Hi setting also steepens the head angle by 0.2-degrees. Similar to the Megatower and Hightower, the bike also provides a slightly more progressive leverage curve in the Lo setting, giving riders another way to fine-tune their suspension.

Another major update to the Tallboy geometry is the 3-degree steeper effective seat tube angle which allows riders to get more over the front end for a more comfortable climbing position.

A feature introduced with the Megatower, and notably left out on the Hightower, is the Tallboy’s ability to adjust the chainstay length by 10mm with a flip chip located in the rear axle. Another interesting and exciting addition, especially for smaller riders, is the size XS (carbon only). This is the first Santa Cruz 29er to come in an XS option.

Compared to the Previous Version, the New Tallboy Features

• A slight increase in rear wheel travel from 110mm to 120mm and the front end bumps up to 130mm from 120mm.
• Longer reach measurements (10-20mm) and wheelbases across the board. For example, what was a large Tallboy is now comparable to a medium with a 450mm reach.
• 2.3 to 2.5-degree slacker headtube angle, depending on the geometry setting
• 3-degree steeper effective seat tube angle
• Shorter seat tubes for added dropper post compatibility
• Improved standover
• 10mm higher bottom bracket height
• 10mm longer chainstays with the flip chip in long mode

A truly lightweight and snappy climber that has more than enough to get it done on the way back down, the Tallboy 4 leads the charge for the future of short-travel mountain bikes.

Build Kits & Pricing

Santa Cruz offers an impressive list of nine complete Tallboy models from $2,699 to $10,399 USD. This range covers high-end CC carbon bikes, more budget-friendly C carbon bikes, aluminum bikes, plus those with and without Santa Cruz Reserve carbon wheels. View complete Tallboy build kit details.

Aluminum frames are also available for $1,999 and CC Carbon frames for $3,099.

Also New: 2020 Juliana Joplin

The women's version, dubbed the Juliana Joplin, gets specially tuned suspension for lighter riders as well as a Juliana saddle and grips. It's available in six aluminum, C carbon, and CC carbon models ranging from $2,699 to $8,199 in sizes XS to Medium. View complete Joplin build kit details.

Vital's female testers will be giving the Joplin a proper long-term shakedown in the coming months. In the meantime, see 23 photos of the Joplin up close and on the trail.

In Action

What's the Bottom Line?

The new Santa Cruz Tallboy absolutely rips. Within the first 30 seconds of throwing a leg over it, it was clear this is a very worthy addition to the quiver. A truly lightweight and snappy climber that has more than enough to get it done on the way back down, the Tallboy 4 leads the charge for the future of short-travel mountain bikes. Although the added length took a ride or two and a couple of adjustments to get used to, the extra stability and slacker head angle helps the Tallboy come through when navigating steep rock rolls and plowing full speed into any holes at the bottom. The lower link VPP design brings an added element of smoothness to the rear end where previous versions would sometimes hang up. The updated VPP design still stays true to its renowned pedaling efficiency and the 3-degree steeper seat tube angle keeps the weight over the front of the bike when climbing, complementing the pedaling efficiency and snappiness of the Tallboy with a comfortable riding position.

Visit www.santacruzbicycles.com for more details.

Vital MTB First Ride Rating

• Climbing: 5 stars - Spectacular
• Descending: 5 stars - Spectacular
• Fun Factor: 5 stars - Spectacular
• Value: 4 stars - Excellent
• Overall Impression: 5 stars - Spectacular

About the Reviewer

Dylan Stucki - Age: 30 // Years Riding: 19 // Height: 6'5" (1.96m) // Weight: 180-pounds (81.6kg)

When he's not busy ripping the Colorado high country singletrack with friends, you're likely to find Dylan battling it out on the enduro race circuit. Since he's a big guy and charges hard, he breaks a lot of stuff. With a broad riding and racing history, he's naturally a perceptive and particular rider who picks up on subtleties.

Video by Rhoddy Jensen // Photos by Dylan Stucki, Gary Perkin and Santa Cruz