![]() ![]() The experience itself was amazing, and spending time getting to know the bike was icing on the cake. With smooth and fast singletrack and lots of fun little side hits to keep things interesting, the new Santa Cruz Hightower proved to be fully in its element. I don’t know if there was much intent behind the decision, but the trails in and around the press camp trails in Oakridge, Oregon proved to be the perfect use case for the bike. I was privileged to ride the highest-end option, which carries a price tag that makes me a bit nervous when thinking about what sort of abuse I’ve been throwing at this bike. The Translucent Purple paint job on my frame is gorgeous – maybe my favorite in the game right now – and the alternative Matte Evergreen option ain’t too shabby either. The fit and finish of the frame is classic Santa Cruz Hightower, with a simple and high quality look and feel. I suspect this was done for weight savings, but those smaller pivot axles have been known to bend under extreme loads, so I’m curious to see how things shake out long term. One odd tweak to the frame is the switch to smaller pivot hardware, which is now the same size as the Tallboy. Without getting too caught up in the charts and math, they’re looking to maximize the all-around nature of this bike without biasing it too strongly in any direction – all good things. The VPP linkage of the Santa Cruz MTB Hightower has been tweaked for the 3rd iteration of the frame, with a focus on pedaling dynamics, early-travel shock sensitivity, and consistent support. ![]() One update I was very happy to see is a more balanced geometry chart across sizes, thanks in part to the size-specific rear triangle that sees chainstay lengths grow to match the reach. For the 2022 model year, the Santa Cruz Hightower received a few refinements and tweaks, but its core character remains the same on paper. I was lucky enough to be invited to my first press camp, hosted by Santa Cruz Bicycles in the misty hills of Oakridge, Oregon, to put the new Hightower through its paces, and have been riding the bike for the few weeks following the event to figure out whether or not they’ve hit their mark.
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