Santa Cruz Tallboy AL D
Details
If ever there was a gravity riders’ XC bike, the Tallboy is it.
The new 120mm Tallboy takes a leap further into what short-travel bikes really are capable of. With kick-ass lower-link VPP suspension, a streamlined design, the typical Santa Cruz refinement, and rather radical geometry, the Tallboy is back to being a genre-bending folk hero.
Sure, 10mm more travel might only seem like one small step—but coupled with a lower link-driven VPP suspension design, this is one giant leap for the Tallboy.
It’s the kind of bike that makes you sprint while going up, along, over, or down due to the maximum efficiency of the VPP design and responsive, lightweight chassis. But, because it shares the same engineering principles as our longest travel bikes, the progressive lower link-mounted shock feels equally at home doing cross-country as it does in extreme-country. Paired with a 130mm fork, the new Tallboy becomes ever more appealing to riders who like to open it up.
And, the geometry, that's a big part of what's going on...
Established theory suggests shorter travel bikes get ridden slower, therefore require steeper and more conservative geometries. In reality though, when was the last time you ever throttled back on a fun trail because you weren’t on a bigger bike? Knowing your answer, we mimicked our longer travel geometry to create a bike with a 65.5-degree head-angle, generous front center, and short-offset fork, something rarely seen on a bike of this ilk.
And, the radical thinking doesn’t stop there. The Tallboy’s short-short 430mm chainstays have +/- 10mm of rear axle adjustment to ensure riders of all sizes and styles feel equally at home. Match that to a relatively low BB (335mm and 37.5mm drop), and you’ve got a combo that’s ready to haul into every pocket turn and launch out the other side.
- Aluminum frame
- RockShox Recon RL 130mm fork
- FOX Float Performance DPS rear shock
- SRAM SX Eagle drivetrain
- WTB ST i25 TCS 2.0 29-inch rims
- SRAM Level brakes w/Avid Centerline 180mm rotor
A dropper seatpost allows you to quickly lower and raise your seat to give you an ideal riding position. Dropping your seat creates a lower center of gravity for better control and maneuverability on steep descents, while raising it puts you at normal riding height for efficient pedaling.
Construction can include either hydraulic- or cable-actuated systems and the post’s travel can either be infinitely adjustable or stopped at set intervals, depending on the model.
Dropper seatposts come in standard lengths and diameters and vary by the amount of travel.
Pedals sold separately
Specs
| Frame | Aluminum 29" 120mm Travel VPP |
|---|---|
| Fork | RockShox Recon RL, 130mm, 29/27+ |
| Headset | Cane Creek 10 IS Integrated |
| Rear Shock | FOX Float Performance DPS |
| Rims/Wheels | WTB ST i25 TCS 2.0 29" |
| Hubs |
Front: SRAM MTH 716, 15x110, Torque Cap, 32h Rear: SRAM MTH 746, 12x148, 32h |
| Spokes | Sapim Race |
| Tires |
Front: Maxxis Minion DHF, 29 x 2.3", 3C EXO TR Rear: Maxxis Minion DHR II 29 x 2.3" EXO TR |
| Crankset | SRAM SX Eagle 148 DUB |
| Chainrings | 32T |
| Bottom Bracket | SRAM DUB 68/73mm |
| Chain | SRAM PC1110, 11spd |
| Rear Derailleur | SRAM SX Eagle, 12spd |
| Cassette/Rear Cogs | SRAM PG1210, 12spd, 11-50T |
| Shifters | SRAM NX Eagle, 12spd |
| Handlebars | RaceFace Ride |
| Tape/Grips | Santa Cruz Palmdale |
| Stem | RaceFace Ride |
| Brakes | SRAM Level w/ Avid Centerline 180mm rotors |
| Saddle | WTB Silverado Comp |
| Seat Post | SDG Tellis |
* Subject to change without notice.