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Today’s Deals2023 Santa Cruz
HIGHTOWER D / AL
A 29″ aluminum frame full suspension trail bike with high-end components.
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Manufacturer Price
$3,799| Weight | 35.1 lbs |
|---|---|
| Frame | Aluminum |
| Suspension | Full, 145 / 150mm |
| Fork | RockShox 35 Gold RL |
| Shock | Fox Float DPS Performance |
| Wheels | 29″ Aluminum |
| Drivetrain | 1 × 12 |
| Groupset | X1, NX Eagle |
| Brakes | SRAM Guide T Hydraulic Disc |
| Seatpost | Dropper |
Based on build material and quality level of the frame, fork, wheelset, groupset, suspension system, and more.
Compare the full Hightower model range
View Comparison5'1" – 5'6"
5'4" – 5'10"
5'8" – 6'1"
6'0" – 6'5"
6'3" – 6'8"
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Summary
The Santa Cruz Hightower is celebrated as a versatile and capable trail bike, with its VPP suspension design offering a smooth ride both uphill and downhill. Its geometry and suspension updates have made it more aggressive and efficient, suitable for a wide range of terrains. However, some reviews note it may lack the playfulness of lighter trail bikes and comes at a premium price.
Versatile and capable for a wide range of terrains
Updated VPP suspension design for smoother rides
Aggressive geometry for better control
Integrated glovebox for secure storage
Lifetime warranty on frame and bearings
Premium pricing
May lack playfulness compared to lighter trail bikes
Some models have undersized brake rotors
This new 4th-generation evolution of the Santa Cruz Hightower is more capable than ever.
BikerumorMission accomplished: an all-purpose weapon that’s guaranteed to make you smile on everything from your home trails to rougher all-mountain terrain.
Enduro Mountainbike MagazineThe Hightower is one of the most accomplished descenders in its class.
MBRAggressive trail riders will absolutely love the newest Hightower 3.
Outdoor Gear LabFeedback?
View all reviews
Sep 2024 · Guy Kesteven
More travel, smoother suspension and rowdier angles make Hightower enduro-ready but it’ll still run with the pedal pack all day
More confident chaos and climb geometry
Brilliant high traction, hit eating but positive pedaling suspension
Sorted all-round kit spec at a much lower price
Lifetime frame, pivot and rim warranties
Better glovebox, cleaner control routing, easier shock sorting
Heavier frame than similar travel competitors
Less agile and rider reactive than before
Sep 2024 · Cory Benson
New 2024 Santa Cruz Hightower 4 boosts carbon 29er’s travel to 150mm to shred tougher trails even faster, as the one do-it-all-mountain bike!
Sep 2024 · Jamie Darlow
The Hightower was designed as the Santa Cruz for everyone. Everyone with deep enough pockets, anyway. It’s got 145mm travel, 29er wheels and relaxed but not silly-slack geometry, and the idea was you could ride it almost everywhere, on any trail, and have a great time. The trouble was, UK riders didn’t agree. The Nomad is still the brand’s biggest selling bike, a 170mm travel super enduro bike that wouldn’t look out of its depth on the gnarliest of downhill tracks. Clearly, the Hightower wasn’t cutting it against the best enduro mountain bikes around. My guess is riders felt they needed more muscle for those bike park days or annual forays to the Alps… and I’d tend to agree. The solution from Santa Cruz is, of course, to beef up the Hightower. More travel, more aggressive geometry, plusher suspension. Those Californian engineers have been busy this year, first redesigning the mullet-derived Bronson, before moving onto the slightly more sensible Hightower here, now in its fourth generation. And, surprise surprise, the bike’s really bloody similar to that fifth generation Bronson Guy reviewed earlier this summer, in X0 AXS RSV build. Santa Cruz Hightower Gen 4 need to know New version of the Hightower, a 150mm travel all-mountain bike, with 160mm fork VPP suspension now drives the GripX damped Factory-level Fox 36 fork and Float X shock New shock position is lower and more horizontal, giving a clearer window for shock setup Santa Cruz has reduced the anti-squat for plusher, easier to access suspension travel Carbon frames only, in C and CC-level, with new glovebox storage door X0 AXS drivetrain, Reserve carbon wheels, SRAM Maven brakes and OneUp V3 dropper post Six bikes in the range, check out the full Santa Cruz Hightower breakdown including prices and spec in our news story The Stone King Rally is probably the rockiest, gnarliest and most physically demanding enduro race in the world. Or at least it was, until it finished in 2024. It’s telling that Santa Cruz decided to launch its new bike on the race’s wild trails, and the marketing message is loud and clear – this is a bike that’s more aggressive than the one it replaces. Those who’ve raced the event proper in the past told me their bike of choice had been the longer-travel Megatower or similar. One old hand laughed when I said I was due to tackle some of the Stone King trails on a Hightower. However, and this is a huge credit to this new bike rather than the pilot here, I never felt underbiked when sampling the trailmaggedon that is the Stone King. The changes are more than just adding 5mm to the bike’s travel too, Santa Cruz has masterfully reimagined how the bike rides, without seeming to change very much at all. Frame details The first thing to say is how incredibly good Santa Cruz is at making beautiful bikes. I’d happily saw it in half and submerge the thing in formaldehyde or stencil its …Continue reading »
• Sumptuous suspension generates grip climbing and descending
• Improved geometry is subtle but effective
• Burly chassis gives the bike enduro-like feel
• Amazing component choices and top-end Fox Factory suspension
• The price is very high
• May have lost some of its trail bike liveliness
• Downtube protection is too brittle
May 2024 · Joshua Hutchens
The latest Hightower maintains its predecessor's versatility while offering a bit more confidence on the way down. The bike offers all-around great...
Excellent deep stroke support
Frame storage
Flip-chip
Less small bump compliance
Expensive
Heavier than expected
Apr 2023 · Ron Koch
It was the bike of choice for many long days in the mountains and even park days when we had the option of longer-travel enduro bikes to send it on.
Dec 2022 · Spencer Astra
After riding the gamut of 150-millimeter-travel trail bikes over the past year, I thought I’d pretty much covered the spectrum. That was, however, until I got the chance to ride the Santa Cruz Hightower 3. From my very first ride, I could tell that this bike was something special, and it showed me just how much room was left in my heart for another do-it-all trail bike. Given that this is Santa Cruz’s top-of-the-line, Hightower 3 X01 AXS RSV model, featuring an impressive array of high-end components, perhaps this should hardly be surprising. This bike feels possessed to move efficiently through all terrain. It stays light on its toes and puts the rider in a balanced pocket. With the 76.4-degree seat-tube angle in the low setting and a 438-millimeter chainstay, I had no issues keeping the front end planted to the ground on steep climbs. The geometry is incredibly balanced between climbing and descending, and the suspension platform remains ultra-supportive even when mashing the pedals out of the saddle, thanks to the anti-squat tuning of the rear suspension. This, along with the comfortable cockpit setup, makes the Hightower 3 ideal for all-day sufferfests.
Dec 2022 · Mike Levy
The ingredients seem run-of-the-mill, but the outcome is anything but.
A very impressive all-rounder
Loves any and all corners
Middle of the road geo will work for everyone
Not the absolute best at anything... but it is good at lots of things.
We had issues with the derailleur, brake levers
It's your money, but the price seems... pricey
| Frame | HIGHTOWER D / AL BB Standard: BSA, 68mm, Threaded Colors: Gloss Carbon and Light Blue; Matte Melon |
|---|---|
| Fork | RockShox 35 Gold RL, 150mm Travel: 150mm Spring Type: Air |
| Shock | FOX Float Performance DPS Travel: 145mm |
| Bottom Bracket | SRAM DUB 68/73mm Threaded BB |
| Headset | Cane Creek 10 IS Integrated Headset |
| Stem | RaceFace Chester |
| Handlebar | RaceFace Aeffect R |
| Saddle | WTB Silverado Comp Saddle |
| Seatpost | SDG Tellis Dropper, 31.6 Type: Dropper |
| Grips | Santa Cruz House Grips |
| Rear Derailleur | SRAM SX Eagle, 12spd |
|---|---|
| Crank | SRAM X1 Eagle 148 DUB, 30t |
| Shifters | SRAM NX Eagle, 12spd |
| Cassette | SRAM PG1230, 12spd, 11-50t |
| Chain | SRAM SX Eagle, 12spd |
| Brakes | SRAM Guide T Type: SRAM Guide T Hydraulic Disc |
| Rims | Front: WTB ST i30 TCS 2.0 29" Rims, Rear: WTB ST i30 TCS 2.0 29" Rims |
|---|---|
| Front Hub | SRAM MTH 716, 15x110, Torque Cap, 32h |
| Rear Hub | SRAM MTH 746, 12x148, 32h |
| Tires | Front: Maxxis Minion DHR II 29"x2.4", 3C, MaxxGrip, EXO, TR, Rear: Maxxis Minion DHR 29"x2.4", 3C, EXO, MaxxTerra |
| Disc Rotors | Front: Avid Centerline 180mm, Rear: Avid Centerline 180mm |
First added November 1
Last updated December 16
Not listed for 909 days