Our greatest hits compiled into one bike—just hit play.
If ever a bike resembled your most cherished mix tape compilation, the Hightower is it. Featuring our lower-link mounted shock design, updated, adjustable geometry, this “Engineering Best Of...” assembles some of our biggest design pleasers into one belter of a road-trip companion.
The Hightower has been a does-it-all-well trail bike since its inception. More maneuverable than its longer-travel sibling, the Megatower, and more at home in the steep-and-chunky than its snappy cousin Tallboy, Hightower excels when the route covers ‘all points in between,’ and descents come courtesy of some big-ass climbs. The VPP suspension’s lower-link-mounted shock creates a nearly linear leverage curve, meaning it mops up bumps of all sizes and maintains the kind of progressivity normally reserved for our V10 DH bike!
Complementary DMR Vaults with all Santa Cruz
140mm of rear travel complemented by a 150mm front end gives Hightower just a bit more front and rear travel over the first generation model. Combined with a slacker 65-degree head tube angle, the Hightower still sits squarely in the Goldilocks zone, but with a touch more “Oh sh*t get me out of here” capability when the porridge gets too hot!
Balancing stiffness and weight savings in all the right places is a hallmark of all Santa Cruz carbon frames and the Hightower flies the flag yet higher. The advanced composite chassis tracks well across all trail surfaces, holds a line, and is reactive to rider directions while isolating pedal-influenced inputs.
The Hightower also has a bonus disc to heighten the experience—the flip chip. In the High setting, the BB height is a little higher for those tricky tech trails and/or when Plus sized tires are required. In the Low position the shock rate is more progressive, to provide additional bottom-out resistance. Whatever mood you’re in, the tone of the Hightower can be adapted to meet your individual taste.
And speaking of taste, there’s a room for a water bottle inside the main frame and a threaded BB for convenience. There’s refined cable routing for better shifting performance, simpler installation, and no cable rub. On top of that, there’s a tailgate shuttle guard, downtube protector, shock fender, and noise-canceling chainstay protector keeping things quiet.
The lifetime frame warranty, lifetime pivot bearing replacement policy, and lifetime guarantee on the optional Reserve carbon wheels assures you that the Hightower will keep delivering the hits for years to come
Build Kit | X01 | X01 AXS |
Frame | Hightower CC | |
Fork | FOX 36 Float Factory, 150mm, 29" | FOX 36 Float Factory, 150mm, 29" |
Shock | RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate | RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate |
Chainguide | None | None |
Rear Derailleur | SRAM X01 Eagle, 12spd | SRAM X01 Eagle AXS, 12spd |
Shifters | SRAM X01 Eagle, 12spd | SRAM GX AXS Shifter |
Crankset | SRAM X1 Eagle DUB 30t - 170mm (S,M,L) - 175mm (XL,XXL) | SRAM X1 Eagle DUB 30t - 170mm (S,M,L) - 175mm (XL,XXL) |
Bottom Bracket | SRAM DUB 68/73mm Threaded BB | SRAM DUB 68/73mm Threaded BB |
Cassette | SRAM XG1295 Eagle, 12spd, 10-50t | SRAM XG1295 Eagle, 12spd, 10-50t |
Chain | SRAM X01 Eagle, 12spd | SRAM X01 Eagle, 12spd |
Brakes | SRAM Code RSC | SRAM Code RSC |
Rotors | Avid Centerline 180mm | Avid Centerline 180mm |
Handlebar | Santa Cruz 35 Carbon Bar, 800mm, 35mm Rise | Santa Cruz 35 Carbon Bar, 800mm, 35mm Rise |
Stem | Burgtec Enduro MK3, 42.5mm | Burgtec Enduro MK3, 42.5mm |
Grips | Santa Cruz House Grips or Burgtec Bartender Pro Grip Minnaar | Santa Cruz House Grips or Burgtec Bartender Pro Grip Minnaar |
Headset | Cane Creek 40 IS Integrated Headset | Cane Creek 40 IS Integrated Headset |
Seatpost | RockShox Reverb Stealth, 31.6 | RockShox Reverb Stealth, 31.6 |
Saddle | WTB Silverado Team Saddle or WTB Volt | WTB Silverado Team Saddle or WTB Volt |
Front Tyre | Maxxis Minion DHR II 29"x2.4", 3C, MaxxGrip, EXO, TR | Maxxis Minion DHR II 29"x2.4", 3C, MaxxGrip, EXO, TR |
Rear Tyre | Maxxis Minion DHR 29"x2.4", 3C, EXO, MaxxTerra | Maxxis Minion DHR 29"x2.4", 3C, EXO, MaxxTerra |
Front Wheel | Front Hub- Industry Nine 1/1, 110x15, 6 Bolt, 28h - Rim: RaceFace ARC Offset 30 29" - Spokes: Sapim Race | Front Hub- Industry Nine 1/1, 110x15, 6 Bolt, 28h - Rim: RaceFace ARC Offset 30 29" - Spokes: Sapim Race |
Rear Wheel | Rear Hub- Industry Nine 1/1, 148x12, XD, 6 Bolt, 28h - Rim: RaceFace ARC Offset 30 29" - Spokes: Sapim Race | Rear Hub- Industry Nine 1/1, 148x12, XD, 6 Bolt, 28h - Rim: RaceFace ARC Offset 30 29" - Spokes: Sapim Race |
Build Kit | X01 |
Frame | Hightower CC |
Fork | FOX 36 Float Factory, 150mm, 29" |
Shock | RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate |
Chainguide | None |
Rear Derailleur | SRAM X01 Eagle, 12spd |
Shifters | SRAM X01 Eagle, 12spd |
Crankset | SRAM X1 Eagle DUB 30t - 170mm (S,M,L) - 175mm (XL,XXL) |
Bottom Bracket | SRAM DUB 68/73mm Threaded BB |
Cassette | SRAM XG1295 Eagle, 12spd, 10-50t |
Chain | SRAM X01 Eagle, 12spd |
Brakes | SRAM Code RSC |
Rotors | Avid Centerline 180mm |
Handlebar | Santa Cruz 35 Carbon Bar, 800mm, 35mm Rise |
Stem | Burgtec Enduro MK3, 42.5mm |
Grips | Santa Cruz House Grips or Burgtec Bartender Pro Grip Minnaar |
Headset | Cane Creek 40 IS Integrated Headset |
Seatpost | RockShox Reverb Stealth, 31.6 |
Saddle | WTB Silverado Team Saddle or WTB Volt |
Front Tyre | Maxxis Minion DHR II 29"x2.4", 3C, MaxxGrip, EXO, TR |
Rear Tyre | Maxxis Minion DHR 29"x2.4", 3C, EXO, MaxxTerra |
Front Wheel | Front Hub- Industry Nine 1/1, 110x15, 6 Bolt, 28h - Rim: RaceFace ARC Offset 30 29" - Spokes: Sapim Race |
Rear Wheel | Rear Hub- Industry Nine 1/1, 148x12, XD, 6 Bolt, 28h - Rim: RaceFace ARC Offset 30 29" - Spokes: Sapim Race |
Build Kit | X01 AXS |
Frame | |
Fork | FOX 36 Float Factory, 150mm, 29" |
Shock | RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate |
Chainguide | None |
Rear Derailleur | SRAM X01 Eagle AXS, 12spd |
Shifters | SRAM GX AXS Shifter |
Crankset | SRAM X1 Eagle DUB 30t - 170mm (S,M,L) - 175mm (XL,XXL) |
Bottom Bracket | SRAM DUB 68/73mm Threaded BB |
Cassette | SRAM XG1295 Eagle, 12spd, 10-50t |
Chain | SRAM X01 Eagle, 12spd |
Brakes | SRAM Code RSC |
Rotors | Avid Centerline 180mm |
Handlebar | Santa Cruz 35 Carbon Bar, 800mm, 35mm Rise |
Stem | Burgtec Enduro MK3, 42.5mm |
Grips | Santa Cruz House Grips or Burgtec Bartender Pro Grip Minnaar |
Headset | Cane Creek 40 IS Integrated Headset |
Seatpost | RockShox Reverb Stealth, 31.6 |
Saddle | WTB Silverado Team Saddle or WTB Volt |
Front Tyre | Maxxis Minion DHR II 29"x2.4", 3C, MaxxGrip, EXO, TR |
Rear Tyre | Maxxis Minion DHR 29"x2.4", 3C, EXO, MaxxTerra |
Front Wheel | Front Hub- Industry Nine 1/1, 110x15, 6 Bolt, 28h - Rim: RaceFace ARC Offset 30 29" - Spokes: Sapim Race |
Rear Wheel | Rear Hub- Industry Nine 1/1, 148x12, XD, 6 Bolt, 28h - Rim: RaceFace ARC Offset 30 29" - Spokes: Sapim Race |