Santa Cruz Bicycles

Hightower Carbon CC Mountain Bike Frame

Straddling the line between trail and enduro, the Hightower Carbon CC Mountain Bike Frame is a great starting point for building out our next all-mountain steeds. With a freshly revamped leverage curve, this latest iteration of the VPP linkage from Santa Cruz really lets the 145mm of travel shine. The Hightower stands up in its travel in a way that climbs like a much shorter travel bike as we grind up grueling alpine ascents, yet provides a bottomless feel on the way down. The third-generation Hightower also sees a slacked-out 64.5-degree headtube angle (low position, 150mm fork) that truly elevates its descending capabilities to enduro-worthy levels. It’s no slouch on the climbs either, with a steep 76.4-degree seat tube angle (low position, large) that delivers a perfectly comfortable climbing position for long, arduous grunts in all kinds of terrain from punchy climbs to sustained.

The real star of the show with this latest round of Hightowers is without a doubt the new downtube-integrated frame storage solution—Glovebox technology. Santa Cruz even includes a pouch for tools and another for a tube that ensure your tools live in your bike rattle-free, and even with them inside the bike there’s still room for an extra windbreaker or snack. We’ve also really come to appreciate the durability of the Carbon CC frame construction from Santa Cruz, which also delivers a lightweight, responsive feel on the trail. Flip-chip technology lets us fine-tune the bike for the terrain at hand, and the included RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate Air shock provides enduro-ready performance and adjustability.