![]() New for 2022 is the addition of a “sag setup window” on the non-drive side of the frame’s shock tunnel. A tiny shock fender protects the shock seal from trail debris kicked up by the rear wheel I’m a fan, and hope the frame storage trend will continue far into the future. This should make it impossible to forget important bits for trail-side repairs, while also providing storage for emergency snacks or a spare pair of gloves. Releasing the door reveals a cavity in which a Tool Wallet and Tube Purse can be found. Like the new Megatower, the Hightower 3 boasts neatly-integrated downtube storage in the form of a Glovebox. We are awaiting CoG height, gear selection and frame size information from Santa Cruz, to help readers better interpret this graph Hightower 3 Frame Details However, it is clear that the bike’s anti-squat character has been tweaked in comparison to that of the Hightower 2, only dropping below 100% at around 120mm into the travel. ![]() ![]() In the absence of information on the assumed Center of Gravity Height (CoG), frame size and gear selection these numbers pertain to, we can’t spend too much time interpreting it. We also have more information on the kinematic in the form of the following anti-squat graph. All complete bikes are to be sold with air shocks we are waiting to hear back from Santa Cruz about coil shock compatibility. This is said to provide improved bottom-out resistance with more consistent damping and support. The leverage curve is slightly straighter than that of the previous Hightower, with added progression towards the end of the travel. With the updated geometry comes a new kinematic, too, delivered by Santa Cruz’s unmistakable VPP linkage. Reach on the large frame is 472mm (only 2mm longer than the predecessor). In the LO position, reach stretches from 427mm on the small, up to 517mm on the XXL. This impacts the seat tube angle as well as the head angle, steepening it too, as well as lengthening the reach by 3mm. All complete bikes of the new Hightower range are spec’s with a 42mm stemĪ flip-chip at the lower shock mount permits two possible geometry configurations the LO position puts the BB height at 338mm, while the HI position raises it to 342mm. Both angles pertain to geometry exhibited in the LO position. While the Hightower 2 had a head angle of 65.2°, the Hightower 3 goes to 64.8°. The slacker head angle and longer reach measurements are partly responsible for the growth. The front-center goes longer too, resulting in a bike that is 14mm longer in the wheelbase than its predecessor (1245mm in size large). For the large frame, this is 437mm that’s 5mm longer than its Hightower 2 equivalent. The Hightower 3, like the new Megatower, takes a more comprehensive approach to proportionality, with each frame size sporting a different rear-center length. While the Hightower 2 of model years 2019-2021 offered a longer 440mm rear-center length (RC) for the XXL only, sizes S-XL saw the very same 434mm RC despite the reach figure spanning a 425mm to 490mm range. The 2022 Hightower runs a threaded bottom bracket with ISCG05 chain guide mounts Internal cable routing is seen throughout, with tube-in-tube routing for easy maintenanceįor the Hightower at least, the proportional approach to geometry and sizing is a new concept. ![]() Skirting around assigning a category, Santa Cruz say the Hightower is for mountain biking. A new geometry and kinematic is on the menu, with size-specific chainstays offered across the S-XXL size range in a bid to deliver the same balanced geometry to each rider, no matter how tall they may be. The Santa Cruz Hightower has entered its 3rd generation. Here’s all we know so far about the 2022 Santa Cruz Hightower.įeature Photo by Sterling Lorence 2022 Santa Cruz Hightower The range-topping 2022 Hightower X01 AXS RSV with Fox 36 Factory Fork and Electronic Shifting retails at $10,699 USD Like the recently released Megatower, this one too gets a Glovebox, an integrated storage solution tucked inside the downtube, complete with Tool Wallet and Tube Purse. Still running the very familiar VPP layout we’ve come to expect from Santa Cruz, the tweaked leverage curve is said to offer more supportive rear wheel travel, allowing for a lower bottom bracket height, and a slacker, longer bike overall. Santa Cruz Bicycles has released the Hightower 3, modernizing the geometry and kinematic of its 145mm travel mountain bike. ![]()
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