Wide open, dawn to dusk.
The Highball is our race-bred XC hardtail.
When the trail (or the competition) calls for the direct drive efficiency that only a hardtail can offer, the Highball is the choice. It looks straightforward but that belies the high-tech features and design hidden within. This is a modern take on the simple machine that many still choose to put battery acid in their thighs and fire in their lungs in order to conquer something. Whether you’re chasing medals, personal demons, or just some riding buddies, this is a hardtail you’ll be happy to log long hours upon.
Hard on the throttle, soft on the body
Hardtails are about as subtle as bikes come, and in the case of the Highball, simplistic refinement belies engineering effort. We’ve learned from our road biking pals that a great deal of a hardtail’s compliance comes from the seatpost: the smaller the diameter, the softer the feel, and with more seat post exposed to daylight, more compliance is had— which is the reason the Highball features low slung top tube and the smaller, 27.2mm diameter post. But you need not be sitting to recognize the ‘soft’ feel of the Highball— the dropped seat stays are made of custom laminate, finely tuned here in Santa Cruz for vertical compliance— and they’re oriented to isolate the top tube from high speed trail chatter, reducing feedback to the, uh, engine.
If you're on the cusp between the recommended height range of two sizes, the absolute best thing is to try to ride them both. At a minimum, check the stack/reach measurements on your current bike and compare it to the new model you are looking at to get an idea of a fit you are already comfortable with. If riding the bike is not an option, consider the following.
Personal Preference - A larger size frame will be more stable, and will give you more room to move without upsetting the weight-balance of the bike. The larger size will put the front wheel further in front of you, which gives the feeling of security and conversely, it will require more significant body movements when you WANT to shift the weight-bias of the bike. Think hard about your riding style and how active/intuitive you want it to be vs stable and speedy. You'll need to work a bit harder to muscle the larger bike around.
Body Dimension - Not all bodies at a given height are the same. If you have longer legs and a shorter torso than the average person your height, that may push you towards the smaller of the recommended sizes. If you're all torso and arms, most likely you'll want to size up.
- Frame Material:
- Carbon CC
- Fork:
- RockShox Sid SL Select+, 100mm w/Remote
- Rear Derailleur:
- SRAM X0 Eagle AXS T-Type, 12spd
- Right Shifter:
- SRAM AXS Pod Bridge
- Left Shifter:
- RockShox Reverb AXS Controller
- Cassette:
- SRAM X0 Eagle T-Type, 10-52t
- Chain:
- SRAM X0 Eagle T-Type, Flattop, 12spd
- Bottom Bracket:
- SRAM DUB 73mm MTB Wide BB
- Headset:
- Cane Creek 40 IS Integrated Headset
- Rear Tyre:
- Maxxis Rekon Race 29"x2.35", EXO
- Front Tyre:
- Maxxis Rekon Race 29"x2.35", EXO
- Front Hub:
- Industry Nine 1/1, 15x110, Centerlock, 24h
- Front Rim:
- Reserve 28|XC 29"
- Rear Hub:
- Industry Nine 1/1, 12x148, XD, Centerlock, 24h
- Rear Rim:
- Reserve 28|XC 29"
- Front Rotor:
- SRAM CLX, Centerlock, 160mm
- Rear Rotor:
- SRAM CLX, Centerlock, 160mm
- Brakes:
- SRAM Level Silver Stealth 2-Piston
- Crankset:
- SRAM X0 Eagle DUB T-Type Crankset, 34t
- Stem:
- SRAM Atmos 7k, 60mm
- Saddle:
- WTB Silverado Medium CroMo
- Seatpost:
- RockShox Reverb AXS XPLR, 27.2, 75mm
- Please Note:
- Santa Cruz reserve the right to make changes to the product information contained on this site at any time without notice, including with respect to equipment, specifications, models, colours, and materials.
- Pedals:
- Available for Purchase
- Battery charger:
- SRAM eTap Powerpack 2 Battery
- Availability:
- See above
