Hightower 3
- Overview
- Details
- Bike Builder
- Geometry and Sizing
- Technical Support
- Warranty
THE MOUNTAIN BIKE, DISTILLED
The newest version of the Hightower remains our greatest hits of engineering - now further refined and bottled into our most all-terrain of bikes. Big on wheels, medium on travel, short on fuss, this is the do-it-all model that does it over and over again thanks to a versatile balance of geo, spec and durability. If you’re not looking for extremes, just something extremely good, the Hightower is your elevator.
- Need more travel in a big wheel package? Try the Megatower.
- Want to race XC whippets on the climbs but still charge the downs? Try the Tallboy.
- Proud owner of a Hightower? Register your bike now
Key Features:
| Available in: | Carbon C and Carbon CC |
| Wheel Size: | 29 |
| Front Travel: | 150mm |
| Rear Travel: | 145mm |
Engineering Details
Engineering Details
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OUR ENGINEERS’ GREATEST HITS
Not all frames are created equal. Hightower represents Santa Cruz’s greatest hits, showcasing our design, engineering, and performance prowess.
LOWER LINK ASSEMBLY
The highly-sculpted and optimized Lower Link (A) houses a geometry adjusting Flip Chip (B) and beefy Pivot Axles (C) to virtually eliminate lateral flex.
UPPER LINK ASSEMBLY
We only use the highest quality Enduro MAX or TPX sealed, radial bearings (A) and premium fasteners (B) for our linkage assemblies. They’re easy to properly torque and maintain, plus we offer free replacement bearings for life.
ONE-PIECE SWINGARM
VPP suspension utilizes a one-piece swingarm that eliminates the need for pivots on the stays, creating a stout, bulletproof rear end for accurate tracking and superior performance.
C AND CC CARBON
Santa Cruz offers two grades of carbon—top-end CC Carbon and value-minded C Carbon. Though they have the same stiffness and performance, CC is lighter and comes paired with more premium suspension.
CARBON MASTERY
The Sag Window (A), Glovebox (B) and internal cable tunnels (not shown) demonstrate Santa Cruz’s expertise at combining practical function with carbon design and manufacturing artistry.
THE SUM OF THE PARTS
In isolation, all these things are great—together with fanatical suspension tuning, a premium build spec, and a meticulous attention-to-detail, they’re transcendent.
R
32.02 lbs / 14.52 kg | S
31.98 lbs / 14.51 kg | GX AXS
31.72 lbs / 14.39 kg | GX AXS RSV
31.62 lbs / 14.34 kg | X01
31.09 lbs / 14.1 kg | X01 AXS RSV
30.88 lbs / 14.01 kg | Frame
6.36 lbs / 2.89 kg |
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Material Our C Carbon frames use the same proprietary processes of the highest spec CC Carbon frames to match the same legendary strength and stiffness standards. But the use of a different grade of carbon material results in a minimal weight gain. Learn More | Material Our C Carbon frames use the same proprietary processes of the highest spec CC Carbon frames to match the same legendary strength and stiffness standards. But the use of a different grade of carbon material results in a minimal weight gain. Learn More | Material Our C Carbon frames use the same proprietary processes of the highest spec CC Carbon frames to match the same legendary strength and stiffness standards. But the use of a different grade of carbon material results in a minimal weight gain. Learn More | Material Our C Carbon frames use the same proprietary processes of the highest spec CC Carbon frames to match the same legendary strength and stiffness standards. But the use of a different grade of carbon material results in a minimal weight gain. Learn More | Material CC denotes our highest grade carbon fiber frames. Use of the very best materials in the composite results in the lightest, best handling bikes. CC level bikes are also specced with the best wheels, drivetrains and suspension on these models. Learn More | Material CC denotes our highest grade carbon fiber frames. Use of the very best materials in the composite results in the lightest, best handling bikes. CC level bikes are also specced with the best wheels, drivetrains and suspension on these models. Learn More | Material CC denotes our highest grade carbon fiber frames. Use of the very best materials in the composite results in the lightest, best handling bikes. CC level bikes are also specced with the best wheels, drivetrains and suspension on these models. Learn More | ||
Rear Shock | Rear Shock | Rear Shock | Rear Shock | Rear Shock | Rear Shock | Rear Shock | ||
Fork | Fork | Fork | Fork | Fork | Fork | Fork | ||
Rear Derailleur | Rear Derailleur | Rear Derailleur | Rear Derailleur | Rear Derailleur | Rear Derailleur | Rear Derailleur | ||
Shifters | Shifters | Shifters | Shifters | Shifters | Shifters | Shifters | ||
Cassette | Cassette | Cassette | Cassette | Cassette | Cassette | Cassette | ||
Chain | Chain | Chain | Chain | Chain | Chain | Chain | ||
Bottom Bracket | Bottom Bracket | Bottom Bracket | Bottom Bracket | Bottom Bracket | Bottom Bracket | Bottom Bracket | ||
Headset | Headset | Headset | Headset | Headset | Headset | Headset | ||
Rear Tire | Rear Tire | Rear Tire | Rear Tire | Rear Tire | Rear Tire | Rear Tire | ||
Front Tire | Front Tire | Front Tire | Front Tire | Front Tire | Front Tire | Front Tire | ||
Sealant | Sealant | Sealant | Sealant | Sealant | Sealant | Sealant | ||
Front Hub | Front Hub | Front Hub | Front Hub | Front Hub | Front Hub | Front Hub | ||
Front Rim | Front Rim | Front Rim | Front Rim | Front Rim | Front Rim | Front Rim | ||
Rear Hub | Rear Hub | Rear Hub | Rear Hub | Rear Hub | Rear Hub | Rear Hub | ||
Rear Rim | Rear Rim | Rear Rim | Rear Rim | Rear Rim | Rear Rim | Rear Rim | ||
Front Rotor | Front Rotor | Front Rotor | Front Rotor | Front Rotor | Front Rotor | Front Rotor | ||
Rear Rotor | Rear Rotor | Rear Rotor | Rear Rotor | Rear Rotor | Rear Rotor | Rear Rotor | ||
Brakes | Brakes | Brakes | Brakes | Brakes | Brakes | Brakes | ||
Crankset | Crankset | Crankset | Crankset | Crankset | Crankset | Crankset | ||
Handlebars | Handlebars | Handlebars | Handlebars | Handlebars | Handlebars | Handlebars | ||
Stem | Stem | Stem | Stem | Stem | Stem | Stem | ||
Saddle | Saddle | Saddle | Saddle | Saddle | Saddle | Saddle | ||
Seatpost | Seatpost | Seatpost | Seatpost | Seatpost | Seatpost | Seatpost | ||
Grips Our House Grips have an aggressive knurl pattern for all-weather grip, finger ridges for added control and soft, yet durable rubber compound. They come in either 30 or 32mm width and have an inboard snap-on lock ring to keep them tight but no ring on the outboard side so they’re super comfortable. And they’ll do your taxes* *not true. But they are really good. Learn More | Grips Our House Grips have an aggressive knurl pattern for all-weather grip, finger ridges for added control and soft, yet durable rubber compound. They come in either 30 or 32mm width and have an inboard snap-on lock ring to keep them tight but no ring on the outboard side so they’re super comfortable. And they’ll do your taxes* *not true. But they are really good. Learn More | Grips Our House Grips have an aggressive knurl pattern for all-weather grip, finger ridges for added control and soft, yet durable rubber compound. They come in either 30 or 32mm width and have an inboard snap-on lock ring to keep them tight but no ring on the outboard side so they’re super comfortable. And they’ll do your taxes* *not true. But they are really good. Learn More | Grips Our House Grips have an aggressive knurl pattern for all-weather grip, finger ridges for added control and soft, yet durable rubber compound. They come in either 30 or 32mm width and have an inboard snap-on lock ring to keep them tight but no ring on the outboard side so they’re super comfortable. And they’ll do your taxes* *not true. But they are really good. Learn More | Grips Our House Grips have an aggressive knurl pattern for all-weather grip, finger ridges for added control and soft, yet durable rubber compound. They come in either 30 or 32mm width and have an inboard snap-on lock ring to keep them tight but no ring on the outboard side so they’re super comfortable. And they’ll do your taxes* *not true. But they are really good. Learn More | Grips Our House Grips have an aggressive knurl pattern for all-weather grip, finger ridges for added control and soft, yet durable rubber compound. They come in either 30 or 32mm width and have an inboard snap-on lock ring to keep them tight but no ring on the outboard side so they’re super comfortable. And they’ll do your taxes* *not true. But they are really good. Learn More | Grips | ||
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Travel | Travel | Travel | Travel | Travel | Travel | Travel | ||
Wheel Size | Wheel Size | Wheel Size | Wheel Size | Wheel Size | Wheel Size | Wheel Size |
Geometry
All units are in millimeters or degrees.
| S | M | L | XL | XXL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reach | hi/lo | 430/427 | 455/452 | 475/472 | 495/492 | 520/517 |
| Stack | hi/lo | 611/613 | 625/627 | 634/636 | 652/654 | 665/668 |
| Head Tube Angle | hi/lo | 64.8°/64.5° | 64.8°/64.5° | 64.8°/64.5° | 64.8°/64.5° | 64.8°/64.5° |
| Seat Tube Length | 380 | 405 | 430 | 460 | 500 |
| Front Center | hi/lo | 752/752 | 783/783 | 807/807 | 836/836 | 867/867 |
| BB Height | hi/lo | 342/339 | 342/338 | 342/338 | 342/338 | 342/338 |
| BB Drop | hi/lo | 31/34 | 31/34 | 31/34 | 31/34 | 31/34 |
| Wheelbase | hi/lo | 1183/1183 | 1217/1218 | 1244/1245 | 1276/1276 | 1310/1311 |
| Rear Center | hi/lo | 431/432 | 434/435 | 437/438 | 440/441 | 443/444 |
| Head Tube Length | 100 | 115 | 125 | 145 | 160 |
| Top Tube Length | hi/lo | 571/572 | 599/600 | 626/627 | 647/648 | 674/675 |
| Seat Tube Angle | hi/lo | 77°/76.7° | 77°/76.7° | 76.7°/76.4° | 76.9°/76.6° | 76.9°/76.7° |
| Standover Height | hi/lo | 706/701 | 708/703 | 711/706 | 714/709 | 719/714 |
Frame Sizing
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.
The Hightower is available in sizes small - extra extra large (S-XXL).
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.
Hightower 3 Highlights
Hightower 3 Highlights
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VPP™
VPP™ suspension can be optimized to strike the right balance between pedaling efficiency and all-out bump chomping prowess. That means wherever you see "VPP" you know it's tuned to perform exactly how it should for the purpose it's designed for.
145mm VPP travel
Looking for something good at climbing, and downhill, and going round and round your local trails? Say hello to Hightower. 145mm in the rear paired with 150mm up front is your perfect combo.
Suspension sensitivity
Compared to the last Hightower, we reduced the anti-squat in the first 40% of travel. This noticeably improves suspension sensitivity in both climbing and descending scenarios due to reduced chain influence on the suspension.
Suspension consistency
Hightower's leverage curve is relatively straight, with added progression towards the end of the travel. This provides improved bottom-out resistance with more consistent damping and support.
Glovebox
Place your ride essentials securely beneath a new high-quality latch and panel in the Hightower's downtube. The Glovebox comes with a fitted Tool Wallet and Tube Purse, tailored for the frame to keep your tools close to hand.
Full carbon C and CC frame
CC frames use the very best materials and production processes available. Our size-specific frame stiffness standards help tie together our ride quality goals by achieving a tailored front triangle flex characteristic for every size.
Sag window
A window allows easier suspension sag and setup. The details are completed by a neat mud flap to protect the rear shock plus tidy cable routing within the frame and swingarm, and rubberized DT protectors to shrug off strikes.
Flip chip
In the Low position, the shock rate becomes more progressive, particularly at the end of the stroke, and there’s some bottom-out resistance to be gained. In the High setting, the bike rides a little higher in its travel and supplies the rider with more mid-stroke support. Tweakers and finicky shredders can adapt the suspension feel to their needs and desire.
Proportional geometry
Chainstay length and seat angle is matched to the frame size so every rider, no matter their height, gets the same balanced geometry. Across all sizes however, the headtube angle has been slackened to help stability at speed, lowered the bottom bracket to compliment the better supported suspension, and increased stack in favor of modern handlebar setups.
29-inch wheels
Hightower features fast-rolling, bump-easing 29-inch wheels front and rear. On high-end builds we spec Reserve 30|HD carbon rims laced to premium hubs, which are built and hand-tuned in our Santa Cruz, Calif. factory. See Reserve 30|HD wheels
Maintenance Information
Learn how to service your upper and lower suspension links
Fill out our form for a fresh set of bearings
Take a look at additional tech info and exploded diagrams for the Hightower
How to find your serial number
Something not right? Use our warranty claim form to file a claim. We'll do everything we can to get you back to riding as fast as possible.
File a claim for a Santa Cruz product
If you have any other questions or would like to follow up on a warranty claim, contact our Warranty Department.
Hightower Tech Support
| Suspension System | VPP |
| Front Derailleur | No compatibility |
| Headset/Headtube | Integrated (IS41/52) |
| Seat Post | 31.6mm |
| Seat Clamp | 36.4mm |
| Eye to Eye length | 210mm |
| Stroke | 55mm |
| Fork Compatibility | 150-160mm |
| Fork Offset | 44mm |
| Brake Mount | 180 PM |
| BB Shell | 73mm Threaded |
| Max Tire Size | 2.5" |
| Max Chainring Size | 34t |
| Water Bottle Mounts | 1 |
| Shock Mounting Bushing Front | 30x8 |
| Shock Mounting Bushing Rear | 30x8 (bearing compatible) |
Download the Hightower suspension setup guide to get even more detailed sag, high/low rebound, and high/low compression recommendations for shocks below and get recommendations for the fork in each build.
Fox Float Performance
| Rider Weight | Pressure (psi) | Shock Sag | Rebound (from closed) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100lbs (45.5kg) | 120 | 28-30%, 15-17mm | 10 |
| 120lbs (54.4kg) | 145 | 28-30%, 15-17mm | 9 |
| 140lbs (63.5kg) | 170 | 28-30%, 15-17mm | 9 |
| 160lbs (72.6kg) | 195 | 28-30%, 15-17mm | 8 |
| 180lbs (81.8kg) | 220 | 28-30%, 15-17mm | 8 |
| 200lbs (90.7kg) | 245 | 28-30%, 15-17mm | 7 |
| 220lbs (99.8kg) | 265 | 28-30%, 15-17mm | 7 |
| 240lbs (108.8kg) | 290 | 28-30%, 15-17mm | 6 |
Rockshox Lyrik
| Rider Weight | Pressure (psi) | Rebound (from closed) |
|---|---|---|
| 100lbs (45.5kg) | 45 | 11 |
| 120lbs (54.4kg) | 55 | 10 |
| 140lbs (63.5kg) | 65 | 9 |
| 160lbs (72.6kg) | 75 | 9 |
| 180lbs (81.8kg) | 85 | 8 |
| 200lbs (90.7kg) | 95 | 7 |
| 220lbs (99.8kg) | 105 | 7 |
| 240lbs (108.8kg) | 115 | 6 |
Rockshox Super Deluxe Select Plus
| Rider Weight | Pressure (psi) | Shock Sag | Rebound (from closed) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100lbs (45.5kg) | 95 | 28-30%, 15-17mm | 7 |
| 120lbs (54.4kg) | 120 | 28-30%, 15-17mm | 7 |
| 140lbs (63.5kg) | 140 | 28-30%, 15-17mm | 6 |
| 160lbs (72.6kg) | 165 | 28-30%, 15-17mm | 6 |
| 180lbs (81.8kg) | 185 | 28-30%, 15-17mm | 5 |
| 200lbs (90.7kg) | 210 | 28-30%, 15-17mm | 5 |
| 220lbs (99.8kg) | 230 | 28-30%, 15-17mm | 4 |
| 240lbs (108.8kg) | 255 | 28-30%, 15-17mm | 4 |
| 260lbs (117.9kg) | 275 | 28-30%, 15-17mm | 3 |
Fox 36 Performance
| Rider Weight | Pressure (psi) | Rebound (from closed) |
|---|---|---|
| 120-130 (54-59kg) | 71 | 13 |
| 130-140 (59-64kg) | 76 | 12 |
| 140-150 (64-68kg) | 81 | 11 |
| 150-160 (68-73kg) | 85 | 10 |
| 160-170 (73-77kg) | 90 | 9 |
| 170-180 (77-82kg) | 95 | 8 |
| 180-190 (82-86kg) | 99 | 7 |
| 190-200 (86-91kg) | 104 | 6 |
| 200-210 (91-95kg) | 109 | 5 |
| 210-220 (95-100kg) | 113 | 4 |
| 220-230 (100-104kg) | 115 | 3 |
| 230-240 (104-109kg) | 117 | 2 |
| 240-250 (109-113kg) | 120 | 1 |
Fox 36 Performance Elite
| Rider Weight | Pressure (psi) | Rebound: LSR, HSR (from closed) | Compression: LSC,HSC (from closed) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 120-130 (54-59kg) | 71 | 9,8 | 10,5 |
| 130-140 (59-64kg) | 76 | 8,7 | 10,5 |
| 140-150 (64-68kg) | 81 | 7,6 | 10,5 |
| 150-160 (68-73kg) | 85 | 7,6 | 10,5 |
| 160-170 (73-77kg) | 90 | 6,5 | 10,5 |
| 170-180 (77-82kg) | 95 | 6,5 | 10,5 |
| 180-190 (82-86kg) | 99 | 5,4 | 10,5 |
| 190-200 (86-91kg) | 104 | 4,3 | 10,5 |
| 200-210 (91-95kg) | 109 | 4,3 | 10,5 |
| 210-220 (95-100kg) | 113 | 3,2 | 10,5 |
| 220-230 (100-104kg) | 115 | 2,1 | 10,5 |
| 230-240 (104-109kg) | 117 | 2,1 | 10,5 |
| 240-250 (109-113) | 120 | 1,0 | 10,5 |
Rockshox Super Deluxe Ultimate
| Rider Weight | Pressure (psi) | Sag (%, mm on shock) | Rebound: LSR, HSR (from closed) | Compression: LSC, HSC (from closed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100lbs (45.5kg) | 95 | 28-30%, 15-17mm | 7 | -1/-1 |
| 120lbs (54.4kg) | 120 | 28-30%, 15-17mm | 7 | -1/-1 |
| 140lbs (63.5kg) | 140 | 28-30%, 15-17mm | 6 | -1/-1 |
| 160lbs (72.6kg) | 165 | 28-30%, 15-17mm | 6 | -1/-1 |
| 180lbs (81.8kg) | 185 | 28-30%, 15-17mm | 5 | -1/-1 |
| 200lbs (90.7kg) | 210 | 28-30%, 15-17mm | 5 | -1/-1 |
| 220lbs (99.8kg) | 230 | 28-30%, 15-17mm | 4 | -1/-1 |
| 240lbs (108.8kg) | 255 | 28-30%, 15-17mm | 4 | -1/-1 |
| 260lbs (117.9kg) | 275 | 28-30%, 15-17mm | 3 | -1/-1 |
Fox 36 Factory
| Rider Weight | Pressure (psi) | Rebound: LSR, HSR (from closed) | Compression: LSC,HSC (from closed) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 120-130 (54-59kg) | 71 | 9,8 | 10,5 |
| 130-140 (59-64kg) | 76 | 8,7 | 10,5 |
| 140-150 (64-68kg) | 81 | 7,6 | 10,5 |
| 150-160 (68-73kg) | 85 | 7,6 | 10,5 |
| 160-170 (73-77kg) | 90 | 6,5 | 10,5 |
| 170-180 (77-82kg) | 95 | 6,5 | 10,5 |
| 180-190 (82-86kg) | 99 | 5,4 | 10,5 |
| 190-200 (86-91kg) | 104 | 4,3 | 10,5 |
| 200-210 (91-95kg) | 109 | 4,3 | 10,5 |
| 210-220 (95-100kg) | 113 | 3,2 | 10,5 |
| 220-230 (100-104kg) | 115 | 2,1 | 10,5 |
| 230-240 (104-109kg) | 117 | 2,1 | 10,5 |
| 240-250 (109-113) | 120 | 1,0 | 10,5 |
What is the recommended fork?
The Hightower.3 geometry is based off of a 150mm fork with a 42 or 44mm offset. We wouldn't recommend less travel than that, as the BB will get a bit low. Up to 160mm is fine if that's your preference.
Is there chainguide compatibility?
Yes, this bike is equipped with ISCG-05 tabs for easy chainguide mounting. Most guides that follow the ISCG-05 standard should fit.
Can I convert the Hightower to 27.5" or MX wheels?
No, the Hightower is built exclusively for 29" wheels and tires front and rear. The geometry is not setup for any 27.5" front or rear conversions.
What kind of headset does this bike use?
This bike uses integrated headset cups. The upper up is 41mm and the lower cup is 52mm. The SHIS name is IS 41/28.6 IS 52/40.For Chris King this is a DropSet.3
I want to change my rear shock. Any limitations?
The Hightower fits most shocks on the market, with some exceptions. Fox Float X2, Cane Creek DB Air, and all coil shocks are not compatible. We recommend the Rockshox Super Deluxe, Deluxe, Fox Float X, Fox Float DPS.
What size tire will fit?
Designed for 29" x 2.5" max
Should I ride in the High or Low shock flip-chip setting?
You should definitely try both, but we typically recommend starting in High. In the High setting, the bike rides a little higher in its travel and supplies the rider with more mid-stroke support. In the Low position, the shock rate becomes more progressive, particularly at the end of the stroke, and there’s some bottom-out resistance to be gained.
Does the Hightower use the SRAM Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH)?
The frame is UDH-compatible, but comes with our own machined aluminum hanger. You can replace it with another Santa Cruz hanger or a SRAM UDH.
What is the difference between the C and CC Carbon?
CC frames use the very best materials and production processes available. Our C Carbon frames have the same features but the trade off for a little less $ is a little more weight. Both versions are made in our own factory, are just as strong and stiff as one another, and have a lifetime warranty.
What can I store in the glovebox?
The Hightower comes with two bags - a tube purse and a tool wallet. You should be able to fit a superlight tube, a small pump, tire lever, and misc odds and ends in these two bags.
We design our bikes to last, to be easy to work on and we make sure to provide the parts and information so you can make your bike last for many lifetimes.
