Hightower 3
- Overview
- Details
- Bike Builder
- Geometry and Sizing
- Product Support
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 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.
CC CARBON
Santa Cruz offers top-end CC Carbon, which 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.
X0 AXS
30.9 lbs / 14.02 kg | X0 AXS RSV
30.8 lbs / 13.97 kg | XX AXS RSV
30.4 lbs / 13.79 kg | Frame
6.36 lbs / 2.89 kg |
|---|
Matériau | Matériau | Matériau | Matériau | ||
Débattement | Débattement | Débattement | Débattement | ||
Taille de roues | Taille de roues | Taille de roues | Taille de roues | ||
Amortisseur | Amortisseur | Amortisseur | Amortisseur | ||
Fourche | Fourche | Fourche | Fourche | ||
Dérailleur arrière | Dérailleur arrière | Dérailleur arrière | Dérailleur arrière | ||
Shifter droit | Shifter droit | Shifter droit | Shifter droit | ||
Cassette | Cassette | Cassette | Cassette | ||
Chaîne | Chaîne | Chaîne | Chaîne | ||
Boîtier de pédalier | Boîtier de pédalier | Boîtier de pédalier | Boîtier de pédalier | ||
Jeu de direction | Jeu de direction | Jeu de direction | Jeu de direction | ||
Pneu arrière | Pneu arrière | Pneu arrière | Pneu arrière | ||
Pneu avant | Pneu avant | Pneu avant | Pneu avant | ||
Moyeu avant | Moyeu avant | Moyeu avant | Moyeu avant | ||
Jante avant | Jante avant | Jante avant | Jante avant | ||
Moyeu arrière | Moyeu arrière | Moyeu arrière | Moyeu arrière | ||
Jante arrière | Jante arrière | Jante arrière | Jante arrière | ||
Disque avant | Disque avant | Disque avant | Disque avant | ||
Disque arrière | Disque arrière | Disque arrière | Disque arrière | ||
Freins | Freins | Freins | Freins | ||
Pédalier | Pédalier | Pédalier | Pédalier | ||
Guidon | Guidon | Guidon | Guidon | ||
Potence | Potence | Potence | Potence | ||
Selle | Selle | Selle | Selle | ||
Tige de selle | Tige de selle | Tige de selle | Tige de selle | ||
Poignées | Poignées | Poignées | Poignées | ||
Chargeur de batterie | Chargeur de batterie | Chargeur de batterie | Chargeur de batterie |
Transmission SRAM Eagle - plus solide, un changement de vitesse optimisé, sans fil
La nouvelle génération de transmission SRAM Eagle, qui équipe désormais nos modèles en carbone CC, est résolument robuste, parfaitement intégrée et fonctionne sans fil. Conçue autour de la constante universelle qu'est l'axe de la roue arrière. Le montage direct, sans patte de dérailleur et un dérailleur totalement retravaillé offre un ensemble plus sûr, à la robustesse sans précédent. Le changement de vitesse sous la contrainte est désormais possible grâce à la technologie X-SYNC et la cartographie de la toute nouvelle cassette, créant ainsi un passage des rapports extrêmement fluide même lors des plus puissantes accélérations. Les nouveaux Pods AXS sont parfaitement ergonomiques et ajustables dans toutes les directions. Les changements de vitesse sont alors faciles et intuitifs. Il s'agit tout simplement de la transmission la plus avancée qui soit, surement aussi solide que la montagne sur laquelle vous roulerez.
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 |
| Angle de direction | hi/lo | 64.8°/64.5° | 64.8°/64.5° | 64.8°/64.5° | 64.8°/64.5° | 64.8°/64.5° |
| Longueur du tube de selle | 380 | 405 | 430 | 460 | 500 |
| Front Center | hi/lo | 752/752 | 783/783 | 807/807 | 836/836 | 867/867 |
| Hauteur du boitier de pédalier | 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 |
| Empattement | hi/lo | 1183/1183 | 1217/1218 | 1244/1245 | 1276/1276 | 1310/1311 |
| Longueur de bases | hi/lo | 431/432 | 434/435 | 437/438 | 440/441 | 443/444 |
| Longueur du tube de direction | 100 | 115 | 125 | 145 | 160 |
| Longueur de tube supérieur | hi/lo | 571/572 | 599/600 | 626/627 | 647/648 | 674/675 |
| Angle de tube de selle | hi/lo | 77°/76.7° | 77°/76.7° | 76.7°/76.4° | 76.9°/76.6° | 76.9°/76.7° |
| Standover | hi/lo | 706/701 | 708/703 | 711/706 | 714/709 | 719/714 |
Taille de cadre
Si vous vous trouvez entre deux tailles recommandées, l'idéal est bien sûr d'essayer les deux. Mais à défaut, vous pouvez aussi étudier les mesures de reach et de stack de votre vélo actuel pour les comparer au modèle qui vous intéresse et ainsi vous faire une idée des dimensions qui vous conviennent. Si vous n'avez pas la possibilité d'essayer le vélo, considérez ce qui suit.
Le Hightower est disponible de la taille S - XXL
Préférences personnelles
un cadre plus grand sera plus stable et offrira plus de place pour bouger sur le vélo sans influer l'équilibre général. Une taille plus grande place la roue avant plus loin devant vous, donnant un sentiment de sécurité, mais demande aussi plus d'effort pour transférer les masses et déplacer le vélo. Réfléchissez à votre style et la façon dont vous aimez rouler, si vous préférez un vélo plus actif et intuitif ou au contraire plus rapide et plus stable. Piloter un vélo plus grand vous demandera forcément plus d'efforts.
Morphologie
Tous les corps n'ont pas les mêmes proportions pour une même taille. Si vous avez de longues jambes et un torse plus court que la plupart des personnes de votre taille, vous privilégierez surement un vélo plus petit que la taille recommandée. Si au contraire vous avez de long bras et un buste plutôt grand, vous préférerez surement une taille plus grande.
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 CC frame
Carbon CC frames use the very best materials and production processes available, are made in our own factory, and have a lifetime warranty.
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
Hightower Frame Specifications
| 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) |
Suspension Setup
Take a look at detailed sag, high/low rebound, and high/low compression recommendations for shocks and forks in each build.
X0 AXS
Rockshox Lyrik Ultimate 150
| Rider Weight | Pressure (psi) | Rebound (from closed) | Compression: LSC,HSC (from center) |
| 100lbs (45.5kg) | 40 | 15 | -2,0 |
| 120lbs (54.4kg) | 50 | 13 | -2,0 |
| 140lbs (63.5kg) | 60 | 12 | -2,0 |
| 160lbs (72.6kg) | 70 | 11 | -2,0 |
| 180lbs (81.8kg) | 80 | 10 | -2,0 |
| 200lbs (90.7kg) | 90 | 9 | -2,0 |
| 220lbs (99.8kg) | 100 | 8 | -2,0 |
| 240lbs (108.8kg) | 110 | 6 | -2,0 |
Rockshox Super Deluxe Ultimate
| Rider Weight | Pressure (psi) | Sag (%, mm on shock) | Rebound (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 |
X0 AXS RSV
Rockshox Lyrik Ultimate 150
| Rider Weight | Pressure (psi) | Rebound (from closed) | Compression: LSC,HSC (from center) |
| 100lbs (45.5kg) | 40 | 15 | -2,0 |
| 120lbs (54.4kg) | 50 | 13 | -2,0 |
| 140lbs (63.5kg) | 60 | 12 | -2,0 |
| 160lbs (72.6kg) | 70 | 11 | -2,0 |
| 180lbs (81.8kg) | 80 | 10 | -2,0 |
| 200lbs (90.7kg) | 90 | 9 | -2,0 |
| 220lbs (99.8kg) | 100 | 8 | -2,0 |
| 240lbs (108.8kg) | 110 | 6 | -2,0 |
Rockshox Super Deluxe Ultimate
| Rider Weight | Pressure (psi) | Sag (%, mm on shock) | Rebound (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 |
XX AXS RSV
Rockshox Lyrik Ultimate 150
| Rider Weight | Pressure (psi) | Rebound (from closed) | Compression: LSC,HSC (from center) |
| 100lbs (45.5kg) | 40 | 15 | -2,0 |
| 120lbs (54.4kg) | 50 | 13 | -2,0 |
| 140lbs (63.5kg) | 60 | 12 | -2,0 |
| 160lbs (72.6kg) | 70 | 11 | -2,0 |
| 180lbs (81.8kg) | 80 | 10 | -2,0 |
| 200lbs (90.7kg) | 90 | 9 | -2,0 |
| 220lbs (99.8kg) | 100 | 8 | -2,0 |
| 240lbs (108.8kg) | 110 | 6 | -2,0 |
Rockshox Super Deluxe Ultimate
| Rider Weight | Pressure (psi) | Sag (%, mm on shock) | Rebound (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 |
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 |
| Angle de direction | hi/lo | 64.8°/64.5° | 64.8°/64.5° | 64.8°/64.5° | 64.8°/64.5° | 64.8°/64.5° |
| Longueur du tube de selle | 380 | 405 | 430 | 460 | 500 |
| Front Center | hi/lo | 752/752 | 783/783 | 807/807 | 836/836 | 867/867 |
| Hauteur du boitier de pédalier | 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 |
| Empattement | hi/lo | 1183/1183 | 1217/1218 | 1244/1245 | 1276/1276 | 1310/1311 |
| Longueur de bases | hi/lo | 431/432 | 434/435 | 437/438 | 440/441 | 443/444 |
| Longueur du tube de direction | 100 | 115 | 125 | 145 | 160 |
| Longueur de tube supérieur | hi/lo | 571/572 | 599/600 | 626/627 | 647/648 | 674/675 |
| Angle de tube de selle | hi/lo | 77°/76.7° | 77°/76.7° | 76.7°/76.4° | 76.9°/76.6° | 76.9°/76.7° |
| Standover | hi/lo | 706/701 | 708/703 | 711/706 | 714/709 | 719/714 |
Taille de cadre
Si vous vous trouvez entre deux tailles recommandées, l'idéal est bien sûr d'essayer les deux. Mais à défaut, vous pouvez aussi étudier les mesures de reach et de stack de votre vélo actuel pour les comparer au modèle qui vous intéresse et ainsi vous faire une idée des dimensions qui vous conviennent. Si vous n'avez pas la possibilité d'essayer le vélo, considérez ce qui suit.
Le Hightower est disponible de la taille S - XXL
Préférences personnelles
un cadre plus grand sera plus stable et offrira plus de place pour bouger sur le vélo sans influer l'équilibre général. Une taille plus grande place la roue avant plus loin devant vous, donnant un sentiment de sécurité, mais demande aussi plus d'effort pour transférer les masses et déplacer le vélo. Réfléchissez à votre style et la façon dont vous aimez rouler, si vous préférez un vélo plus actif et intuitif ou au contraire plus rapide et plus stable. Piloter un vélo plus grand vous demandera forcément plus d'efforts.
Morphologie
Tous les corps n'ont pas les mêmes proportions pour une même taille. Si vous avez de longues jambes et un torse plus court que la plupart des personnes de votre taille, vous privilégierez surement un vélo plus petit que la taille recommandée. Si au contraire vous avez de long bras et un buste plutôt grand, vous préférerez surement une taille plus grande.
FAQ's
What is the recommended fork?
The Hightower 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?
the Hightower is 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 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.
Exploded Diagrams
Lower Link Hardware and Lower Shock Bolt
Seat Collar, Upper Shock Bolt, and Upper Link Hardware
Globebox Door, Bezel, and Hardware
Downtube Protector and Shuttle Guard
Rear Fender
Rear Axle, Deraillaur Hanger, and Chainstay Protector
Upper Link
Lower Link
