(SANTA CRUZ PRESS RELEASE)
The Tallboy is a short-travel bike with long legs. Our perennial 29-inch bike has dropped weight and bulked up on travel to meet the needs of riders looking to maximize power hours or ride all the hours. It’s light and efficient enough to climb with the best of them, yet punches way above its weight class as soon as the trail turns down.
Excellent suspension, big wheels, thoroughly-tuned carbon layup and rock-solid reliability let you go as hard as you want.
Tallboy is built for riders who push the limits. Whether that’s their own limit, the limits of the bike, or the limit of what’s possible. From dedicated underbikers to off-road Everesting attempts, Tallboy gives riders the confidence to go for it.
Slimmed Down, Beefed Up
The new Tallboy is 300 grams lighter than the previous model, and over 400 grams lighter than the 5010. With complete bike weights comfortably under 30 pounds, Tallboy is a capable trail bike that won’t punish you for having 130mm of travel.
Why Four-Bar?
Four-bar systems can easily achieve a low anti-squat, which means minimal pedal kickback on square-edge hits, and they remain active while pedaling up and across rough, technical terrain. They exhibit fantastic performance while braking on steep, rough terrain, isolating the rider from harshness and maintaining traction at all times.
That means the bike (and subsequently, the rider) can be consistently composed while riding the hardest trails.
“We used a four-bar layout on our ebikes initially, to make the bikes ride the way we wanted while fitting a full-power drive unit. For the Tallboy we were really looking for a very different feel than the previous versions, and we were able to fine-tune the kinematics to get what we wanted: a moderately progressive suspension that eats bumps while being spritely and sporty.
The low anti-rise and lower anti-squat result in a bike that’s very controlled under braking, and allows you to pedal through roots and rocks without causing any hiccups or losing traction. On top of that, it allowed us to reduce weight and improve seatpost insertion. Big wins all around.”
– Josh Kissner, Director of Product
Put To Work On The Old Ghost Road
Santa Cruz athletes, Ben Hildred and Ruth Holcomb, took the new Tallboy for a lap of The Old Ghost Road, an iconic 85km trail on the west coast of New Zealand’s South Island.
Based on hundred-year-old mining routes, The Old Ghost Road delivers a grand tour of flora, fauna, and geology that’s as compelling as the ride itself.
Fair warning: you’re likely to head straight to Air New Zealand’s booking page after watching. The film will go live this weekend, and we’ll send a link on Monday.
Key Features
One Frame, One Layup, All Drivetrains
Tallboy frames are all made with our highest-grade CC Carbon to put maximum performance in the hands of every rider. And every frame accommodates mechanical drivetrain cable routing.
Sized And Tuned For Every Rider
XS to XXL. Whether you’re five foot flat or six and a half feet tall, there’s a Tallboy for you. The Tallboy has proportional geometry and stiffness, so every rider gets the same ride feel and performance across the size range. The new suspension layout also delivers better seatpost insertion, enabling longer droppers.
Glovebox V2
A better latch, stronger engagement, and new mounting process makes Glovebox more durable, quieter, and easier to live with.
Flip Chip
Hi for pedaling, Lo for sending. Dial in your preferred ride-feel without any fuss.
Accessory Mount
First used on our e-bikes, and a great place to mount a tube or multi-tool. More room for snacks in the Glovebox.
Specs, Weight, and Pricing
- 130mm 4-Bar Rear Travel // 140mm Fork Travel
- CC Carbon Frame
- 29” Wheels
- XS – XXL Frame Sizes
- Weight From 29.2lbs/13.2kg
- Price Complete Bikes From $4,999 USD/$6,999 CAD/€4,999 EUR/£4,499 GBP/$7,699 AUD/$8,199 NZD
For more information, please visit