Santa Cruz was an early adopter to building 29ers that not necessarily designed for the cross-country race course. That bike was the Tallboy and as more and more aggressive riders took 29ers to more and more demanding trails, an even more capable bike was needed. Thus the Hightower was created adding a bit more travel to pair with the superior rollover ability of bigger wheels causing the rest of the industry to stop and take notice. If you haven't had a chance to experience the ride of big wheels on a trail bike or if you're already one of the initiated and looking for a new trail machine, the Santa Cruz Hightower Carbon 29 R is the perfect opportunity to pick up an excellent do-it-all trail bike, outfitted with SRAM's excellent NX Eagle componentry and powerful Guide T hydraulic brakes. The bike packs 135mm of well-mannered VPP suspension and 140mm of plush travel from the RockShox Revelation RC fork getting you down the trail quickly and confidently. The Hightower is a 1x specific setup and as such, it allows Santa Cruz to chop down the chainstays for intuitive handling on tight trials and up techy climbs. When gravity brings you back down the hill, the 67-degree head tube angle, added stiffness afforded by the front and rear boost spacing, and the latest version of the excellent VPP suspension platform provides a point and shoot riding style, leveling everything in its sight. Its versatility extends to buff singletrack as well, pedaling along with efficiency and grace that you wouldn't expect from a bike this capable. The strategically positioned suspension pivot placements on the Hightower affords the linkages to remain out of the way and lets the frame accommodate a reservoir shock and a full-sized water bottle, allowing the bike to tackle enduro races or after work hot laps alike. This machine is equally at home on 6-hour backwood pedal fests one weekend or multiple lifts and shuttles to the top of the mountain the next, so if you're looking for that one...