2027 Santa Cruz Tallboy Review

After 17 years, six generations, and a whole lot of evolution, has Santa Cruz finally built the ultimate do-it-all trail bike? I spent serious time on the 2027 Santa Cruz Tallboy, including a loaded trip on the Colorado Trail, countless day rides, and many hundreds of miles to find out. I’ve organized my findings into 10 points. These are the thoughts of someone who doesn’t shuttle or huck himself off cliffs but absolutely loves riding a mountain bike and pushing it to its full potential. Check out my video review below, followed by a written version.

1. This Tallboy Is Unlike Previous Generations

The 2027 Santa Cruz Tallboy is the bike’s sixth iteration, with a history stretching back to 2009. While it might not have seemed like much at the time, the original Tallboy helped change how people thought about 29ers. Back then, 29-inch wheels were still controversial. Plenty of riders called them awkward, sluggish, and less fun than smaller wheels. The original 100mm full-suspension Tallboy helped change that feeling by being surprisingly playful, efficient, and capable.

Fast-forward to 2019, and the fourth-generation Tallboy marked another turning point. With more aggressive geometry and 120mm of rear travel, it developed a reputation for combining efficient climbing with descending capabilities that punched well above its weight. That formula proved so successful that Santa Cruz refined it rather than reinvent the wheel for the fifth generation released in 2022.

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I’ve always been intrigued by the Tallboy, though I’d never spent meaningful time on previous generations. The sixth generation caught my attention because it still uses 29″ wheels in the front and rear, but comes with a new four-bar platform instead of VPP. It has more travel, less weight, updated geometry, and a Carbon CC-only frame. This was no incremental update. I can’t directly compare it to previous versions, but I can tell you what I learned riding this one. Spoiler: it made me giddy.

2. Why I Bought This Bike

There’s something about seeing a new bike launch, being drawn to its looks, diving into the details, and reaching a point where turning back feels like a waste of time. That’s pretty much what happened with the Tallboy and me. I was looking for a bike that could do a few things. Most importantly, it needed to tackle the Colorado Trail this past summer, and also serve as my everyday trail bike. So, after digging into the details, I convinced myself this was the bike without ever throwing a leg over it.

Normally, most of the bikes I get my hands on are for review. But Santa Cruz didn’t have one available in time for the Colorado Trail. By then, though, I was already pretty sold on getting one. I also needed a frame for the new Shimano Deore components I was testing, and I love building bikes, so I thought—why not just buy a frame? The only problem was finding one. Shops I’d worked with before said stock was limited. Eventually, after a lot of searching, I found a frame at Contender Bicycles. They were fantastic to work with, and if you’re ever in the Salt Lake City or Park City area, they’re worth checking out.

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That’s how I ended up with this Tallboy. I paid for the frame myself, with no arrangement or expectation of a review. I just wanted to build it, ride it, and see what happened. Worst case, I figured I could sell it after reviewing the components. But it didn’t take long to realize that wasn’t going to happen.

3. Santa Cruz Sizing is Different

As for sizing, I went with a Large. It ended up being the most inspired I’ve felt on a bike in a long time. Is that a coincidence? Well, there’s a lot to unpack, but first, let’s rewind. At 5’9.5″, I’ve almost always ridden Medium mountain bikes, generally trusting manufacturers’ sizing recommendations. But with six frames, the Tallboy has relatively small gaps between sizes. Thankfully, I fall within the recommended range for a Large, which spans 5’9″ to 6’1″.

Of course, height isn’t everything. I have a plus two-inch ape index, meaning my arms are longer than my height, along with a 32-inch inseam. So, I’ve often felt cramped on bikes with shorter reach measurements. Interestingly, the Large Tallboy shares some similarities with the Medium Salsa Blackthorn I tested last year, showing just how differently brands approach sizing. Still, this is a relatively long bike, and before riding it I questioned whether I should have gone with a Medium.

2027 Santa Cruz Tallboy Geometry

With a 616mm effective top tube, 475mm reach, and relatively upright 633mm stack, I expected the Tallboy to feel pretty big. But it never felt as long as those numbers suggest. Instead, it struck a really nice balance. Long enough to feel comfortable for eight to ten hours in the saddle on bikepacking trips, but never so much that I felt stretched out. Sure, I noticed the extra length on tighter trails and during slower technical riding, and there were moments when I questioned it. But once I started putting serious miles on the bike, I never wished for a Medium.

4. What Else Is New?

Unlike the previous iteration, the sixth-generation Tallboy brings meaningful geometry changes while keeping the Hi/Lo flip chip. The geometry is slacker up front and steeper at the seat tube. The head angle now sits at 65.1 degrees in the Hi position and 64.8 degrees in Lo. I’ve spent plenty of time in both settings. Hi felt more pedal-friendly, particularly on the Colorado Trail, where the slightly higher bottom bracket provided extra pedal clearance. Lo, on the other hand, was noticeably more confidence-inspiring on descents. It’s surprising how such a small adjustment can change a bike’s character, and it’s great to have the option. Swapping between the two is easy and can be done without removing the shock.

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The front center has grown by 11mm compared to the Tallboy 5, now measuring 801mm on my size Large. The seat tube angle has also steepened to 77.4 degrees in Hi and 77.2 degrees in Lo. Meanwhile, the rear center remains nearly unchanged at 438mm in Hi and 438.5mm in Lo, resulting in a 1,239mm wheelbase, roughly 12mm longer than the previous Large. Santa Cruz also uses size-specific chainstay lengths to keep the ride feel consistent across all six sizes.

A few other noteworthy changes stand out. Rear tire clearance has actually decreased from 2.5″ to 2.4″, and the maximum chainring size is now 34T. I also found there’s a minimum chainring size to consider. More on both shortly. Otherwise, the Tallboy retains familiar standards, including Boost rear spacing, an IS41/52 headset, a 73mm threaded bottom bracket, and a 31.6mm seatpost. It also features internally sleeved cable routing, which, if you want internal routing, is about the best-case scenario. Finally, the rear brake uses a 180mm post mount, with clearance for up to a 203mm rotor. Travel is up to 140mm front and 130mm rear, and it’s compatible with a 150mm fork. But the bigger story is what that new four-bar layout feels like on trail.

5. Goodbye VPP, Hello Four-bar

VPP, or Virtual Pivot Point, has a bit of a cult following. I love the way my VPP-equipped Santa Cruz Hightower rides. But comparing bikes with different travel and shock tunes isn’t exactly apples-to-apples. To achieve the kinematics they wanted while reducing weight and increasing dropper-post insertion depth, Santa Cruz moved away from VPP on its shorter-travel trail bikes in favor of a four-bar design.

Kiran MacKinnon, Santa Cruz’s product manager, once shared a perspective on suspension that resonated with me. When asked what makes good suspension, he said it should move only as much as it needs to. There’s more nuance to that, but the idea is to maintain support and preserve the bike’s geometry while allowing the suspension to do its job. Compared to the previous VPP design, the Tallboy 6’s four-bar suspension has lower anti-squat and anti-rise, reducing pedal kickback over rough terrain while keeping the suspension more active under braking. While higher anti-squat generally helps resist pedal bob, Santa Cruz has tuned this system to prioritize traction and sensitivity without sacrificing too much pedaling support.

Now, I’m not a massive suspension geek, but I’ve ridden plenty of different designs over the years. For my style of riding, which I’d estimate is roughly 60% pedaling and 40% descending, I want something well-balanced. What impressed me most was how supportive the suspension feels while pedaling, yet how active it remains when the trail gets rough. There’s very little unwanted movement under power, and the rear wheel tracks obstacles well without feeling overly firm or getting hung up. It’s an impressive balance, especially for the long, mixed-terrain rides I like to do. I’ll get to what that means on bigger descents in a bit.

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As for setup, I’ve been running the RockShox Deluxe Ultimate at around 28–29% sag, slightly firmer than Santa Cruz recommends at 30%. I’ve generally kept rebound near the middle of its adjustment range, experimenting around 5, 6, or 7 clicks from fully closed. I’ve also played with low-speed compression, moving between Neutral and the + setting. The + setting provides a little extra pedaling support, and I could probably leave it there most of the time. But on more technical climbs, the + position produced some bob, so putting it in neutral helped slow the movement. If anything, I wish there were a little more adjustment between those two to fine-tune that balance.

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I rarely reached for the lockout. Sure, I’d use it on paved roads or gravel connectors, and it does a pretty darn good job of firming things up. But on singletrack, I always left the shock open, letting the suspension stay active and the rear wheel track over obstacles. On the few occasions I noticed some pedal bob, a quick adjustment to the low-speed compression usually helped settle things down.

6. But Can It Climb?

Climbing was a major reason I bought the Tallboy, and one comment I saw online caught my attention. I recently came across a comment on some random Santa Cruz Tallboy Facebook page questioning the Tallboy’s climbing ability. I’m not even part of a Tallboy group, so I’m not sure how I ended up there, but it triggered me a little. Not something I’m proud of, but I couldn’t help jumping in to share my experience and explain just how capable this bike is on the climbs.

Santa Cruz launched the bike alongside The Old Ghost Road video, showing Ben Hildred and Ruth Holcomb pedaling, yes, pedaling, a demanding backcountry route. So the idea that the Tallboy couldn’t climb seemed odd. After spending plenty of time in the saddle, I can confidently say it’s a great pedaling bike. Would I compare it to something like the Revel Ranger or Salsa Spearfish? Not necessarily. But those were also Medium frames with shorter wheelbases. I can’t help but wonder whether riding a Large in any of those models might change my impressions. One thing is certain, though: the Tallboy doesn’t leave me nearly as frustrated on climbs as my Hightower does.

Just pedaling around Hartman Rocks, there are so many fun rock moves and punchy climbs, and this bike made a lot of them feel almost effortless. Even on wet, steep, nasty terrain around Crested Butte, it kept surprising me. There were a few moments of pedal bob, especially between tough moves at slow speeds, and it might not rocket you up and over an obstacle like a CBF-equipped bike can. But I also like the idea of a simpler linkage, potentially with fewer maintenance headaches down the road.

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That said, I discovered one red flag while preparing the Tallboy for the Colorado Trail. I installed a 30-tooth chainring to give myself as much mechanical advantage as possible for those long climbs ahead. But almost immediately, I noticed the chain rubbing against the chainstay protector in the 10-tooth cog, and occasionally even the 12-tooth.

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I double-checked my chain length, compressed the suspension, and eventually emailed Santa Cruz because I was baffled. After chatting with the customer service team for a bit, they assured me that a 30-tooth chainring was confirmed to work, but I was still experiencing rubbing. Now, this is purely speculation, but I wonder whether they fully accounted for the rather substantial chainstay protector when determining chainring compatibility. It’s a pretty beefy piece of rubber. As you can see, the chain has actually started wearing into it. It’s not the end of the world, but it was concerning enough for me to reach out, and I can’t help but wonder whether this was simply missed in the design process.

7. The Tallboy Made Me a Better Rider

One of the biggest surprises with the Tallboy, especially compared to other bikes I’ve tested over the past three years, is that I come away feeling like it’s made me a better rider. It’s hard to pinpoint just one reason why. I’ve always considered myself a natural climber, but I’ve typically been more timid on descents. With the Tallboy, I feel like I’ve finally broken through to the other side, so to speak. It’s a feeling I haven’t experienced since owning the first-generation Salsa Blackthorn a few years ago.

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A big part of that confidence comes from the suspension. When the trail gets rough and speeds pick up, the bike really comes alive. Whether I’m carrying speed through successive hits, holding a line through technical terrain, or feathering the brakes, the rear suspension remains remarkably composed. Rather than feeling overwhelmed by repeated impacts, it settles into the terrain, allowing me to focus more on where I’m going and less on what the bike is doing underneath me.

The Tallboy feels far more capable than I’d expect from a bike with 140mm up front and 130mm in the rear. While the suspension deserves plenty of credit, the geometry plays an equally important role. The longer wheelbase keeps things planted at speed. I initially questioned whether the Large would be too long, but I never once wished for a shorter bike on descents. That same length, which I occasionally noticed in tight, slow sections, became an asset when the trail opened up. Suddenly, I rode into obstacles with more confidence, carried more speed, and trusted the bike in places where I might have hesitated before.

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I had some wicked fun days riding up in Crested Butte, and after hours of climbing, the last thing you want is to feel exhausted or overwhelmed heading into a big descent. That’s where this bike shines. It’s also remarkably playful when you want it to be. At Hartman Rocks, where the riding is punchier and more XC-oriented, the Tallboy still felt efficient and capable, and handled just about everything I threw at it. It even helped me get past some nerves on sections of trail that have traditionally intimidated me.

That’s what makes this bike so special. It hasn’t necessarily changed what I’m physically capable of doing, but it has changed how willing I am to push myself. I’m approaching technical sections with more confidence, trusting the bike more, and simply having more fun on descents. That said, it’s not perfect everywhere. On slower, less technical trails, it’s not as lively or snappy as a downcountry or XC bike, and the added weight can certainly be noticeable when you’re trying to accelerate or tackle punchy climbs. Still, I can’t remember the last time a bike made me this excited to get out and ride.

8. Cargo and the Tallboy

My test period started with just one fun ride before I began loading it down for the Colorado Trail. Meaning, I never got to see what it was fully capable of before heading out. Dialing in sag, tire pressures, rebound, and compression was a work in progress for a while. But once I got everything sorted, the bike was a joy to ride, even when fully loaded.

The added weight didn’t change its character much. Sure, it was slower on climbs and carried more momentum downhill, but that all comes with the territory when you’re bikepacking. One of the things that initially drew me to the Tallboy was its shock layout and the space available in the main triangle. I’d be lying if I said suspension layout didn’t influence my bike choices. Especially since I typically ride smaller frames, where finding room for gear can be a challenge. I was also very excited about the custom Rogue Panda DoubleTrack frame bag I had made for this frame. What’s neat is how it integrates with the Glovebox storage. The bag attaches to the Glovebox door, so I can open it, move the bag aside, and access my tools without removing the entire frame bag. That internal storage is a huge bonus. And sure, the Tallboy isn’t the lightest frame, and I suspect some of that comes down to the beefy downtube and Glovebox. But I wouldn’t want it any other way. I fit a pretty extensive repair kit inside, freeing up valuable space elsewhere.

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Out back, I ran the Tailfin Journey Rack, which was ideal for this trail. Its pivoting design held up exceptionally well, even over some incredibly rough terrain. I also had very little interference with my seat and none with the rear tire. It’s certainly not a dedicated bikepacking bike, with no downtube mounts and only one bottle mount inside the triangle. But the setup worked remarkably well, without sacrificing much of the bike’s ride character. You can find my complete Colorado Trail setup here, where I break down exactly how I packed this bike.

9. Not Exactly Stock

As you can tell, my Tallboy isn’t exactly stock. If I could do it over, I’d probably buy the purple version. But all I could get my hands on was this cool raw-black-finish frame. I dig it, and it looks way better in person than it does on their website. The main components I needed to test were the new Shimano Deore drivetrain and brakes. I’m also running 165mm cranks and still had my share of pedal strikes. The High flip-chip setting helped on the Colorado Trail, but in the low setting, users need to watch for rocks.

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Up front, I went with a 140mm RockShox Pike Ultimate, partly because my other forks weren’t the right travel or had steerer tubes that were too short. I hated this fork at first. But once I dialed in the high- and low-speed compression, pressures, and rebound, it really came to life. It’s a bit more finicky than a Fox 36 SL, but I eventually found a setup that worked well across a wide range of terrain.

I also threw on some Shimano XT wheels. They’re a little heavy, but they’ve been fantastic. When installing them, I had one of those moments where I thought, screw it, maybe weight really doesn’t matter that much. They’ve done the job, and I’ll share more thoughts soon. For tires, I went with the Maxxis Forekaster, which Santa Cruz also specs on the Tallboy. These tires are fantastic. I ran a 2.6 up front and a 2.4 in the rear for most of my testing. They corner exceptionally well, offer great braking traction, and roll surprisingly fast for a mid-tread tire. Mine use a 60 TPI EXO casing and the new MaxxTerra compound, and so far, durability has been promising.

2027 Santa Cruz Tallboy Build Kit

• Frame: Santa Cruz Tallboy 6 Carbon CC, Large, Raw Black
• Fork: RockShox Pike Ultimate RC2 C2, 140mm, 44mm offset
• Rear Shock:RockShox Deluxe Ultimate, 185 × 50mm
• Crankset: Crankset Shimano Deore, 165mm
• Derailleur: Shimano Deore, 12-speed
• Shifter: Shimano Deore, 12-speed
• Cassette: Shimano Deore, 12-speed
• Wheels: Shimano XT
• Front Tire: Front Tire Maxxis Forekaster 29 × 2.6″, EXO, MaxxTerra
• Rear Tire: Rear Tire Maxxis Forekaster 29 × 2.6″, EXO, MaxxTerra
• Handlebar: Bike Yoke Barmate Carbon, 800mm, 20mm rise, 9° backsweep
• Stem: 5DEV, 40mm
• Grips: SQ Lab 70x
• Saddle: WTB Solano SL
• Seatpost: OneUp Dropper, 200mm
• Brakes: Shimano Deore M6200

After pinching my rear 2.4, I tried a 2.6 on the back. It technically fits, but clearance is extremely tight. A 2.5 might squeeze in, though Santa Cruz officially recommends a maximum of 2.4 inches. For the dropper, I’m running a 200mm OneUp, which gives me plenty of room to move around on the bike. I could probably fit something longer, but I don’t need it.

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Finally, my cockpit has 15mm of spacers, a 40mm 5DEV stem, and 800mm Bike Yoke Barmate carbon handlebars with 20mm of rise and 9 degrees of backsweep. I originally set it up this way for the Colorado Trail and haven’t changed a thing. And topping it off is my current favorite saddle, the WTB Solano SL. All told, it’s a fun, capable build, but certainly not light, coming in at just under 32 pounds with plenty of mud caked on it.

10. Would I Buy It Again? (Wrap Up)

There are more specialized mountain bikes than ever: lightweight bikes for big days, aggressive trail bikes, enduro rigs, and downhill bikes. But heading into a summer of riding, I wanted something fresh, something versatile enough to cover most of it. That’s always been the appeal of a good all-around bike to me: fewer excuses to grab something else and more reasons to get out and ride.

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The Tallboy isn’t the fastest climber or the lightest option, and its tire clearance and mounting options have their compromises. But after everything I’ve ridden on it, those shortcomings haven’t outweighed what I enjoy about this bike. For my mix of everyday trails, big mountain days, and occasional bikepacking, it’s a compelling package.

Of course, there’s the price. The Tallboy 6 frame comes in at $3,899, while the complete Shimano Deore build, which is pretty similar to what I’ve put together here, sells for $5,000. Considering what you’re getting, I think that’s a pretty reasonable value, especially for a Santa Cruz. If I were buying a complete Tallboy rather than building one from the frame up, that’s exactly the build I’d choose. So, would I buy it again? Absolutely. After a summer on this thing, it’s one of the best all-around mountain bikes I’ve owned. And more importantly, it’s one I keep wanting to ride.

• Model Tested: Santa Cruz Tallboy Gen Six, Large
• Actual Weight: 31.15 pounds (14.12 kilograms)
• Place of Manufacture: Thailand
• Price: $5,000 at Competitve Cyclist
• Manufacturer’s Details: Santa Cruz

Further Reading

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