Santa Cruz Tallboy Carbon 29er Mountain Bike Review

We tested the first generation Santa Cruz Tallboy cross-country mountain bike at Bootleg Canyon.

By Jeff Barber
September 13, 2011 Last Updated: March 6, 2024

13 comments

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I came into my demo of the Santa Cruz Tallboy assuming I wouldn’t enjoy it. Don’t get me wrong, Santa Cruz makes amazing XC bikes and I’m a died-in-the-wool 29er rider, but before saddling up on the Tallboy, I had never ridden a full suspension (FS) 29er I really loved. Even just a year ago the FS 29ers on the market were mostly heavy, awkward, and usually suffered from serious pedal bob on the climbs. Luckily the Tallboy, with 100mm (about 4 inches) of front and rear travel, has none of those problems.

Santa Cruz makes two versions of the Tallboy a full carbon beauty (the one I demoed) and an aluminum one for those looking to save a little coin. The full carbon frame weighs in at just about 5 pounds with shock and the fairly standard build I rode at Bootleg Canyon was even lighter than it looked. This bike felt fast both on the climbs and the descents.

On the trail the Tallboy didn’t ride like a 29er to me (which is really a compliment). Maybe it’s because I’ve been riding my own 29er hardtail for a few years now but to me the Tallboy just felt like a really fun XC mountain bike. I honestly forgot it was a 29er or that it was even a FS bike it was me and the trail and that was it. In fact I think this was my favorite of all the great FS 29ers I rode all day. The suspension let me sail over rocks, rail bermed turns, and descend faster than on my hardtail 29er at home.

One of the reasons I’ve stuck with my hardtail all these years is that I have zero patience for pedal bob. If I’m climbing, I want every bit of my energy going toward getting me to the top so I can bomb down the other side. In my experience, 29ers in particular suffer from even worse pedal bob than their 26-inch cousins, perhaps due to the increased leverage ratios. Needless to say, Santa Cruz has the Tallboy dialed in and once again, I found myself forgetting to think about the bike pure bliss.

Clearly the Valencia orange paint job isn’t for everyone, especially given the current black and white obsession sweeping the MTB industry. The component mix is solid, and there are several options to choose from. My demo was set up with Fox suspension, a Rock Shox dropper seatpost, Mavic wheels, and Maxxis Crossmark tires (one of my favorites). The full carbon frame retails for around $2,600 and the Tallboy is currently Santa Cruz’s best selling mountain bike (even better than the Blur!). Check one of these out if you get the chance it’ll change the way you think about FS 29ers.

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13 Comments

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trek7k
Sep 14, 2011

As a matter of fact - yes, I rode an Anthem X yesterday as well. To be honest both bikes were great - I could see myself owning either one. The Giant may have been a slightly better climber while the Tallboy was a little "flowier" if that makes sense. Full review of the Anthem coming soon...

0 reply

maineskiaddict 2010
Sep 15, 2011

Great report! I appreciate it. Looking to pick up a Tallboy as my next ride. You are right, it says a lot that the Tallboy is outselling the Blur. Must....demo...now.

Thorgron Arizona // 2011
Jun 27, 2014

I have a carbon Tallboy and would recommend it to anyone. It just rides nice! Even on technical stuff, I typically choose it over my Ibis Mojo which I know sounds crazy, but true!

GoldenGoose Georgia // 2007
Sep 14, 2011

I was in that same boat as you madd, until I read that they have recalled the 2011 frames for a possible break at the headtube seat tube junction. 2012 has been redesigned. From what I read, the 2011s are having the entire front triangle replaced in the recall.

Corey Maddocks Colorado // 2008
Sep 14, 2011

I'm very close to pulling the trigger on a leftover 2011 Anthem X 29er, and I can't wait to hear your thoughts on the '12 you demo'ed. (The geometry hasn't changed)

I rode one around the parking lot, and it literally felt like I was on my Trance, but with big wheels. I'm curious what you thought of it on the trail.

Dustin Gaddis South Carolina // 2007
Sep 14, 2011

It was the top tube/seat tube junction that was at risk of cracking, and only in the very first production run, then the TT was thickened at that joint. Less than 200 frames were recalled before the issue was fixed if I remember correctly. Haven't heard of any others cracking yet.

Greg Heil Colorado // 2008
Sep 14, 2011

So are you thinking of getting one?

That's kinda what I expected, based on what I've read elsewhere. The Tallboy is a little plusher, but the Anthem has a more efficient suspension. Lota folks are scared of the looooong chainstays on the Anthem. Not sure which of the two I'd prefer...

What about the Specialized Epic, you ridden one of those yet? I bet you'd love it, it's the FS bike for hardtail lovers. The Brain shock is supposedly awesome.

Thats GREAT to know. Thanks!

You can't get a recalled frame, Giant took them all back, which was pretty easy since most of them didn't even get into consumer's hands. Giant caught the issue while most bikes were on their way to the shops, so most didn't even get on the showroom floor.

GimmeAraise 2011
Sep 14, 2011

how did if feel on the descents when you were on the breaks, I've heard Santa Cruz bike feel odd. any thoughts?

thanks for the correction, dg. I still haven't heard of any cracking myself. Any idea if there is a way to visually check a frame and know if you are looking at the TT with the thickened joint? I'm still interested in grabbing a frame and building it up but I sure would feel better knowing first hand that I'm not grabbing one of the recalls.

trek7k - have you had a chance to try an Anthem X29er? I'd love to hear what you think of it vs the Tallboy. Their suspensions work and feel very differently from what I hear.

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