Best Downhill Short Travel Bike of 2021

Built to be a charger on the downhill, the Tallboy does not disappoint. With a Trail frame but an Enduro mindset, this bike seems like it can do it all. Sure, it does not climb as well as the Ripley or the Fuel, but you will never hit a corner as fast on those bikes as you will on the Tallboy. With three styles of frame material and a huge variety of build options, the Tallboy is a great option for riders who may spend more time in the tailgate of their buddy’s truck than pedaling to the top of the mountain. It will do the climbs, but the downs are where the real fun is at, so we named the Tallboy the Best Downhill Short Travel Bike of 2021.

Compare to Similar Products

See Our Best Short Travel Mountain Bike Review 2021

The capability of short travel bikes is becoming wildly impressive and with the new Santa Cruz Tallboy, as things are getting dialed. It is available in three different frame materials, so that no matter your budget, you can ride this trail basher. Santa Cruz is raising the bar when it comes to the short travel 29” world.

The new Tallboy comes with 120mm of rear travel on a new (but borrowed) lower-link VPP suspension system and a 130mm fork to give you the ultimate experience no matter what the trails throw at you. While being compared heavily to the Trek Fuel and the Ibis Ripley, the Tallboy really stands alone as a descender and is built for ultimate confidence while catching air or taking corners way too fast. This is why we named it the Best Downhill Short Travel Bike of 2021.

The Bike

Now available in three frame materials: aluminum, carbon C, and carbon CC, the Tallboy is affordable to a whole range of riders. The new lower-link VPP suspension layout has opened up the frame triangle. The lower shock mount also comes with a flip chip that can flip into HI or LO mode and will make all of 0.2-degree of difference in certain aspects of the geometry. The largest difference it’ll make is 3mm of bottom bracket height change. So it won’t change your world, but at least the option is there. Santa Cruz has added a ribbed chainstay protector to keep things quiet and a wee little fender that protects the Fox shock from the muck that you’ll be ripping through in no time.

Climbing

With a steeper seat tube angle, 76.2-degrees, the Tallboy handles like a traditional XC bike on the uphills. The Tallboy may not be able to compete with the Ripley on the climbs but every bike has its nuance. The Tallboy is super easy to manage at low speeds and has a very efficient suspension while climbing. The shortened chainstay helps to keep the back end under control, and the new seat tube angle allows for you to keep the weight on the front wheel and keep it on the ground too.

Downhill

Here is where the Tallboy shines. With the bottomless feel provided by the rear suspension and a slack head tube, 65.5-degrees in the LO setting, the Tallboy likes to cruise downhill and to do so quickly. This bike is right in that sweet spot of XC bike meets Enduro—the climbing ability coupled with total confidence riding downhill. It is a poppy bike that just wants to party and show you a good time on the way to the after-party.

Build Options

There are seven build options for the Tallboy. Two of the options come on an aluminum frame, starting at $2,799 for the D version and going up to $3,399 for the R build. There are then three Carbon C frame options ranging from $4,199 to $5,999, each coming with different cassettes, brakes, forks, etc. The final two versions are made with Carbon CC. The X01 build has a wired drivetrain, and the XX1 RSV comes with the SRAM XX1 AXS wireless drivetrain and will set you back $10,499.

Along with the prebuilds, there is an aluminum frame only price of $1,999 and a Carbon CC frame only price of $3,099.

What is the difference between Carbon C and Carbon CC? Well Carbon CC is just a bit lighter but just as stiff, and that is all there is to it. Without going into too much detail, it is worth checking out the website to figure out what you’re willing to spend on a bike. Are you after the lightweight carbon frame or will a better drivetrain on an aluminum framework for you? I do like that Santa Cruz has offered an aluminum frame just so that more people have an opportunity to try out a full suspension ride and enjoy the great outdoors.

The Bottom Line

The Santa Cruz Tallboy could become a one quiver bike for the right rider. It rides just fine on the way up hills with great handling with a responsive suspension. Unless you’re truly bombing down some wild roots and nasty chunder and need that massive travel, the Tallboy can handle just about anything you throw at it. The geo is set up for all-day in-saddle comfort, and downhill riding on this bike is just so much fun. All of these reasons made the decision easy to name the Tallboy the Best Downhill Short Travel Bike of 2021.

It may not be as light or as good of a climber as the Ibis Ripley, but the downhills is where the Tallboy shines and shows its true colors. It is poppy and feels more bottomless than the Ripley, which seems hard to do. The Tallboy keeps you in a great position while you’re flying off terrain and kickers, hitting the landing, and hungry to dive into some berms and brown powder.

With a variety of frame composite types and build setups, the Tallboy is affordable for a variety of riders and just wants to get you outside having a good time.

^ Back to Top ^