Highball now available with 27.5in wheels

The new Highball 27.5in carries all the same styling cues and technical features as the bigger wheeled version, but is available in smaller sizes so accommodating shorter people better than the Highball 29er. Unlike the 29er Highball which is available in carbon or aluminium, the Highball 27.5in can only be had in carbon fibre.

The geometry has been tuned for the wheelsize, and includes a 69 degree head angle and 72.5 seat angle, 425mm chainstays and, on the size large, a 1121mm wheelbase. Santa Cruz says it has tried to keep the handling of the two bikes similar: “We tried to keep the handling characteristics the same between the two bikes, and let the wheel size’s traits shine through,” says the company.

The new frame also features a 27.2mm seatpost, and that combined with the carbon fibre layup in the seat stays and seat tube, should add some comfort. All cables are internally routed, and Santa Cruz has used tunnels to make threading cables through easier.

The frame will cost £1,699 with builds starting at £2,399 rising to £4,705, with an Enve wheel upgrade available for an extra £1,700.

Highball 29er gets leaner and meaner

The Highball 29er meanwhile has been updated with the main changes in the geometry numbers. The top tube has been stretched out a smidgen (a large is 625mm) and the head and seat angles have been relaxed, so they’re now 70.5 and 71 degrees for the head and seat angles respectively. The chainstays are 430mm and the wheelbase on the size large is 1099.8mm.

The frame is available in both carbon fibre or aluminium. An interesting change for both is the switch from a dropper post friendly 30.9mm seatpost to a 27.2mm seatpost. It’s likely that most people running a hardtail such as the Highball are too interested in speccing a dropper post. The narrower post saves a bit of weight, and also introduces a bit of deflection which should aid comfort.

It’s light, a size medium frame in the lightest and most expensive CC carbon fibre is just 1193g, that’s nudging road bike frame weight. The slightly lower grade and cheaper C carbon frame version weighs in at 1302g. The Highball CC frame costs £1,699 and full builds will be priced from £2,399 for the Highball 29 C, and from £4,108 for the Highball 29 CC.

More at www.santacruzbicycles.com