We’ve been enjoying Santa Cruz’s arrival at Broad Street for a while now. Especially since the long-standing brand’s been rolling out a steady stream of new bikes this spring and summer. It’s been non-stop excitement, with each new release “pushing modern bike design” with “progressive geometry” and “maximum buzzwords per/frame technology.”
Renny’s Tallboy cc, though, sets the bar just a bit higher.
Enough so that we’re calling it the Tallboi. Because that’s what Aidan told us was cool, right before he left for the big learning world of Vancouver. Of course, he might have been fucking with us, but who would ever doubt a face like this.
Starting with the XL version of the 120 mm travel 2020 Tallboi cc frame, Renny’s added Santa Cruz’s own Reserve 27 carbon hoops. Not just Reserve’s, these 29″ wheels are laced to Industry Nine’s new ultra-quick-engagement Hydra hubs. With an absurd 690 points of engagement – or 0.52°.
Add full Kashima-gold Factory suspension and dropper from Fox, a 130 mm RockShox Pike Ultimate, Industry Nine’s Asheville, North Carolina-made A35 stem, a carbon bar from Santa Cruz and you have one heck of a build.
Oh yeah, then there’s the full 12-speed Shimano XTR kit. New new XTR 10-51 cassette, XTR-series cranks, and wildly powerful four piston Shimano XTR M9120 brakes with 180 mm rotors, front and rear. While it’s “just” 120 mm travel, Santa Cruz is not messing around with the Tallboi. They expect you to go fast, and maybe stop fast occasionally too.
The wildest part? This build is almost entirely stock. Minimal f’ing around with custom parts. It just arrives that good. Not that Renny didn’t add his own touches, like a Ti bottle cage, and a matchy-matchy pink enduro strap for an extra tube. But the fuckery is restricted to small touches – not major parts overhaul.
Click through the gallery below to see all the details on Renny’s Stormbringer Purple Santa Cruz Tallboy cc, including what little he did need to add to this Mr. Burns-level build