Bikes

The ultimate power-wheeling, bump-chewing sidekick. The Megatower is the fusion of big wheels and the biggest-hitting suspension system. It’s a modern day brawler, as suited to diehard racers as it is to riders wanting to conquer their hometown trails. Tracing its roots to the Hightower, and now featuring the lower link-driven VPP suspension derived from the V10, the Megatower is the most capable, confidence-inspiring 29er trail bike in Santa Cruz's line-up. The lower-link mounted shock configuration — designed for compatibility with both air and coil shocks — provides a progressive shock rate that has unmatched traction and bottom-out resistance, making it ideal for taming the longest descents and rowdiest hits. In order to make the Megatower stride confidently across the globe, it has an enormous amount of clever adjustability hidden in its bones. A tidy and concealed flip chip in the lower-link adjusts bottom bracket height and changes progressivity of the rear suspension. A second modular point in the rear dropouts allows for a 10mm fore-aft adjustment in chainstay length to dial in the rider’s rearward weight distribution — either set for play or for stability. The flip chips are a robust mechanism for riders looking to tune their ride according to their needs without compromising reliability and durability. No wackadoo mousetraps and frail proprietary shocks here. The Megatower isn’t all fight and fury, it’s smart and savvy too. It has a sharp, 76-degree seat tube angle for winching to the top of the kinds of descents where having a roomier cockpit and a 65-degree head tube angle will come in handy. And you can still carry around a full water bottle inside the frame (even with a piggyback shock), and the frame is well protected with a shock fender, shuttle guard, downtube protector, and ribbed chainstay protector. - SRAM GX drivetrain - Fox 36 Float Performance fork - RockShox Reverb Stealth dropper seatpost

The Megatower is the fusion of big wheels and the biggest-hitting suspension system. It’s a modern day brawler, as suited to diehard racers as it is to riders wanting to conquer their hometown trails. Tracing its roots to the Hightower, and now featuring the lower link-driven VPP suspension derived from the V10, the Megatower is the most capable, confidence-inspiring 29er trail bike in our line-up. The lower-link mounted shock configuration – designed for compatibility with both air and coil shocks – provides a progressive shock rate that has unmatched traction and bottom out resistance, making it ideal for taming the longest descents and rowdiest hits. In order to make the Megatower stride confidently across the globe it has an enormous amount of clever adjustability hidden in its bones. A tidy and concealed flip chip in the lower-link adjusts bottom bracket height and changes progressivity of the rear suspension. A second, in the rear dropouts, allows for a 10mm fore-aft adjustment in chainstay length to dial in the rider’s rearward weight distribution - either set for play or for stability. The flip chips are a robust mechanism for riders looking to tune their ride according to their needs without compromising reliability and durability. No wackadoo mousetraps and frail proprietary shocks here. The Megatower isn’t all fight and fury, it’s smart and savvy too. It has a sharp, 76-degree seat tube angle for winching to the top of the kinds of descents where having a roomier cockpit and a 65-degree head tube angle will come in handy. And, you can still carry around a full water bottle inside the frame (even with a piggyback shock), and the frame is well protected with a shock fender, shuttle guard, downtube protector and ribbed chainstay protector. - Carbon C frame - Fox 36 Float Performance 160mm fork - RockShox Super Deluxe Select+ rear shock - Choice of Race Face AR Offset 30 rims or Santa Cruz Reserve 30 Carbon rims - 12-speed SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain - RockShox Reverb Stealth dropper post - MRP AMg V2 Alloy chainguide

The Megatower is the fusion of big wheels and the biggest-hitting suspension system. It’s a modern day brawler, as suited to diehard racers as it is to riders wanting to conquer their hometown trails. Tracing its roots to the Hightower, and now featuring the lower link-driven VPP suspension derived from the V10, the Megatower is the most capable, confidence-inspiring 29er trail bike in our line-up. The lower-link mounted shock configuration – designed for compatibility with both air and coil shocks – provides a progressive shock rate that has unmatched traction and bottom out resistance, making it ideal for taming the longest descents and rowdiest hits. In order to make the Megatower stride confidently across the globe it has an enormous amount of clever adjustability hidden in its bones. A tidy and concealed flip chip in the lower-link adjusts bottom bracket height and changes progressivity of the rear suspension. A second, in the rear dropouts, allows for a 10mm fore-aft adjustment in chainstay length to dial in the rider’s rearward weight distribution - either set for play or for stability. The flip chips are a robust mechanism for riders looking to tune their ride according to their needs without compromising reliability and durability. No wackadoo mousetraps and frail proprietary shocks here. The Megatower isn’t all fight and fury, it’s smart and savvy too. It has a sharp, 76-degree seat tube angle for winching to the top of the kinds of descents where having a roomier cockpit and a 65-degree head tube angle will come in handy. And, you can still carry around a full water bottle inside the frame (even with a piggyback shock), and the frame is well protected with a shock fender, shuttle guard, downtube protector and ribbed chainstay protector. - Carbon C frame - Fox 36 Float Performance 160mm fork - RockShox Super Deluxe Coil Select+ rear shock - Race Face AR Offset 30 rims or Santa Cruz Reserve 30 Carbon rims - 12-speed SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain - RockShox Reverb Stealth dropper post - MRP AMg V2 Alloy chainguide

The tin lizard has ascended the evolutionary ladder and is now a fully-imagined carbon fiber creature. It’s Darwinism in action. Santa Cruz took the fun-loving, shreddy spirit and adjustability of the beloved aluminum Chameleon and added a lighter, faster, more advanced version of the species. It’s a do-it-all hardtail that is as happy making the most of backyard booter (mis)adventures as it is fully-loaded with camp gear and a color-matched dangle mug. Speaking of color-matched, the carbon chameleon SE version features custom blue Hope hubs and headset that make this reptile stand out from the crowd. Two bottle cage mounts, including a triple-bolt cargo cage mount under the downtube mean you can escape from the crowds, too. The Chameleon changes to suit its environment. Twenty-niner or 27.5-plus, geared or single-speed, this adaptable hardtail utilizes a suite of simple, swappable dropouts to convert it from aggro trail charger to single-speed racer to husky bikepacking mule, or anything in between. Depending on setup and skill level, the Chameleon is capable on a wide range of terrain—aggressive trail riding to jump lines to all-around use. Going for maximum speed and rollability? Go 29er. Riding mostly loose terrain? Get some Plus tires that provide traction for days.

When the Stigmata was resurrected in 2015, we fused a number of MTB standards and design features to create our spin on the modern CX bike. Something must have clicked, because within months of launch it raced to victory at the legendary Three Peaks, and has continued to contend at elite cyclocross races around the world. Nowadays, the internally routed disc brakes, generous tire clearance and thru-axles approach that made the Stigmata famous have become more of a norm, so we took a fresh look at which standards the riders of tomorrow wanted access to today. Threaded bottom brackets remain a perennial favorite across our entire line thanks to their proven robust, cost-effective and compatible design. “If it ain’t broke…” ...and it never is. Fender mounts add a bit of CYA, and highlight the Stigmata’s ever-widening scope of purpose. We added to that with three bottle cage mounts so that the frame can still hold at least one normal bottle even when running a front triangle bag. Deeper adventures, bigger tires perhaps? The frame now clears up to a 45mm 700c or a 2.1” 650b tire. Marry the latter to our Force/X01 AXS mashup kit and you’ve got yourself the kind of drop-bar singletrack rallycat we can all get on board with. And when it comes to good old-fashioned off-road etiquette, the Stigmata’s had some coaching at the Highball school of stiffness, handling, and offroad feel. The carbon layup borrows knowledge gained from not just the Highball, but also Danny MacAskill’s trials bike, to produce a ride so law-abiding you’d think HR had sent it on a compliance training course. Geometry plays a big part here too, so we’ve made tweaks to improve handling for smaller riders and reduce toe overlap. The reworking of the 52/54cm frames means the Stigmata now comfortably suits riders from 5’3” and up. Meanwhile different fork offsets—50mm for the 52-54cm sizes, and 45mm for the 56-61cm sizes—help ensure your little piggies don’t go to market on the front wheel. Topped off with tidy details like 12mm front axle, flat mount brakes and build-specific Reserve wheel packages, the Stigmata is designed to let you decide whatever the heck you want this category to be. - Carbon CC frame - Choice of RaceFace ARC Offset 25 27.5 Rims or Santa Cruz Reserve 25 650b Carbon Rims - 12-speed SRAM Force eTap AXS electronic drivetrain

When the Stigmata was resurrected in 2015, we fused a number of MTB standards and design features to create our spin on the modern CX bike. Something must have clicked, because within months of launch it raced to victory at the legendary Three Peaks, and has continued to contend at elite cyclocross races around the world. Nowadays, the internally routed disc brakes, generous tire clearance and thru-axles approach that made the Stigmata famous have become more of a norm, so we took a fresh look at which standards the riders of tomorrow wanted access to today. Threaded bottom brackets remain a perennial favorite across our entire line thanks to their proven robust, cost-effective and compatible design. “If it ain’t broke…” ...and it never is. Fender mounts add a bit of CYA, and highlight the Stigmata’s ever-widening scope of purpose. We added to that with three bottle cage mounts so that the frame can still hold at least one normal bottle even when running a front triangle bag. Deeper adventures, bigger tires perhaps? The frame now clears up to a 45mm 700c or a 2.1” 650b tire. Marry the latter to our Force/X01 AXS mashup kit and you’ve got yourself the kind of drop-bar singletrack rallycat we can all get on board with. And when it comes to good old-fashioned off-road etiquette, the Stigmata’s had some coaching at the Highball school of stiffness, handling, and offroad feel. The carbon layup borrows knowledge gained from not just the Highball, but also Danny MacAskill’s trials bike, to produce a ride so law-abiding you’d think HR had sent it on a compliance training course. Geometry plays a big part here too, so we’ve made tweaks to improve handling for smaller riders and reduce toe overlap. The reworking of the 52/54cm frames means the Stigmata now comfortably suits riders from 5’3” and up. Meanwhile different fork offsets—50mm for the 52-54cm sizes, and 45mm for the 56-61cm sizes—help ensure your little piggies don’t go to market on the front wheel. Topped off with tidy details like 12mm front axle, flat mount brakes and build-specific Reserve wheel packages, the Stigmata is designed to let you decide whatever the heck you want this category to be. - Carbon CC frame and fork - Choice of DT XR 361 Asym 29 rims or Santa Cruz Reserve 22 700c Carbon Rims - 12-speed SRAM Force eTap AXS electronic drivetrain

The road goes on forever and the party never ends When the Stigmata was resurrected in 2015, we fused a number of MTB standards and design features to create our spin on the modern CX bike. Something must have clicked, because within months of launch it raced to victory at the legendary Three Peaks, and has continued to contend at elite cyclocross races around the world. Nowadays, the internally routed disc brakes, generous tire clearance, and thru-axles approach that made the Stigmata famous have become more of a norm, so we took a fresh look at which standards the riders of tomorrow wanted access to today. Threaded bottom brackets remain a perennial favorite across our entire line thanks to their proven robust, cost-effective, and compatible design. “If it ain’t broke…” ...and it never is. Fender mounts add a bit of CYA and highlight the Stigmata’s ever-widening scope of purpose. We added to that with three bottle cage mounts so that the frame can still hold at least one normal bottle even when running a front triangle bag. Deeper adventures, bigger tires perhaps? The frame now clears up to a 45mm 700c or a 2.1” 650b tire. Marry the latter to our Force/X01 AXS mashup kit and you’ve got yourself the kind of drop-bar singletrack rallycat we can all get on board with. And when it comes to good old-fashioned off-road etiquette, the Stigmata’s had some coaching at the Highball school of stiffness, handling, and offroad feel. The carbon layup borrows knowledge gained from not just the Highball, but also Danny MacAskill’s trials bike, to produce a ride so law-abiding you’d think HR had sent it on a compliance training course. Geometry plays a big part here too, so we’ve made tweaks to improve handling for smaller riders and reduce toe overlap. The reworking of the 52/54cm frames means the Stigmata now comfortably suits riders from 5’3” and up. Different fork offsets—50mm for the 52-54cm sizes, and 45mm for the 56-61cm sizes—help ensure your little piggies don’t go to market on the front wheel. Topped off with tidy details like 12mm front axle, flat mount brakes, and build-specific Reserve wheel packages, the Stigmata is designed to let you decide whatever the heck you want this category to be.

At the 2017 World Cup season opener in Lourdes, Loris Vergier, Luca Shaw, and Greg Minnaar qualified 1, 3, and 6 aboard the ‘controversy machine’—a V10 with a new swingarm rolling on 29-inch wheels. The clouds broke open before the top qualifiers, soaking the track, and the question of technological supremacy would have to wait…for five weeks, when Greg Minnaar climbed to the top step at Ft. William for the seventh time. Over the next winter, using what we learned during the 2017 race season, we set about designing an entirely new V10—longer reach, better shock rate, and better frame and cable protection. All three frame sizes (and Reserve carbon DH wheels) were designed and manufactured in time for a week of testing before the Ft. William World Cup in 2018. Greg crashed in those sessions, breaking his arm, and effectively ending his season. A few days later, Luca qualified first and Loris third on the new bike. Loris put down a scorcher in the finals that only fellow Frenchman Amaury Pierron could top, but Luca flatted high on course and had to cruise down. The new school had arrived, and they had new wheels. Testing continued throughout the 2018 season, usually in the form of link sets designed to tweak the shock rate or make minor alterations in geometry. We had the big variables figured out, but fine-tuning the suspension under the Syndicate during World Cup season guaranteed regular, high-level feedback and lots of high-stakes puzzling. The result is perhaps the most refined suspension performance available outside of a World Cup pit. That brings us to now—kind of. Pairing 29-inch wheels with 215mm of travel makes a juggernaut of a race bike, but racing isn’t everything. Depending on the type of trails or riding style you’re into, breaking out the biggest artillery might not be ideal. Rider height also looms large when deciding which wheel size is optimal and a lot of people may opt for smaller wheels. So we decided to make a 27.5 V10, too. No compromises, no gimmicks, no shortcuts—it was designed in parallel to the 29er V10 as an original suspension platform and chassis. The 27.5 bike comes in Small, Medium, and Large, while the 29 comes in Medium, Large, and XL. Make your choice according to your size or riding style, and you’ll be the recipient of every bit of work and puzzling that’s gone into the Syndicate’s race bikes. The most successful bike in downhill history shows no signs of slowing down. - Carbon CC frame - FOX 40 Performance Elite, 203mm fork - FOX DHX2 Performance Elite Coil rear shock - Race Face ARC HD 30 rims with DT 350 hubs - Maxxis Assegai tires - 7-speed SRAM GX DH-specific drivetrain