We spent 5 years, hundreds of miles and even more cuppas perfecting the numbers, but seeing them on paper doesn’t do the Squatch justice. Come ride one and see for yourself - it’s Well Bastard Fast.
For his 2023 race season, Matt has changed it up this year and gone for a custom Santa Cruz Hightower CC. While the Hightower isn't usually considered an enduro race bike, with a few clever spec choices it is more than capable of handling whatever Matt can throw at it.
Since it’s incarnation the Tallboy has always had a loyal following with riders looking for that go to bike that will be responsive and fun enough for hammering out ‘power hour’ laps whilst still being efficient and composed in order to grind out multiple hour epics at the weekend. If ever there was one bike that would do it all for cross country riders looking to push the capabilities of a lightweight full suspension platform, the Tallboy was always the one. It became a classic.
The 5010 has gained the most ardent following of any bike in the Santa Cruz range since it was first released back in 2013. Ask any Stif staffer what the ‘best bike’ is and you know what response you are getting!
The Hightower, now in its third iteration, is Santa Cruz’s greatest hits of engineering. A mid travel trail bike, the Hightower is the do it all bike we would grab most of the time, for most of our rides and is the perfect bike for a huge range of terrain.
At a glance the Druid suspension platform may look a little complicated, but it’s based on a simple linkage driven single pivot design which Forbidden call the ‘Trifecta’. Comprising of three elements the Trifecta suspension design is at the heart of what gives this bike it’s unique character.....
