That was one of the best bike reviews I've ever seen on YT! (And your video production quality is equally impressive.) Nice job - SUBSCRIBED!

Great video man, I feel the hours that went into this, really awesome production quality!

Thanks for the review and all those really valuable replies to comments! 4:38 those colors...

Solid advice. Thanks for sharing. Just waiting on a new Hightower build, super stoked!

Been on my 2021 HT for about 3 months now and it's been everything I had hoped for and more. This bike has me feeling comfortable on the climbs and especially on the descends. Such a great bike that provides lots of confidence. Your review is spot on!

My wife and I will officially be calling Chattanooga home this spring and while looking into the SE MTB scene I came across your channel. I've really been enjoying your content! I actually picked up a Cascade Link for my Bronson after seeing your review although, I haven't had a chance to install it yet. Anyway, keep up the great videos! Hopefully, I'll catch you out on the trail sometime!

Came here from MTB KZfaq creators group on facebook great video very good quality and a lot of work went into it awesome work I subbed.

Great vid! I’ve been thinking of adding the cascade link to my Bronson. Keep up the nice work

Great review, really love the new look of their line up... love the new Bronson also!

nice review, thnx. Love the gold accents with the blue frame 👍

We converted THIS BIKE into a MULLET! Check out the new Hightower Mullet conversion video here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/q56ai6mQu72rhn0.html

Beautiful and comprehensive video. Good job man.

3500 miles this year, damn son. Congrats on that!! Just got my Izzo but already looking at my next (second) bike being a beefy style. I'll have to keep the Hightower in mind after watching this🤙

Great review. I had the V1 version and loved it. Now I roll on a Switchblade and I would share all of your sentiments for the Pivot. Great job and happy to subscribe to your channel!

Great review man. There’s so many great bikes out there. It’s a great time to be a mountain biker! For me, I’m loving my stumpjumper. Great bike for nearly everything.

Very entertaining and useful review. Really enjoyed watching you.

Thanks for this review! I just got my Hightower C and love it. My first ride was at Spider Mountain, TX. It ate it all up, changed everything for me. Unfortunately tested positive for COVID after that ride but get out of quarantine this weekend. Look forward to getting some epic rides in. Also, looking closely at the Cascade lower link.

Awesome review. The coil rubbing is a bummer though. I agree with you, it'd be nice to see that opening little bit bigger

Great vid. Great review. Great bike. I have a Kona Process 153 G2....which I absolutely love. But the SC HT is on the upgrade short-list.

This channel is going to blowup. I can say I was here at 1.47k subs :)

Awesome review! I think this will be my next bike!

Great review, the beginning of the video was pretty funny. I will be receiving my 2020 Hightower in a couple of days. Cannot wait!

I just went on my second short ride on my 2021 HT. Compare to my 5010, it’s a beast. Can wait to put to serious test. Great review

You are a good rider and respect your flow. The HTv2 is a beaut of a bike, looks good. Great review overall.

Came from an 2012 Heckler to a Tallboy 3 and now Hightower V2 and it’s the best by far! So capable and hopefully improved further with the cascade link on order. Great vids

(Leaving a comment for the algorithm) But also glad to see you're back!

So what your telling me is I need to get rid of my 2018 Hightower!!! 😜. Love this video! Especially the karate kid moves on the giant Boulder! Been riding Santa Cruz for many years, great 🚴

Great vid. Rolling on a 2019 ht lt size xxl. Does everything well but get pedal strikes when too aggressive and blind. Smooths out nicely after a few runs on same trails. Would have gotten the megatower if I knew the brand better when I bought.

This review is so... 2020. LOL!! Nice job. Was eyeing this bike to upgrade my... wait for it... 2009 Kona 29er Hard Tail. Think I'll pull the trigger! Good to see a fellow east coaster!

Best review yet. Love my hightower!

Great video!!! Thanks

Brother great content!

Great video, and I love the inclusion of the types of trails you rode so I could see what you meant by "technical descents". I guess my only question left is, have you ridden the ibis Ripmo recently?

Good review! You surely put the bike to the test and the footage supports the capabilities. Question: have you ride a Pivot Switchblade, since in my mind a similar field bike? Thanks!

Nice dude. Great review.

2.44 Thats my baby :) 2015 Hightower, looking to upgrade eventually to either a Canyon Spectral, new Hightower, or a Yeti sb150, but my current Hightower seems to be unkillable lol and I ride it well because it's all I've ever known to be honest. Got it second hand just over a year ago for 3 grand USD and its the CC version with some good upgrades, it has envy carbon wheels with the best DTswiss hubs they did at the time (cant recall what they are called), Magura 7 brakes, a fox float x2 (2018 one), still has the original rockshox pike fork but the travel has been increased to 150mm from 140mm, Sram xo1 drive train, Sram carbon crank. more than enough fancy stuff for my level of riding parts wise. A criticism is the geometry feels a bit "tame" is how id put it, again I've not ridden any other bikes for more than 1 trail and obviously said bikes weren't set up for me, but I get a lot of comments of people saying the bike looks too small for me reach wise (its an XL and I'm 6'3), that being said you'd expect it to feel a bit nimble for a 29r, with a bit steeper head angle than new trail bikes and the frame being a bit small for me by the modern standard, but it really doesn't feel like that at all to me. Feels hard to jump anything on it, hard to throw it round corners. I live in Laguna Beach and can ride all the trails here on this bike which says alot as there is some really gnarly trails here, but it definitely doesn't enjoy it lol, it can handle really chunky terrain but it can get very sketchy sometimes. On a plus note it climbs easy and its a very fast bike, when the terrain isn't too challenging like simple single track stuff with some little chunk but mainly flow, the bike just seems to roll fast, when its easier going sections I'm way faster than all my peers, I just get left behind when they are mowing through gnarly rock gardens like nothing and hitting doubles comfortably. This new Hightower really does look like all the things I didn't like have been addressed! looks way more capable and definitely more justified in being called an all rounder than my current hightower. definitely lead contender for when i eventually get a new bike!

I own a v2 Hightower cc x01 and absolutely love it

Such a beautiful machine. I put 38s, cascade, megneg and pirelli tires on.

This earned you a subscribe, great vid!

Got my Hightower in July off 2020 and just love it. Had the Bronson but this bike is so much better.

Just bought one, cant wait for trails to open!

Great review...the Hightower is one of the most versatile bikes there is. I still love my V1.

Really nice review! I guess this video reassures me to buy a Hightower 2 AL frame

Excellent upload. Planning on watching the buzzards roost vid since I live within 2 miles of it

Very good video on this one. I used to have the CC version in the same color. I did a comparison to the Ripmo v2 earlier this year. I recently learned SC changed the shock that now the new HT comes with 145mm of travel. Does the Cas. link take it up to 150mm now? You didn't mention Dupont in NC. You have to ride there if you haven't yet, its fantastic and that bike will slay it there. I have a feeling the HT or the Mega will be next in their update list to release.

Regarding the shock rub. Coils rubbing in the tunnel isn’t so much an “issue to address” like a bug or a design flaw that you’re pointing out, as much as it is your wish that they didn’t design the bike that way. It’s was a conscious decision to make an air only bike. All coils are non-compatible on purpose.

Great Review.

Couldn’t agree more! I have a 21’ HT & she’s a beast ! Coming off a stumpy btw ... I get so many compliments on the bike too ! Yeeeyeeee 🥜💯🇺🇸🤙🏻

Great review!

Hey ! Thanks for the review, very nice video and good data. Could you help me with something, do you have a recommendation in the size of the bike. I am 5.8 tall and right now I am having the opportunity to buy a Hightower 2020 but in L Size. What are your thoughts! Cheers

Love the video, you made a great review of the bike. But I have a question, how this new version of the Hightower have almost non reviews from the biggest KZfaq bike channels? Why the big name's on KZfaq a skipping the bike, is a Santa Cruz is a new model but still no reviews from them. I choose it after testing but just bought when watch you video, after 4 months have no regrets, just looking to get the cascade link to use in bike parks or downhill runs. Keep with the great content. And thanks

It is the perfect bike for me.No quest. THX for this awesome video

SC just needs to get with it and change the geometry to the cascade link, but pick the height up a little.

Great review man. Really high quality. We are very similar riding style wise, though I'm here in socal. I have the same bike, same color, and have owned it since around August 2019. Not quite as many miles logged by a few thousand to be certain, so I feel qualified to comment. I completely agree with your points. I also have the cascade link, and upped the front fork (lyrik) to 160. I will say it rode great with the cc link and 150 fork up front, but too many pedal strikes. Upping the fork rebalanced it and it's a ripper. My one regret is not putting a wrap on the downtube, the paint is very soft and is more pitted there after a year than any other bike I've owned. Also, my other complaint is after having the cascade link, I seem to need to tighten linkage bolts every few rides or so even with blue lock tite.

One ring to rule them all. Great review. Two things I don't like - price and 29" wheels

Switch out every time you say Hightower for Bronson and that would be my long term review of the Bronson V3. Nice vid. Beautiful places and great riding. 🤘🤙

great video!

100% agree with this review. The limit to the Hightower V2 is me. Curious to know how many chains you've been through in that time.

very informative, thanks

Good Review!

Very well made video! I’m subbing. How comfortable did you feel racing enduro on this bike? I’m looking to get a bike to ride rowdier local trails but also race some enduros and rip some park. It seems to me like this would be a great bike but I’d love to know your thoughts.

Awesome bike! I was saving my pennies from one of these but ended up going with a Fezzari Delano Peak. Pretty similar bike and I'm super happy with it so far, now what to do with the $2000 I saved....

Quick question: what other bikes in this class have you ridden? I can understand why you wouldn’t want to call them out in the video, but it would be good to know. Like a reference point that the viewers can use to frame your opinion. Great video by the way 👍

I just got into mtb last year at 40 with a 2020 120mm down country bike, which is great for my local trails but my local rides quickly turned into traveling several hours every weekend to pisgah and dupont. Just got a 2021 stumpy evo 🤦‍♂️😆 2 bikes and counting 💪

Hi Rich, nice "long term review" but just wanted to ask about the Cascade update. Now you have front and back a 150mm supsension or did you also an upgrade at the front? Is the cascade a must have update on the HT V2 or just nice to have? Did not a lot of rides with the bike now, but in spring the bike will be used lot more and the question is, try first without Cascade upgrade or from the beginning? Would be nice to have a comment, cheers Jose

Owning a HT2, the cascade components link is a game changer! That with a 160mm folk and the bike will do anything.

I love my HT with a fox factory 38. I to have cascade link with longer stroke rear shock.

I have the same exact one bought in 9/19 when they came out got the full xx1 axs and dropper, paid once and also cried once.

Sick karate moves bro!

Cool video! Did you upgrade the wheels? My Tallboy C S came with DT swiss 370 hubs. Not in love with them. Looking to upgrade. Yours sound a bit buzzier...

I'm totally in the middle of this decision right now. I sold my 2016 Intense Tracer, and now looking at all the new bikes, SO many choices!! I was leaning towards and induro, but your review was about to win me over till you talked about the coil shock rubbing the inner frame. I'm a major coil guy so DANG!! Do you think that'll become a potential "breakage issue"? Subbing to my fellow KZfaqr AND Instagrammer! 👍🏻👌🏻

Awesome review! Are you running a 160 or 170mm Fox 38? I just converted my Hightower v2 to a mullet bike, installed the Cascade mullet link, and have a 170mm Fox 38 on the way.

New sub here I’m between this one and the yetisb140 it’s so hard to decide lol what you guys think ? Team yeti or Santa Cruz

Rocky Mountain slayer is my quiver killer

Great video! How tall are you and what size you ride? Thanks

Are you still running the stock 150mm fork travel, I road a friends hightower that had a 160 fork and that cascade link and liked it so much I bought a Megatower, very similar geo with a bit more adjustment and the ability to run a coil.

Hi! Hi is the weight of your bike? I supossse not cush core using.. About the cascade linkage, do you experience any hits with rocks on the BB? Thax

How are they able to make a storage compartment in a bike frame and the frame still be strong?

Were you able to bottom the front and rear suspension? Like, would you think it could get better with 10-20mm more travel?

Is your bike a custom build? Carbon or alloy frame? I have an alloy S build and I love it.

How does it handle on the downhill bike/ski parks? Looking at getting the Hightower for mainly aggressive trail riding and some downhill bike parks here is southern Utah

Most versatile bike in Santa Cruz's line up

Don't go for the alloy one though. My rear triangle got a crack in it after owning it since june.

If only one could still procure one of these. *sigh

What’s the better upgrade? Cascade link or the new 36? I put about 1k miles on the stock lyrik ultimate build and I’m thinking about some upgrades in the near future. Also, have you tried changing the rear shock stroke length by removing the spacer?

You think the Hightower is the best bike in its class? Try the Norco Sight and think again. I was a pretty big Santa Cruz fanboy, but the Norco completely changed my view on how good a mid-travel bike can be.

What you say is the most standout differences from current 2022 HighTower and the 2022 Stump evo?

He said rub the tunnel ! 😆

I was laughing my tits off the start of the review 😂 thanks for the review! I’m looking for buying a Hightower CC frame and build the bike myself. Would you recommend a 150 or 160mm fork? Aswell the linkage, is it a must?

what do you think of the Santa Cru Bronson as an every do it all bike..

about to recieve a $10,000 custom Lenz Sport Behemoth - I hope its everything I've been waiting 9 months for . Shout out to Devin Lenz in Colorado - the guy is so down to earth ,chill honest guy , happy to support a handmade in USA product like Lenz Sport Bicycles !!!!!!!!!

I would chose Stumpjumper evo

167 rides between March and December 2020? That's a lot!

downcountry is just another name for a trail bike in my opinion

It's a great shredder IF u could put hands on one.

Have you ever tried a Ripmo? If so please compare them.

Which bar stem, seat tube collar and grips are those? Thanks

😎

Now the only problem is that I have to pay off the bike :'(...

Does bike already come assembled