The Twentyniner "Megatower" is the expected hit from Santa Cruz. The Nomad and Bronson models were already expected to have large wheels, but the Californians remained true to the somewhat more playful 27.5-inch wheels. Enduro racing, on the other hand, demanded large rolling stock.

Versatile monster

With the Megatower, Santa Cruz is bringing more than just an enduro bullet for racers. With 160 millimetres of travel at the rear and recommended fork travel of 160 to 180 millimetres, the bike is quite versatile, but generally made for rough terrain. If you like to ride bike parks with a lot of travel, but want the bike to be a little more playful, you have the option of changing the geometry and wheelbase. The Megatower will also prove its worth in the mountains.

Thanks to the flip chip, the steering and seat angle can be changed by 0.3 degrees. The steering angle ranges from 65 degrees in the steep setting to 64.7 degrees in the slack setting. The seat angle varies depending on the frame height, but is still 75.8 degrees steep in the "flat" setting for size XXL. The flattening of the angle also lowers the bottom bracket height by 3.5 millimeters. The bike becomes even smoother - exactly what racers want when chasing seconds.

A little more smoothness can be teased out by extending the wheelbase. This is also possible with a flip chip that allows ten millimeters more wheelbase. However, this change also requires a larger brake disk. While the rear triangle is designed for 180 mm discs in the short position and without an adapter, the long setting can only be ridden with 200 mm and larger brake discs. However, a special adapter and spacers are supplied for this.

The Megatower is designed for 29-inch wheels. 27.5plus tires do not fit and the geometry is not designed for them either. Santa Cruz recommends tire widths of up to 2.6 inches in the long setting and 2.5 inches in the short setting.

More details

Santa Cruz's new projectile is available in two frame sizes S to XXL and in C and CC carbon versions - light and lighter. But you shouldn't call this a lightweight, because bikes in this category don't break any weight records. They are trimmed for performance and durability. Nevertheless, Santa Cruz specifies just under 13.8 kilograms as the lightest configuration, which is pretty good for a bike of this type. If you want to go lighter, you can, by buying just the frame kit and building it up with components of your choice. This goes for 3,990 francs over the counter, while the cheapest complete bike costs 5,490 francs.
The frame features Santa Cruz's new suspension system (lower-link mounted VPP), which has already proven itself in the Nomad and Bronson models. The spring characteristics of the system have been developed so that it works with both air and steel spring shock absorbers. Most shocks with reservoirs available on the market should also fit.

Furthermore, a water bottle can be stowed in the frame, the chain guide can be easily fitted thanks to the ISCG-05 mount and chainring sizes up to 36 teeth fit. The frame is also protected from constant external influences: A shock fender, shuttle guard, down tube protector and a ribbed chainstay protector all do their job.
Last but not least, Santa Cruz's lifetime warranty applies to the frame, bearings and spare wheels.

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