Post your All Mountain bike!

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Post your All Mountain bike!
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flag gnarnaimo
O+ FL
Posted: Aug 4, 2020 at 14:36 Quote
My well used Megatower, sitting at about 3300 km of hard use now.

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My 'new' Hightower, sitting at just under 1000 km of use now.

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whitebirdfeathers wrote:
I'd really like to try one of the new lower link Santa Cruz bikes. For now though I love my HTLT.

Do it! Loved my old Hightower, but I love the new one even more. Big Grin
flag HaggeredShins
Posted: Aug 4, 2020 at 14:58 Quote
gnarnaimo wrote:
My well used Megatower, sitting at about 3300 km of hard use now.

...

My 'new' Hightower, sitting at just under 1000 km of use now.

...


What are your thoughts between the two? I was pretty stuck between these two frames before I relapsed on Knolly, again.

...but I suppose I do have a spare 29" wheelset that's just begging to help me deplete my bank account...
flag sherbet
Posted: Aug 4, 2020 at 15:12 Quote
If you like big mountain, get the Megatower. If you like earning your turns or a bit more playful bike, get the Hightower. Both are treats to ride.
flag gnarnaimo
O+ FL
Posted: Aug 4, 2020 at 15:27 Quote
I would say it completely depends on your usual choice of terrain and riding. ..and considering where you live either bike could be great depending on how you ride.

I would say the Hightower is probably a better bike for the majority of riders when compared to the Megatower. It is very confidence inspiring for a 150/140mm bike and capable of riding damn near everything the Megatower is capable of riding..just maybe not as fast on the rough/steep stuff and not as forgiving on the big hits.

That being said I have done very long rides with alot of traversing, ascending and descending with my over weight Megatower and it pedals exceptionally well for a big bike. The hightower is noticeably more nimble and playful on the descents, the Megatower flattens out the terrain and enables you to carry great speed.

I have a hard time deciding which is the better bike for alot of rides. Given my riding style and typical trail choice I usually go with the Megatower, but I surprise myself sometimes when I try the Hightower on areas I would usually reserve for the Megatower.
flag sherbet
Posted: Aug 4, 2020 at 16:10 Quote
The geo is so similar, they both pedal really well, and are both really decent at high speed chunky stuff. Obviously you know which bike will be better at both.

It's a really hard one because neither bike will let you down, both are going to be a straightup blast to ride. I'd recommend the hightower at a whim just because I personally like short travel bikes, but honestly, they both feel so similar to pop and play on that it's hard to justify either over the other.

Flip a coin. When you see the result, you'll know which one you wanted more.
flag gnarnaimo
O+ FL
Posted: Aug 4, 2020 at 16:19 Quote
Exactly..its sort of a toss up. My wife and I share 5 bikes between the two of us because we are the exact same height and weight. So I sort of just ended up with both Big Grin
flag undescended
Posted: Aug 4, 2020 at 16:19 Quote
It’ll do for now...

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flag YetiStew
O+ FL
Posted: Aug 4, 2020 at 16:27 Quote
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Good combination for me and i do think a Tallboy does count as an AM bike?
flag sherbet
Posted: Aug 4, 2020 at 16:28 Quote
It certainly does.

Sick bikes dude!
flag its-chris
Posted: Aug 4, 2020 at 16:36 Quote
I m In Love
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Loving my Tranny !! The ride is always a blast!

I guess it fits as an AM bike? lol
flag HaggeredShins
Posted: Aug 4, 2020 at 16:49 Quote
gnarnaimo wrote:
I would say it completely depends on your usual choice of terrain and riding. ..and considering where you live either bike could be great depending on how you ride.

I would say the Hightower is probably a better bike for the majority of riders when compared to the Megatower. It is very confidence inspiring for a 150/140mm bike and capable of riding damn near everything the Megatower is capable of riding..just maybe not as fast on the rough/steep stuff and not as forgiving on the big hits.

That being said I have done very long rides with alot of traversing, ascending and descending with my over weight Megatower and it pedals exceptionally well for a big bike. The hightower is noticeably more nimble and playful on the descents, the Megatower flattens out the terrain and enables you to carry great speed.

I have a hard time deciding which is the better bike for alot of rides. Given my riding style and typical trail choice I usually go with the Megatower, but I surprise myself sometimes when I try the Hightower on areas I would usually reserve for the Megatower.

sherbet wrote:
The geo is so similar, they both pedal really well, and are both really decent at high speed chunky stuff. Obviously you know which bike will be better at both.

It's a really hard one because neither bike will let you down, both are going to be a straightup blast to ride. I'd recommend the hightower at a whim just because I personally like short travel bikes, but honestly, they both feel so similar to pop and play on that it's hard to justify either over the other.

Flip a coin. When you see the result, you'll know which one you wanted more.

That's a pretty good rundown--I was originally looking at the Mega but with geo being almost identical the v2 HT seems to bring a lot to the table, doubly now with the Cascade link bumping travel if needed. My biggest sticking points for the HT were tire size and shock tunnel limits, neither of which are a showstopper.

Honestly I find myself reaching for the DH bike less and less these days, not due to what I like to ride, but for lack of wanting the extra travel, and I suspect the Mega dips a little deep into that range. When I lived in NE I mostly rode Highland on a 120mm bike and got along pretty well with it. Still, the v2 HT ticks all the boxes nicely (except any real explanation for another bike), especially in that blue. God does that frame look good!
flag FloridaHasMTBToo
Posted: Aug 4, 2020 at 18:04 Quote
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I finally got some decent pedals and grips. I also got a Oneup EDC. Pretty happy with what I have now but there are a few more upgrades on the list, like Deity bars, stem, seat, etc. or Shimano SLX.
Do you have any opinions on which should come first?
flag gnarnaimo
O+ FL
Posted: Aug 4, 2020 at 18:05 Quote
YetiStew wrote:
Good combination for me and i do think a Tallboy does count as an AM bike?

The wife and I are talking of getting a tallboy as a 3rd trail bike between the two of us. Ridiculous as it may sound, we would have a full suspension bike for all occasions and if one was out of commission at any time we would still have one each Big Grin
flag dkidd
O+
Posted: Aug 4, 2020 at 19:28 Quote
Zoop. Subscribing.
flag gnarnaimo
O+ FL
Posted: Aug 4, 2020 at 20:43 Quote
HaggeredShins wrote:
Still, the v2 HT ticks all the boxes nicely (except any real explanation for another bike), especially in that blue. God does that frame look good!

The blue does look good. Not a huge fan of the beige logos it came with, hence the customer white logos I have installed which really made the blue pop.

 


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