Santa Cruz Highball 29 R1x

When it's time to blast through miles of singletrack, nothing beats the quick, lively feel of Santa Cruz's Highball hardtail. Santa Cruz has been at it for years with the Highball, and with modernized geometry this version rips better than ever. In keeping with today's preference for running a short stem and wide handlebar, Santa Cruz lengthened the front end to preserve an efficient pedaling position, and trimmed the rear to increase agility. The result is a cross country trail slayer that's easy to lift over obstacles and whip through tight turns, ultimately making you a faster rider. On this aluminum version, Santa Cruz includes a singlespeed dropout kit for the diehard among you, and the slimmer seatpost offers a touch more compliance that you'll appreciate on epic rides. The Highball 29 R1x features a nice mix of reliable, solid-performing components. A 1x drivetrain by SRAM and Race Face keep things tidy, and the RockShox Reba RL 100mm fork offers a consistent feel for predictable handling.