Hightower LT is designed for maximum speed in the biggest mountains. It’s truly race-bred, its design the result of the demands of racing at the EWS, Crankworx, and Andes Pacifico.
Midway through 2016, Mark Scott came to us with a request to eke more travel out of the bike. The stock 135mm wasn’t quite enough to maintain his speed on some of the rougher tracks. Our engineering team designed a new set of links that pushed travel to 146mm at the expense of some compatibility, but because Mark’s setup was a known variable, we could be very precise. We machined two sets on site, gave one to Mark, and the other to Iago Garay, a racer much more likely to take the fun line than tuck for speed.
The links went through a few iterations to find a balance of spring rate, travel, and shock compatibility. Toward the end of 2016, it became apparent that the best way to get the performance and travel required was to design a new swingarm to pair with the links, like we did with the V10. At this point the bike got a name—Hightower LT—and we pushed the travel to a full 150mm.
Starting from the Enduro World Series in Wicklow, the Santa Cruz | SRAM team have been racing on Wicklow Green production bikes—savvy internet commenters noticed the post-mount rear brake straightaway, and it's also been seen under the elusive Ratboy at Peaty's Steel City DH, Crankworx, and Megavalanche.
Frame Features
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148mm Rear Axle Spacing
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150mm (6") VPP™ suspension
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15mm thru-axle fork
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29" wheels
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Bottle cage mount within front triangle fits piggyback shocks
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Carbon C and Carbon CC frame options
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Double sealed pivots for long bearing life
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Integrated Headset (IS41; IS52)
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Internal carbon tubes ensure precise and hassle-free routing of derailleur and seat post cables
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ISCG-05 tabs for chainguide compatibility
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Sizes: S, M, L, XL, XXL
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Threaded Bottom Bracket