Santa Cruz Bicycles Megatower Carbon GX Eagle Mountain Bike

Why We Like The Megatower Carbon GX Eagle Mountain Bike

Big wheels big travel—that’s what the Megatower’s all about. So for those of us seeking a race-worthy, long-travel enduro sled that won’t break the bank, this GX build provides the self-sponsoring racer a weapon to tame double black diamond runs with enough let in the bank to fund entry fees and epic riding vacations. The bike’s lower-link driven VPP suspension provides levels of traction and confidence that’s hard to match in the long-travel enduro category, and we’ve put the bike together with a host of hand-picked parts that offer the perfect balance of durability and performance without breaking the bank.

We would slot the Megatower in right between the DH World Cup-winning V10 and its venerable Nomad as far as its capability on demanding trails, however, that’s only part of the story. It’s pretty damn versatile too. Sure, it likes to go fast and provides the security of a safety net at high speeds on technical trails, however, unlike the V10, and to a lesser extent, the Nomad, we would whole-heartily throw a leg over the Megatower at almost any trailhead we’ve visited as it can simply devour almost any terrain without hardly a weight or, thanks to its steep seat tube angle (76-76.8 degrees depending on size), pedaling penalty.

This Competitive Cyclist custom build gets a RockShox Super Deluxe shock out back and a 38mm RockShox Zeb up front to tame chunder, square-edge rock slabs, and waterbar steps. We offer two rear shock options. They share the same design and function, but the SDS+ offers a Threshold lever for adjusting the compression circuit. SRAM’s GX Eagle 12-speed group offers the same wide range of gears as the pricer X01 and XX1 groups providing plenty of ratios for climbing and descending. Brakes also come from SRAM and are Code R’s bringing the big bike down from speed with plenty of power, modulation, and confidence thanks to its 4-pistons and 200mm front rotor. The bike rolls on stout e*thirteen wheels with grippy 2.4in tires, and comes with a 150mm or 170mm dropper post depending on the selected size.

Details

• Santa Cruz’s long-travel 29er tackles enduro trails at warp speed
• Aggressive geometry ensures stable and confident handling
• Flip-chip tweaks the geometry, shock progression, and wheelbase
• 160mm of VPP travel soaks up steep, rocky descents and big hits
• 160mm Zeb fork tracks incredibly well through the rough stuff
• Carbon C frame is impressively stiff and saves cash over CC
• SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain offers a massive range of usable gears
• Lower-link driven shock is more supple and offers better braking traction

Tech Specs

• Frame Material: Carbon C
• Suspension: VPP
• Rear Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe Select or RockShox Super Deluxe Select+
• Rear Travel: 160mm
• Fork: RockShox Zeb Select
• Front Travel: 160mm
• Headset: Cane Creek 40 IS
• Shifters: SRAM GX Eagle, 12-speed
• Rear Derailleur: SRAM GX Eagle, 12-speed
• ISCG Tabs: ISCG-05
• Crankset: SRAM GX Eagle DUB
• Chainring Sizes: 32t
• Crank Arm Length: [medium] 170mm, [large, x-large, xx-large] 175mm
• Bottom Bracket: SRAM DUB
• Bottom Bracket Type: English threaded (BSA)
• Cassette: SRAM XG-1275 GX Eagle, 12-speed
• Cassette Range: 10 – 50t
• Chain: SRAM GX Eagle, 12-speed
• Brakeset: SRAM Code R
• Brake Type: 4-piston hydraulic disc
• Rotors: [front] 200mm SRAM CenterLine, [rear] 180mm SRAM CenterLine
• Handlebar: e*thirteen Base 35
• Handlebar Rise: 20mm
• Grips: Lizard Skins Charger Evo
• Stem: e*thirteen Base 35
• Stem Length: 40mm
• Saddle: WTB Volt
• Seatpost: Crank Brothers Highline 3 Dropper, [medium] 150mm, [large, x-large, xx-large] 170mm
• Wheelset: e*thirteen LG1 EN
• Hubs: e*thirteen
• Front Axle: 15 x 110mm Boost
• Rear Axle: 12 x 148mm Boost
• Tire Clearance: 29 x 2.6in (longer wheelbase setting), 29 x 2.5in (shorter wheelbase setting)
• Tires: e*thirteen TRS Plus All-Terrain Gen 3
• Tire Size: 29 x 2.4in
• Pedals: not included
• Extras: downtube protector, chainstay protector, shuttle guard, shock fender
• Activity: enduro
• Manufacturer Warranty: [frame] lifetime