34 mbr M ay 2 019
new bikes
see plenty of riders considering. And
should you wish to run a coil shock,
the Lo position also gives you a more
progressive rate.
That’s not the only flip-chip on the
Megatower, however. Cast your eyes
to the rear dropout and you’ll see that
Santa Cruz has added an adjustable
chainstay length feature. By switching
between the two different inserts and
brake adaptors (all included with the
bike) you can run either a 435 or 445mm
rear centre measurement. While 10mm
might not sound like much, when you
consider that the Megatower size range
runs from small to XXL, the front centre
(BB to front axle) varies by 120mm,
which has a huge impact on the weight
distribution. And while most brands,
with a few exceptions (Mondraker,
Norco, YT, Geometron) accept this
compromise, being able to tune the
weight distribution is a major bonus,
particularly for taller riders.
Take a look at the geometry chart and
you’ll see that Santa Cruz has taken a big
step in the right direction with its sizing.
The size large gets a 470mm reach,
which seems to be the default number
now and well suits riders of average
height. But with two frame sizes above
there’s plenty of headroom if you’re
over six foot. Indeed the XXL frame has
a 515mm reach — that’s the same as a
large Geometron — and although the
seat tube length is longer than Nicolai’s
offering, there’s 20mm more standover
on the Megatower.
familiar figure
Elsewhere the numbers sit squarely
within a window that’s become familiar
from recent releases. The head angle
runs around 65°, depending on fork
length and chip position, while the
bottom bracket can stoop just below
340mm with the stock 2.5/2.4in tyre
combo. Only the seat angle errs on the
slack side. Yes, Santa Cruz lists it as
76°, but the actual seat angle on our
large test bike was closer to 69°, so
long-legged riders running lofty saddle
heights may find themselves a little too
far back over the rear axle. And that’s
where the adjustable chainstay length is
a real advantage.
It’s no deal breaker though, as the
VPP pedalling DNA runs strong through
the veins of the Megatower. Seated
pedalling is superbly stable for such
a long-travel rig, and the big wheels
means it covers ground between the
fun bits with real efficiency, but you
knew that would be the case anyway,
right? Techy, steep climbs with ledges
and steps are not the new bike’s forte
though. Factor in 30 per cent sag and
that low BB (even in its tallest position)
and the upshot is you need precision
timing to avoid pedal strikes.
Once on the fun stuff, the Megatower
impressed, delivering that same leap
in performance enjoyed by the Nomad
and Bronson post-VPP makeover. The
first thing you notice is the improved
support, allowing you to pump forspeed out of turns and compressions
— this is especially useful in situations
where the low BB prevents pedalling.
We felt like we were using all the travel
when needed, but never getting jarred
at bottom-out. Considering the bike
ships with no spacers in the shock as
standard, there’s plenty of room to
add progression if you feel the need.
Indeed this would be something we’d
like to try as the Fox 36 fork with Grip 2
damper rides high in its travel with great
support, so it’s unlikely adding a spacer
out back would upset the balance, and
may even improve it.
On small bumps there’s a decent,
if not class-leading, level of sensitivity
and while square-edge performance
is significantly improved with the new
lower link design, it isn’t perfect and
we still hung up hard enough on one
particular rock to almost drag us over
the bars.
So is the Megatower a big-wheel
Nomad or something completely
different? Well, it can’t match the playful
agility of the Nomad, but it’s still easy
to chuck around and a good deal more
efficient at covering ground. It’s much
more of a head-down racer’s tool than
the goofball Nomad, but it still knows
how to party hard outside office hours.
Danny Milnerhighs
Most capable 29er (excluding V10) that Santa Cruz has
built;great sizing accommodates a wide range of heights;
excellent level of tunability.lows
Boutique prices; poor cable routing for UK brakes; seat
anglecould be steeper.1st iMpression
✗
✓
Ribbed chainstay protector
makes sure the Megatower
is seen but not heardCast your eyes to the rear dropout
and you’ll see that santa Cruz has
added an adjustable chainstay feature
Chain guide keeps
the Megatower’s
flow tight