Alright, here we go with the tried and true Santa Cruz Hightower 4. This time, it’s back for the 4th edition. It sees basically the same updates that the new Bronson got, except this one is designed around 29” wheels only. Do these updates help it stack up against all the great new options we’ve seen in the category? Let’s dive in.
One item of business. We’ve created a new scoring metric for all of our reviews. It should help you see how bikes stack up against the competition. It essentially uses a + or – scale from a neutral or average setting. We’ll dive into it at the end of this video.
So, what’s new about the Santa Cruz Hightower 4? Just like with the Bronson, we see the new frame design that allows for better access to the shock for setup and tuning. We do see an additional 5mm of rear wheel travel, bringing it up to 150mm rear and 160mm front. The suspension kinematic is refined to allow for better off-the-top sensitivity rather than the maximum pedal efficiency. As far as geometry goes, it’s a tiny bit slacker, a little bit longer, and taller, too. Most of the extra length comes from the front half of the bike as a function of the slacker head tube and longer reach. The chainstays only grow 2mm with this version.
We still have C and CC options, and the CC frame is designed around wireless drivetrains only.
TLDR SUMMARY
Best-In-Class Descending Performance
The Hightower 4 is one of the most stable, capable, and confidence-inspiring bikes in its class, excelling on rough and technical descents.
Great technical Climber
While not the snappiest climber, its traction-focused suspension and makes it a strong choice for tough climbs.
Excellent Suspension Design
With a plush suspension feel that remains supportive throughout the entire stroke, the Hightower offers an exceptional ride quality.
Santa Cruz Hightower 4: Ride Review
Uphill
The Santa Cruz Hightower 4 is still designed to be the jack-of-all-trades, do-it-all bike that it’s always been. Even though, on paper, the suspension kinematic got a little less anti-squat, I don’t think it negatively affected the bike. It’s tough to take one feature or update on paper and look at it in isolation. Bikes can be complicated and often more than the sum of their parts. I think that’s the case here. With all factors considered, the Hightower 4 climbs rather well.
Starting with the suspension design, it’s not the most efficient platform, but keep in mind that efficiency isn’t everything. Instead, it’s a bit more active in order to provide more traction and control on those rough and technical climbs. That said, the suspension still does a good job of not wasting a ton of energy. It’s just not quite as snappy as a few other bikes we’ve seen lately. I’d say, from a suspension standpoint, the bike is happier on rough, loose, and steep climbs than smooth, flatter, and faster climbs.
As far as the geometry, body position, and fit go, the Hightower 4 is very upright and comfortable, like the Bronson. I rarely have to lower my bars on the steerer tube, but I’ve had to do that on both the Bronson and Hightower. I personally like a tall front end, but it might be too tall for some folks. The front wheel could be difficult to weight properly or the fit might be a bit too casual for those racy types. The body position is very well balanced front to back with the long-ish chainstays and roomy reach.
Uphill handling is on the more casual side. It isn’t super sharp and snappy. The bike can tend to wander a little, especially on steeper grades. However, with how much traction the Hightower provides, it doesn’t really matter that much. As long as you can keep the pedals turning, you’re probably going to make it up the climb. Line choice is a little less important.
Overall I think the Hightower is a solid climber. If it weren’t for other bikes in the category, which are absolutely ridiculous in terms of their climbing ability, it would easily be near the top. Essentially, the competition is just really stiff in the category right now.
Downhill
The descents are really where the Hightower starts to pull ahead of the pack. It’s easily one of the most capable bikes in the category, if not the most capable. Between the suspension feel and geometry, this bike screams Santa Cruz. It’s remarkably similar to the new Bronson, even with two big wheels. While the Bronson skews a bit more playful, the Hightower skews a bit more stable and confident. There’s not a ton between them, though.
Let’s start off with the suspension feel. The compromises Santa Cruz made on anti-squat pay dividends on the descents. The Hightower is very plush, quiet and stable while offering a ton of support for bigger hits, goofing off, and cornering. It handles small bumps and chatter very well without ever unnecessarily blowing through travel. It’s very much the best of both worlds. It ends up being the ideal blend of plushness, stability, capability, pop, play, and fun. I don’t think any type of rider who lives for the descents will find too much to complain about when it comes to suspension performance on the descents. It’s currently unrivaled in the category.
As for the geometry, the Hightower sits up tall and confident. For the first few rides, I had the bars too high and felt a bit of a vague and wandery handling characteristic. After lowering the bars a bit, the handling got sharper and a bit more precise. It still doesn’t quite match the Sentinel or Ripmo in terms of sporty handling, though. Those bikes can’t compare to the Hightower in terms of stability, however. Between the suspension and the long wheelbase, the Hightower remains relatively unphased in rough terrain. It mutes the chatter and rough better than all of the bikes in the category. So, if you like your descents rough, this should be your first choice.
As far as the fun factor goes, the Hightower’s suspension does a lot of the heavy lifting. While the handling isn’t super sharp, the suspension quality offers a nice balance between fun and stability. It’s fairly easy to get the Hightower off the ground and get yourself over obstacles. The bike doesn’t fight unweighting and changing lines — although it doesn’t care too much about which line you choose.
Santa Cruz hightower 4: Comparisons
Sentinel vs. Ripmo vs. Hightower
Stay tuned. Full showdown is coming, and I don’t want to spill the beans. In the meantime, you can read the Sentinel and Ripmo reviews here.
Santa Cruz Hightower 4 and Bronson 5
| feature | Hightower 4 | Bronson 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Wheel Configuration | 29-inch wheels for better rollover capabilities, stability, and confidence on rough terrain. | Mixed-wheel (29″ front, 27.5″ rear) setup delivers a balance of stability and agility, offering quicker cornering. |
| Travel | 150mm rear travel with a 160mm front fork. | 150mm rear travel with a 160mm front fork |
| Geometry & Handling | 63.9° head tube angle and tall front end deliver high-speed stability and confidence on steep descents. | Same 63.9° head tube angle as the Hightower, but the mixed-wheel setup adds agility and responsiveness in tight corners. |
| Climbing | Prioritizes traction and control over efficiency. | Better in technical terrain with a smaller back wheel that spins up quicker. Lots of traction and control. |
| Descending | Plush and composed on descents, excelling in stability and confidence on rough, high-speed trails. | More agile feeling in the corners. Can “steer” more with the back wheel. |
| Versatility | A versatile and confidence-inspiring ride, but limited to a dedicated 29-inch wheel configuration. | A versatile and confidence-inspiring ride, but limited to a dedicated MX wheel configuration. |
| Best For | Riders prioritizing traction, stability, and confidence on rough and technical trails. | Riders seeking a playful, responsive bike with added agility from the mixed-wheel design. |
I would imagine that blindfolded, most riders would be hard-pressed to know which one of these they were on. First of all, they’d be wadded up into a tree somewhere, but if they could somehow ride by braille, it’s tough to pull these two bikes apart. They have very similar handling characteristics and ride qualities. The biggest differences I could feel out on the trail were the traction the Hightower offered over the Bronson, as well as a bit more high-speed stability. The Bronson did feel ever so slightly quicker to lean over and get around a corner.
Santa Cruz remains adamant that a flip chip to accommodate for MX and 29” setups on a single frame is too much of a compromise. I can’t say one way or another — I’m not an engineer. But, I almost wonder if they could be better served from a practical standpoint by running the Bronson and Hightower on one single frame and using a flip chip to swap back and forth between rear wheel sizes. I could be very wrong, however. That’s why I don’t make bikes; I just ride them.
Read the full Bronson 5 review here.
What Would I Change About the Hightower 4?
I have two things I’d change about the Hightower. First, I’d make the CC frame compatible with cable drivetrains. Second, I’d put some sort of stop in place at the bottom of the internal frame storage compartment. I can confirm that a small package of Gushers fruit snacks can find itself underneath the upper shock bolts and in limbo inside your frame. I can also confirm that the rattling sound said gushers will make is aggravating. I can also confirm that the process of removing said gushers looks very similar to the scene from a cartoon where a bully shakes a kid upside down to rattle out of all his lunch money. I can’t confirm whether your favorite trail snack can get stuck in limbo or not. Just make sure everything goes in one of the supplied storage bags, and you’ll be good.
Santa Cruz Hightower 4 scores
The Santa Cruz Hightower 4 is a versatile trail bike that excels on rough descents with its stable geometry and plush suspension. While not the most efficient climber, it shines on technical terrain, offering a balanced and confident ride.
***This is very important to read before you go further. Do not skip!
Let’s talk about what average means. Average is not a bad thing. Let’s face it, we’re not all special, and neither are bikes. If all bikes were above average, that would just mean the average would be higher, and yet again, we’d see that not everything is special. Average is relative to the competition. This scoring system is based on an average-performing bike in the category scoring a 0. Now, remember, by definition, most bikes will be average or close to average. An above-average bike will score a +1 or +2 based on how exceptional it is. A below average will score a -1 or -2 based on how far below average it is. And remember, this is against the average for the category — not against all bikes. It looks like the infographic below.
Climbing Performance: -1
The Hightower’s climbing ability is slightly below average in this highly competitive category—not because it’s bad, but because the competition is just that good. It’s great on traction and excels in technical terrain but isn’t as efficient as bikes like the Sentinel or Ripmo.
Descending Capability: +2
When it comes to descending, the Hightower is the standout in its class. It’s stable, comfortable, plush, and composed, making it the top choice for riders who prioritize downhill performance.
Suspension Performance: +2
The suspension on the Hightower strikes an almost perfect balance. It delivers a seamless mix of pop, play, composure, and plushness, excelling in everything from small chatter to big hits.
Handling: 0
Handling sits right in the middle. It leans toward stability with its taller front end, which can feel vague at times, but it’s nicely balanced between being glued to the ground and playful when needed.
Versatility: 0
The Hightower is versatile in terms of ride quality, but its lack of a mixed-wheel (MX) option holds it back slightly. Santa Cruz’s decision to stick with dedicated 29” or MX models makes sense, but a flip-chip option could make it even more appealing and versatile.
Intangibles: 0
The frame is solid, with Santa Cruz’s lifetime bearings adding long-term value, but there are a couple of quirks. The CC frame is wireless-only, which limits drivetrain options, and small items can slip past the upper shock mount and get stuck near the bottom bracket.
Who is the Santa Cruz Hightower 4 for?
As with basically every bike in this category, it’s easy to recommend the Hightower 4 to just about anyone. It will go everywhere and do everything. It climbs, descends, does easy trails, and gets after it on hard ones. I will say this is the most DH skewing bike in the category, though. So, if you love descending, the Hightower is likely your best fit. It’s damn tough to beat once the trail is pointing downhill.
I also think the folks who need a little more forgiveness out of their bike in order to ride the tough trails will enjoy this one. You can rely a little more on the bike to make up for any technical riding shortcomings. The Hightower does that a bit better than others in the category.
That’s going to be it for the Hightower 4. We will see you next time.
Santa Cruz Hightower 4 faq
What’s new with the Santa Cruz Hightower 4?
Updates include an extra 5mm of rear travel (150mm rear, 160mm front), a new frame design for easier shock access, refined suspension kinematics for better sensitivity, and slightly slacker and taller geometry.
What makes it stand out on descents?
Its stable, plush suspension and downhill-oriented geometry make it one of the most capable bikes in its category, especially in rough, technical terrain.
Who should consider the Hightower 4?
It’s ideal for riders who prioritize descending and want a forgiving, capable, all-mountain bike that can handle challenging trails with ease.
How does it perform on climbs?
The Hightower 4 offers excellent traction and control on rough, technical climbs. It’s not the most efficient or snappy climber but excels in steep and loose terrain.
How does it compare to the Bronson?
The Hightower 4 provides more traction and stability, while the Bronson feels slightly quicker and more playful. Both share a similar overall ride feel.
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