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Deep Loam 7 - The Megatower V2

BACKGROUND

So… The Megatower is now in it’s second iteration. The original V1, with its big wheels, long travel, and super stiff carbon fibre chassis delivered all the high-speed security traits of a downhill bike with the ability to be pedaled all day. Sounds perfect for riders looking for the ultimate Bike for the gnarliest of UK trails, bike park days or Alpine excursions… So why change something that works so well?

The original V1 was starting to look a bit dated in terms of geometry by modern standards and occasionally it could be a little unforgiving which sacrificed stability. So the original did have some minor flaws, which started to become apparent with the progression of Mountain Biking as a sport.

As bikes are becoming more capable, riders are becoming more confident in what they are riding and pushing the limits of themselves and their bikes. Santa Cruz recognised this progression and the demands riders are now placing on ‘bigger bikes’ in terms of capability and versatility and formulated a simple brief for the V2… It has to be ‘Bigger and Badder’ basically a ‘downhill bike that can go anywhere!’

SO… WHAT CHANGED IN TERMS OF DESIGN?

Steeper seat tube angle

To build upon the Megatower’s versatility the seat tube is now approximately 1º steeper, which puts the rider in a more efficient position for winching up the steepest and most technical terrain, when wild, remote descents are your destination. The angle gets progressively steeper as the sizes get larger ensuring every rider is sitting in the right place, your legs will be the only limit to what can be scaled when aboard the V2 Megatower.

165mm of VPP™ travel

The V2 now has 165mm of travel out of the box, but if you choose to run a shock with a longer, 65mm stroke, you can bump it up to 170mm! As everyone knows the amount of travel doesn’t matter as much as how that travel is used and this is where the new bike excels in comparison to the previous model. A lower leverage ratio not only makes setup easier but delivers a more damped, controlled feel across the stroke.

The new V2 also has reduced anti squat giving glue like traction to the rear of the bike. This can make the bike more active so the engineers have varied the kinematics between sizes. larger/taller riders tend to be heavier and generally more powerful, therefore the larger the frame the higher the anti-squat to offset this and keep the bike supported under greater loads.

There’s still a flip chip, offering 3mm of BB height/0.3º angle adjust, which also more significantly tunes the suspension feel to be more progressive in the low/slacker setting, complimenting more aggressive riding intent. All in all, huge improvements from the suspension platform to gains in traction, suppleness and support.

Proportional geo

Alongside the frame specific seat tube angle, the Megatower V2’s chainstay length is matched to the frame size so every rider, no matter their height, each individual gets the same balanced geometry. The adjustable chainstay length found on the original Megatower is now no longer the in favour of this simpler, lighter and more cost effective proportional chainstay system.

Size Specific Carbon Lay up

The Santa Cruz engineers have also matched the size specific geometry with size specific lay up of the carbon construction in the frames. Again larger riders will direct larger forces through the frame, so larger frames have a stiffer construction, with smaller frames being less stiff. The result is larger riders won’t experience any unwanted flex and smaller riders shouldn’t feel compromised on ride quality, maintaining compliance throughout the frame.

Glovebox

As with all updated Santa Cruz models the Megatower has now gained glovebox in-frame storage. The innovative design has a super high quality fit and finish, including a Tube Purse and Tool Wallet designed to hold everything that you might need to be self-sufficient when out riding. The Tube Purse fits a tube perfectly and the Tool Wallet will hold a mini pump, multi tool, CO2, the all important trail snacks and whatever else you might need!

38mm Forks

All Megatower bikes are now built with 38mm stanchion forks, either Fox 38s or Rockshox Zebs. With the increases in frame stiffness and capability of the revised suspension platform, this bike encourages you to charge. Being able to direct it without any deflection or vagueness in steering is a must. Front end stiffness has also increased in accordance with the introduction of these 38mm forks.

HOW DOES THIS TRANSLATE ON THE TRAIL?

If you have ridden or own the V1 Megatower, the V2 will feel pretty similar the first time you climb aboard, the 5mm increase in reach is hardly noticeable, especially in conjunction with the increase in stack height. And while the 1º change in head and seat angles seem dramatic, you’d have to be climbing directly off one bike and onto the other to pick up the difference. In other words, the Megatower produces a really familiar riding position, with rider weight evenly distributed between the front and rear wheel.

Santa Cruz also has lowered the leverage ratio on the new bike, so the damping is moving less oil throughout the stroke, which gives superior control on the trails. That’s not the only improvement, either. The old Megatower was a little harsh under braking, especially into rough chutes where the suspension seemed to choke up, probably due to pedal kickback, this has been eliminated on the new bike.

Climbing

Although it’s never going to win any hill climb competitions, it’s quite simply amazing how efficiently the new Megatower will winch up to the summit of any trail. The well-supported suspension has enough sensitivity to find traction over any rocks and roots the rider deems as rideable ¬with the limited pedal feedback from the optimised VPP kinematics. In summary when climbing the Megatower has the right amount of support and enough engineered sensitivity to ensure your energy is conserved for when you play it’s ace card… in descending.

Descending

The V1 Megatower was a relatively playful bike for its big hitting nature, it was also pretty easy to get airborne. The V2 Megatower would rather stay glued to the trail, an intentional result of both the revised geometry and suspension of this bike, we believe that most riders will find that it is an improvement. You can certainly launch this bike into the air on bigger, faster jumps that you would encounter at any UK bike park. Essentially, what the Megatower lost in responsiveness/playfulness, it more than makes up for in stability, smoothness and traction.

All this results in the new Megatower being far more stable and composed at speed than it’s predecessor, being very capable in big terrain, making it an excellent bike for riders who want something that encourages them to go harder and faster on difficult descents.

Build Kit Options

The Megatower, like all Santa Cruz ‘off the peg’ bikes is available in a host of build kits including a SRAM NX equipped ‘R’ kit and GX equipped ‘S” kit built into a ‘C’ Level Carbon frame. ‘C’ frames are slighter heavier with a slight reduction in stiffness due to a lower modulus carbon fibre being used in manufacture, which has a little more resin and less carbon than the lighter and stiffer ‘CC’ frames.

In some ways disregarding the additional 200/300g the ‘C’ frame can have (depending upon size) the benefit of a little more compliance, aiding grip with high frequency/small bumps. ‘CC’ framed bikes are only available with XO1 and XX1 groupsets, which when combined with the CC frame and a Reserve wheel option create an aggregation of marginal gains to create a more versatile package out of the Megatower. The lighter weight is noticeable and definitely worth considering if performance or racing is your focus.

For the majority of riders the compliant ‘C’ frame built on a super dependable ‘S’ kit is the ideal compromise of performance and value. Especially if you consider how hard you can ride this bike, parts such as mechs etc will be sacrificial. Replacing GX level components is considerably cheaper than replacing XO1 or XX1 components.

Santa Cruz Megatower S Kit

Santa Cruz Megatower XO1 AXS Reserve Kit

OVERALL VERDICT – DID SANTA CRUZ NAIL THE BRIEF?

All these improvements add up to a considerable upgrade over the old model. Improved geometry, suspension and specific sizing and construction optimised for your size means in terms of capability in descent you won’t find any better. In terms of practicality and versatility, again engineered improvements in geometry, suspension provides a more efficient pedaling platform indicating that none of the bike’s versatility has been sacrificed for the gain in its prowess in descent. So yes, it’s back ‘Bigger and Badder’ basically that ‘downhill bike that can go anywhere!

Bikes in-stock, ready to build

We have a massive range of Megatowers’s in-stock and ready to ship at both of our stores. Get in touch with any questions - you could be on your new bike sooner than you think!

Lifetime warranty

Any option you choose is covered by Santa Cruz' Lifetime Warranty on both the frame and bearings. This also covers the Carbon Reserve wheels if specced on your new Megatower.

For more information or to take a look through all the build options for the Santa Cruz Megatower, you can also contact us by phone, email, live chat or pop in store for a coffee and take a look at the bikes we have built in both of our showrooms.

Other considerations

Obviously the Megatower is quite a niche bike and does have it’s limitations in use and in the context of UK riding it can be like taking a sledgehammer to a nail, especially if in being honest with yourself you’re not the most aggressive rider.

If you're looking for a more versatile bike that can still be ridden very hard but also has no limits to it’s versatility, the Hightower is highly recommended and a Stif favorite. Also if you’re just not a fan of a big hitting 29er and looking for something that will be more maneuverable on tighter tracks with an equivalent level of capability to be ridden hard, the new Nomad in it’s MX guise is definitely worth a consideration. Like always, here at Stif we would suggest a demo with us in order to conduct a back to back comparison, you might just be surprised at which bike is actually the one for you.