2018 Santa Cruz Tallboy - Road Cyclist's First Take


2018 Santa Cruz Tallboy C S is a beautiful bike!  I got it in early December and was anxiously awaiting for it to arrive.


It arrived in late December.  A local bike shop in Boise put it together for me.  It looked really nice.  I took it for a couple rides on a Greenway and finally made it to a local trail in the beginning of January.

I loved the comfort of the bike.  I really enjoyed the scenery and the freedom to go and explore the mountains.  I loved the that I didn't have to share the road with cars.

However, after riding road bikes for almost 6 years, this bike felt a little unstable.  I felt like I don't have a lot of control with the handlebars.  It maybe the geometry or just the fact that I am used to road bikes.

I also didn't like the singletrack and rock gardens.  Climbing felt kind of weird, especially when I had to share a narrow trail with bunch of people, dogs and cyclists. 

I know a lot of people who are obsessed with mountain biking.  Maybe I will like a fire road much better.  But for now, I am thinking that MTB may not be my thing... at least for now.   I may give it another try at some point in life, when I have more time to explore mountains.



So, goodbye Santa Cruz Tallboy!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Pinarello Gan K Review - First Impressions

Image
If Pinarello Gan K Disc could be described in just one phrase, I would say, " It puts a smile on your face ". A big smile.  First when you look at it.  And the smile gets bigger when you ride it.  And even bigger as you ride longer. Pinarello Gan K gets going fast.  There is no hesitation. It doesn't fight you.  It doesn't make you put tons of effort in order to reward you with speed. It feels like it shrinks the distance.  I have a regular hilly ride that I have done at least 100 times on 11 different bikes -- from Specialized Roubaix to Trek Domane to Colnago CLX 2.0 to Bianchi Infinito CV.  This bike is different.  It glides.  It slices through the air.  It helps you go fast. Pinarello Gan K Disc is extremely dialed in.  It has has a nearly perfect combination of acceleration, handling, and ride quality. Scorecard (based on 3 rides): Acceleration: 9 out of 10.  It accelerates very fast, like there is an electric motor in it.  You still notic
Read more

Campagnolo Zonda C17 vs Roval SLX 24 -- Rim Brake Wheelset Showdown

Image
230 lbs puts a lot of stress on the bike and all of its parts, especially wheelsets.  Riding experience of a lighter cyclist, say 150 lbs, is going to be very different from a heavier one, so I always take reviews with a grain of salt. Here is my review on two wheelsets -- 2019 Campagnolo Zonda C17 and 2019 Roval SLX24 with DT Swiss 350 hubs.  There is also a mention of Fulcrum Carbon Zero wheelset which my bike was originally equipped with. Test Equipment: Bike:               2015/16 Pinarello Dogma K8s Group:            Shimano Ultegra 6800 11-speed Saddle:            Specialized Romin Evo Pro 168mm Handlebar:    Pinarello MOST Aluminum Tire Set 1:      Continental 4 Seasons Grand Prix 28mm Tire Set 2 :     Vittoria Corsa Control G+ 28mm Miles logged: Fulcum Carbon Zero - 200 miles 2019 Campagnolo Zonda C17 - 1,100 miles 2019 Roval SLX24 - 200 miles Overall Experience Campagnolo Zondas are fast and smooth. It is easy to accelerate on them.  They climb reall
Read more