In 2010 he joined the team full-time and has been keeping a close eye on all things test-related ever since. Rob first graced the pages of MBUK back in 2001 when working as a freelance writer and went on to start testing bikes for the title in 2007. Rob manages all of the testing here at BikeRadar and across our magazines, Mountain Biking UK and Cycling Plus. Rob Weaver is BikeRadar's technical editor-in-chief. Santa Cruz Megatower C R descending performance I always had a suitable gear for the climbs and at no point did I miss the 10t sprocket found on the pricier SRAM cassettes.

It’s not the most stretched out bike on test, with a 596mm effective top tube, but I had no comfort issues or problems with the front wheel lifting on steeper inclines.Īnd I can’t knock the range of the 11-50t NX Eagle cassette. The seated ride position feels comfortable thanks in part to that steep 76.7-degree seat angle. It’s not the end of the world, but noticeable when you’re tired after a long day riding lap after lap. The lack of low-speed compression lever on the shock means these can’t be avoided. Low-speed, high-torque efforts will get the back-end to squat down though, which does nip at the bike’s efficiency. When seated and spinning up a climb, the Megatower pedals quite well, with little in the way of suspension bob. Andy Lloyd Santa Cruz Megatower C R climbing performance The trails were pretty wet and muddy throughout testing. And, just as I said when I reviewed the Enduro, while the NX Eagle gearing works well enough, it’s a touch disappointing to see on a bike that costs this much money. Like Specialized’s Enduro Comp, the Megatower also uses a SRAM NX Eagle 1×12 drivetrain. The ‘C R’ build I opted for is the cheapest Megatower available and, while you get the nicely finished carbon frame, the parts bolted to it aren’t the most droolworthy.

With the chainstays set to the shorter measurement, the wheelbase measures in at 1,206mm but can be extended to 1,216mm in the 445mm setting. A steep 76.7-degree seat angle promises to keep climbing nicely efficient. I measured the head angle to be a slack 64.6 degrees, while the bottom bracket sat just 340mm off the ground (with 29mm of drop). In the high setting, the medium Megatower I was testing has a reach of 450mm, which is roomy enough for a nice, stable ride when stood up on the pedals, but not so long it feels awkward or cumbersome in tighter sections of trail.

With five sizes of Megatower available, most riders should find a bike to fit them.

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