2022 Santa Cruz Megatower
2022 Santa Cruz Megatower release date: April 19, 2022
What type of bike is the Santa Cruz Megatower?
The new Santa Cruz Megatower v2 is the ultimate long travel 29er for enduro races, bike parks, and epic all-mountain style adventures. Megatower's stability at speed will have you plowing through rock gardens and owning the steeps. It's predictable, forgiving, and confidence inspiring for when you're riding trails are anything but.
- Wheel size: 29 inch
- Front travel: 170mm
- Rear travel: 165mm
- Tire clearance: 29x2.5"
- Size range: S - XXL
- Frame: C or CC carbon
- Colors: Trans Blue or Matte Nickel
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Who’s it for?
The Santa Cruz Megatower v2 is designed with enduro racers and downhill park enthusiasts in mind. It's built for riders who want to bomb the gnarliest descents on the mountain and crush technical lines with ease.
Just point and shoot. The Megatower doesn't care about your line choice.
Why you'll love it
The 2022 Megatower has made a big splash among MTBers because of its brawny build designed to absorb huge hits and roll over anything, all while retaining great pedaling and climbing efficiency.
The 29” wheels increase top speeds while the 165mm shock and 170mm fork chew up anything in your path. And the steeper seat tube angle will make you want to keep climbing back up for another lap.
What's new on the 2022 Santa Cruz Megatower v2?
The Megatower got some sweet upgrades for the new model release.
Take a look at what's new below.
More front and rear travel
The previous version of the Megatower had 160mm of front and rear travel. For 2022, this heavy hitter got even more firepower, sporting a 165mm shock and a 170mm fork. As if you needed another excuse to send it on this rig...
new leverage ratio & curve
Santa Cruz made the Megatower more adept at super aggressive riding by tweaking the Megatower's suspension to improve bottom out resistance and damping support. As for what changed, they added a longer 62.5 shock to facilitate a lower overall leverage curve and straightened the end-stroke.
More aggressive geometry
The head tube is tad slacker at 63.8/63.5°, and the reach is slightly longer at 475mm in size large. Those little increments add up and help you feel even more confident on steep, techy descents.
Size specific chainstays
Every bike in the lineup now gets size specific chainstays that allow each and every person to have an optimally balanced ride quality.
Glovebox frame storage & tool bag
The Glovebox is an exciting feature we've started to see more of. And it makes sense! No bulky bags here, just a super streamlined and clean storage system for your smaller ride essentials. Comes with a tool "wallet" and "purse" that fits nicely inside.
More Megatower specs
Here are some other key specs on the 2022 Santa Cruz Megatower:
Lifetime warranty on frames, pivot bearings, and carbon rims
Max tire width: 29 x 2.5
Boost 148mm spacing
Post mount brakes w/ 200mm rotors
ISCG05 chain guide mounts
Threaded BB
Santa Cruz UDH
IS headset
Santa Cruz Megatower Geometry
The Megatower’s frame perfectly balances stability with responsive handling with a roomy cockpit (475mm in size L), slack 63.8/63.5° head tube angle, and long wheelbase. The sharper 77.8/77.5° seat tube angle boosts efficiency on the climbs.
The ultimate feature is the two flip chips that switch between the High and Low geometry options, one that changes rear suspension progressivity and one that extends chainstay length.
Explore the table below that breaks down the more progressive Low setting and more linear High setting.
| 2022 Megatower Geometry | S | M | L | XL | XXL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flip Chip Setting | High / Low | High / Low | High / Low | High / Low | High / Low |
| Reach | 430 / 427mm | 455 / 452mm | 475 / 472 mm | 495 / 492 mm | 520 / 517mm |
| Stack | 616 / 618mm | 625 / 627mm | 638 / 640mm | 656 / 658mm | 670 / 672mm |
| Head Tube Angle | 63.8 / 63.5° | 63.8 / 63.5° | 63.8 / 63.5° | 63.8 / 63.5° | 63.8 / 63.5° |
| Head Tube Length | 90mm | 100mm | 115mm | 135mm | 150mm |
| Seat Tube Angle | 77.2 / 77° | 77.4 / 77.2° | 77.8 / 77.5° | 77.8 / 77.5° | 77.8 / 77.5° |
| Seat Tube Length | 380mm | 405mm | 430mm | 460mm | 500mm |
| Rear Center | 436 / 437mm | 437 / 438mm | 440 / 441mm | 443 / 444mm | 447 / 448mm |
| Front Center | 770mm | 799mm | 826mm | 855mm | 886mm |
| BB Height | 346 / 343mm | 346 / 343mm | 346 / 343mm | 346 / 343mm | 346 / 343mm |
| BB Drop | 27 / 30mm | 27 / 30mm | 27 / 30mm | 27 / 30mm | 27 / 30mm |
| Wheelbase | 1206mm | 1236mm | 1266mm | 1298mm | 1334mm |
| Top Tube Length | 570mm | 594mm | 613mm | 637mm | 666mm |
| Standover Height | 709 / 705mm | 716 / 712mm | 723 / 718mm | 722 / 717mm | 724 / 720mm |
Santa Cruz Megatower Size Chart
Here is the Santa Cruz Megatower size chart. Keep in mind that these are approximations. In order to get the best fit possible, you should consider the geometry chart above, your preferred riding style, and if possible, test ride the bike.
| Megatower Frame Size | S | M | L | XL | XXL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suggested Rider Height | 5'2" - 5'5" | 5'5" - 5'9" | 5'9" - 6'1" | 6'0" - 6'4" | 6'4" - 6'7" |
2022 Santa Cruz Megatower For Sale
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2022 Megatower C R
Frame: Carbon C
Fork: RockShox Zeb
Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe Select
Drivetrain: SRAM NX Eagle
Brakes: SRAM G2 RE
Wheels: RaceFace AR Offset 30
Price: $5,649
2022 Megatower C S
Frame: Carbon C
Fork: FOX 38 Float Performance
Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe Select+
Drivetrain: SRAM GX Eagle
Brakes: SRAM Code R
Wheels: RaceFace AR Offset 30
Price: $6,799
2022 Megatower C GX AXS
Frame: Carbon C
Fork: FOX 38 Float Performance Elite
Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe Select+
Drivetrain: SRAM GX Eagle AXS
Brakes: SRAM Code RSC
Wheels: RaceFace ARC Offset 30
Price: $8,499
2022 Megatower C GX AXS Coil
Frame: Carbon C
Fork: FOX 38 Float Performance Elite
Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe Select+ Coil
Drivetrain: SRAM GX Eagle AXS
Brakes: SRAM Code RSC
Wheels: RaceFace ARC Offset 30
Price: $8,499
2022 Megatower C GX AXS RSV
Frame: Carbon C
Fork: FOX 38 Float Performance Elite
Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe Select+
Drivetrain: SRAM GX Eagle AXS
Brakes: SRAM Code RSC
Wheels: Reserve 30 29" Carbon Rims
Price: $9,799
2022 Megatower C GX AXS RSV Coil
Frame: Carbon C
Fork: FOX 38 Float Performance Elite
Shock: RockShox Super Deluxe Select+ Coil
Drivetrain: SRAM GX Eagle AXS
Brakes: SRAM Code RSC
Wheels: Reserve 30 29" Carbon Rims
Price: $9,799
2022 Megatower CC X01
Frame: Carbon CC
Fork: FOX 38 Float Factory
Shock: FOX Float X2 Factory
Drivetrain: SRAM X01 Eagle
Brakes: SRAM Code RSC
Wheels: RaceFace ARC Offset 30
Price: $9,299
2022 Megatower CC X01 Coil
Frame: Carbon CC
Fork: FOX 38 Float Factory
Shock: FOX DH X2 Factory Coil
Drivetrain: SRAM X01 Eagle
Brakes: SRAM Code RSC
Wheels: RaceFace ARC Offset 30
Price: $9,299
2022 Megatower CC X01 AXS RSV
Frame: Carbon CC
Fork: FOX 38 Float Factory
Shock: FOX Float X2 Factory
Drivetrain: SRAM X01 Eagle AXS
Brakes: SRAM Code RSC
Wheels: Reserve 30 29" Carbon Rims
Price: $11,199
2022 Megatower CC X01 AXS RSV Coil
Frame: Carbon CC
Fork: FOX 38 Float Factory
Shock: FOX DH X2 Factory Coil
Drivetrain: SRAM X01 Eagle AXS
Brakes: SRAM Code RSC
Wheels: Reserve 30 29" Carbon Rims
Price: $11,199
Santa Cruz Megatower FAQs
How much does a Santa Cruz Megatower cost?
The Santa Cruz Megatower costs between $5,149 for the R model and $10,249 for the highest-end X01 AXS Coil RSV model. Shop all Santa Cruz Megatower models to browse the other options available.
Is Megatower an Enduro bike?
The Santa Cruz Megatower is an enduro race bike designed for mountain bike circuits where climbing is necessary, but the downhill descents are the most important.
How much does the Santa Cruz Megatower weigh?
The Megatower weighs between 14.5 kg and 16.07 kg, depending on the model and frame size.
Can a Megatower climb?
The Megatower is an ultra-capable climber with a 77° seat tube angle to position the rider over the pedals for increased efficiency. The wide-range cassette (11-50t or 10-50t depending on the model) is perfect for steep slopes and there is limited suspension bob while climbing.
Hightower vs Megatower
As the name suggests, the Santa Cruz Megatower is the big sibling of the Hightower. The Hightower comes equipped with a slightly smaller full-suspension package with 150mm fork and 140mm of rear suspension. The frame comes in C or CC carbon like the Megatower, but riders can also choose an aluminum version which is not available on the Megatower.
Both models have flip chips to change between High and Low geometry settings. The Megatower is more robust, and excels in its natural environment of downhill parks and enduro races. The beefier suspension of the Megatower is for riders expecting the hardest-hitting trails.
Megatower vs Bronson
The Santa Cruz Bronson is a mullet bike with 29” front wheel and 27.5” rear wheel, while the Megatower is a purebred 29er.
The Bronson is an all-mountain bike that has a little less travel but eats up just about any trail and provides playful, snappy handling for riders that enjoy whipping around on two wheels.
The Megatower is an enduro race bike designed for gnarlier terrain and has a longer wheelbase for extra stability on steep descents or downhill bike parks.