# Warranty Replacement of Santa Cruz Tallboy 3 with Tallboy 4 or 5 or other Santa Cruz??



## F18sailor (Aug 12, 2013)

A little background:
I'm 57 , 6'3" and ride XC trails in Michigan. I don't race but still like to push the speed to my own limits. The trails I ride don't have any gnarly downhills and suspension travel of 120mm is plenty.
Purchased a 2012 SC Tallboy 1 Carbon XXL. Really liked this bike but after a few seasons, the clear coat on the top tube started peeling. SC replaced the frame with a 2018 Tallboy 3 CC XXL. I like that bike even better, fits me perfectly and my current build is at 26.5lb.
Unfortunately, the new frame has also started peeling the clear coat and Santa Cruz (great company BTW) is again offering to replace the frame, but a Tallboy 3 is no longer available. They are offering a TB4 or TB5 or would also replace with a Blur TR.
And here is my conundrum. Based on my research, the TB4/5 is a significantly different bike, in the CC version it is about 1lb heavier, even longer wheelbase and probably overkill for trails I ride. For the Blur TR there is no XXL option and I'm concerned that the geometry is too aggressive.
So, my question: Is there anyone who has ridden the Tallboy 3 and been able to compare to the Tallboy 4/5 or the Blur TR?
TIA.


----------



## wheatgerm (Jan 30, 2006)

You may get more responses if you post this in the Santa Cruz section of MTBR. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## F18sailor (Aug 12, 2013)

wheatgerm said:


> You may get more responses if you post this in the Santa Cruz section of MTBR.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Thx. Will do.


----------



## mackdhagen (Jun 17, 2011)

That is a conundrum, I've ridden the 3 and the new blur. It all comes down to fit and the HT angle. Have not ridden the new TB but on paper its clearly a trail/enduro rig IMHO .You could always slacken the Blur's HTA with a bigger fork or headset but if it doesn't fit, it doesn't fit. In my experience SC's are torturous for fitting a touch smaller than other brands (i have tries MD's in SC and just can't make them work despite working with other brands). By the numbers you should be able to make a XL work but i'd try and find one and/or do the numbers and see if you can make it work and go with the blur..


----------



## minimusprime (May 26, 2009)

Context here. I live in socal, but my in-laws live in southbend and I have a mountain bike there and ride southern michigan, indiana, illinois and wisconsin. I've had a tallboy 3 and a tallboy 4 fwiw, and I'm 6'2" and always ride XL santacruz bikes. 

Now that I've got that out of the way... I think you'd fine be on either the tb4 or the blur. The blur is maybe 15mm shorter on reach and ETT then ideal for your size. In contrast, the tallboy is indeed, a more trail bike oriented frame, however I have found that the tallboy 4/5 had generous amounts of anti-squat so hammering on the pedals nets a rewarding experience. Sure the tallboy build is going to be about 2lbs ligher then the same blur build, but the tallboy is going to be capable of doing all of the riding in your area, as well as some of the destination riding at copper harbor and upper michigan should you ever chose to venture into those areas.

That being said, the blur is an incredibly fast bike, holds two water bottles and will build up lighter. I think you're going to win either way, and I would make my selection based purely on sizing and fit alone.


----------



## Blatant (Apr 13, 2005)

Agreed ^^^. I have to ask, do you have unusual proportions? XXL seems an odd choice at your height. I’m 6’2 with a +2 ape index and SC XL is perfect with a shorter stem. Have you tried an XL?

To your main question, I’ve owned a TB3 and TB4. No experience with the Blur, but the sizing is definitely different. I strongly preferred the TB4, but I am in Phoenix, which is significantly rowdier than what you’re describing.


----------



## F18sailor (Aug 12, 2013)

Blatant said:


> Agreed ^^^. I have to ask, do you have unusual proportions? XXL seems an odd choice at your height. I’m 6’2 with a +2 ape index and SC XL is perfect with a shorter stem. Have you tried an XL?
> 
> To your main question, I’ve owned a TB3 and TB4. No experience with the Blur, but the sizing is definitely different. I strongly preferred the TB4, but I am in Phoenix, which is significantly rowdier than what you’re describing.


I actually have ridden my friends XL and much prefer the XXL. I'm +1 ape but a short inseam (32in) for my height.


----------



## MyDadSucks (Sep 6, 2017)

I think coming off of a tallboy 3 you will like the blur TR a lot. Very snappy, super lightweight, suspension performance is excellent. I think you will prefer the geo on the blur TR as well, it is closest to the TB3 out of the options youve been given, really an excellent bike for climbing as well as ripping winding ribbons of singletrack.


----------



## Blatant (Apr 13, 2005)

Regardless, most MTB could take a lesson from SC on how to handle warranty claims. Best in the business.


----------



## F18sailor (Aug 12, 2013)

Blatant said:


> Regardless, most MTB could take a lesson from SC on how to handle warranty claims. Best in the business.


Absolutely!


----------



## Cary (Dec 29, 2003)

I will say the Tallboy because of fit. The Blur in XL has 37mm shorter toptube with 10mm shorter stack, which means when you are seated the bike will fit 43mm shorter. You can get about 20mm of that back by slamming the seat back on the seat rails. (For every 10mm lof stack height, you lose about 4mm or reach and toptube length as you put each 10 mm of spacers to restore bar height). The XXL Tallboy 4 (or 5 which is very close in fit) has a 25mm taller stack height, which when you set the bars to the same height will make the seated reach virtually identical to your current bike and your standing reach 20mm longer.

If possible, I would get the TB5, the 13 mm longer chainstays from the 4 (443mm on the TB5) will make for a much more balanced feeling bike given you are on an XXL.









Geometry Geeks


The world's biggest open geometry database. Find bikes by name or numbers. Easily compare bike geometry side-by-side.




geometrygeeks.bike


----------



## bingemtbr (Apr 1, 2004)

The TB4's longer (adjustable) wheel base and lower BB height shouldn't be an issue in Michigan unless you live in the UP. I ride a TB4, my wife has a TB3. She raced Iceman and finished in the top 10 in her age group. 

My only comment on the TB4 vs TB3 is initially I had way more pedal strikes on the Tb4. I've been able to decrease these substantially via suspension settings.


----------



## eshew (Jan 30, 2004)

Peeling clear coat won't break your bike, just ride what you have until SC has something you want, if it's an open ended offer. Or just suck it up and throw some stickers on there.


----------



## Jolyzara (Jan 11, 2022)

I have the TB4 and the Blur. Both are fantastic. The Blur feels and rides like a short travel Tallboy. If I had to get one bike... for xc trail riding... it would be the Blur. It is better at climbing, peppy and responsive.

That said if you plan to do any kind of chunk, go to a bike park, try some obstacles, lock rolls or rock gardens... go with the Tallboy 4. It is just way more capable for the rougher stuff than the Blur. The TB4 descends great and while it is a bit heavier, still climbs really well. It is a smooth fun ride that punched outside its weight class.


----------



## Stickey1048 (Jun 8, 2012)

Blur, 100%. I went from TB3 to Blur. Never bothered with a TB4/5, since it's a baby enduro ride. Awesome bike, but it's not what you want because this is what you said you rode...


_ride XC trails in Michigan _(hardly a place with tons of vertical)
_like to push the speed to my own limits_
_The trails... don't have any gnarly downhills_
_suspension travel of 120mm is plenty._


----------

