So we've been riding this Santa Cruz Tallboy since early October, and when it came time to find a test bike for the new SRAM XX, we just couldn't resist. To answer the big question first: the bike is sitting at 25.8lbs complete right now, and we have not yet begun to ultralight. Those are some old "Triple Steel" Candy pedals; that's a regular Thomson post; and those wheels--while pretty much perfect in my humble opinion aren't as light as you'd think (those are the 30mm wide rims, King hubs, good old 14/15 spokes and brass nipples: indestructibility first). In fact, considering can take another pound out of this bike just by switching the tires, I think it's safe to answer the initial "Can you build a Tallboy up under 25lbs?" question in the affirmative. For the small army of you out there who've already put in your pre-order to reserve a frame: yes, you're going to be able to build this bike up to be sub-25lbs if you want.

So about this XX: it's breathtakingly good. If your fingers can generate enough pressure to send a text message, you can grab gears on this group like a pro. Much has been made of the speed and precision of the front shifting, and it's deserved--all true--but that shouldn't completely overshadow the performance rear derailleur and cassette. With tighter spans between gears, shifts are quick, but the precision is also there, and most importantly, XX doesn't seem to care what gear you're requested. Whether you're working the small end of the cassette or jumping up into that massive 36t cog, each shift is consistent and solid.

What's the gearing like? Our Tallboy is set up with the 39-26t, and in a word it's "different." But then again, I'm "different," too, and been riding around on a 42-32t bike and dreaming of a single 36t ring up front. XX has convinced me I can still live with a double, though I'd probably opt for the 42-28t configuration, even given my predilection for 29ers. What is very nice about the 39-26t setup, though, is that even the tight chainline version easily clears the chainstays of this Tallboy with room to spare, and it's also plenty eco-friendly in the clearance department--those aren't my marks on the log. (This is my purple ano bottle cage, though,)

You have to give the win to SRAM in the bar space contest; it just doesn't get any cleaner than that.

The biggest surprise about the XX? The brakes. Their first encounter with a descent was unfortunately neither short, nor dry, and they were 100% silent right out of the box, and powerful. They also just plain felt better than Elixirs.

We've been putting some time into making setup and ride notes on the Tallboy, and we're focused on the geometry of the bike right now. If you have any questions for us, you can reach us at support@speedgoat.com.