Santa Cruz Hightower C 29 S

You lie in bed at night and dream of a bike that can really do it all—climb the tallest backcountry passes with ease, tear through the rootiest, rockiest tracks, and slingshot out of corners when you get on the gas. Wake up and meet Santa Cruz's Hightower C 29. Its C-carbon frame is as light, responsive, and strong as it gets, while the 135mm VPP suspension annihilates any and all terrain that gets in your way. These combine to give the Hightower the versatility to deal with whatever appears on the horizon and seamlessly adapt to the trails and style you ride, from the rocky peaks of the Dolomites to the rain forests of British Columbia. If straight line speed, rallying through rock gardens, and sprinting out of turns is your bag, then the fast-rolling 29-inch Easton wheels are the big ticket. The Hightower S rocks a 140mm-travel Pike and a solidly reliable SRAM GX 1 x 11-speed drivetrain. The one-by drivetrain means the chainstays are as short as possible, while the headtube angle and longer reach combine to create a dreadnought that can roll over anything that dare lay in your path.