Santa Cruz Tallboy vs PYGA Stage Max?

[BaGearA]

Both beautiful bikes!

 

My two cents though:

 

The thing that irritates me about the SC is the fact that you can only fit one bottle cage within the frame and with a dropper post you cant have one on the seatpost. The Pyga stage frame is really well thought out to allow for two.

 

Another thing that drives me mad are those cables that exit the frame around the bottle cage. wtf!!!??! Those should've been hidden better within the frame?

 

Both are small things but would swing my pick to the Pyga.

 

Also, i'm a sucker to support an SA company like Pyga. Patrick and the team have outdone themselves.

I hate how on the Pyga you press bearings into a carbon frame

 

 

The santa cruz houses its bearings in the two links that bolt the front and rear together, a feature that would swing me towards any VPP bike

[Ramrod]

This was my predicament about a year ago. Toss up between the Blur and the Pyga Stage Max. I did ride both. My problem is I am setup sensitive and can feel when my bike is just a few mm out. When test riding a bike for a day I don't believe you get your setup 100% and that can impact the feel of the bike. I just couldn't get the Pyga to feel right under me in the short time I had and the Blur felt more comfortable. That being said the rear suspension felt squishy for me coming from an EPIC S Works (we all have our faults) but I took the gamble and now love my Blur.  

 

My problem now is I am considering N+1 in the form of a longer travel bike and the Hyrax is starting to make me itch!

[stefmeister]

Pyga is cool but not carbon boutique brand cool.

 

You chose well.

Pyga is more boutique than SC, which is anything but boutique.

[DR ◣◢]

Pyga is more boutique than SC, which is anything but boutique.

Ok

[matthewproctor]

Boutique or not, I absolutely love both brands!

[Nakoota]

Get a Pyga

 

[4x4biker]

Toyota, Isuzu, Ford , half a dozen of the one and 6 of the other.

[arendoog]

Currently i have my 2012 Tallboy and a Stage max .Pyga feels smooth and purposeful ,the tallboy is more agile .Nothing wrong with either bike .Pyga is a surprisingly good climber .I cannot find justification for the SC frame prices at 30k more than a pyga frame .The pyga frame is strong and sturdy and the rear suspension works really well .Santa cruz tallboy does everything well ,even the older models .The BB height on SC bikes are low and gives a more confidant ride .I think that is makes them popular 

Edited November 19, 2020 by arendoog

[Me rida my bicycle]

This was my predicament about a year ago. Toss up between the Blur and the Pyga Stage Max. I did ride both. My problem is I am setup sensitive and can feel when my bike is just a few mm out. When test riding a bike for a day I don't believe you get your setup 100% and that can impact the feel of the bike. I just couldn't get the Pyga to feel right under me in the short time I had and the Blur felt more comfortable. That being said the rear suspension felt squishy for me coming from an EPIC S Works (we all have our faults) but I took the gamble and now love my Blur.

 

My problem now is I am considering N+1 in the form of a longer travel bike and the Hyrax is starting to make me itch!

put a 120mm fork on the Blur something like the new Sid 35 120mm and thank me later.

[ichnusa]

The Stage Max and Hightower 1 have almost identical geometry and numbers - look at the charts. So you are not comparing apples to apples here.

[slickjay007]

Go back to the Specialized Camber...

[Meezo]

Not dissing the Pyga

The SC is light on its feet whereas the Pyga is the heavier feel,like a Giant

 

what an insult

 

[Kranswurm]

what an insult

 

Ha ha ha.

[Ramrod]

put a 120mm fork on the Blur something like the new Sid 35 120mm and thank me later.

that's exactly what I have except I went with the fox 34.

[Christie]

+1 for Santa Cruz. Pyga has some solid bikes, but iy is not fair to compare it to SC.

[duringd]

Not dissing the Pyga

The SC is light on its feet whereas the Pyga is the heavier feel,like a Giant

 

Not sure I can agree on this one. I've ridden both and depending on how you setup the Max (shocks) you are in for a much nicer ride.....