Evil FollowingvsSanta Cruz Tallboy
These bikes both claim the 'downhiller's XC' title, but they deliver it through radically different personalities. Choose the Following if you want a playful, poppy jib-machine that erases trail chatter; grab the Tallboy if you need a stout, mini-enduro rig that handles high-speed abuse with predictable stability.
Overview
The Evil Following and Santa Cruz Tallboy occupy the rowdiest corner of the 120mm travel market, yet their design philosophies diverge sharply. Evil uses the complex DELTA linkage to coax a 'bottomless' feel out of a short-stroke shock, resulting in a bike that reviewers frequently describe as 'punk rock'—it thumbs its nose at traditional, stiff XC geometry. It is a precision tool that rewards creative line choices and constant interaction with the terrain, often making the trail feel like it has disappeared beneath you. Santa Cruz takes a more industrial approach with the Tallboy V5, scaling down the VPP suspension architecture used on their long-travel sleds. It is 'steroidally hench' compared to its peers, prioritizing chassis stiffness and a planted feel over ultra-lightweight efficiency. While the Following feels like a 'magic carpet ride' over roots, the Tallboy acts more like a short-travel Hightower, providing a stable, calm platform that allows you to charge into technical sections that would unsettle most bikes in this category. Santa Cruz has refined this generation to be less progressive, helping it ride higher in the stroke for a snappier, more responsive feel under power.
Ride and handling
Evil’s DELTA suspension is the standout feature here, providing a dual-progressive curve that is remarkably supple early on before ramping up into a supportive mid-stroke. This allows the Following to 'slurp up the singletrack' and isolate high-frequency chatter better than almost any other 120mm bike. It is a 'poppy' ride that encourages you to treat every root as a take-off. However, the 66.6-degree head angle is relatively steep by modern standards, which can make the front end feel a bit 'twitchy' once you crest 25 mph on technical descents. You have to be more precise with your lines, but the payoff is a bike that responds instantly to every muscle twitch. The Tallboy V5 trades that magic carpet suppleness for a more muscular, direct connection to the ground. It is unflappably poised on fast, chunky descents, but the frame's 'relentless rigidity' can be tiring on long, off-piste rides where the Following would be more forgiving. Santa Cruz’s VPP system creates a 'slingshot' effect out of corners, generating incredible momentum when you pump the terrain. While the Following feels like it's floating over the mess, the Tallboy tracks through it with authority. The biggest weakness on the Santa Cruz is the stock braking; many builds use XC-grade SRAM Level brakes that simply cannot keep up with the frame's downhill aspirations, leading to 'heart-in-mouth' moments when trying to scrub speed.
Specifications
The most glaring discrepancy in the component sheets is how each brand handles stopping power. Evil specs the Following with four-piston SRAM Code RSC brakes even on mid-tier builds, acknowledging that this bike carries speed like a much bigger rig. In contrast, Santa Cruz often fits the Tallboy with under-powered SRAM Level brakes. This is a recurring complaint among testers who find the 'downhiller's XC' marketing at odds with brakes that feel like they belong on a marathon race bike. If you buy a Tallboy, budget for a rotor or caliper swap immediately. Suspension choices also highlight different intended use cases. Evil leans heavily into RockShox, often using the SID Ultimate 120mm fork to keep the front end light and sharp. Santa Cruz opts for the beefier Fox 34 Performance Elite or Factory forks at 130mm across most of the line. This extra 10mm of travel and larger chassis contribute to the Tallboy's sturdier, more trail-oriented feel. Santa Cruz also gains points for the 'Glovebox' internal storage and a grease port on the lower link, which makes the Tallboy a much easier bike to live with for riders who don't want to spend their weekends stripping down complex linkages.
| Following | Tallboy | |
|---|---|---|
| FRAMESET | ||
| Frame | Evil Following LS Frameset | Santa Cruz Tallboy Carbon C frame, VPP suspension, 120mm rear travel, 29" wheels |
| Fork | RockShox SID Ultimate 2P Lever Lockout Fork, 29in, 120mm | RockShox Pike Base, 130mm, 44mm offset |
| Rear shock | RockShox SIDLuxe Ultimate 2P Lever Lockout Shock | FOX Float Performance, 190x45 |
| GROUPSET | ||
| Shift levers | SRAM Eagle 90 T-Type Trigger | SRAM NX Eagle, 12-speed (right) |
| Front derailleur | — | — |
| Rear derailleur | SRAM Eagle 90 T-Type | SRAM NX Eagle, 12-speed |
| Cassette | SRAM XS-1275 T-Type, 12-speed, 10-52T | SRAM PG-1230, 12-speed, 11-50T |
| Chain | SRAM GX Eagle T-Type Flattop Chain | SRAM NX Eagle, 12-speed |
| Crankset | SRAM Eagle 90, 32T, 170mm | SRAM Stylo 148 DUB, 32T |
| Bottom bracket | SRAM DUB, 73mm BSA | SRAM DUB 68/73mm threaded BB (73mm shell) |
| Front brake | SRAM Code RSC | SRAM G2 R hydraulic disc |
| Rear brake | SRAM Code RSC | SRAM G2 R hydraulic disc |
| WHEELSET | ||
| Front wheel | Industry Nine Enduro S Hydra2 Wheelset (Front) - 30.5mm internal width, 110x15mm (unless upgrade selected) | RaceFace AR Offset 30, 29"; SRAM MTH 716, 15x110, Torque Cap, 6-bolt, 32h |
| Rear wheel | Industry Nine Enduro S Hydra2 Wheelset (Rear) - 30.5mm internal width, 157x12mm (unless upgrade selected) | RaceFace AR Offset 30, 29"; SRAM MTH 746, 12x148, HG, 6-bolt, 32h |
| Front tire | Schwalbe Nobby Nic Evo SG TLE | Maxxis Forekaster 29x2.4 WT, 3C MaxxTerra, EXO |
| Rear tire | Schwalbe Wicked Will Evo ST TLE | Maxxis Forekaster 29x2.4 WT, 3C MaxxTerra, EXO |
| COCKPIT | ||
| Stem | Evil 12 Gauge Stem - 45mm | Burgtec Enduro MK3, 42mm |
| Handlebars | Evil Boomstick Carbon Bar - S/M: 780mm; L/XL: 810mm x 35mm | RaceFace Ride |
| Saddle | WTB Volt Pro - Medium | WTB Silverado, CroMo |
| Seatpost | Bike Yoke Revive 2.0 Dropper Seatpost - 30.9mm (S: 125mm, M: 150mm, L/XL: 185mm) | SDG Tellis Dropper, 31.6mm |
| Grips/Tape | RockShox TwistLoc Ultimate - Curved Hose | Santa Cruz Bicycles House Grips |
Geometry and fit comparison
Comparing the Large Following to the Medium Tallboy reveals a massive fit gap, with the Following offering a 480mm reach against the Tallboy's 455mm. The Evil is a significantly longer bike, which helps compensate for its steeper 66.6-degree head angle and provides high-speed stability through wheelbase rather than slackness. The Tallboy is more contemporary in its angles, featuring a 65.7-degree head tube that makes it feel more secure on steep, technical drops. Chainstay length is another area of divergence. Evil uses a static 430mm (or 432mm) rear end across all sizes, emphasizing a 'playful to manual' character that makes the bike easy to flick and wheelie. Santa Cruz uses size-specific chainstays—433mm on the Medium—to ensure that weight distribution remains balanced regardless of rider height. While the Following favors riders who want to throw the bike around and pop off side-hits, the Tallboy offers a more centered, 'in-the-bike' feel that suits riders who prefer a stable platform for technical climbing and high-speed carving.
| FIT GEO | Following | Tallboy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stack | 604 | 628 | +24 |
| Reach | 480 | 475 | -5 |
| Top tube | 629 | 622 | -7 |
| Headtube length | 110 | 125 | +15 |
| Standover height | 675 | 698 | +23 |
| Seat tube length | 470 | 430 | -40 |
| HANDLING | Following | Tallboy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headtube angle | 66.6 | 65.7 | -0.9 |
| Seat tube angle | — | 76.8 | — |
| BB height | — | 335 | — |
| BB drop | 36 | 38 | +2 |
| Trail | — | — | — |
| Offset | 44 | — | — |
| Front center | 765 | 790 | +25 |
| Wheelbase | — | 1227 | — |
| Chainstay length | — | 437 | — |
Who each one is for
Evil Following
The Following is for the rider who treats the trail like a playground rather than a racetrack. If your favorite part of a ride is jibbing off natural features, pulling manuals, and threading precision lines through tight switchbacks, the Evil’s lively DELTA suspension and short rear end will serve you perfectly. It’s also the better pick for riders in areas with 'janky' terrain—roots, rocks, and constant square-edge hits—where the supple suspension can truly erase the chatter that makes other short-travel bikes feel harsh.
Santa Cruz Tallboy
The Tallboy is for the gravity-focused rider who needs an efficient bike for huge 'power hour' loops but refuses to compromise on chassis stiffness. It thrives on fast, blue-square flow trails and technical climbs where the VPP traction and stout frame allow you to maintain speed effortlessly. If you have a big enduro bike in the garage and want a 'mini-me' version for your local trails that feels equally robust and dependable, the Tallboy is the clear winner.
