Bike Check: The Tallboy and The Trail Ahead, Aneela McKenna

Depending on where you come from in cycling and the UK you might or might not already know Aneela. For those who don't, she might well be the Tweed Valley rider who has done more work for the benefit of others than perhaps anyone else we could think of. 

Aneela served as a board member of our local trail association, the TVTA, and co founded the hugely successful women's riding initiative the FNY Collective, which aims to empower women to take up and improve their riding. She's worked in refugee advocacy, runs her own consultancy, More' Diversity and has appeared in a number of films such as the excellent and unflinching 'After the Storm' which deals with her own painful experiences of the institutional discrimination she now spends her life campaigning against. She's won industry awards for her community work, spoken at film festivals, and guided women's mountain bike trips. 

Meet her in real life and she's simply a buoyant person to spend time around, with a positive attitude, welcoming nature and locally famous laugh that can be heard from the next valley when something tickles her. Somehow among all her other commitments, she also manages to find ways to spend a ton of time on her bikes in the outdoors. A long term ambassador for Juliana Bikes and the community around it, the switch to a Santa Cruz for the first time is a bigger moment for her than you might imagine, making this an even more significant new bike day than it would otherwise be.

Over to Aneela for her reflections on Juliana, the swap and her new bike. 

The Tallboy and The Trail Ahead, Aneela McKenna

It’s new bike day, but this time, it comes with a feeling that goes well beyond rolling out a new steed. It’s a moment to pause and reflect on the journey that brought me here.

Juliana has always been so much more than a bike brand. Over the last thirteen years as an ambassador and friend, I’ve seen it evolve into a vibrant community, a brave space, and a movement actively shifting mountain bike culture to create room for others. It gave us an opportunity where, for the first time, many of us saw ourselves reflected in the sport we love. It brought pure joy, connection, and empowered women to ride, feel part of something, and align with a purpose that truly stood for them.

When the news came through that Juliana was officially coming back under the Santa Cruz umbrella, I felt a wave of nostalgia, but also genuine excitement for what lies ahead. In many ways, Santa Cruz and Juliana have always walked hand-in-hand, and my support for and from both has been steadfast through the years. When I sat down to draft an email shortly after the announcement, the first thing I wrote was that ''Juliana was a massive stepping stone for me. It gave me the platform to do the work I do now and to advocate for the sport we all love so much." That visibility gave us the foundation to build a stronger community by making women an integral part of cycling culture.

The places I’ve explored and the memories I’ve made on my bike through Juliana are things I will cherish forever along with all the incredible people I’ve met along the way.

As Juliana always said, it has always been more about the rider on the bike than the name on the downtube. Now, in this next chapter, we have an even bigger platform to celebrate and support women riders everywhere. Santa Cruz has always provided the backbone, and with greater visibility and momentum behind us, the work doesn't stop. Our commitment to that same spirit is stronger than ever. We aren’t losing our community; we are carrying it forward, together, to achieve greater gender parity in the sport. 

The New Steed: Built for the Long Ride

This new Tallboy is a perfect example of that evolution. It’s a bike that feels instantly familiar, yet undeniably modern. For this build, I wanted something that felt like an extension of myself: responsive, playful, and fully capable of big days out in the Scottish hills. 

I started with the Santa Cruz Tallboy CC frame. I'll be honest I’m not usually one to get lost in suspension graphs or telemetry numbers. But even I was blown away by just how different this bike feels compared to my beloved Juliana Joplin. With Santa Cruz moving to a four-bar suspension layout for this generation, the difference out on the trail is immediate.

It feels remarkably planted and calm, especially when the ground gets rowdy. It tracks beautifully, soaks up trail chatter, and somehow manages to feel both sprightly and incredibly sure-footed. It’s the kind of bike that invites you to pop off every root and rail every corner with a newfound confidence.

And can we talk about the colour? I’ve always maintained that Juliana had the best colours in the business, but I can be convinced otherwise as this Gloss Midnight Violet might just be the most luscious one yet. It’s deep, rich, and catches the light in a way that makes me smile every single time I walk past it.

The Upgrades That Make It Mine

Huge thanks to Santa Cruz Bicycles UK, Shimano, WTB, and the team at Tweed Valley Bikes for helping me get the build dialed in just right:

Wheels: We went with Reserve Carbon wheels. The difference was instant, they spin up fast, track accurately through the chunder, and offer just enough compliance to take the harsh edge off the roughest trails.

Rubber: Wrapped in WTB Vigilante and Trail Boss tyres, this setup gives me the confidence to push a little harder, knowing the traction is right there when I need it.

Drivetrain: The Shimano XT Di2 is a game-changer. It’s crisp, precise, and lets me keep my focus entirely on the trail ahead. No overthinking shifts, just pure riding.

Brakes: The Shimano XT brakes are a quiet confidence boost with strong, consistent  stopping power that lets me brake a touch later and carry more speed with total control. 

Contact Points: We fitted fresh Shimano XT flat pedals and a super slick Shimano XTR dropper lever. It’s these small, tactile touchpoints that make the biggest difference during long hours in the saddle.

Looking Forward

Riding has always been my way of connecting with nature, with my community, and with myself. This Tallboy marks an exciting new chapter for me and serves as a powerful reminder of what we can achieve collectively to pave the way for women to thrive, have their voices heard, and keep shredding, leading, and lifting each other up along the way.

To my friends at Santa Cruz and Juliana: thank you for the memories, the support, and the platform. I’m so excited to step into this next chapter together.