Pre-Cursor: I'm not affiliated with Scott 3Rox Racing and probably never will. This is (was) Derek Zandstra's 2012 Season Race Bike that I purchased at the end of the 2012 season.
Here's what I'll be riding in the 2013 season. An absolute beast of a
bike leaving me with no more excuses as to why I'm not performing
awesome. This is a very similar spec to Scott's 2013 Scale 900 Premium. Spec's and an in-depth review after the jump.
2012 Scott 3Rox Scale 29RC Specs
2012 Scott Scale 29 RC Frame - Medium (est. 949 grams)
Fox 32 F29 Fit Terralogic 100mm Fork
Syncros FL1.0 Carbon Seatpost 34.9mm
Syncros XR1.0 Carbon Saddle
Syncros TR1.0 Carbon Stem
Syncros XR1.0 Carbon Handlebar 700mm
ODI Ruffian Lock-On Grips
Drivetrain
Shimano XTR M980 2x10 Crankset
Shimano SM-BB91-41A Bottom Bracket (I think)
Shimano XTR M986 Front Derailleur
Shimano XTR Shadow Plus M985 Rear Derailleur
Shimano XTR Shadow M985 Rear Derailleur
Shimano XTR M980 10-Spd Cassette
Shimano XTR M980 Shifters
Brakes
Shimano XTR M985 Calipers
Shimano XTR M985 Levers
Shimano XTR M985 Rotors (160mm)
Wheels
Syncros/DT Swiss XR1.0 Carbon 29er Wheels (front and rear)
Maxxis Ikon 29x2.20 EXC 3C Tires
2012 Scott Scale 29 RC Frame - Medium (est. 949 grams)
Fox 32 F29 Fit Terralogic 100mm Fork
Syncros FL1.0 Carbon Seatpost 34.9mm
Syncros XR1.0 Carbon Saddle
Syncros TR1.0 Carbon Stem
Syncros XR1.0 Carbon Handlebar 700mm
ODI Ruffian Lock-On Grips
Drivetrain
Shimano XTR M980 2x10 Crankset
Shimano SM-BB91-41A Bottom Bracket (I think)
Shimano XTR M986 Front Derailleur
Shimano XTR Shadow Plus M985 Rear Derailleur
Shimano XTR Shadow M985 Rear Derailleur
Shimano XTR M980 10-Spd Cassette
Shimano XTR M980 Shifters
Brakes
Shimano XTR M985 Calipers
Shimano XTR M985 Levers
Shimano XTR M985 Rotors (160mm)
Wheels
Syncros/DT Swiss XR1.0 Carbon 29er Wheels (front and rear)
Maxxis Ikon 29x2.20 EXC 3C Tires
Intro
This is my first high-end mountain bike. My previous bike was a 2010 Specialized Rockhopper SL in small. It fit badly, and had a lot of quirks that I didn’t enjoy. When the opportunity presented itself to upgrade to a bike that literally requires 0 upgrades, I jumped on it…and then waited…for 3or 4 months I waited. After all, it was the middle of the 2012 race season and Derek needed the bike to race on. This was not an easy wait but luckily I have the patience of a statue, plus it gave me a few months to get my finances together to make the biggest bike purchase I’ve ever made.
To be fully honest with you, I was semi-committing to the bike without first having been on a proper test drive. The closest thing to a test drive was getting to go on a 2 minute ride on a bike with the same spec. As I was going into this blind (also having never ridden a 29er before) I wasn’t sure what to expect. I expected awesome performance from a bike of this calibre but how would it perform?
This is my first high-end mountain bike. My previous bike was a 2010 Specialized Rockhopper SL in small. It fit badly, and had a lot of quirks that I didn’t enjoy. When the opportunity presented itself to upgrade to a bike that literally requires 0 upgrades, I jumped on it…and then waited…for 3or 4 months I waited. After all, it was the middle of the 2012 race season and Derek needed the bike to race on. This was not an easy wait but luckily I have the patience of a statue, plus it gave me a few months to get my finances together to make the biggest bike purchase I’ve ever made.
To be fully honest with you, I was semi-committing to the bike without first having been on a proper test drive. The closest thing to a test drive was getting to go on a 2 minute ride on a bike with the same spec. As I was going into this blind (also having never ridden a 29er before) I wasn’t sure what to expect. I expected awesome performance from a bike of this calibre but how would it perform?
Performance
I knew that I wanted to race a more in 2013 and didn't want my bike holding me back. My old bike didn't feel comfortable on tough climbs, felt heavy, and had some performance issues that were truly annoying. Everything on Scott bike performed like it should, acceleration was effortless, climbing was a breeze and a lot of features on the trails that annoyed me on my Spesh just disappeared on the 29er. Doing a rough (floor scale) estimate of the bike weight, the Scott comes in at 9.7kg with a bit of mud here and there (no waterbottle). Definitely a respectable weight for a race hard tail.
I knew that I wanted to race a more in 2013 and didn't want my bike holding me back. My old bike didn't feel comfortable on tough climbs, felt heavy, and had some performance issues that were truly annoying. Everything on Scott bike performed like it should, acceleration was effortless, climbing was a breeze and a lot of features on the trails that annoyed me on my Spesh just disappeared on the 29er. Doing a rough (floor scale) estimate of the bike weight, the Scott comes in at 9.7kg with a bit of mud here and there (no waterbottle). Definitely a respectable weight for a race hard tail.
The Suspension
Compared
to my previous fork (RockShox Dart3), the Fox Float 29 Terralogic fork
is a godsend. I'll compare the biggest differences I felt between the
Dart and the Fox fork. The first difference is that the Dart3 had an
issue whenever I rode under 10°C. The fork would freeze up, literally.
It would become a rigid fork. My best guess is that the shock fluid in
the Dart isn't meant to be ridden at lower temperatures. Whereas, I've
taken the Scott out at temperatures so far as low as 4 or 5°C so far
without issue. It performed as it should. Second, the Dart3 suffered
from stiction, very noticeable stiction. With Fox's Kashima coating and
the beauty of the terralogic system I barely notice when the fork goes
between locked out and active. This is also noticed when riding over
small bumps (also helped by the fact that I went to 29in wheels).
Overall, in terms of performance you can't beat the Fox fork, I'm
extremely happy with it and don't plan on doing any major changes to the
fork.
Now before I continue, I need to touch on the second "suspension" system on the bike. According to Scott, they've designed some compliance into the rear triangle. This system, titled SRS: Shock Damping System, is supposed to allow for "less than 5mm" of travel according to some websites. And you know what? I believe em. I can feel a noticeable difference to my old aluminum frame HT. It makes the ride just that much more pleasant. Now, whether this is just a feature of carbon frames or Scott's Scale in particular, I don't know. If you do, let us know!
Compared
to my previous fork (RockShox Dart3), the Fox Float 29 Terralogic fork
is a godsend. I'll compare the biggest differences I felt between the
Dart and the Fox fork. The first difference is that the Dart3 had an
issue whenever I rode under 10°C. The fork would freeze up, literally.
It would become a rigid fork. My best guess is that the shock fluid in
the Dart isn't meant to be ridden at lower temperatures. Whereas, I've
taken the Scott out at temperatures so far as low as 4 or 5°C so far
without issue. It performed as it should. Second, the Dart3 suffered
from stiction, very noticeable stiction. With Fox's Kashima coating and
the beauty of the terralogic system I barely notice when the fork goes
between locked out and active. This is also noticed when riding over
small bumps (also helped by the fact that I went to 29in wheels).
Overall, in terms of performance you can't beat the Fox fork, I'm
extremely happy with it and don't plan on doing any major changes to the
fork.Now before I continue, I need to touch on the second "suspension" system on the bike. According to Scott, they've designed some compliance into the rear triangle. This system, titled SRS: Shock Damping System, is supposed to allow for "less than 5mm" of travel according to some websites. And you know what? I believe em. I can feel a noticeable difference to my old aluminum frame HT. It makes the ride just that much more pleasant. Now, whether this is just a feature of carbon frames or Scott's Scale in particular, I don't know. If you do, let us know!
The Wheels
My first set of carbon 29er wheels! And one of only 5 or 6 sets in North America. And guess what? I'm too incompetent to properly review them. They're my first set of 29er wheels so I have no base to compare them to. I want to do them justice so stay tuned until I get a chance or three to ride other wheels.
My first set of carbon 29er wheels! And one of only 5 or 6 sets in North America. And guess what? I'm too incompetent to properly review them. They're my first set of 29er wheels so I have no base to compare them to. I want to do them justice so stay tuned until I get a chance or three to ride other wheels.
The Brakes
They're brakes, they stop you, what else do you need to know? They
perform like their supposed to and have more than enough stopping power
for what my riding entails (mainly XC). I've ridden them rain &
shine and they perform without issue. The only complaint is if you get
them wet expect some (and by some I mean A LOT) of noise. The good side
of that is at least it'll teach you to stay off the brake as much as
possible!
Did you notice anything special with the picture yet? Yup, the caliper is actually inside the rear triangle. A bit of genius on behalf of Scott. No more brake sticking out like it was just thrown on there as a second thought. Scott calls this their Direct Post Mount. On the Scott Scale it's designed for 160mm rotors but the Scott Genius line also has then in 180mm flavour.
They're brakes, they stop you, what else do you need to know? They
perform like their supposed to and have more than enough stopping power
for what my riding entails (mainly XC). I've ridden them rain &
shine and they perform without issue. The only complaint is if you get
them wet expect some (and by some I mean A LOT) of noise. The good side
of that is at least it'll teach you to stay off the brake as much as
possible! Did you notice anything special with the picture yet? Yup, the caliper is actually inside the rear triangle. A bit of genius on behalf of Scott. No more brake sticking out like it was just thrown on there as a second thought. Scott calls this their Direct Post Mount. On the Scott Scale it's designed for 160mm rotors but the Scott Genius line also has then in 180mm flavour.
The Powertrain
The setup I received with the bike was the Shimano XTR drivetrain was a 2x10 setup with a 26-38 tooth (AH-Type) 175mm front crankset, and a 11-36 rear cassette. Everything else is listed in the specs so I won't waste space spewing crap you probably already read. Compared to the Deore system I was using on the old bike, this is a unbelievable drivetrain. Quite, smooth, and effortless. I love the Shimano i-Spec shifters; mounted right on the brake levers and pretty ergonomic. The only issue I have is with the clearance between the big chainring (middle on 3-Speed) and the chainstay is miniscule. By miniscule I mean an est. 2-4mm. Now, you must be thinking "Isn't this a good thing?" One word my chummy little buddy, chainsuck. Chainsuck on any bike blows, chainsuck on a carbon bike can be absolutely disastrous! I've installed a tire tube and a piece of plastic (to protect the tire tube) wrapped in electrical tape on that sections to add some protection for the chainstay but here are a few tips to prevent chain suck in the first place:
The setup I received with the bike was the Shimano XTR drivetrain was a 2x10 setup with a 26-38 tooth (AH-Type) 175mm front crankset, and a 11-36 rear cassette. Everything else is listed in the specs so I won't waste space spewing crap you probably already read. Compared to the Deore system I was using on the old bike, this is a unbelievable drivetrain. Quite, smooth, and effortless. I love the Shimano i-Spec shifters; mounted right on the brake levers and pretty ergonomic. The only issue I have is with the clearance between the big chainring (middle on 3-Speed) and the chainstay is miniscule. By miniscule I mean an est. 2-4mm. Now, you must be thinking "Isn't this a good thing?" One word my chummy little buddy, chainsuck. Chainsuck on any bike blows, chainsuck on a carbon bike can be absolutely disastrous! I've installed a tire tube and a piece of plastic (to protect the tire tube) wrapped in electrical tape on that sections to add some protection for the chainstay but here are a few tips to prevent chain suck in the first place:
1. Don't shift under load. That way your chain will be able to detach from the chainring easier.2. Inspect your chain ring for wear. Touch the teeth with your fingers and feel for any burrs. These burrs need to be filed off with a small file that you can buy at any hardware store.
3. Keep your chain in good working order; lube it and inspect for any links that are hard to bend.
Overall Performance
To date, I've ridden it in only one race, the 2012 Hardwood Hills Singletrack Challenge. A 50km race on practically (>80%) singletrack. The bike performed admirably with my only complaint being the grip of the tires on the wet, muddy, slippery trails but that's more my fault then a fault of the bike's. In that race, I did 500m (1,640 ft) of climbing and had zero complaints from the bike. Compared to my old Spesh I'm sure I would have been walking some of the hills I climbed on the Scott.
To date, I've ridden it in only one race, the 2012 Hardwood Hills Singletrack Challenge. A 50km race on practically (>80%) singletrack. The bike performed admirably with my only complaint being the grip of the tires on the wet, muddy, slippery trails but that's more my fault then a fault of the bike's. In that race, I did 500m (1,640 ft) of climbing and had zero complaints from the bike. Compared to my old Spesh I'm sure I would have been walking some of the hills I climbed on the Scott.
I bought one, should you?
That depends, these bikes aren't cheap and are not for everyone. If you're looking for a top level race bike, yes, definitely buy it. If you're a weekend warrior looking for an XC bike for some casual races or just to have some fun and your terrain doesn't require rear suspension travel you won't be disappointed but the price point could be a teeny bit high. Consider one of the lower end carbon bikes, they don't have the same carbon material and weigh slightly more but MSRP is also $3000 less than Scott's top of the line models.
Personally, I couldn't be happier with the purchase and don't regret it for one minute. Stay tuned and I'll keep you informed as to how it performs throughout the season in 2013. Now...time to get ready for probably the last ride of the fall. Please don't snow tomorrow.
That depends, these bikes aren't cheap and are not for everyone. If you're looking for a top level race bike, yes, definitely buy it. If you're a weekend warrior looking for an XC bike for some casual races or just to have some fun and your terrain doesn't require rear suspension travel you won't be disappointed but the price point could be a teeny bit high. Consider one of the lower end carbon bikes, they don't have the same carbon material and weigh slightly more but MSRP is also $3000 less than Scott's top of the line models.
Personally, I couldn't be happier with the purchase and don't regret it for one minute. Stay tuned and I'll keep you informed as to how it performs throughout the season in 2013. Now...time to get ready for probably the last ride of the fall. Please don't snow tomorrow.
Any impressions on these wheels yet?
ReplyDeleteSo far ao good. Like I said, the only wheels i have to compare to are cheap 26" Suntour rims so it's an apples to pears comparison but the rims are beautiful. They accelerate effortlessly, the climb like a dream and I have zero complaints for turning performance. I can't comment on "stiffness" or "rigidity" or that other mombo jombo that the seasoned reviewers feel but I couldn't be happier. Also can't comment on how well they hold true. I received mine with a miniscule wobble that I haven't gotten trued yet but it hasn't gotten worse.
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