The Scott Scale RC, pushed to victory by none aside from Nino Schurter, has been a mainstay on the cross-country World Cup and World Champion podiums. Scott has up to date their quickest XC hardtail bike, which isn’t shocking provided that the UCI World Championships will likely be held in Scotland in 2023.
The 2023 Scott Scale RC sheds a number of weight whereas introducing some intelligent new design components. That is achieved by halving the burden of the {hardware}, rerouting cables extra successfully, and lowering the variety of individually molded body items.
The Geometry
Bikes have improved as XC programs have gotten extra technical. On some, if not all, programs, many riders are actually selecting a dropper put up full suspension bike as a result of these provide suspension and geometry higher suited to the bigger drops, jumps, and options that are actually commonplace.
So it ought to come as no shock that the Scott Spark RC, Scott’s high-performance XC full suspension bike, served because the mannequin for the Scale’s new geometry, which was modified for a hardtail.
The built-in handlebar may be disassembled, the headset cups may be rotated 180 levels, after which the system may be put again collectively to regulate the pinnacle angle by 0.6 levels. This makes it doable to alter the steering angle from steep to lax with out chopping cables or bleeding brakes.
The Body
As anticipated, the Scott Scale RC is constructed on a high-quality carbon body. A mixture of carbon fibers tailor-made to every part of the bike has been used within the monocoque development chosen by Scott. As a consequence of this process, the bike is just composed of three discrete elements which can be later joined collectively.
As a result of there are fewer items, there are fewer joints or joints, which ends up in much less materials getting used, much less weight, and higher power. For simpler entry to the within of the body for upkeep, Scott included a “service hatch” that sits behind the downtube guard. Cables are routed internally.
The Handlebar
The Scale additionally consists of the brand-new Fraser iC Combo built-in handlebar from Syncros. It’s made to permit cables to be fed into the body through the headset’s built-in plastic parts after being routed beneath the bar and across the facet of the stem.
The Weight
Talking of much less weight, this newly up to date Scott Scale RC’s major promoting level is that it’s an XC race bike, which isn’t shocking. Along with the newly constructed body talked about above, the Scale RC now weighs lower than it did in its earlier iteration due to various different development and design options.
The axle head can clamp in opposition to the internal floor of the dropout on these bicycles due to the hole development of the dropout. This, in keeping with Scott, saves 7.5g of weight and makes it doable to have a rear triangle space that’s 20g smaller.
Moreover, Scott has been in a position to cut back the burden of the {hardware}—an important part of the bike’s development—by utilizing fewer steel elements and, each time doable, swapping them out for polymer ones. As an illustration, bottle cage inserts, cable information parts, and chain guides.
Extra particularly, a built-in clip mechanism permits the bottle cage inserts, that are manufactured from polymer, to plug in utterly flush with the body. Due to this design technique, broken threads are additionally simply replaceable and don’t want any particular instruments. In line with Scott, this ends in a {hardware} weight discount of just about 50% on the HMX-SL mannequin in comparison with the earlier Scott Scale RC (from 82g to 35g).
Pricing And Availability
There are 24 totally different Scott fashions in whole, together with 4 Contessa fashions particularly for girls, with the top-tier Scale RC body (ranging in worth from $3,499 to $13,999, although not all are the “SL” model).
The Verdict
It’s extra succesful than ever due to slacker, extra modern geometry, all with out detracting from the experience’s deal with racing and the chassis’ extremely tuned, efficient design. The way in which it rides will attraction to riders who love to maneuver shortly and need to dash on the ups and (most of) the downs.
You’ll nonetheless take pleasure in driving the Scale even in the event you’re not addicted to hurry. With just a few sensible upgrades, like a dropper put up, it could be nicely suited to a wider vary of terrain sorts. That geometry expands its vary into gentle path driving. Though this mannequin will likely be out of attain for some individuals, those that can afford it ought to think about it due to its low weight, intensive elements listing, and spectacular experience.
For an inventory of all obtainable fashions and costs, go to their web site.
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