North Bristol Mountain Bike Club

 

A surprisingly responsive budget racer
The engineers at Scott have proved their knack for pushing weight barriers with carbon-fiber frames. With the Scale 29 Pro, they focused on a different barrier: price.

The frame on Scott's number-two carbon hardtail is nearly identical to its $6,500 Scale 29 RC big brother--the only real difference is a material spec that makes this one 100 grams heavier. By accepting the weight penalty, an aspiring racer can have a ready-to-race rig for a fraction of the cost of Scott's top-shelf race bike, and a frame ready for upgrades as parts wear out over time.

To get you started, the Pro comes with an eclectic but respectable mix of SRAM and Shimano components, Avid brakes and a RockShox fork, rounded out with Scott-brand parts in the cockpit. All together, the package adds up to a 23.7-pound bike at a price that leaves cash for entry fees.

Drawing on years of experience building carbon-fiber bikes, Scott delivers features such as a tapered head tube, a press-fit bottom bracket and a svelte, 160mm post-mount disc-brake bracket tucked inside its seatstays. The chain-and seatstays themselves follow Scott's one-piece tubular design, which smooths a bumpy trail with 4.6mm of flex. Combined with an oversize down tube, the chassis delivers a stiff yet comfortable ride.

We would have preferred to see a stem longer than the spec'd 80mm model for a more aggressive position, and although we liked the internal shift-cable routing, the decision to run the hydraulic rear brake line along the vulnerable underside of the down tube left us wishing for routing that would pose less of a chance that loose rocks could cause damage while on the trail.

Minor gripes aside, stomping on the Pro's pedals produces a sensation akin to twisting the throttle on a ninja bike wide open--there's speed here, and lots of it. On both sustained ascents and short, punchy climbs the bike makes the most of its rider's effort. We found the Scale better suited to smoother, faster, flowing trails than tight ones, while rocky terrain sometimes felt a little harsh for the stiff carbon chassis. Even so, on long outings when we expected to bog down, the Scale 29 Pro had us covering ground at a surprising clip, as any race bike worthy of the name would.

It's no big-hit bike, but the RockShox Reba RL fork helps smooth out rough trails, keeping you on course over anything you're likely to encounter during a race. With the spot-on shifting of the thoughtfully spec'd drivetrain, riders can relish the speed the bike affords. The best part: The Scale 29 Pro's stock build goes fast now, and can be supercharged with some component upgrades later on for seasons of off-road racing.

Five things to expect from a bike like this:
High-quality carbon frames worthy of future upgrades
Mix-and-match drivetrains and brakes to hit a low price point
House-brand cockpit components
Midlevel suspension forks from major manufacturers
Good mud clearance

Three things to look for in a bike like this:
Race-bred geometry
Short head tubes
Tubeless-ready or -compatible wheels

Buy it if: You're looking for a lightweight frame to carry you to the podium

Forget it if: You're already a Cat 2 racer