Review: The New 2024 Scott Ransom 900 RC Has All The Integration

Feb 1, 2024
by Seb Stott  
It's been five years since the last Ransom was released, and with Scott hell-bent on hiding the shocks in their XC and trail bikes lately, it's no surprise to see their enduro platform get the same treatment. Scott say they wanted to maintain the climbing performance of the old Ransom while improving the descending capability, keeping up with the progression of the enduro genre.

The shock has been hidden horizontally in the downtube (not vertically in the seat tube like the Spark and Genius), and this is combined with a new six-bar suspension system that drives the shock with a short link that rotates around the bottom bracket. The shock can be adjusted on the fly with Scott's "TracLoc" system, which increases progression and/or adds compression damping for climbing. This is different to the "TwinLoc" system on the old Ransom that also locked out the fork with the same lever - good riddance.
Scott Ransom 900 RC Details

• Full-carbon frame, 6-bar suspension, internal shock
• 29" wheels or mullet
• 170mm travel F&R
• 63.8 - 65° head angle
• 77 - 77.6° seat angle (size-specific)
• 428-508mm reach
• 440mm chainstay length (432mm in mullet setting)
• 2,800g claimed frame weight (RC model)
• Measured weight: 15.5kg / 34.2lb (XL)
• $9,999 / €9,999 / £8,599
scott-sports.com

I've been riding the Ransom in Spain (pictured) as well as on my home trails in the Tweed Valley. For me the old Ransom missed the mark, feeling compromised on the climbs and the descents. But the 2024 iteration nails the brief of combining long-travel descending capability with uncompromised climbing composure.



bigquotesBut even without changing anything, the Ransom is highly versatile as it is, feeling at home on technical climbs, gnarly descents and everything in between.Seb Stott




photo

Frame Details

The big (if unsurprising) story is the move to an internal shock. This keeps the shock and its eyelet bearings protected from debris, dust and mud. The plastic shock protector may look like a weak spot, but Scott say it can withstand harsher impacts than the old Ransom's carbon downtube, and if it does break it's a replaceable part. It doubles as a door to access the shock as well as a small storage compartment that can hold a tube or your skinny snack of choice. It clips into place with a button that has been reliable so far and houses a mini tool. While it isn't fully dust-proof, it reliably keeps Scottish slop off the shock. Scott say this allowed them to use small cartridge bearings inside the rear shock eyelet, which would be susceptible to damage if exposed to the elements.

After several wet rides and bike washes, the shock stanchion still has a coating of factory oil on it instead of the usual muddy slurry. I'd call that a substantial benefit. One potential downside is a lack of airflow to the shock that could lead to overheating on long downhill runs, and this might cause a lack of damping and higher spring rate/pressure, creating a bouncy ride. Scott suggested the difference compared to an external shock is only equivalent to a few psi at most and the effect on damping is minimal. I certainly haven't noticed unusual changes in suspension feel while descending, but I haven't been able to test it on very long Garbanzo-style runs.

photo
photo
photo

The TracLoc shock is based on Fox's Float X but has an extra air chamber that is shut off when the cable-operated remote is set to the second position. This has the same effect of adding a massive volume spacer to the shock - it makes it far more progressive, adding support especially late in the travel. It doesn't make a measurable difference to sag, though. Scott say this reduces the travel to 130 mm, but technically there is no hard limit, just an earlier, steeper ramp-up of force through the stroke.

The third setting on the remote adds a threshold to the compression damping, making for a firm, but not locked, suspension feel. While the shock is unique to Scott, they have worked with Fox to ensure that any upgrades to the regular Float X shock will be compatible with theirs, and it can be serviced by any Fox service centre. It's also worth noting that you can run the Ransom with other shocks (coil or air) if you don't want the TracLoc feature, though one notable exception is the RockShox Vivid Air which doesn't quite fit inside the plastic door.

photo

With the shock hidden, Scott designed a sag/travel indicator that sits between the BB and the lower link. This indicates the true travel or sag at the rear wheel as opposed to the shock stroke. This is important because, with most bikes, the leverage ratio between the axle and the shock changes dramatically through the travel, meaning 30% of the shock stroke usually corresponds to more than 30% of the rear wheel travel. Scott's design accounts for this so when it indicates 30% sag you're getting 30% true sag at the axle, which is slightly less than 30% of the shock stroke.

The rocker link is designed to be super stiff and pivots on two large bearings that connect it to the mainframe while housing the PF92 bottom bracket. There are no ISCG tabs for an aftermarket chain guide, but an integrated top guide does the job alongside crank-mounted skid plates. The frame is category-5 tested (for bike park abuse) and is rated for forks up to 180 mm but not dual-crowns.

photo
photo

Cables can only be routed through the headset, and bikes are built with them running through the headset spacers too. If you don't want to run the one-piece bar and stem you can buy a Syncros stem, which routes the cables into these spacers but clamps to a regular handlebar, or you can use an Acros headset top cap with regular round spacers and any stem.

There's a flip chip between the lower short link and the chainstay that keeps the bottom bracket height the same with a 27.5" wheel. It also shortens the chainstay from 440 mm to 432 mm, so it's kind of a two-in-one affair. The idea is that shorter riders or bike park jibbers opting for a mullet rear wheel will likely want a shorter back end too. The Ransom ships in 29" in all sizes as it's primarily designed as a race bike. An angle set offers 0.6 degrees of head angle adjustment (63.8 or 65 degrees) with a neutral headset (64.4 degrees) included in the box.

There's room for a full-sized water bottle in all sizes, but no extra bosses for tools stored outside the frame. There is loads of room behind the bottle if you want to get creative, though.

The old Ransom has always been known as one of the lightest enduro bikes, but the six-bar layout surely adds some bulk. Scott say that putting the shock in line with the downtube and concentrating the shock forces around the bottom bracket (where it needs to be strong anyway) helps save weight from the front triangle, but they admit the new bike is a little heavier than its predecessor. The claimed weight for the top-end 900 RC model (tested) in size Medium is 2,800 g, w/o shock but including including axle, seat clamp, frame protection, covers etc. That's nothing special for a carbon enduro frame these days. The other models in the range have an alloy rear triangle and a lower-modulus carbon mainframe, for a claimed weight of 3,450 g.



photo

Geometry & Sizing

It's interesting to note that the geometry hasn't changed a whole lot compared to the five-year-old Ransom. The BB is a few millimetres lower, the reach a few millimetres longer and the head angle can be run slightly slacker if the 0.6-degree angle set is set to the slacker position (as tested). Thankfully, the seat angle is significantly steeper - I measured 77.4 degrees at my pedalling height. While I mention below that I would like it even more upright, it's worth noting that this is already steeper than many rivals, such as the Trek Slash.

I also measured the head angle at 63.3 degrees in the slack setting and the BB at 347 mm - slightly lower and slacker than advertised.

Scott showed off this cutaway frame which reveals how the internal shock is compressed by the six-bar suspension.


Suspension Design

The move to a six-bar suspension is tied-into the decision to run the shock inside the downtube. It allows the shock to be driven by a short lower link that sits low in the frame and rotates far enough to push the 65mm-stroke shock with just a short link, helping to keep things compact. It can be thought of as a Horst-link layout (with a chainstay pivot just in front of the rear axle) but with an extra short link connecting the chainstay to the mainframe. This short link is in turn controlled by a pair of tie-bars that connect it to the upper rocker.

photo
From left to right: leverage curve, anti-squat (the top line is in the 10-tooth sprocket and the bottom one is the 52-tooth), and anti-rise.

The leverage curve is fairly progressive though nothing unusual by today's standards, with most of the change in leverage occurring in the first part of the travel. The leverage ratio starts at 3.15 and ends at 2.36, giving an overall progression of 25%. According to Scott, antisquat is 104% in the 52t sprocket and 139% in the 10t. That's fairly high, especially in the harder gears, which should be good for sprinting. The anti-squat curve remains fairly constant throughout the travel, which means there should be a similar amount of pedalling support no matter where you're at in the stroke.

Anti-rise (the extent to which braking forces act to compress the suspension) goes from 58% at the start of the stroke to 71% at bottom out. That should make for predictable braking behaviour. Because the anti-rise value increases throughout the travel, sensitivity while braking may be slightly better than in some designs where the anti-rise drops off steeply through the stroke.

Although the combination of consistent anti-squat and anti-rise throughout the stroke is a rare trait, the kinematics don't stand out compared to some four-bar designs. To me, this suggests the main reason for the six-bar design is to allow the shock to be driven by the lower rocker close to the bottom bracket for packaging reasons.

Specifications
Release Date 2024
Price $9999
Travel 170 mm
Rear Shock Fox Float X Nude Factory, 205x65 mm, bearing hardware, 3 remote modes
Fork Fox 38 Factory, Grip2, 170 mm, 44 mm offset
Headset Syncros-Acros angle-adjust & cable routing (+/-0.6 degrees)
Cassette SRAM XO Transmission 10-52T
Crankarms SRAM XO Transmission, Bashguards, 32T, 170 mm
Chainguide Scott Custom top guide
Bottom Bracket SRAM DUB PF92 (41x92 mm)
Pedals N/A
Rear Derailleur SRAM XO Transmission
Chain SRAM CN XO Transmission
Front Derailleur N/A
Shifter Pods SRAM AXS Rocker
Handlebar Syncros Hixon iC Carbon one-piece, 780 mm, 25 mm rise
Stem Syncros Hixon iC Carbon one-piece (40 mm)
Grips Syncros, single lock-on, tubeless plugs
Brakes SRAM Code Ultimate Stealth, HS2 Rotors, 200 mm f&r
Wheelset Race Face Turbine R 30, 29"
Hubs Race Face Turbine R, Boost, XD
Spokes 28
Rim 30 mm, alloy
Tires Maxxis Assegai 2.5”,MaxxGrip,EXO+ / Dissector 2.4", MaxxTerra, DD
Seat Syncros Tofino, Ti rails
Seatpost Syncros Duncan, 31.6 mm, 140mm (S), 180mm (M), 210mm (L&XL)



photo

photo

photo









Test Bike Setup

I started with 30% sag on the sag indicator, which corresponded to 210 psi for my 85 kg. I found this sat a little too high - partly due to the high-ish bottom bracket and fairly progressive suspension kinematic, but mostly because 30% sag on most bikes is gauged by the shock stroke, which usually corresponds to more than 30% of the wheel travel due to the ever-changing leverage ratio between the axle and shock. On the Ransom, the sag indicator reads true to the rear wheel travel, so it's no surprise I'd want to run a little more sag than normal measured this way. I settled on 200 psi, which gave me something like 33% sag on the indicator (it's hard to be precise with this). I later measured 30% on the shock shaft.

I ended up with the compression fully open for maximum sensitivity, finding I still had plenty of support and honed in on 6/12 clicks of rebound from closed.

photo
Seb Stott
Location: Tweed Valley, Scotland
Age: 31
Height: 6'3" / 191cm
Inseam: 37" / 93cm
Weight: 187 lbs / 85 kg, kitted
I set the fork to 100 psi with one volume spacer, rebound pretty close to open and compression fairly open depending on the terrain. I slammed the saddle forward and left the bar as high as it would go. Tire pressures were 23 & 27 psi in Spain and 22 & 26 psi in Scotland.

photo


Climbing


While Scott say they aimed to maintain the climbing composure of the old bike, I think the new Ransom is much better when pointed uphill. The seat angle is steep enough to feel comfortable when riding all day or on steep climbs, as the suspension stays on top of its travel nicely (even with generous sag). Thankfully, it doesn't rely on the TracLoc function to maintain climbing geometry or resist pedal bob - if you never used it the Ransom would still be a good climber. It's remarkably stable under power, which is even more impressive considering the 170 mm of travel on tap. At the same time, the suspension still manages to move up and over bumps under power to maintain a smooth ride. It's not as fluttery as an idler system, but it does a surprisingly good job of ironing things out considering the supportive pedalling feel.

The middle setting of the TracLoc lever doesn't make much difference to the ride height or efficiency (I can't measure any difference in static sag), but if you hit a bump or compression it feels a little firmer, with less travel use. Because the extra support is coming from the spring, not the damper, it can feel a little springier in some situations, especially if you like to run the rebound quite fast as I do. This middle setting is most useful for gente flowy descents, where you still want small-bump sensitivity but with more to push against when pumping through berms and rollers.

The third setting adds a firm threshold-damping effect, which is great for tarmac drags or very steep pitches. If the damping switch was in the usual place I'd rarely use it because the Ransom pedals so well; but since within thumb's reach, I use it regularly - if only for the psychological boost of knowing every watt is propelling you forward. The TracLoc and dropper levers are well-positioned and feel intuitive after a couple of rides, meaning there's no downside to having them.

My only gripe is that I had to slam the saddle forward on the seatpost to get it in the position I wanted, and it would be nice to have the option to go steeper still, especially for the punchiest climbs.

Still, the Ransom doesn't climb well for a 170 mm bike; it climbs well full stop. If an epic pedalling mission was on the cards, I'd happily take the Ransom (albeit with some faster tires).

photo


Descending


I immediately found the Ransom easy to get on with. The geometry is stable enough without being an outlier that takes time to adjust to and keep on top of. That said, I did prefer it with sag on the more generous side of the recommended window to compensate (or compeiment) the high-ish BB height and kept the headset in the slacker setting throughout testing, and I never felt the need to go steeper. Despite not having the longest chainstays (440 mm), the bike felt balanced and I had no issues keeping the front wheel tracking even on the XL.

Suspension sensitivity is good - it compresses generously under the load needed to compress the seatpost. The combination of the high initial leverage ratio and Float X shock see to that. This translates to a settled and planted feel when riding light over loose stones or off-camber roots. With generous sag, it settles into its travel nicely and feels composed and surefooted on the steep stuff. The braking behaviour is well-judged too, with only a small amount of rear-suspension rise and no loss of sensitivity when hauling on the anchors. Even though the BB is on the high side when measured in the workshop, it never feels too high on the trail, even when riding the steepest and tightest Tweed Valley turns.

photo

The 170 mm travel suspension gives a little extra confidence when taking on big landings when compared to more typical 160 mm enduro bikes, and while I used all the travel it never bottomed out harshly. The new Float X shock has a bigger bottom-out bumper than some and that's no bad thing in my book; even when you hit the bump stop hard there's no harsh "clunk" to worry about. This in turn means you don't need to run the air spring as progressive or be as fussy with volume spacers, making setup easier and the rebound feel more controlled.

photo

Letting the bike run through fast rocky sections is where it shines. The suspension and geometry create a balanced and forgiving feel, without being overly soft or unwieldy. The suspension tracks the ground nicely while remaining composed and predictable, and the ride is impressively quiet in the rough, with no obvious cable or drivetrain rattle. Some high-pivot bikes may take the sting out of square-edged hits a little better and offer a more cloud-like ride, but none of them climb this well. Despite the travel on offer, it never bogs down or becomes lethargic when you want to ride dynamically; there's a good balance of sensitivity and support, and it's relatively easy to manual, hop and hustle through tight sections.

There is the option of the mullet setting with the shorter chainstay and/or a steeper head angle if you do want to quicken the handling, but for me, the stock (slackest) setup is a good balance for enduro riding. With a 180 mm fork and a coil shock, you could make it more gravity-focused; or for mellower missions you could steepen the head tube and firm up the shock. But even without changing anything, the Ransom is highly versatile as it is, feeling at home on technical climbs, gnarly descents and everything in between.

photo
Scott Ransom
photo
Canyon Strive

How does it compare?

When it comes to enduro bikes that climb especially well, the Canyon Strive springs to mind. Both bikes use a bar-mounted remote to control the rear suspension for climbing. Canyon's approach is more comprehensive, adjusting the static geometry while also firming up the suspension dramatically. Scott's TracLoc is far subtler, making very little difference to the ride height unless the compression damping is applied or you're deep in the travel (such as during a heavy compression). Also, Canyon's Shapeshifter will work with any shock whereas the TracLoc function requires Scott's Nude shock. Fortunately, the Ransom doesn't rely on the remote to climb well - it has plenty of anti-squat and a steeper seat tube - whereas the Strive is lacklustre without the Shapeshifter. They're both top-of-their-class climbers, but if pushed I'd say I prefer the Scott just because you don't need to use the climbing setting and it's better in a mid-stage sprint.

On the descents, the real-world geometry is nearly identical, when comparing the large Strive to the XL Ransom. The Scott's BB is about 15 mm higher but I ended up running more sag which offsets most of that difference. (The Ransom's BB is slightly lower than other 170 mm bikes like the Trek Slash and Specialized Enduro). The suspension is more forgiving than the Canyon though, just thanks to the extra sag and travel. Since we're splitting hairs, the Scott is also slightly lighter, has some internal storage and is category-5 rated instead of category-4, which offers peace of mind if you're hooning it in the bike park. So which would I buy? The Canyon of course - a comparable build is thousands cheaper and you can get a perfectly good spec for £4,799.



photo

Which Model is the Best Value?

I think the Ransom is more competitive at the high end than the low end of the market. The 900 RC model (tested) leaves little to be desired (I don't consider carbon wheels to be desirable in this context), but the price doesn't look too bad compared to some of its rivals these days - a top-spec Trek Slash costs $11,500. Going down one notch saves you $2,000. For that, you get very similar suspension, drivetrain and brake performance, just with a ~ 500g/1lb weight penalty thanks to the alloy swingarm and lower-modulus carbon mainframe. That sounds like a worthwhile downgrade to me. If you're a fan of female-specific paint, the Contessa version is based on this build too.

But for six grand, the 920's SRAM SX/NX drivetrain and DB8 brakes are hard to overlook. We'd expect to see better parts for that kind of money. Similarly, at €5,199 the 930 model (Europe and the UK only) is only slightly more affordable but makes do with a RockShox Domain fork, Formula hubs and a claimed weight of 16.7 kg. Even though the Deore drivetrain is perfectly adequate, you can get a better build for your money elsewhere.

It's worth pointing out, though, that all models get essentially the same shock and frame features (including the adjustable headset), which is nice to see.

photo
Ransom 900 RC €9,999 $9,999 £8,599

Frame: HMX carbon mainframe & swingarm
Fork: Fox 38 Factory
Drivetrain: SRAM XO Transmission
Brakes: SRAM Code Ultimate, HS2 200 mm / 200 mm
Wheels: Race Face Turbine R 30 (alloy)
Cockpit: Syncros Hixon iC Carbon 1-piece
Claimed weight: 15.2 kg / 33.5 lb

photo
Ransom 910 (910 Contessa pictured) €7,999 $7,999 £6,899

Frame: HMF carbon mainframe, alloy swingarm
Fork: Fox 38 Performance Elite, GRIP2
Drivetrain: SRAM GX Transmission
Brakes: SRAM Code RSC, HS2 200 mm / 200 mm
Wheels: Syncros Revelstoke 2.0 30mm (alloy)
Cockpit: Syncros Hixon iC Carbon 1-piece
Claimed weight: 15.7 kg / 34.6 lb

photo
Ransom 920 €5,999 $5,999 £5,199

Frame: HMF carbon mainframe, alloy swingarm
Fork: RockShox Zeb Select+
Drivetrain: SRAM SX/NX Mechanical
Brakes: SRAM DB8, Centerline 200 mm / 200 mm
Wheels: Syncros Revelstoke 2.5 30mm (alloy)
Cockpit: Syncros alloy 31.8 mm bar&stem
Claimed weight: 16.4 kg / 36.2 lb

photo
Ransom 930 €5,199 $N/A £4,499

Frame: HMF carbon mainframe, alloy swingarm
Fork: RockShox Domain R
Drivetrain: Shimano Deore 12s
Brakes: Shimano MT520 203 mm / 203 mm
Wheels: Formula CL / Syncros X-30S
Cockpit: Syncros alloy 31.8 mm bar&stem
Claimed weight: 16.7 kg / 36.8 lb



photo

Technical Report

Syncros Hixon iC Carbon bar/stem: I was happy with the shape of the one-piece bar and never wished I could adjust the bar roll angle. It arguably simplifies setup given this is something I usually spend time adjusting when setting up a bike. The only downside (aside from the embedded cost) is that it's harder to adjust bar height. I wanted to try the cockpit 5 or 10 mm higher than the 30 mm of headset spacers would allow, but to do this you need a new stem and/or headset top cap that's compatible with the cable routing before you can fit a higher rise handlebar. Scott/Syncros don't currently make a one-piece cockpit with more than 25 mm of rise.

Syncros Duncan seatpost I'm delighted to see 210 mm of drop on the XL size, but I had an issue with the seatpost. The mechanism seemed to become sticky due to either dirt ingress or cold temperatures (which hovered around freezing when testing in Scotland). This meant the lever would effectively stay depressed and the post wouldn't lock in place, dropping down when pedalling and rising while descending. Also, when I took the post out to investigate, the outer cable was slightly too short, making it tricky to reconnect the seatpost, and the inner wire would easily fall out of the mechanism after re-attaching. I wrapped a zip-tie around the cable port to hold it in place.

SRAM Code Ultimate brakes / HS2 rotors This is my first longer-term go with the Code Ultimates and thicker HS2 rotors. The performance is superb, and not just on long, brake-burning descents; the chunkier rotors seem to offer more bite and a crisper lever feel from the off. I think it helps that sintered pads come stock, so the rotors aren't "contaminated" with organic pad residue before swapping to sintered ones; this may allow the pads to "key in" with the rotors creating more friction. Consistency and power were both excellent throughout testing, to the point where I think I prefer them to the Hope Tech 4 V4s I also have on test.

Race Face Turbine R 30 wheels: These seem fine, but they make a slight ringing noise when things get wild, I think because the spokes don't touch where they cross over. It's not a big problem, but it's one of the most noticeable noises the Ransom makes.

Maxxis Dissector DoubleDown / Assegai EXO+ tires: I think this tire combination is well-chosen. Protection and traction where you need it without being overkill on mellower terrain.

SRAM Transmission: I prefer the older rocker-style "shifter" seen here over the newer twin-button remote. It gives more differentiation between the upshift and downshift buttons, making it easier to remember which is which when your full brain bandwidth is focussing on the trail ahead. I still occasionally double-click it by accident when upshifting on bumpy terrain though.

photo



Pros

+ Long-travel yet well-controlled suspension boosts downhill capability
+ Stable but balanced geometry with useful adjustability
+ Pedal-efficient suspension, which benefits from but doesn't rely on the TracLoc shock, makes for one of the best climbing enduro bikes
+ Shock is protected from mud and debris


Cons

- I needed the saddle fully forward to reach my preferred position
- Six-bar suspension and headset cable routing could be tricky to work on
- Not exactly great value on paper



Pinkbike's Take

bigquotesIs the Ransom 900 RC worth ten thousand dollars? Of course not - it's a bike. But it does manage to pull off the elusive trick of giving you loads of travel for descending without paying for it on the climbs. It climbs way better than you'd expect for the travel, yet takes full advantage of every millimetre on the descents. It's stable and forgiving without becoming lethargic. It's a bike that can flatter you in a wide range of situations, from trail rides to bike park laps to enduro racing. Even the cheaper builds are not the best value, but the Ransom is among the most capable and versatile enduro bikes you can buy right now.Seb Stott





Author Info:
seb-stott avatar

Member since Dec 29, 2014
297 articles

348 Comments
  • 454 53
 Cable Tourism and it looks like an ebike - no thanks
  • 157 160
 I think its incredibly sexy
  • 108 7
 Personally the ebike thing does not bother me. People who know the industry will know its a Scott with an internal shock. People who are new may be confused. But the headset cable routing. Juuuuust whyyyyy Scott? I for sure will not be buying a Genius or Ransom because of this. Not even used. Maybe your next gens wont be such a strike out.
  • 91 0
 Pros: you can still adjust your grips angle .
  • 29 3
 I can get past the bloat, having the shock protected from debris is a huge plus, and the sag indicator is sweet, but yeah....as someone who services their headset bearings often due to dusty riding conditions, the cable tourism is no bueno and I wish Scott would change...but they wont and I get it, its their thing
  • 34 8
 I would argue it looks, weighs and is priced like an ebike! Even the x-ray rendering shows a battery in the downtube!!!
  • 24 3
 @chillrider199: 90% of people who see this bike on the trail will think its an e-bike
  • 62 5
 Lost me at cable tourism.

I don’t care that it looks like an e-bike. I care that the headset cable routing is the dumbest idea brands have tried to shove down our throats in a while.

Hey Scott. Add me to the list of customers who will absolutely never consider any of your products with through headset cable routing.
  • 53 2
 Also wtf is "female specific paint"?..........
  • 6 1
 @cyclebean: It's better than the "man-specific" paint job on the other one. It reminds me of the Bixs Lane from a couple of years ago (also horrid)
  • 22 2
 @colinb19: 90% of people already think the Scott Scale is an e-bike when they see it on the trail... A friend of mine who has the Scale is asked regularly how he likes his e-bike and it pisses him off every time, and I just stand there and laugh.
  • 32 43
flag rc3kartusa (Feb 1, 2024 at 10:29) (Below Threshold)
 @ocnlogan: Can any of the internal routing haters objectively explain why the headset cable routing is such a dealbreaker for them?

Do you really service hoses and cables so often, honestly? And even when you do - with full internal routing cables being better protected from the external factors, you'd normally just replace the cable within and not the whole hose. For majority of riders this means that hoses won't be replaced in a couple of years within normal use.

Bike with headset routing is nothing important to me, but it does not bother me either. It looks neat and clean and it protects the cable all the way down from one end to another, so, again, can someone just explain it to me? (apart from that we are at the comment section Smile )
  • 34 1
 @rc3kartusa: I live in the American southwest....half the year I'm riding in dusty conditions. If I don't service my headset regularly, my headset grease becomes the consistency of kinetic sand and the bike creaks. I don't want to have to bleed my brakes every time I need to deal with a creaky headset.
  • 40 0
 @rc3kartusa: Proprietary parts, increased level of effort for installation and maintenance, and it's entirely for aesthetic value. It adds nothing to performance.
  • 50 3
 @rc3kartusa:

Sure, valid question. But the short summary is "yes, It appears I do the things you hardly ever do, more frequently than you do, and this makes all of those tasks harder/longer/more annoying. And if you have to pay someone else to do it, it will cost more because of that additional time".

Here is the more words version:

1) I live in the PNW, which is exceptionally wet. The through headset cable routing allows a direct path for the water to get onto the top of the bearings and their seals. This is bad for bearing life. I've had my current frame for exactly two years, and I've replaced the headset on it once already. I don't desire to add bleeding the rear brake/re-indexing shifting and readjusting my dropper post to the list of things I need to do to complete that job.

2) Makes other easy jobs, harder. Like if I want more/less stem spacers (or a new bar/stem in this case). Usually that is a simple 5min job. With this, I have to bleed the rear brake, and re-index the shifting. Not monumental work, but work that doesn't need to be done with normal cable routing.

3) I replace cable and housing for the rear derailleur at the same time, or replace the housing every other time. The inner housing can start to rust (especially at the derailleur end), which means a simple new inner cable swap doesn't always poor shifting. And I do this seasonally. In the 2 years I have had this bike, I think I've had 3 shift cable housings on it.

4) Cables/hoses much prefer to be bent as little as possible for longevity/performance. Through headset cable routing puts a lot of tight bends on cables, and routes them next to the steerer tube, which can cause problems (some road bike carbon fiber steerer tubes have been cut by them rubbing). It is a not ideal situation.

Thats mostly it. For road race/time trials bikes chasing tiny marginal aero gains, I acknowledge that the additional pain of maintenance/setup is probably worth it.

For mountain biking where the bikes are abused in worse conditions (way more dirt/mud, larger impacts, etc), and where aero is much less important, it seems like the negatives are greatly outweighed by the positives (which, is mostly "it looks better to some people").

But don't take my word for it.

bikerumor.com/what-bike-mechanics-really-think-about-internal-cable-routing-headsets
  • 7 0
 @ocnlogan: Valid points. Just want to clarify #2 for the audience - swapping the headset cover to use a standard stem/bar will require cutting lines, because the shrouded headset cap doesn't have split ports. Swapping to a Syncros discrete stem or adding/removing spacers can be done without cutting lines.
  • 9 0
 @rc3kartusa: I addition to the headset maintenance headaches, the two extra sharp bends required route the cables/housing through the headset mean the cables have noticeably higher friction. When everything is new it's only slightly more finicky to adjust, but not too big a deal. But after a few muddy or dusty rides when your cables and housing aren't pristine any more, your shifting (and to a lesser extent, your dropper) require frequent attention and constant minor adjustments. The only way to get things smooth and trouble free again is to replace the cables/housing a lot more often. Or learn to tolerate crappy shifting.

So the feature that makes it so you have to replace your cables/housing a lot more often to keep it running like a $5000+ bike should run has the unfortunate side effect of making the replacement job a much bigger pain than it needs to be.
  • 5 1
 @Bluefire:

True, there are different implementations of the idea, some better, some worse (in terms of work required to do other work).

Thanks for calling it out. I might be an irritated consumer, but I also try to be an not-biased irritated consumer, and at least complain about the correct stuff.

(also, I said "try" Big Grin )
  • 11 0
 @rc3kartusa: I've been riding a long time, and do a lot of road trips to ride. I've had to replace just about every part on my bike on a road trip. Anything that makes this harder is a huge negative for me. I want something that I can repair easily and quickly myself with limited tools - I don't want to lose a day or two on road trip to fix because something broke.
  • 4 3
 If it was an Ebike I might actually be interested
  • 16 15
 @SATN-XC: Ok, I am not sure how you service your headset, but with one of my bikes being Scott with headset routing, I just disassemble the bottom part, and easily clean the upper one (like in the render picture in the article). You can still clean it properly, without having to taking the hoses out of the bearing. Why would you need taking it out completely for cleaning purposes?

@ocnlogan: comprehensive answer - thanks for that! It's interesting to see different perspectives that arise from different use cases and environments all over the world.

However, just for the sake of a constructive debate:

1) So you replaced bearing once in two years which is normally a period where you'd also at least bleed your brakes and dropper. And that only happened on one of your bikes (we don't know whether Scott's bearing protection design might be better - and eventually will get better). Apart from that you can clean the upper bearing like I answered above.

2) Just out of curiosity - do you really change the height of your stem so often? Big Grin

3) Routing mechanical cables through the headset does not make it (almost) any more complicated than routing them through normal internal routing (through a downtube) - so almost no difference here.

4) I can relate to that, but eventually designs will get better (maybe they already are) compared to first versions that were cutting the steerers. Actually I've never heard of it later on. Apart from that , I think that nobody detects that the cable in the headset is slightly more bent than it would be if routed outside (I mean, why would anybody care - or at least why would 99% of the bikers care for this?).


I'd just like to point out that majority of the the riders aren't disassembling their headset monthly, they are not changing their brakes every half a year, they do not change their stack height every three month. These riders will actually see benefit in cables being hidden (also protected to some extent) and the same goes for the shock. And that's just if we leave aesthetics aside Smile

And yes - of course, I understand why mechanics hate it and I'd never wanted to have bikes with headset routing in my rental fleet. But that's another use case.
  • 9 1
 @rc3kartusa: fair...I guess technically it could be cleaned with the cables still routed through the bearings but that seems like it would complicate what is otherwise a simple process. I would much rather simply drop the fork and take each bearing out and give the frame a good wipe down without having to work around the cables.
  • 13 1
 @rc3kartusa: Changing bars and stems, headset bearings, replacing cables and housings ( if you don’t have sram transmission, or don’t want it), replacing brake lines, changing bars and stems, replacing headsets, rebuilding the fork.
All do all these on a regular basis on my bikes and all of them become much more of a hassle. Why would I buy a bike with this when it does nothing to make it ride better, just more difficult to work on.
It’s not just people bitching because it’s something new. It serves no practical purpose. Aesthetics only.
  • 4 0
 @scary1: nope, the grips are integrated into a one pience stem / bar/ grips combo. You need to replace this as an entire unit when your grips wear out or you want to change the color.
  • 14 1
 @rc3kartusa:

Sure, I'm open for non screaming discussions Smile .

1) Its more the fact that doing one task requires another 2-3 tasks. I bleed my brakes whenever they need them. But I don't bleed them when I need to change my stem.

As a side note, have you tried what you described? While you can access the upper bearing without disconnecting the brake hose, its a giant pain, because now you're trying to service a bearing, with limited access (whatever slack is there, like in the image), while holding the bar/stem and trying to pry the seal off the bearing. Thats how I serviced my Konas headset (loose ball bearings in a cage), which was a pain. And that was easier than what you're describing, as at least the cables weren't running through the center, and I could get them all the way out of the way.

2) When I first get a bike, yes actually. I think I went through 2-3 handlebars, and ~5 combinations of stem spacers on my bike before I have settled on this last config, which has been on there for close to a year. Thats 5-15 more times bleeding brakes than would normally be needed.

DH racers regularly change their stem height track to track (although, again, edge case).

3) Assuming internal cable routing without tube-in-tube, I probably agree (although the tighter turns of headset cable routing might be harder, can't comment until I've had to try it). For external cable routing, or tube-in-tube conventional internal routing, both of those will be much easier than fishing a housing.

4) This is going to be a hard one to discuss I think, as its very much a "feel" thing. People may/may not be sensitive to it. But, I can say I have felt kinks in dropper post housings before (blind, I identified the problem via lever feel, investigated, found the bike shipped with a sharp kink/bend in the housing, routed new housing, fixed it). So I "think" I would appreciate smoother routing of cables (more bends/sharper bends means more friction, which negatively impacts shifting).

You're right, most riders aren't disassembling headsets every month, or changing out their brakes/stem spacers all that often. I disagree that through headset cables are more protected (they are less... imagine what happens when you spin the handlebars 360 degrees like in a crash). In my mind the only actual benefit of through headset cable routing is aesthetics. And it feels like the "price" we pay for that (all the other things we've discussed) is just too high for that.

To be clear, I'm not as worried about the shock, which is why all my comments are about the routing. I can see a hidden shock having some benefits that seem to justify its existence, and as long as accessing adjustments and removing it for service isn't a pain, I've got no real problem with it.
  • 3 0
 I was hoping the lefthand lever could control a few more things. I only see 3 paddles now but I want the world record!!
  • 8 0
 @cyclebean: The funny thing about Scott is that its Contessa paint schemes are usually far better than the standard ones.
  • 4 2
 The only think I want to hide in my downtube is a battery.
  • 3 0
 @alaskanjer: I doubt any buying this bike is using cable shifting.
  • 1 2
 @ShredDoggg: I agree, it's super sleak.
  • 5 1
 @SATN-XC: not defending cable tourism but it might be worth checking out the canecreek hellbender series next time you buy a new one for your bike, seems like it would work well for your issues
  • 3 0
 @KolaPanda:
Agreed.

I replaced my stock headset with the Hellbender. Good stuff so far.

The bearings are stainless, but the better part is the better sealing of the headset dust cap/crown race.
  • 1 1
 @colinb19: Is that a problem?
  • 2 0
 @blum585: The Scott Scale is a hardtail... I think you're referring to the Scott Spark.
  • 2 0
 @rc3kartusa: gotta change your stem to the optimal height before dropping in on each trail
  • 4 2
 @ocnlogan: Alright, I'll start with saying of course it's a little more work than a conventional setup. That being said, it seems like you have a couple misconceptions about how the system works.

1. No lines run through the stem, there is no reason to disconnect the brake line if you are swapping stems. Same as normal routing.

2. The headset spacers are split rings and can be removed and rearranged without disconnecting any cables or brake lines.
  • 7 1
 @rc3kartusa: This is how I look at headset routing on a smaller level, what if you're not at home?

In fact, you're on a road trip you have been planning and looking forward to for months, maybe even a year. Maybe its a place you've always dreamed of riding over sea's, maybe you spent lots of money to go there, maybe you've poured all of your vacation time for the year into this trip, or you're racing and have spent a ton of non-refundable money on race fee's? You're now on a bike that requires more time to fix, and you may not have the tools, clean space or time to fix a usually simple issue that your more likely to run into on a trip where you're riding all the time such as:

Headset bearing replacement(or the entire cup if they still using plastic Acros headset cups)
Damaged brake line
Damaged dropper line/housing
Damaged Shift housing

Game over. If its in riding season, most shops where ever you are are booked up tight for a couple weeks, and while they'll leave some time for emergencies for riders like a hose or housing replacement, but any of those above issues with headset routing means basically doing them all and taking 1-3 hours to do it correctly, not rushing, which is not fitting into their emergency repair timeline. You're done. Plans out the window and if your with friends, are they waiting for you to get you bike fixed if your planning on driving to another location?

Any riding plans you had are now subject to the bike you chose being unserviceable within a reasonable amount of time because a lack of using independent systems so the bike looked cool. Routing a brake hose, dropper, or gear cable through an external bike usually takes minutes. On a Trek, Santa Cruz, Yeti, etc., all of those can be replaced in 30 minutes, no need to take apart the headset, removing the fork or even the front wheel, even possibly removing the shock to get your hands up into the frame to guide things through. One system can be delt with without affecting another. With headset routing, for one issue you have affected 3 other system for no reason, which means more time and not everyone's going to be able to accommodate you. How much is your time worth?

Then you add proprietary parts, what if in handing one of the repairs above, a plastic spacer is damaged? There is no Scott dealer near by and you are again, stuck.

Most of the headset routed bikes also have a knock off Trek "Knock-block" style of thing to stop the headset from over rotating. These breaks ALL THE TIME and are far less robust than the trek ones were. I've had to fix far to many brake lines in the last few years because the headset stopper was damaged in a crash and the headset over rotated, cutting the line inside the frame. It happened to one guy that stopped in on trip to Canada from Europe was game over on day one because banjo hoses were sold out last year for a while in Canada and renting a bike for two weeks was extremely expensive. Time to fix it didn't even come into play with this one, it was the cause of a poor design damaging itself and an inopportune time.

Just not worth it.
  • 2 2
 FUCK NO
  • 8 0
 @rc3kartusa: I had an opportunity to work on a bikes with fully integrated cable routing through the headset and honestly, I would rather start running instead of owning such bike (same Acros headset as this Scott).

Maintenance complexity and a need to have all the cables at precise lengths. Yes I do ride a lot and do a lot of cable replacing.

Cables may be protected from the external influences, but I have seen too many cables destroyed by rubbing each other. Looked worse than an externally routed cable on my fathers bike after 10 years of use.

I have also seen a steerer almost half cut with a shifter cable on an old Commencal with a routing through headtube from the front (way before this monstrosity came). That's a thing I don't want to risk.

Big NO NO for me. But, everyone should buy what they like Smile
  • 1 0
 @rc3kartusa: might last NP Giga which doesn't have headset cable routing the bearings were shot after 3 months. My current Giga the bearings aren't looking great after 3 months. Granted this has a lot to do with the factory headset not been well sealed but having holes to run cables through your headset really stops it been well sealed. But if I have to disassemble my brakes and gears 2 to 4 times a year to replace bearings its not great. To be clear I'm not a huge fan of internal cable routing to the point I nearly bought Formulas quick release disconnect for my brakes
  • 1 3
 Downvoted as I disagree with you.
  • 3 0
 @ocnlogan: Point #4 I can vouch for.....I had a Scott Spark for 6 months, and I love the bike from a performance standpoint, but I could already see wear on the cabling from being pushed into the headset. I have no issue with the hidden shock, keeps it clean, easy to dial in sag, and you can still get to it. The integrated headset I feared would be a constant point of issue going forward.
  • 2 0
 @SATN-XC: You still can do that. The fork isn’t impacted by the routing, the bars will still just hand on the hoses like the do normally, just with a couple of spacers aswell. I accept it means you can’t take your top bearing off to a workbench to clean, but it’s not hard to do it by the bike.
  • 3 1
 Looks F1 to me. I really like it, especially in te uni color version. But the F1 side of it makes it need a private mechanic for al te unaccesable parts.
  • 6 1
 @ocnlogan:
I'm enjoying the non-screaming debate. I own a Spark with the same headset setup, along with other normal bikes, so I have some opinions.

As I think someone else pointed out, no need to bleed or do anything special to try new stem / bar / spacer combos. However, you will miss out on the "integrated look" while you try stuff out and you'd need to buy either the scott stem you want (extra $) or the acros headset cover (appears to require a bleed) for long term use.

I have found most of the "problems" people assume a non-issue.
-No issue with cable wear or bends (I don't try to "stealth" route though with a bunch of zip-ties to the handle bar, I don't care about the looks).
-Actual cable routing is *easier* than most internally-routed bikes because of the giant holes in the frames.
-No issues with headset bearings 2.5 years in. They are actually well sealed and a glob of grease is easy to add without disconnecting any lines.The top one is actually better protected than the normal headsets I maintain! The bottom one is also well protected but probably gets more water directed its way. That's a 5 minute job to replace though. Slip-fit and no cables routed through it.
- Spinning the bars 180 doesn't do anything. There is no knock block feature. If you spun 360, you might pop off a piece of plastic. Worst case that plastic piece breaks.

The spark for me has been the lowest maintenance bike in the family despite being the highest mileage. The internal shock is the only one I can't really tell the difference when I do a service, so that benefit seems real.

Actual dislikes I have:
- I wish they'd shipped with the acros cover/regular stem so I could just use any old bar/stem more easily instead of spending $70 on a stem
- While I haven't had any issues, I feel like they should put one of the solid lube bearing in the top headset just to mitigate the concerns everyone has. I might spring for this if I ever do need to replace it. It's not like it's a big spend compared to the whole bike.
- The dropped cable housing is very thin and flexy. Nice for install, but weak. And the duncan (JD/brand-x) droppers suck, so I always want to push extra hard on the dropper. I and a few others have actually split the housing. It's been fine now that I know not to treat it like a gorilla, but still annoying

FWIW, username is tongue-in-cheek and I'd actually prefer external routing, but people really like to freak out a lot about maybe having to do an extra 30 minutes of work every couple years when the Scott (the one have at least is easier to work on most of the time).
  • 1 0
 @Mugen: out certainly does look like a battery... @seb-stott what the heck is that massive black tube inside the downtube?
  • 2 0
 @bunjiman82 @Mugen : Bold and now Scott have an origami-like plastic sleeve screwed inside the downtube, to secure the tube pouch and keep it from bouncing up towards the headtube. That's what you're seeing in the cutaway.
  • 1 0
 @kiddlivid: 100 percent
  • 2 0
 @Mugen: no, ebikes weigh 34lbs in XL. You smokin crack brah.
  • 1 0
 As a bike mechanic scott bikes are the worst brand for longevity the cable routing system is plastic garbage.
  • 227 21
 This bike has everything I hate:
1) Internal shock
2) High leverage shock ratio
3) Headset cable routing
4) A bunch of unnecessary levers on the handlebar
  • 184 8
 You forgot:

5) Integrated bar and stem
6) Stupid price difference between full carbon & carbon & aluminum mix... (just make it full carbon...)
7) "Female specific paint"
8] Unnecessary electric drivetrain
9) Looks like an ebike
  • 12 0
 @ridedigrepeat: I feel like they purposely put aluminum on the rear end to make their "HMX" carbon bikes seem more prestigious and lighter on paper. I feel like just making one mold for the front and rear triangles would be cheaper than ALSO making aluminum rear ends AND a different carbon layup that nobody is actually gonna notice.
  • 51 2
 Scott, as always, taking everything that's awful about modern mountain bikes and putting them in one very expensive, easily avoidable package. They're doing us a favour.
  • 14 7
 Exactly how are Scott still in business after dropping stinker after stinker. It’s still got a load of unnecessary clutter on the handlebars, can’t access any of the cables or hoses and now the shock has been buried away so you can’t assess that ether. At this point it’s obvious that Scott refuse to make bikes that people want.
  • 7 0
 Headset cable routing with adjustable headset cups, how do you easily swap the cups with cables running through them!?
  • 9 1
 @thenotoriousmic: They must sell enough road and XC bikes not to care what their trail/enduro bikes look like or if people buy them. The fact they still have a DH team and a DH bike is a miracle.
  • 14 0
 I don't hate the internal shock idea. I do hate everything else. It is clean and sexy looking new before it needs maintaining. What I'd like to see is a molded cover on the downtubes for cables to run into that can just me bolted on and off real quick. And not really be internal but covered and put away. A la GT fury last gen downtubes.
  • 4 1
 @TommyNunchuck: there's a thing about choosing to dump poison into the already-poisoned river...like how I think we should just bury all our garbage in kansas or somewhere shitty instead of making all the great spots a bit shittier...

Scott may know something about elon musk's brainchips or mutants--I think they're already working with extra thumbs...they're in cahoots with Big Lever for sure
  • 3 0
 @ridedigrepeat: Definitely didn't catch the integrated bar and stem!
  • 9 1
 @rustiegrizwold: Easy...drop fork and cut all lines and hydro hoses, rotate and reinstall cups, add all new lines and hoses, re-bleed brakes, get everything put back together. Then go for a couple of rides and decide you want it back the other way and repeat the process again!
  • 6 1
 @matadorCE: that's exactly the market for their mtbs, the roadie with more money than common sense who wants a wunder-bollocs machine to match is aero road bike. DH team just gives them credibility.

On the other hand, kudos to them for finding their niche.
  • 1 0
 @Ryan2949: I'm not certain but I think it's the carbon sheets used in the layup that's the difference not the actual layup. So for the higher modulus frame you're, maybe, paying for more expensive carbon sheets.
  • 9 7
 @thenotoriousmic: Scott makes incredible bikes. The previous Ransom was one of the best bikes around and STILL holds its own today (Loam Wolf bike of the year 2019, and well received by Pinkbike). Yes, they are not the easiest to work on, but they deliver a great ride and superior build quality. Scott puts build quality and capability (can climb and descend) over convenience of upkeep.
  • 3 0
 @thenotoriousmic: I think Euro's are digging Scott
  • 13 0
 6k for sram NX is crazy
  • 3 0
 @Cmcrow76: most other brands can just do both
  • 3 0
 It's unnecessarily overcomplicated with little no benefit for said added complexity.
  • 26 0
 @ridedigrepeat:

10) $6,000 gets you SX/NX drivetrain.

Is this a f*cking joke?
  • 6 0
 Missed press fit BB, and in the same area as the main pivot.
  • 1 0
 @thenotoriousmic: They've definitely got a niche in the market for people who love all the levers on the bars and only get their bikes worked on at shops, I see tons of them on trails all over.
  • 2 1
 @nickfranko: Do people really buy this crap ? Asking for a friend !
  • 3 1
 DOWN WITH TOTALITOURISM!!!!
  • 2 1
 @KolaPanda: You can usually hear them coming from the creaking
  • 4 0
 What’s so high about the shock ratio? A 65mm stroke gives 170mm travel - 99% of the industry use these numbers for their models. The only one i can think of right now that uses a longer shock for such travel is the Devinci Chainsaw (70mm stroke)!
  • 1 0
 @ridedigrepeat: looks like a haibike
  • 1 0
 @thenotoriousmic: they just got a massive bail out loan
  • 2 0
 @jakebikesfrequently: will be on sale for 3k in 5 months
  • 1 0
 @thenotoriousmic: maybe the mainland euros like this? A sort of Santa Cruz for the EU.
  • 1 0
 Don't forget having to flip the bike over and take a cover off just to check the shock air pressure
  • 110 7
 5 years of development brings us a bike with marginally tweaked geometry, much worse cable routing, 5lbs more weight and it costs $3000 more. Yay progress?
  • 47 10
 If you judge it on the numbers, you have a point. But I've ridden both and the new Ransom rides way, way better.
  • 11 2
 @seb-stott: would you spend 10k for it ?
  • 9 1
 @seb-stott: If you were buying today would your rather have the new model or the extra $3k? That's a lot of road trips.
  • 30 0
 @seb-stott: if you forget about all the negatives, it’s all positives
  • 9 0
 You will need Ransom money to buy pay and then a Mechanic to work on it!
  • 5 0
 You can prove anything with facts
  • 4 0
 @seb-stott: It better ride way, way better for $3,000 more. That's the bare minimum it should do
  • 2 0
 @seb-stott: Geometry costs nothing..
  • 5 0
 @seb-stott: "new ransom rides way better" is a low bar to cross. It's like saying "I'm feeling much better than when a rabid bear was eating my face".
  • 69 3
 We heard you like levers, so we put levers on levers... We heard you like bearings, so we put bearings on bearings and then put cables in some of them. - Xzibit
  • 4 1
 U-G-L-Y, you ain't got no alibi - Fishbone
  • 69 10
 Once again, Scott going in the form over function direction. Can't lie, it LOOKS amazing, but I just know that thing would be horrible to work on.
  • 36 15
 In terms of the headset routing and extra bearings, I agree that's going to be harder to work on. But I think having the shock protected from dirt is worth the price of being slightly harder to remove from a maintenance perspective.
  • 10 0
 Feel the same, bike looks great IMO, but the cable routing , one-piece bar, etc. Shock being hidden doesn't look too bad withe cover off, easy access and may actually help with the dropper post routing. that said, the Scott branded bar/one-piece proprietary shock and Scott house brand dropper is tough to swallow at $10k
  • 8 0
 @seb-stott: I owned the Scott spark briefly and the shock was just as easy to get out but yeah the cable routing was awful and was a direct path for water to headset.
  • 7 2
 Its really not hard. All the same tech on my current bike. Yes its harder than building a BSO hardtail from the supermarket. But its absolutely not horrible. The quality and level of design is amazing.
  • 7 2
 @MillerReid: Yeah the shock isn't hard to remove - it's only the Tracloc cable that makes it more of a pain to disconnect than other bikes. But then you probably only need to do that once a year or so to service the shock, so it's not a big deal in that context. Especially as you may need to service the shock less frequently with it being internal.

Given most people seem to ride shocks until they start making horrible noises, then send them to a service centre to get "serviced" (i.e. mended), it may actually save you time.
  • 20 1
 Can confirm, I worked at a Scott dealer for 2 years. Their bikes are annoying to work on, annoying to get play out of the headset (plastic cups and spacers, plus internal routing), their shocks weren't annoying to take out, but if I ever owned a Scott I'd remove the lock out function immediately due to how stupid running housing and cable to the shock was. Their carbon wasn't great, it always had sharp edges inside the frame, which is odd considering they want you to work inside the frame. It'd get sleeves or gloves caught on sharp pieces of carbon often. They just never looked or felt clean internally.

Not to mention they've changed their twinloc system over the years and not all shocks and such work with their system, so it was annoying when half the time Fox or Scott would be out of stock on their proprietary parts for hilariously long amounts of time (albeit this was 2020-2023).
  • 1 0
 @seb-stott: Agreed
  • 6 3
 Looks hideous imo. Lines are all over the place and it has that big square stack of spacers
  • 1 0
 @seb-stott: The shock out of the dirt and water is the only thing on the hate list I dont hate .. entirely. But then again I could see it getting old.
  • 4 0
 @Ryan2949: This is all anyone should need to know. Plastic cups should get someone hung from a tree (sarcasm) and sharp unfinished working areas mean most people will either not maintain the bike or have a shop that hates them and charges them a bunch of money in time.
  • 6 2
 @bman33: The Scott in house stuff is produced by a wholly owned subsidiary of Scott Sport and in my experience the one piece bar/stem combo is super comfortable.
  • 2 0
 @Jules15: It may be, but I tinker too much and prefer only two handlebar companies angles. those of course depend on the rider's postion on the seat (hight of seat, fore/aft of seat, inseam, reach or rider and bike, etc). I know they produce good quality, just think the combo unit is a solution to a made up problem or mostly an XC or Road feature. Not sure they belong on trail/enduro/DH type bikes. In the end it's a cost savings measure in many ways for Scott. My two cents
  • 1 0
 They should have named it the headache
  • 5 4
 @seb-stott: You do realize that you can literally just put something around the shock if that's such a huge issue for you. And you're not forced to lose easy access to shock adjustments.
They're called Shockwear for dirtbikes, and they cost like $13-20.
  • 2 1
 @seb-stott: sorry but nope. You can easily protect the shock from dirt without bs like this
  • 1 0
 @spaced: Weird implicit straw man you built up. He didn’t say this was the only to protect a shock. He only said that the shock is protected.
  • 43 3
 As the owner of a Spark, I have to say that all this integrated stuff absolutely sucks. From their crappy plastic headset that funnels water right on top of the cheap headset bearing to the integrated shock which adds nothing other than the pain in the ass of trying to tune it, I can't wait to get something else.
  • 41 8
 For when you can't afford an ebike, but don't want people to know.
  • 68 0
 For when you can afford an ebike but paid the extra for one without a motor.
  • 5 1
 Hmmmm, have you check the price?
  • 6 14
flag succulentsausage FL (Feb 1, 2024 at 8:47) (Below Threshold)
 Oh the people who can't afford an ebike make it well known in the comments section
  • 3 0
 What? This thing is priced at or above premium e-bike levels.
  • 44 11
 Disgusting in every way.
  • 31 3
 This bike is a perfect example that the manufacturers have run out of beneficial ideas and just go full speed ahead on dumb gimmick stuff, cable tourism, buried shock, sag indicator by the BB, etc. Some kinda cool/interesting ideas, but not needed and you pay a premium for them.
  • 23 3
 Just an FYI: Replacing housing on these newer Scott bikes is an absolute nightmare.

Also, $6500 for an NX build with DB8 brakes and basic suspension? Scott, WHAT ARE YOU DOING??
  • 4 1
 Yeah everyone complains when Santa Cruz is expensive yet this is worse..
  • 7 0
 Agreed. NX belongs on sub $3k (questionable even at that level) bikes. It's a downright insult on anything higher priced
  • 37 16
 Besides the headset cable routing, the risk of being confused for an e-mtb is too high to even consider riding it.
  • 22 29
flag BermJunky (Feb 1, 2024 at 7:20) (Below Threshold)
 You sound secure
  • 31 11
 @BermJunky: Don't wanna be confused for a lazy dude.
  • 10 34
flag BermJunky (Feb 1, 2024 at 8:25) (Below Threshold)
 @dick-pound: how about an ignorant dude?
  • 19 6
 Hearing "nice ebike" 25 times per ride would be worst thing about this bike
  • 20 7
 @BermJunky: I guess we found the butthurt ebiker.
  • 7 14
flag BermJunky (Feb 1, 2024 at 10:10) (Below Threshold)
 @dick-pound: hahaha yes so hurt!
  • 5 27
flag BermJunky (Feb 1, 2024 at 11:53) (Below Threshold)
 Ebike haters downvoting today! Keep it coming! Love you guys.
  • 18 0
 "The Pinkbike comment section does not represent the mountain bike market" Scott bikes.
  • 3 1
 True statement… any bike over 3k is out of their price range 75% of the time..
  • 15 1
 I've always liked the "looks" of this bike, and have never seen on in person. To me the best part of the article, and a point that hasn't to my recollection been made by other reviewers is ~ "Is the Ransom 900 RC worth ten thousand dollars? Of course not - it's a bike." ~ The truth in that statement is priceless. That said, I would really enjoy a chance to ride a reality-priced version is there was ever an opportunity.
  • 4 1
 Was going to make the same comment. That's a great line from Seb!
  • 23 9
 Pb comment section on previous Scott models: This bike is crap! Because Twinloc sucks, it's hideous with all the cables at the front and you can't run any other shocks!
Scott: *Removes Twinloc for Grip2, cleans up the front end and makes it compatible with a wide range of shocks*
Pb comment section today: This bike is crap!
Maybe you brought this upon yourselves haha. Jokes aside, to no big surprise to anyone - I love it.
  • 5 2
 it is tho, might even ride great, but the ideas into it are still crap
  • 5 0
 @dangerholm I really admire your work, have nothing against your love for Scott (your Ransom build is one of the nicest bikes I have ever seen), but I am just wondering how your creativity would be unleashed if you would modify bikes other than Scott (for example Gamux, Antidote, Actofive etc.) Smile
  • 1 0
 @nerdymtbiker: it would be pointless to scratch the anodization off an Actofive frame tho
  • 18 5
 @seb-stott


"but to do this you need a new stem and/or headset top cap that's compatible with the cable routing"

As the owner of a 2023 Scott, and a 2023 Bold Linkin, both of which use the exact same headset setup - everything you need to run a 'regular' stem is available and did, in my case, come with the bike.

Take a look at Brendan Fairclough or Scotty Laughlands bikes - both been running Scotts with their own personal choice of stem/bar.

Total non issue.


(For what its worth, I have the Syncros bar/stem on one of the bikes and really like it).
  • 3 0
 I'll check with Scott what comes in the box, but in my case, I used a Syncros stem that integrates with the cable-routing headset spacers, but you could also use regular spacers and a regular stem with an Acros top cap. Either way, it's not a huge deal, but it's not as simple as swapping to a 40 mm rise bar.
  • 13 7
 @seb-stott: The Acros headset top section and the little sealing plugs came with my bike.

You can go full integrated... semi integrated with the syncros stems that have the funny cap at the back, or 'regular' stem of your liking.

As per many commenters here - I've always been sceptical. But I bought the first bike a year ago after persuasion from my LBS that it was not something to worry about. Heck, it even had a press fit BB. Been so pleased with it, and the fantastic build quality of the Scott Carbon frames (paint job, finishing, the best 'box of spare little bits' I've ever had from any manufacturer) I have since bought a second (the Bold), using the same level of integration, and its the same story again.

Everyones welcome to opinion, thats how the world works, but from an owner, I can categorically say that many of the 'issues' are simply not issues at all.


The low COG, the tracloc, the climbing/descending balance, the ability to slam a massive long seatpost and get mega drop even if your a shortarse, all of which are shared with this new Ransom, are really good. Wont be for everyone though.

Nice review !
  • 18 8
 @snotrag: As another Linkin owner, Scott/Bold comment sections always depress me. It's a feedback loop... skeptics who have never owned, ridden, or even seen one of these bikes are blithely confident that maintenance must be a disaster. This becomes the prevailing narrative, and discourages people who might have been prospective owners. Yet I built my own bike and do all the service on it - nothing is more difficult, and some things (cable routing) are actually easier.

The look isn't for everyone - I think that's a valid basis to reject fully integrated designs. And if I lived in a wetter climate I might share concerns about headset longevity. But it's too easy for people do dismiss these bikes as gimmicks, when the performance is there in spades. I love diversity in bike design - yesterday I demoed a Switchblade, which is the polar opposite of this, and I loved how it rode and its straightforward concept. My road bike is an Aethos. There's value in both complexity and simplicity, and I don't like to see creative execution discouraged like this. At least Scott sticks to their philosophy.
  • 8 3
 @snotrag: you've only owned it a year? Have you tried replacing the headset, cables, or servicing the shock in that time?
  • 3 1
 @mattg95: Built from frame up, lots of maintenance and parts changing, I had it down to its component pieces for inspection and torque check the second it came out of the box.

Is it harder than a s/s rigid steel pub bike? Of course. Is it an issue? Nope.
  • 3 1
 @Bluefire: Nailed it right there.
  • 15 0
 Sram SX doesn't belong on anything. It's junk
  • 10 2
 Again, another bike company screwing the 5'10" people. You know the most common height in North America. Medium is short, large is long. Why can't bike manufacturers understand that 63% of the male population is between 5'9" and 5'11" and size bikes for that. This is your largest consumer base.
  • 12 0
 I'm not a big fan of Trek bikes, but i'm a big fan of the M/L size idea.
  • 12 1
 All sizes shall be in cm
  • 1 0
 I've always wondered the same thing. I'm 5'11 with really long arms so large feels best. If I were an inch or two shorter then I have no idea which size I would pick.
  • 3 0
 @Neth009: when I was selling MTBs I'd always recommend sizing based on your wingspan rather than your standing height. It's so much better for riders, plus most guys don't accurately know their height (or weight).

Have a friend measure your wingspan and use that as the height measurement for most fitment charts. If the standover fits, you're money.
  • 3 0
 @packfill: I actually and went and bought a 2021 Trek Slash for that exact reason, bike fits like a glove. Only issue I had was that crap shock which I replaced with a coil.
  • 2 0
 @GTscoob: Yep I'm a +6 inch wingspan. My wife's bike is a medium and it feels like a kids bike to me.
  • 3 0
 @packfill: best fitting bike I owned was a trek M/L. Only bike I changed absolutely nothing with the cockpit. Fit perfectly and I had no choice as far as different brands/colors because of the awesome knock block.
  • 2 0
 @MidwestMountains: Trek has good thing going regarding sizing. To all the manufacturers, this is the standard deviation graph for male height. Go design a bike size for this graph. upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/Standard_deviation_diagram_US_men_heights.svg
  • 14 5
 Shame that you're going to have to explain to people that you're not unfit, you just chose to conceal a shock rather than a motor.
  • 7 0
 Think positive, on the downhills you get to tell people you are on a hardtail e-bike and they be so much more impressed by your riding.
  • 8 0
 Sounds like a sweet bike. “Low end”pricing on bikes just seems a bit crazy these days. 6k for sx/nx is wild. So many better options out there.
  • 1 0
 Meanwhile you can still find 4k bikes with gx
  • 7 1
 There goes Scott again justifying cable tourism with its 60g of weight savings and greater structural integrity of the frame by not drilling holes for the cables, and then incorporating a big-ass gaping hole to access the shock at the bb, a very high stress point... Wish they would just cut the shit and admit it's for aesthetic and marketing purposes; function and future maintenance be damned, but at least they will have some points for honesty...
  • 16 7
 Imagine being mad that a product doesn't cater to your tastes...
  • 7 5
 Welcome to PB. If you don’t join the hive think you are cast out!
  • 2 0
 you just don't see the big picture here
  • 18 13
 I don't necessarily want to like it, and I'd be annoyed if all bikes were like this, but even the most pessimistic haters have to admit it's incredibly well executed. Nice to see a brand stick to their guns and do their own thing—even if I'd be disappointed to see everyone crowd into this lane.
  • 6 1
 I like that they fully committed to the idea/look.
  • 6 2
 it's like a carefully and really nicely polished turd
  • 6 1
 Honestly looks kinda sweet, much more impressive IMO that Scott does their own thing and builds unique bikes. The world doesn't need more of the same. Not sure what female-specific paint is, but that Contessa paint job is leaps and bounds better than the other options.
  • 4 0
 Bike looks pretty actually but this time around I even had to scan the article to learn whether or not it has a motor and battery (aside from the shifter and mech). Wireless shifting seems silly though if they're still going to send tons of cables and a hose down that headset.
  • 7 0
 $6,000 USD for a bike that comes with DB8 brakes and a NX/SX drivetrain..... yikes.
  • 4 0
 After servicing and installing new bearings for my 2019 GT Sensor - a traditional horst link type suspension design, I think the added complexity of these new 6-bar+ suspension designs are putting me off of considering such state of the art (?) engineering accomplishments....add in the completely buried control cables thru the headset, and this bike has such negative appeal for me, and I assume many others, that I'm completely uninterested. One only has to look at bikes like the Privateer V2 with it's external routing of cables, 'complicated enuff' suspension design to realize that 'enuff-eez-enuff'
  • 8 0
 I'd pay the Ransom if they let all the hostage cables go free.
  • 6 2
 I think I'm the only one in the comment section that likes this bike. It seems pretty ideal for my home trails and would provide a bit more margin of error than my current Ripmo. I also am against weird cable routing as totally unnecessary, but honestly, I can't remember the last time I removed/rerouted my cables anyway (assuming the bar works for me).

What I do hate is SX on a 6k boke. That's wild. I'd prefer Deore.
  • 3 0
 Who is this for? We know there are tons of bikes on the market that ride just as well, but for a fraction of the cost. So what you're paying all that extra for, ultimately, is the over-integrated form.

These don't feel like bikes for riders, but for boutique consumers.
  • 6 0
 I'm gonna buy a steel single pivot just to spite Scott's engineers. Ill show them!
  • 3 0
 One thing Scott should hide is all those control levers on the left. Just remove them and place in recycling. I would also like to see that ugly fork hidden. I mean, you see it moving and stuff. And hide those brakes too. Fully enclosed everything like a car. Imagine the funky paint jobs you can have with a full body. I had a Scott road bike once. Poorly designed geometry that only figured out later. I required a 35 mm set back seat post to get the saddle in the correct spot for my build. And they used the same fork offset for all frames but the small size I was on he a slacker head angle which increased the trail enough to feel a bit heavy.
  • 5 2
 10,000 euros for a 15.5 kg bicycle (and more for a cheaper models), with a stupid cable passage with no real use other than to satisfy the eye of the most chic people, a very odious multi-block handlebar system to compensate for the shortcomings of a frame that incorporates everything and finally a line that it looks like an ebike. No thanks! I'll stop further back.
Marketing at all costs is a terrible thing.
  • 7 3
 Scott seems to have taken heavy inspiration from the unrelease next-gen Specialized Enduro... however they did not realized specialized plans on taking the frame cover off
  • 1 0
 You mean the next Specialized that is a rip-off of Tomaso Ancillotti Scarab bike suspension layout?
  • 6 0
 A normal bike that looks like an ebike. Wtf have we come to?
  • 2 0
 i see the bike brands are still as greedy as ever with there prices yet the bike industry is on its knees give it 6 months after you purchase one of these you will be lucky to get a fraction of the retail price you paid for it
  • 11 9
 Funny to see all the haters about the integrated shock and cables.
I’m riding the Genius for more the a year and this has been the most silent and easy to work on bike I’ve ever had. The cups can be rotated, spacers can be changed,… in 30 secondes and you don’t need to bleed the brakes. The headset design works really good. I have not changed a bearing after 1 year of racing. They are still in good condition. And yes, there was mud and abuse.
If you want to work on the cables, it’s even easier because you can put your arm inside the frame to guide the cables.
  • 12 3
 Get out of here with your lived experience!
  • 4 2
 A lot of the features on this bike, and all the new Scott's I find pretty worthless, and annoying. THAT being said, Scott's are definitely more interesting than they have been in the past. Before they were just another 4 bar bike from a company that seemed to lack any "cool" factor. Now they are a company that is doing a lot of crazy stuff that might appeal to more buyers who are into that kind of stuff. They all also seem to ride well and get good reviews, so I say bravo Scott!
  • 5 3
 I may have a hot take here, but if you just do all your major service once a year (headset, brake bleed, cable housings, shock service) like you're supposed to, you wouldn't have to worry about cutting lines *just* to service the headset.
  • 3 0
 Of note is the fact that Syncros/Scott does not offer any 35mm clamp stems. You have to go with a company known as Six Pack out of the UK in order to get a 35mm clamp stem that is designed for internally-routed cables/hoses.
  • 2 0
 Theres alot I dont like about this bike but I have to say the integrated shock seems like a good idea. Shock is protected from mud and dust and you can still access it somewhat easily! get rid of the carbon frame, cable tourism, bar-stem combo, electric drive train and ridiculous price tag and this would be a good buy! hats off to Scott for actually innovating rather than gimmicking.
  • 2 0
 What’s with this integrated stem/bar trend? It really limits cockpit customization. I can work with the cable routing, but I wish they’d spec better bearings or give headset options.The linkage looks complicated with lots of bearings, and I’d like to feel the stiffness for myself. Would have hoped they’d upgrade from press fit BB too. Could care less about storage! Parts spec could be better…I’d prefer frame only option as it took me few yrs to spend $ and dial in my 2020 910.
  • 2 0
 Dear manufacturers. I am never buying a bike with through headset cable routing. Thank you helping me make my next bike purchase decision easier by doing this to your bikes and causing me to immediately look at your competitor's offerings.
  • 2 0
 All the things no one wants:

Headset cables - check
Press fit bb - check
Proprietary tune/shock - check
One piece bar/stem - check
Lack of Iscg05 tabs - who would want those?!, check

Would it be fun to ride if I didn’t have to own it? Absolutely. Does it look cool? Eye of the beholder, but I would say ya.

Would I ever buy it? Hard no.
  • 2 0
 I'm sure it's a great bike, and I will never give up the tracklock system, but scott really needs to learn again how to make nice looking paint jobs.... Else I'll probably have to keep a budget for a paint job when I'll replace my genius LT 710.
  • 5 0
 Seb, your photos are private, at least on mobile browser.
  • 5 0
 Thanks for the heads up. Should be working now.
  • 4 0
 This bike (and all Scotts at this point) is not my cup of tea, but that contessa paint job is fire.
  • 3 0
 When everyone is trying to make their e-bikes look like normal bikes, here comes Scott with normal bike looking like an e-bike Big Grin Be different!
  • 4 0
 Ebikes trying to look like a normal bike..... normal bikes looking like Ebikes! Chaos!
  • 4 0
 I'm down for an internal shock, but never would I ever buy into headset cable routing and integrated bar/stem.
  • 6 2
 I’ve got a spark, it’s sick, headset cable routing is not a big deal… enjoy your flow trails everybody
  • 2 0
 Not Minaar approved. Or anyone who prioritizes ease of service approved.

But hey, if your trust fund means you don’t work on your own bike and don’t mind paying 2-3 times more for bike service, party on…..I guess.
  • 2 3
 Most people don't work on their own bikes. Or cars. Or homes. I just get a little chaffed when mechanics that are paid to work on bikes take issues at these things that are largely non-issues to a professional mechanic.
  • 1 0
 @GTscoob: I made a living as a bike mechanic for years. I hate stuff like this even if the hourly rate for service is the same. Be it home repair, auto repair, bike repair or ski bindings-simpler is usually better, and it’s quickly apparent when a product was designed by people who have had to service said product.
  • 1 0
 @GTscoob: and talk about stuff I don’t love-pulling an EJ motor because the head gaskets that die every 100k miles (engineering fail-coolant flow eats them over time) mean 4x the work of something like a K series motor (which also doesn’t need its head gaskets replaced……for a few hundred thousand miles).
  • 1 0
 @wyorider: lol, as a longtime Subaru owner, the headgasket issue is so overblown if you maintain your car. And if you mod your car, you'll be burning up rings and valves well before headgaskets ever become an issue.

At the end of the day, it takes less than an hour to pull an EJ motor from the chassis and it's often the easier way to do a clutch/flywheel, head gaskets, or access the steering system.
  • 4 0
 All that development and they still use plastic for all the headset hardware, including the cups
  • 1 0
 I've owned the previous model and rather liked it. It was a great bike for its time. But between all the form-over-function design, the lack of an alloy model and the insane price tag, this new version doesn't appeal to me what so ever.
  • 4 1
 LOL. they create a problem and then come with a solution. honestly: i ride full suspension since 2005 or so and i never ad problems with a shock exposed to dirt. NEVER.
  • 5 0
 That contessa version looks sick!
  • 4 3
 I feel no one also is mentioning a really BIG issue, the warranty. Scott bikes have always been known for breaking and 2 yrs is pretty weak when the standard is 5. These days you pay the same amount for a transition and a Scott and the tranny comes with lifetime ? santa cruz is only slightly more expensive and that is a bike for life !
  • 3 0
 You're right. My alu bike had 2 years, but it being alu and built rather massively I felt safe. Frame showed a crack 2 months after warranty expired...
  • 2 1
 Feels like I could wait a few months longer and get the same suspension design from Specialized on the new Enduro, but likely with: A.) a better part spec for the $$$, B.) better internal storage, C.) no silly remotes/lockouts/multiple levers on a proprietary shock, D.) no cable tourism.

This pricing is completely out of touch for a fussy bike with some features that enduro riders won't want.
  • 2 0
 So if headset routing is gonna be a thing, why hasn't someone created a mid-hose hydraulic quick connect yet you can just pop it out and then only need to f around with the derailleur cable?
  • 1 0
 2000 grams heavier and $2000 more expensive than my 2020 Ransom. Scott appears to be confused: I would pay more if the bike had lost 2000 grams but this is going the wrong direction. Also, I don't care for the hardtail eBike look. Bike maintenance sound awful. What is not to hate? The Ransom was a great bike but 2024 RIP. I will not buy another Scott bike.
  • 3 0
 i'm gonna have an extra hard time convincing people i'm not on an ebike now
  • 2 2
 the “””” female-specific “””” paint job on that contessa is so sick. also if we call linkage driven single pivot bikes like evil bikes single pivot and not four bar, surely this bike should just be called a four bar and not six bar?
  • 5 0
 This bike is a true 6 bar. Unlike a Knolly or enduro, etc, which are 4+2 bar.
  • 2 0
 @Tambo: you are right, i missed the pivot by the rear axle in the kinematics video.
  • 1 0
 @alienator064: 5 bar!?
  • 2 0
 I think I would like it more if they routed the brake hose through the front hub and then inside the fork leg, and for the front brake....
  • 2 1
 Scott: Sir your piggy res has been sheared off and we cannot warranty this shock for you.
Sir: the cover fell off while riding and there was no way i was walking over that boulder.
  • 5 2
 Scott have never been on my radar, still aren't. Off to read about the Knolly, they are on my radar.
  • 3 3
 “We run our shock under a cover, to keep it free from debris.
In order to do this, we’ve designed a fairly complex linkage that sits right in the line of fire instead, plus we’ve routed our cables through the (sigh) upper headset bearing.
That should all make for durable & hassle free ownership…”
  • 2 2
 Scott as usual, lets design 100500 cable lever system that nonone wants, however lets keep clean so we rout via headset, maybe now users will want it?

Sram released flight attendant few years back, why bother with cable tourism?
  • 2 0
 Nice bike, I’d be sick to try it. I’m really curious on the rear suspension and it looks good. Not a fan of this “stemdlebar” thing and the inside cable set up
  • 4 0
 Stem-bar combo looks like it's from a rental scooter
  • 1 0
 .. I don't know where Scott has made their market analisys to have spent time and cash to designt such a... but not for sure at any Enduro events lately.. neither in any famous riding resorts...
  • 2 2
 Looks good IMHO, they've always seemed to be a brand that gets a lot of hate for their designs but then they break from tradition and people in general always seem to be quite fixed in their ways. However after riding various generations of the Genius and using the shock lock out on climbs always helped when i rode them. Like a few others the replacement of the headset bearing would be a needlessly long job, perhaps if the brakes were on a hydraulic quick release at the lever end similar to the one that used to come on the reverb that would speed up the process, but i would add i live somewhere very wet and the bike constantly gets washed and i would say my hope bearings generally last for about 18 months. given that most people seem to only own a bike for about 2 years these days they might need to get it doe before selling it. It wouldn't be worth the investment in the part for the bike company to be honest
  • 1 1
 Already owning a Scott Genius 720 from 2018, the extra handlebar buttons are pretty easy to get used to and I like the extra control they give me. So on that point, I'd say 'don't knock it if you haven't tried it'. I like the enclosed rear shock, it apparently does increase the service intervals, which, having had to get one done, are ridiculously expensive for what they are. Mounting the rear shock laterally does give it a bit of an e-bike look, but it looks a lot better than the current Genius, which has it's mounted vertically. I'm not impressed by the internal cable routing and single piece handlebars. They reduce the ability of owners to self-service and to mod their bikes. The one thing that I really can't get past though, is the set of colourways: grey (boring!), black (ho hum), yellow (monkey vomit) and sand/fluoro yellow (why would you put yellow against yellow?!) They've been doing similarly cringe colourways for about five years now. When you're spending as much as it costs to buy a small car, why would you fork out for something that looks so mid!
  • 4 1
 I’ll take an aluminium 4 bar, thanks
  • 5 3
 Looks like an e-bike. Maybe the best looking e-bike so far, but still looks like one.
  • 1 0
 Seems like if you want something that looks like an e bike, you may as well get a motor on it. Especially for what these cost!
  • 3 1
 "and if it does break it's a replaceable part"

Are they also going to replace your shock?
  • 1 0
 From the one image with a wired derailleur, I'd say this is a bike designed to work well only when using wireless crap...no thanks.
  • 3 0
 Leave it to Scott to complicate the sh!t out of simple bike maintenance.
  • 4 0
 The last pic, tho
  • 4 1
 Look how they massacred my boy...
  • 2 0
 Did they brainstorm all the ways they could piss off the community, then just use all the ideas they came up with?
  • 2 0
 That dropper cable and rear shock stanchion look like they're going to become best of friends
  • 4 3
 Scott is really putting some effort lately to make awful bikes. A pain to the eyes, it looks like a pregnant bike just like all the e-bikes, and all the integration just
  • 4 1
 Just because you can do it, doesn't mean you should do it
  • 2 1
 Came to say this same thing, but figured someone else already did.
  • 3 1
 What a ridiculous place to put the shock. Where is the motor and battery going?
  • 2 0
 Everything I dislike in a bike -- all integration and SRAM components. I do appreciate the Ross Brawn colorway.
  • 3 0
 Can't wait for the 42lbs aluminum version.
  • 1 0
 The race team mechanics definitely need a raise and free headache tablets, I would not want to deal with all that internal gubbins.
  • 5 2
 Man, I'm excited for this bike, and I think it looks pretty damn sexy.
  • 3 0
 "Which Model is the Best Value?" None actually lol
  • 3 0
 Can’t wait for the Dangerholm build.
  • 1 0
 Where he discards the shock cover to bring the weight down?
  • 2 0
 What's the likelihood of the dropper post cable scuffing up the shock stanchion
  • 2 1
 I like how the cutaway shows the dropper cable running on the shock stanchion. And the headset cable routing is a nice touch to add extra work for no reason.
  • 3 2
 Bike industry: no one is buying bikes .. times are tough.. Solution: let's make a bike over 10 grand with technology only 1% of the bike community wants.. geniuses.
  • 1 2
 Well #1 should be build for wins; #2 sales.
  • 1 0
 Looks great, sounds great performance-wise. But too pricy - there are cheaper bikes out there which are on par or almost as good as this new Ransom.
  • 2 0
 I don't get headset cable routing. It always just results in a super thick headtube, which just looks really ugly.
  • 3 0
 those prices are just insane. what is wrong with the bike industry.
  • 4 5
 This bike looks awesome. Love the internal cable routing, integrated bar/stem. Honestly, if I bought this bike and it didn’t come with those features, I would be extremely disappointed. It would be nice if Pinkbike would stop the hating on these kinds of features. It gets old. There’s a reason Scott is doing this and it’s because customers want it.

PinkBike keyboard warriors will always hate at price and internally cable routing, or anything new and progressive, but I am mechanic and have no issues with this. There’s either a bunch of incompetent or lazy bike mechanics out there if you really think this is that harder the any other bike to work on…I find this to be very straightforward if you know what your doing.

Price is very fair for what you’re getting. Stop complaining. It’s not like taxes where you’re going to have to cough up money to pay.

For those that haven’t worked on internal shocks. This set up is by far way easier to access than any Santa Cruz bike. The shock is easy to access and the sag indicator is really intuitive to set up for customers.
  • 3 0
 Scott says. Scott says. Scott says. Just sayin!
  • 1 0
 I bet you'd still get dirty water coming into the frame and onto the shock and bearings. Then it won't get cleaned because you can't see it,not going to end well.
  • 2 0
 5k for base model? I’ll pass, think I’ll change my current ransom for a privateer when the time comes
  • 1 0
 Looks like a Specialized Enduro, I love the looks of it! That said, I'd never buy one because it looks like an obsulte pain in the ass to work on haha
  • 4 1
 Comment is private>
  • 3 0
 Photo is private>
  • 2 0
 Damn what are these photos hiding?
  • 2 0
 The shock!
  • 3 1
 If that bottom bracket is pressfit i am going to kill somebody
  • 1 0
 I'm not sure how to break this to you...
  • 1 0
 @Tambo: yeah I unfortunately figured that out 5 minutes after I posted that...
  • 2 0
 Looks like a less elegant Unplugged
  • 1 0
 I am just wondering how will the ebike model look because they put the shock in the motor's spot.
  • 3 0
 It's a no from me dawg.
  • 2 1
 I think seb running the shock open hints the shock is probably overdamped out the box.
  • 2 0
 Probably not - seb likes his suspension running pretty fast
  • 1 0
 @Tambo: it says he ran his compression open and he isn't light
  • 3 4
 All very good, unfortunately 10 pounds over weight ... here we are with a 35 pounds $10,000 machine sold as a novelty because it has some sort of suspension lock out. And of course Pinkbike cheers on ...
  • 1 2
 Just NO. At least they got the name right.
Fun Fact: Ambient air temp changes cause the shock pressure to change quite a bit. It won't be fun at all to check the shock pressure for a ride.
  • 1 1
 You "Hi, I'd like to warranty my rear shock, Scott says it can withstand harsher impacts than the old Ransom's carbon downtube."

Scott "hey baby, Scott says a lot of things"
  • 3 2
 everything we dont need nor want. i used to like scott but this kills it. ugly af too.
  • 4 1
 BRENDAN WAS ROBBED!
  • 3 0
 E bike without a motor?
  • 2 0
 Good luck with the sales of this thing.
  • 1 0
 whats the black thingy in the downtube? doesnt look like swat, and it cant be a battery
  • 1 0
 Body kit on a S enduro A lot of things to like and dislike all in one bike Hard to do. Well done Scott
  • 1 0
 Fundamentally different, even though they have the same number of links
  • 1 0
 Now that the shock occupies the space of the motor, where will they put the motor on the E version?
  • 1 0
 The e-bike doesn’t need to look exactly like the regular one! Wink
  • 2 0
 The bike is made for looks, not performance
  • 1 0
 Can it fit a vivid ,x2,coil shock? Weird speccing a zeb with a float x. Why not zeb and vivid?
  • 1 0
 Scott must be so annoyed that Fox won't redesign their forks to route the brake line inside the left stanchion.
  • 2 0
 €7,999 with fox elite and gx is daylight robbery
  • 1 0
 Scott is always very expensive in the "cheaper" models. Has it always been like this as far as I know? :-(
However, at first glance I also see such price tags on Santa, Yeti and Rocky Mountain, and the other brands.. The only thing that's a bit annoying is that no AXS dropper is fitted, but that's probably because it wouldn't have worked with the Trac-Loc on the handlebars? that's my guess.

Is there any experience regarding the durability of the bearings and paint?
  • 18 16
 great integration!
  • 28 1
 A bold statement...
  • 4 0
 You must have given your colleagues on the Scott side great feedback from your prototype Unplugged Big Grin

(Love my Linkin!)
  • 1 0
 @snotrag: He lets them off scott free...
  • 3 7
flag nicoenduro (Feb 1, 2024 at 9:53) (Below Threshold)
 Remember Bold, there’s nothing great into this. Nothing. Integration and MTB should be like shit and food, never together
  • 2 1
 Mmm gonna go ahead and say 8 bars would have been bettah
  • 5 4
 Bikes over 500 reach should never have a chainstay under 450
  • 3 4
 My 2020 Specialized Enduro in S5 was an absolute ripper (511 reach, 442 chainstay), so can't agree on that.
  • 2 3
 @kage17: I have a KSL S5 the same. But even the 447 CS feels Short . Full fats you can get away with because the weight but not on regular enduros I feel
  • 3 1
 Eh, my bike has 535mm reach and 435mm stays and it's fun to be able to pick the front end up with a quick leg pump. I value fun over speed but am very tall.
  • 2 2
 @GTscoob: jesus that bike must feel so out of balance and scary at high speeds haha
  • 2 1
 Well fuck, i ride 500 reach with 426 cs, never was aware that this is bad
  • 3 1
 Yucky
  • 1 0
 The Karl Havoc of bikes. They did way too much.
  • 1 0
 Who will see this gorgeous yellow or orange spring then ?? Not for me
  • 4 2
 Shag this piece of junk
  • 1 0
 Is the top tube a crime scene?
  • 2 1
 Best ebike ever hahaahha over heated shock any one?
  • 2 1
 I mean I already ride an SL style e-bike so I'd throw a leg over this one.
  • 3 2
 It has more levers than a tractor
  • 1 1
 looks very cool... until I scroll to the internal cable routing thru the stem...
  • 1 0
 No wonder these pipes dont work, they are all filled with wires
  • 2 0
 HARD no. Gross.
  • 2 0
 My Head Asploded
  • 1 0
 What’s the point of a kashima shock on that one Smile
  • 1 0
 Worn Dissector in Rock = Death - I would swap them for a DHR2 right away.
  • 1 0
 "We've obviated the need for cable tourism... You're welcome!"
  • 1 0
 The hot take here is Codes are preferred over Hope Tech 4 V4.
  • 1 0
 Whats with the yellow tape?
  • 2 1
 Congratulations to the Ransom! I didn't know it was expecting!
  • 1 1
 Forbidden druid is probably smoother in the chunk and climbing without any proprietary crap
  • 2 5
 I'm here to explain to you guys why this cable routing makes sense and why de industry does it!
It's pretty simple and comes from e-bikes and e-bike rider that aren't educated on bikes, mechanics and repairs. They still do crash or put the e-bike in the back of the car and by doing so they pull on cables (wires) which damages the cables and makes them have interruptions with all sorts of issues. "I cant turn on my bike at the switch anymore but by the battery it works!" To sort this manufacturers did the internal thing so the cables to the front light, remote and display don't get damaged as easily. As a roady I love the aestetic of the cable free roadbikes. For example deda dcr-s or the ritchey x-night sl. On bikes like this it just looks bulky and ugly. I don't like it and don't want it on my personal bike but I can still understand why they do it.
  • 1 0
 You are right, and casuals in their 40s who buy it in the fling who end up selling at full MSRP(or like 10 MSRP, no in between) clafter a 2-3 rides and couple of months in the garage getting dust.
  • 1 1
 SRAM: invents AXS
SCOTT: let’s put two mechanical cables through the headset.

Yeah!!
  • 1 0
 kasha coating for who? Smile
  • 1 0
 Just be ready for your shop to charge you more to work on it.
  • 1 0
 Seb's Serious Climbing Face (tm) is very funny
  • 1 0
 These surely will not sell.
  • 1 0
 Garbanzo-style?
  • 1 1
 Here to "compeiment" the looks.
  • 3 3
 Oh it’s a shock in there, thought it was a motor.
  • 3 2
 I love it
  • 2 1
 36lb bike geeez
  • 2 0
 GTA be a motor in there somewhere right ha
  • 1 1
 sick bike. do you have any videos of you slaying it?
  • 2 1
 I'll take the Knolly
  • 1 0
 KISS
  • 1 0
 Missing the motor tho
  • 4 4
 Fugley.
Below threshold threads are hidden







Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv42 0.067785
Mobile Version of Website