Scott’s Scale Hardtail MTB Lineup Has a Bike for Everyone, Including $2K Carbon Fiber Gem

Folks, Scot Sports is a company that’s been around since 1958 and was founded in Sun Valley, Idaho. And since it’s American Month here at autoevolution, I thought it’d be nice to show you a piece of modern cycling heritage.

Led by Ed Scott, an engineer and talented ski rider, the company first started manufacturing aluminum ski poles. Years later, the Scott name was spotted on things like motocross goggles, skies, and eventually, cycling components. Moving forward just a tad more, and the brand name can now be seen on entire bicycles and countless other gear.

One of the freshest hardtail MTB lineups that this team has put out is known as the Scale. In it, nine bikes, meant to handle single tracks and off-road adventures like none other, are available, ranging in prices from $1,350 (€1,136 at current exchange rates) all the way up to $7,000 (€5,890 at current exchange rates) World Cup version. However, not all of this family’s frames are completed the same way. Some of the bikes are composed of aluminum, while the rest are of carbon fiber.

As you can guess, the aluminum versions are the least expensive of the new lineup. This includes the Scale 970 Yellow, at the $1,350 price I mentioned, and for $150 dollars more, riders can acquire one of two Scale 965 color schemes. One thing to note about this new family is that the higher the price goes, the better your equipment will be.

For the lowest price, riders can expect a 6061-alloy frame with custom-butted tubing, internal cable routing, and a RockShox Judy Silver TK Solo Air fork with 100 mm (3.9 in) of travel. Sram SX Eagle shifters, 12-speed NX Eagle rear derailleur, and an SX-PG1210 / 11-50 T cassette, sound pretty nice for a tad over $1K. Shimano brakes, Maxxis Rekon tires, and Syncros cockpit and seat system complete this bike. If you decide that the $1,500 (€1,262 at current exchange rates) bikes are for you, expect to trade in the Sram drivetrain for a Shimano SLX and Deore setup.

Now, the moment you hit the $2,000 (€1,683 at current exchange rates) mark of this lineup, your alloy frame will be replaced with carbon fiber. Three bikes use HMF carbon, the Scale 940 Granite, Scale 940 Red, and Scale 925, again, each with progressively better gear as the price goes up. However, a few things to note about the carbon fiber toys in comparison to the alloy ones are the small race-worthy modification made to the frame.

The top tube features a slight bend towards the head tube, and the seat tube, too, has been warped and follows the shape of the tire. This also sets the rider slightly further away from the handlebars offering a more aggressive stance.

The Red and Granite versions both feature the same RockShox Judy fork and are both running Sram NX Eagle derailleurs and XS shifters and cassettes. With Shimano covering braking once again and Schwalbe offering grip, it sounds like a pretty sweet deal for just $2K. One step above, the 925 dumps Sram for Shimano XT and Deore shifters with Rapidfire Plus, and Deore cassette with 10-51T Shimano brakes and Schwalbe Racing Ralph tires complete this tuned $2,800 (€2,356 at current exchange rates) machine.

As for the final three demons of this realm, the Scale RC Team, RC Team Issue AXS, and RC World Cup AXS, expect to pay up to that $7,000 mark I mentioned. But for these three bikes, Scott went all out with available components and have chosen some of the best around.

The RC Team and Team Issue AXS bikes use an HMF carbon frame while sporting a RockShox SID RL and Select Air forks, each with 100 mm (3.9 in) of travel. In line with how most people feel about components, the RC Team is equipped with a full Shimano drivetrain and brake setup while sporting Schwalbe tires once again. The Team Issue AXS switches out the Shimano drivetrain for a Sram X01 Eagle AXS drivetrain with an array of components from the Eagle line, but the brakes are still Shimano.

The final wonder, the RC World Cup AXS, uses the highest quality carbon fiber and boasts a RockShox SID SL Ultimate RD3 Air fork with custom Race Day Charger and 100 mm (3.9 in) of travel. A full Sram XX1 Eagle AXS with 12-speed wireless electronic shifting saves the day for a drivetrain, while a pair of Maxxis Rekon Race tires will offer grip. This last fully decked hardtail will cost you $7,000, so you’d better start saving. The Team Issue AXS version comes in with a price of $5,000 (€4,207 at current exchange rates), while the RC Team is $3,500 (€2,945 at current exchange rates).

The nice thing about this lineup is the fact that there's a bike for every skill level, pocket, and equipment preference. If you’ve been saving up to buy yourself a hardtail MTB, then the Scale family may just have the piece you're looking for.