patentcad

That Di2 stuff for MTBs looks like the shiznit all right. That's the battery that thin tubular gizmo, designed to fit inside the seat tube. Slick.



But that's overkill if you're running 1 x 11 like I am, that Sram system works great.

Ramona_W

Yeah. Funny how that timing thing works. "I sure wish I had a better front brake on this." Several moments pass then "Hey! Let's see how fast we can go now!" Umm... Nope.

patentcad

2015 Scott Scale 700SL: Pcad full review/trail test/riding impressions



Got this bike in January, finally got it out in the woods a few times this past week. Riding impressions: I've spent 25+ years riding 26" wheel MTBs, so this is the first bike I've ridden with a larger wheel size. 29" has essentially replaced 26" wheels in recent years, this 700sl has 27.5" (650b) sized wheels. The first thing I noticed is how much easier tha 27.5" wheels roll over stuff, it really makes all the technical stuff half as hard. The idea with 27.5" is that the are supposed to confer most of the benefits of rollability of the 29" wheels, but they're much lighter and more agile. I've never ridden a 29er, so I can't compare them, but it seemed to me the first few times in the woods that the bike kind of felt like a 26" wheel MTB but it rolled over stuff much better, yet it still felt agile and flickable. That was my impression, that's what the magazine reviewers who ride everything generally say, they like it. Seemed to make the technical stuff like rock gardens, roots, etc. half as hard. Just rolls over stuff much better.

The 700sl is a carbon fiber hard tail, and it feels kind of rigid yet floaty at the same time, perfect for what I wanted, less springy feeling than the Ti MTBs I've ridden, but the bike is so much lighter than any MTB I've ever had. I don't ride that much in the woods, maybe 30-60 minutes at a time, and then I ride to and from the places where I MTB If I was spending 1-3 hour sessions banging trails, I'd get a full suspension. But for my riding, the hard tail works out fine. This bike is about as light as MTBs can get with stock high end components, under 20 lbs with pedals (real world weight I observed on my digital scale). The Bikes Direct Motobecane Fly Ti MTB that this replaced weighed more like 23.5+ lbs., and that was a light Ti frame with XTR components. So while this Scott is crazy light, it's built like a tank, you could ride it off Niagra falls and not break it. It's the lightest CF MTB frame out there, it has CF rims, That SRAM XX drivetrain that saves weight etc. The Syncros components from Scott all look like world class stuff that belongs on a bike of this caliber (stem, rims, hubs, seat post, bars, etc.). The brakes are Shimano XTR discs, and those are SO much better than the Avid brakes on my old bike that were like $300 brakes but always rubbed. These XTR brakes are far better.

Essentially the 700sl frame itself is a slightly dumbed down version (i.e., mellower, more normal angles that ordinary humans who aren't world class MTB racers can ride) of the super aggressive version of the bicycle that was ridden to the last two consecutive MTB XC World Cup titles, so it has racing credentials. The 1 x 11 Sram drivetrain seems to be the hot spec, all the high end MTB XC racing bikes have this spec now. The Fox front fork feels amazing, and the two stage lockout is very cool, you can lock it out or half way, which allows some boing, but not as much as when you have no lockout at all.

It will need more aggressive tires, it comes with weight weenie rubber to keep the spec weight down, I'll probably replace them with slightly fatter tires with more aggressive knobbies and maybe then the bike weighs a tick over 20lbs when you put it on the digital scale. You know the drill here. Had to do it with my last MTB from 2008 as well. A lot of the manufacturers do this.

Bottom line: light, fast, comfortable, just a very fun and cool bicycle, on road or off. State of the art for an MTB hard tail bicycle. Sophisticated engineering but a very simple setup, so you can just ride, and not worry about anything, including dropping your chain.

3alarmer 

...you don't have to win the lottery to acquire bikes willy nilly. Look at @LesterOfPuppets and me. You just need some place to keep them, like a separate house.

3alarmer 

...yes. Even I saw Grease. Two or three times I think. #pinkladies

3alarmer 

...sounds like you might be under the 60 pound barrier. #goodjob

3alarmer 

...how was your ride? Did you hit some fog on the Pacific side? The orange color reference reminded me.

Ramona_W

I told him he could save a lot of time and money on this process by just getting a smaller and lighter girlfriend but my daughter said she doesn't think there are many.

BillyD

Naw, totally different personality ... if you're thinking what I think you're thinking.

datlas 

One of the guys I ride with is in Europe this week and is riding the Amstel Gold course today. They open the course up before (or more likely, after) the official race as some type of a gran fondo type event. Sounds like something to put on my (ever increasing) bucket list.

Trsnrtr

I've got a buddy doing a similar thing next weekend except he's doing Liege-Bastogne-Liege.

BillyD

That's a belly laugh for you, isn't it?

I like that helmet . . . I have to get me a new helmet.

BillyD

Great bridge pics, Heathy. You captured all the classic views.

Herbie53

Holy papal wall of text.

Not since the ten commandments has this much divine verbosity been put in writing.

Trsnrtr

Call it a contented smile.

BillyD

Perhaps this signals a new direction, an attempt to get away from the short, quippy, post-count posts.

God help us.

rpenmanparker 

Fear not!

rjones28 

That's the similarity.

Pirkaus

It was a Heathpackian style post with personal insight and passion.
Additionally there was no insult to the community at large, most unusual, some need to check the area for "pods"!

rjones28 

I'm a little disappointed that he didn't include a picture of his own bike.

WhyFi

fify

BillyD

. . . or the rug.

3alarmer 

...+1. The lack of a "bite me" exhortation is very worrisome.

Heathpack 

It was an awesome ride. Me, Coach, @sarals, another one of coach's athletes and her boyfriend. Nice group of people, great cyclists. The route was completely, utterly beautiful- redwood forest with nearly constant dappled shade, which is pretty much unheard of in SoCal.

We started by riding up Kings Mt Rd from Woodside, it's about 5 miles to the top with mostly 6-7-8% grades, not too steep. Regrouped at the top for a 9 mile descent down to the Pacific Ocean on Tunitas Creek Rd, which is very narrow and twisty. The shade on this road is pretty deep and the only negative was that there were lots of cyclists ascending, many of them in dark jerseys so very hard to see, then you'd come around a blind corner only to find one climbing on your side of the road. That part was a little nerve-wracking, to tell the truth.

Then we regrouped at the bottom, at a little store called the Bicycle Hut, which is a honor system store for cyclists. Cute place to get water or a snack. Then we popped down to the PCH and turned around and did the long climb back out. Some steep stuff on that- 10 to 11%, but it was such a treat to be climbing in the shade, I did not care how steep it was. . Then finally a nice descent back down Kings Mt Rd.

I didn't take any new pics, but here's the ones from the other day, so nobody has to scroll back.





It was a great day because prior to meeting up for the ride, I got together with an old resident-mate of mine. We lived together for two years during our residencies, that is a crazy intense time of your life. She lives 10 min from the ride start, suggested breakfast at a restaurant one block from the ride start. Great to catch up with her, it's been 2 years. Post-ride, we cyclists went to lunch at the same place.

This weekend was my first face-to-face meeting with coach, he is a great guy. There is not much more to say than that. Knows what he's doing as a coach, but he's also just a great person. Really enjoyed his other athletes too, just a great group of people. Once again, I have had great cycling luck.

Late brunch, then we're heading home. It's been a really nice trip.

H

sarals 

Heathie, you said it all! It was a terrific ride. Racer Ex is a great guy isn't he? Oh, you didn't mention SAG! Yes, we had SAG the whole way (that was a treat in itself). Thank him again for me, too, please!