August 22, 2005

Review: Scale 20

Adventure Sports

Taking a ride on the Scale 20 is like getting a turn behind the wheel of an F1 car. Instantly, you sense that this is a race bike, purpose-built and without apologies for anything it’s not. The Scale is a blend of cutting-edge technology and old-fashioned frame building techniques: individual carbon tubes are mitered to fit, the joint is hand-wrapped in carbon cloth to form “lugs,” and then cured in a mold. The frame, at 1,068 grams for our size medium tester, is the lightest production mountain bike frame ever built. The mid-range Scale 20 uses almost a full complement of Shimano’s excellent XT parts, deviating only in the DT Cerit hubs.



On trail, it responds instantly to pedal input; the bike has noticeably faster drivetrain response than even the other two hardtails tested here (the Specialized Stumpjumper and the Seven Verve), partly due to a steep seat angle which places your hips over the crankarms. The geometry is aggressive; this is a bike for the experienced handler. And that drivetrain stiffness comes at a cost: it’s the least comfortable bike in this test. But on a short course like an Xterra, you will not find a better weapon.