The idea of an all-mountain hardtail is not new, thick tyres are the missing piece of the puzzle. With 2.8 tyres, the off-road qualities of a hardtail in rough terrain increase by leaps and bounds. However, a plus-size hardtail like the Scale is a clear decision in favour of off-road capability and against the mountain jersey. You can feel the inertia on tarmac, the frame (1890 grams), wheels (almost five kilos) and the entire bike are heavy. The equipment is meagre for 2599 euros, and we don't just mean the eleven gears. But you sit well on it, steer confidently over root carpets and enjoy the traction on loose surfaces. The concept works very well on Munich's bumpy Isar trails, and we would even go so far as to say that if a hardtail is fun there, it's one of these. If the companies also supplied 29er wheels with fast tyres, you would have two bikes in one. So do you need the Scale Plus? As with the Jeep, the utility value depends on the area of use. If you have root trails, sandy tracks and deep gravel climbs behind the house AND want to ride hardtail - the Scale is your bike.
Test summary of the Scott Scale 710 Plus
The thick plus tyres make hardtails more capable off-road. However, they are more fun to ride downhill. The scale concept is well thought out and pleasantly simple. A matching, fast and light wheelset in 29 inches would be perfect.
PLUS Stable handling, increased ride comfort, 120 mm fork fits the concept
MINUS Extended chainstays, relatively expensive
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