It was easy to think that someone had gone crazy with the hydroforming press when the first pictures of the new Scott Freerider flickered through the internet. Monstrous edge tubes were caked into a massive frame, so that you didn't even dare to speculate about the weight. The top tube had such lush bulges that you wanted to ask: "The petrol tank?" One thing was immediately clear: this was not a variation of the previous "Nitrous" or "Octane" freeride models.
This is something completely different. With the "Gambler", Scott wants to create a platform that can be set up as a World Cup-capable downhill racer, but also as a playful big bike for the bike park with slopestyle qualities. To achieve this, the frame was designed to be very variable. For example, there are dropouts of different lengths. Freeriders mount the short ones, while downhillers mount the long ones for a smoother ride. You can do similar things with the steering angle. Downhillers like it flat (64°), freeriders steeper (66°). The rear suspension travel also offers three options: 190, 210, 230 mm travel. The good thing is that you really only need a few adjustments. Of course you can combine. For example, we rode the downhill version with a double-bridge fork and 230 mm travel but short chainstays. The rear suspension immediately makes you feel the fat reserves. If you can't do the big drop on this bike, you can't do it on any other. Even on a two-metre drop into the flats, your wrists only tingle slightly - the suspension swallows the impact like a thirsty camel swallows oasis water. Even for rough bike parks, the Downhiller seems "too much". With a bike of this weighty calibre, you have to leave the throttle on and glide down into the valley at Mach 1. Anything else is rubbish. That's why we hopped on the freerider, which can of course also be "converted". Instead of a double bridge fork, the Rock Shox "Totem" is installed. But the Freerider also weighs an impressive 20.5 kilos. Some may frown at that. However, the robust and low-maintenance design has enormous advantages. For example, it's hard to imagine the "Gambler" breaking its frame. And if there is a bit of gravity involved, the pounds are not noticeable anyway: The bike rides lively, can be pulled into the manual with a light pull of the arm or pushed off into the air for a bunny hop. All in all, a coherent concept.
The entire individual test is available as a free PDF download.
