Golden mean or tired compromise? Let's leave the assessment of the 650B wheel size aside for a moment. The topic is as philosophical as the question of whether Bob Dylan is the better guitar strummer or Neil Young. World champion Nino Schurter rides 650B. That should suffice as a reference.
While other manufacturers are still observing the young 650B segment with a wait-and-see attitude, Storck and Scott are already sending classy marathon hardtails with 27.5-inch wheels onto the slopes. These medium-sized wheels are designed to combine the agility of 26-inch wheels with the smoothness of 29-inch wheels. Relaxed full throttle? Both bikes have unmistakable racing genes. Flat cockpits, performance-ready equipment. So off to the starting block. The notorious marathon at the BIKE Festival on Lake Garda is guaranteed to expose any weaknesses in your equipment.
The geometries of the Scott and the Storck differ only in nuances. However, the only notable difference is noticeable shortly after the starting shot. The Scott forges ahead with a long top tube and short stem. This makes the bike agile and easy to climb. However, the Storck, which is equipped with a shorter top tube in combination with a longer stem, masters extreme steep sections with a touch more composure. In contrast to the Scott, you don't have to slide forward to the tip of the saddle to tame the rising front wheel. Both frames are stiff. A wafer-thin lead for Storck after the first third of the race. Into the middle section of the course, where the challenging trail concentration demands the utmost from man and machine. Steep, rocky trails partially covered in damp leaves!
The lack of a handlebar lockout on the Storck makes for some tricky situations when constantly going up and down. No hand should really leave its grip position here. An advantage for the Scott, which boasts a three-stage adjustment lever on the cockpit. Unfortunately, the narrow tyres have their problems in the slippery, rocky fields. The wider tyres of the Storck grip much better. Both forks are forgiving and sufficiently torsion-resistant thanks to thru-axles. Braking and shifting are equally convincing, although the Scott is equipped with XT and the Storck with significantly more expensive XTR components. Blindfolded, there would be absolutely no difference. A tie in this section.
92 kilometres and 3800 metres in altitude drain your energy reserves. Drinking is the be-all and end-all. However, the Storck only has one bottle cage. There is no provision for fitting a second one. A huge shortcoming for a marathon bike. The frame of the Scott is much more user-friendly. Two deep bottle cage positions make it possible to transport two large bottles. A big plus point for this. Both bikes crossed the finish line without a single defect. Tyre to tyre. Fork to fork. In racing, this is called a photo finish.
Storck Rebel Seven
PLUS Stiff, top-quality frame, gears and brakes, very smooth running, thru axle front and rear
MINUS Only one bottle cage, no handlebar lockout lever
Test result VERY GOOD / 124 points
Scott Scale 710
PLUS Balanced handling, super light, stiff frame, first-class trail characteristics, thru axle front and rear
MINUS Narrow tyres, boring look
Test result VERY GOOD / 123 points
