8-28-07 // Previewed: Scott Releases The Gambler

Rene Wildhaber Scott USA

To match its 150-millimeter thru axle rear end, the Gambler comes with a massive 83-millimeter wide bottom bracket shell, making for a no-nonsense chainline across the cassette range. Additionally the BB shell sports ISCG and ISCG 05 mounts to play nice with the chainguide of your choice.

The bike’s pivots use standard cartridge bearings and even have clearly marked axles to eliminate mixing parts up during an overhaul. M8 bolts are spec’ed for the bike’s shock hardware, making for rock-solid, easily changeable shock positions. Other critical pieces like the shock mounts and dropouts also are forged, and the Gambler saves weight in crucial places by sandwiching monocoque construction in between forged pivot plates and by using carbon fiber seat stays. Complete bikes weigh in just over the 40-pound mark.

Key to the bikes development, says Grelier, was the collaboration between test riders like American-turned-Swiss trailbuilder Ben Walker, free-rider Mike Hopkins and Mega Avalanche racer Rene Wildhaber, all of whom were on hand to show off and ride the new bike (except Walker, who crunched his shoulder the week before).

Although Scott has just gotten back into the U.S. market in the last few years, the brand has persevered in Europe and around the world, where it maintains a following rivaling any of the big bike companies stateside.

The Gambler follows on Scott’s successful and innovative Ransom, a highly versatile lightweight all-mountain bike, and its high-performance/gossamer-weight cross-country machine, the Spark, with a frame and shock weight under 4 pounds. (Look for Bike’s review of the Spark in the November issue.)

As far as first impressions go, Scott’s Deutschland brain trust has come out with another winner. I got a chance to spend time on both the FR and DH versions of the new Gambler and the bike was confidence inspiring on Chatel’s steep, rocky and muddy trails. Even riding the alps for the first time, and in greasy conditions, no less, I found little to blame on the bike. Look for the Gambler to hit stores soon.

The new bike ranges in price from the entry-level FR 20, at $2,730, to the wish-you-were-sponsored DH 10 at $6,230. However a more budget-friendly DH version, the DH 20, is available at $3,159, and a primo freeride model, the FR 10, comes in at $5,250. Frames will sell for $2,100.