Dance Like a Butterfly

Somewhere during my second ride on the Scott Scale Limited, probably near the end, I finally put my finger on what was bothering me about the bike. It wasn't the tight geometry, long top tube, carbon frame or ridiculously low weight. I had already grown to love those features. No, what bothered me was the way an old man with his son who were casually rolling along a stretch of fireroad headed back to the trailhead looked at me skeptically as I rode past. "With a bike like that, shouldn't you be going, uh, a little faster?" their bewildered faces seem to suggest.

They didn't even know that the frame on this bike weighed just 980 grams, that the entire bike weighed just over 19 pounds or that it was designed for Thomas Frischknecht to blow through the short steep climbs and tight corners of the Olympic course in Athens. They could just sense that I wasn't getting my money's worth of this glossy black, all carbon racing thoroughbred. Cruising down some fireroad on the Scale, I realized, was the equivalent of Oprah Winfrey mounting Secretariat for a trot around Central Park. This bike demands that you ride all-out, all the time.

So I pushed it a little harder my next time out. Although I have to admit that I held back initially, not entirely convinced the feather-light carbon frame could withstand the thrashing delivered by a slightly overweight desk jockey who has as much fluidity as Spongebob Square Pants. Over some larger bumps and a few little jumps, the frame creaked and gave off a sound I initially mistook as a moan. After several rides I realized that this actually was the bike laughing at me, begging for more punishment.

Well, maybe not, but this bike quickly proved it could withstand a pounding. Although carbon is inherently strong, Scott tweaked the manufacturing process to layer carbon fibers where they are needed most and eliminate them where they are not, kind of like a custom-butted aluminum bike. These fibers also are tailored to provide different ride qualities in different areas. For added strength, the Scale's downtube flattens out near the bottom bracket, creating a solid platform for pedaling and transferring power. On top of that, the bike's oversize seat tube is so wide (34.9, to be exact) you could almost shove an egg through it.

So this bike is crazy strong, stiff as a board and accelerates faster than anything I've ever ridden. It made climbing enjoyable. Honestly. And despite the frame's rigidity, it isn't harsh. Scott engineers, led by Peter Denk in Germany, managed to retain some of carbon's compliant qualities and when riding over on small bumps and chatter, the frame absorbs much of the abuse. On burlier terrain, the bike rides as if it were made of aluminum, only way lighter. With a long top tube, short wheelbase, low bottom bracket and steep head tube, this bike is the probably the most fun you will ever have on a corner-unless your name is Charlie Sheen.

When it comes to parts, Scott's product managers must have had a field day with the gram scales. Every single part seems chosen for one reason-too keep weight under 20 pounds. Ritchey WCS carbon bars and aluminum stem, FSA carbon cranks, RockShox 80-millimeter Sid World Cup and an XTR drivetrain. It also comes with DT Swiss XR 4.1 rims with ceramic sidewalls that are mated to DT's 240 hubs. To save weight, the front wheel has 24 spokes in a two-cross pattern, while the rear has 28 spokes laced in a traditional three cross design. And when was the last time you saw a bike that came with $400 Egg Beater triple-ti pedals?

Although Scott accomplished its mission, the spec did open the door for some complaints to creep in. The Scale comes with Scott's 2.0 Manx tires, which feel even narrower. Wider rubber, though heavier, would add a little stability. So would stronger wheels. And I know a lot of people who would swap the RockShox fork. But we're talking personal preferences here. This bike is fully capable of lining up at the start line of any NORBA race right out of the box. And it damn well better be for $5,500. Just be prepared to ride it all-out, even if you're not racing.