Scott USA Product Launch

We've seen Greg Herbold, the iconic former downhill world champion, howling-out moto sounds and tearing-it-up aboard these trick machines. Flip through any Euro mag and they'll be center stage, leaving us all wondering the same thing: If they're called Scott USA, why can't we buy them here?

Lucky for us, Scott Montgomery, the former vice president of Cannondale, heard these inquiries--and he's bringing 'em back stateside. But before we go into detail about the fresh lineup, here's a short history lesson for those who don't know (and if you want the extended version, check out Vernon Felton's "APRIL 7 - Sorta Cutting Edge News").

Montgomery took notice of Scott USA's innovations and by early in April, he became vice president and general manager of Scott USA's U.S. sales. Right now Montgomery is busy finding retailers and crunching numbers, but he expects to have prices soon and ship bikes by the fall.

At the Hyundai Sea Otter Classic we had a chance to ride the new lineup alongside current marathon world champion Thomas Frischknecht and Greg Herbold himself. Here are some of the bikes that Montgomery is excited to bring to the U.S.

Genius MC-10

First off, the Genius MC is very impressive. Standing for Marathon Concept, the MC's five-inch-travel rear suspension is ideal for long rides like...a marathon cross-country race. It features a Scott USA-manufactured Genius TC rear air shock and a solid-feeling, handlebar-mounted lever that switches travel from wide-open to heavily damped to locked out completely. The Genius MC rides super plush in the wide-open "All Travel Mode," nearly bob-free in the heavily damped "Traction Mode" and hardtail stiff when locked out. Plus the TC shock has a blow-off valve, so it won't be damaged if you hit something while locked out. Five models will be available including the MC-10, equipped with full XTR, a Fox Talas RLC fork and Mavic Crossmax Disc wheelset.

The Genius RC is the MC's racier cousin. The RC features a similar suspension design with the same three-way adjustable Genius TC shock, but has 3.5 inches of rear travel instead of 5. The geometries are set-up for quicker handling and a 7005 scandium "Scan 2" tubeset is employed for a lighter, more nimble frame. The top-of-the-line model is the RC-10, weighing in at 24 pounds out of the box, complete with a Fox F80X fork, XTR drivetrain, including disc brakes and Scott/DT Swiss wheels. If a dream bike like that's out of the budget, the same winning frame design and shock will be available without all the XTR and scandium on the RC-30.

On the gravity-assisted side, Scott USA's bikes are just as advanced. The High Octane is their new downhill weapon featuring 7 to almost 9.5-inches of single-pivot rear travel, a carbon fiber seat tower and limitless adjustment possibilities. In fact, the head-tube angle can be altered by 2 degrees with the rotating head-tube inserts, and the seat angle can be changed with the adjustable seat tower. The High Octane uses a RockShox Boxxer Race fork, Fox Vanilla RC rear shock, Hayes MAG HD brakes with 205mm rotors and XT/LX drivetrain. It even comes with a triple chainring in case you ever dare pedal this 37-pound monster up a hill.

High Octane

When the time comes to leave the World Cup DH series and tackle the North Shore, the High Octane FR is the ideal machine. It runs on the same high-tech, highly adjustable frame, but travel drops to between 5.5 and 7 inches. The FR's freeride-friendly parts include a Manitou Sherman Breakout fork, Manitou Swinger Coil SPV four-way rear shock, XT/LX drivetrain and Hayes MAG HD brakes with 205mm rotors.

Inspired by the performance of the High Octane, the freeride-worthy Nitrous uses a similar single-pivot frame, with 6 or 7 inches of rear travel, but without the carbon seat tower and adjustable head-tube. The 7005 T6 frame drops the price and still handles the big hits with ease. Three models will be available including the Nitrous 10 with XT drivetrain, Hayes MAG HD brakes and Marzocchi Z150FR.

Nitrous 10

Check out www.scottusa.com for detailed information about the entire line. Retailers and prices should be posted on Scott's site before too long.