VAR DV-71700 Digital Bicycle Scale

Product Information

Reasons to buy: Ditching the chainstay pivot has only improved its speed. No more Brain makes suspension set-up easier. You’ll need tighter reins compared to a true down-country bike, but the Epic Evo is more than capable of winning on Sunday, shredding on Monday. As XC courses have evolved, so too have the bikes. As such, modern XC races will probably see very few races won on a hardtail, with lightweight full-suspension bikes proving to be the most efficient over the majority of race courses. Even at the highest level of World Cup racing, the pros have realised that effective suspension and confidence-inspiring geometry can bring bigger gains than just weight saving and efficiency alone. While most new bikes come with inner tubes inside the tyres, a simple upgrade is to go tubeless, using liquid sealant inside the tyre to seal the air and even fix minor punctures without getting your hands dirty. So look for tubeless-ready tyres and wheels, to make the switch easier.

And just like Nino, the Scale itself has dabbled with different wheel sizes, with Scott eventually settling on 29in wheels across all frame sizes, including the women’s specific Contessa options. Rolls fast, more stable at speed and less interrupted by bumps, which makes them great on a hardtail, so long as the geometry is right. Wheels can be weaker and heavier though. What are the best components – like forks, brakes and tyres – for a hardtail? Whyte 909 X Enduro hardtail 10. Whyte 909 X A UK designed hardtail with a sublime ride quality and dialled handlingDon’t worry too much about things like grips and saddles, as these can be changed relatively cheaply at a later date to suit your personal preference. Look for modern geometry Wheel size: 29in | Frame sizes: S, M, L, XL | Weight: 13.25kg (29.2lb) | Suspension travel: 130mm front | Rating: 10/10 We tested the Trek Procaliber 9.7 a couple of years ago and it blew the competition away to take the top step of the podium in our grouptest, and the current model uses the same OCLV carbon frame with effective, trail-smoothing IsoSpeed decoupler.

Most brands will provide an online size guide, that will give you a recommended size based on your height. But be careful with these online size calculators as they’re not always that accurate. If in doubt, we’d recommend you go for the largest size you can get away with that still provides adequate standover clearance. Wheel size: 29in | Frame sizes: S, M, L, XL | Weight: 14.88kg | Suspension travel: 120mm front | Rating: 7/10 The bridge-less seat stays are curved and long, increasing compliance but we did occasionally clip our heals on the equally wide chainstays. All cables and the rear brake hose are internally routed, with securely clamped frame ports for a quieter ride, and there’s compatibility for a dropper post too. SuspensionWheel size: 29in| Frame sizes: S, M, L, XL | Weight: 13.9kg | Suspension travel: 130mm front | Rating: 9/10 Scott’s Scale has an enviable racing pedigree 3. Scott Scale A frame design steeped in racing pedigree