The Nukeproof Scout doesn’t have all the bounce of its enduro racing siblings, but Nukeproof thinks the ride can be just as exciting.
For 2021 the Nukeproof Scout gets new build specs and colours, but the frame stays the same. Is that news? Well, in a world where it’s pretty hard to get hold of a hardtail, the news you might be most interested in is the on sale date: 14th November is when they’re expected to be in your local bike shop. So if you want one, go and see your local dealer now, before they all get preordered.
Do you want one? Let’s see if Nukeproof can persuade you that you do. We’ll start with their little ode to the hardtail:
For many (not all), the hardtail fell victim to rapid evolution of our young hobby/ sport/ life and was cast aside to make way for full suspension magic carpet rocket ships, bikes that allowed riders to shred harder, faster and give you a little life vest when seas got a little rough. The hardtail was almost just painted with the “good entry point bike” brush. Whilst this is still true in some regards and we love a good full suspension bike, there has been a resurgence in recent years of a new breed of hardtail that is amazing to witness. Their simple clean lines have been seducing riders with their charms as well as the promise of a return to minimal, raw, no fuss riding with extra-large side helping of wildness. To attract these riders a select few hardtails underwent a mini makeover. Beefing up in all the right places, picking exotic top shelf components and gorging on the same “long, low & slack” geometry diet and that their full suspension brethren have been enjoying.
The result of this remodelling is that this evolution of hardtails is much more usable and have a much wider bandwidth to operate within. They excel at everything from an everything from XC hacks, laps of the trails to shredding technical enduro/ downhill runs, this new generation are a versatile and capable lot. The Nukeproof Scout has long been part of this new romantic cohort of frames, since its origins in 2014, the Scout has been building a dedicated following made up from devoted Hardtail shredder, N+1 winter bikers through to riders just curious about Scoutin’ About.
2021 Nukeproof Scout 290 Geometry
| Frame Size | Medium | Large | X-Large |
| Reach | 425 441 (SAGGED) | 450 466 (SAGGED) | 475 490.5 (SAGGED) |
| Stack | 639 628 (SAGGED) | 643 632 (SAGGED) | 643 631 (SAGGED) |
| Effective Top Tube Length | 620 615 (SAGGED) | 646 641 (SAGGED) | 671 666 (SAGGED) |
| Seattube Length | 420 | 460 | 510 |
| Effective Seattube Angle | 73° 74.5° (SAGGED) | 73° 74.5° (SAGGED) | 73° 74.5° (SAGGED) |
| Seattube Angle (Actual) | 71.3 | 71.3 | 71.3 |
| Headtube Length | 105 | 110 | 110 |
| Headtube Angle | 65° 66.5° (SAGGED) | 65° 66.5° (SAGGED) | 65° 66.5° (SAGGED) |
| Chainstay Length | 440 | 440 | 440 |
| Front Centre | 774 | 771 | 796 |
| Wheelbase | 1175 1162 (SAGGED) | 1202 1189 (SAGGED) | 1227 1214 (SAGGED) |
| Bottom Bracket Drop | -70 -80 (SAGGED) | -70 -80 (SAGGED) | -70 -80 (SAGGED) |
| Bottom Bracket Height | 300 290 (SAGGED) | 300 290 (SAGGED) | 300 290 (SAGGED) |
| Stand Over Height | 720 | 760 | 810 |
| Fork Travel | 130 140 (PRO) | 130 140 (PRO) | 130 140 (PRO) |
| Fork Offset | 46 | 46 | 46 |
| Axle to Crown | 542 509.5 (SAGGED) | 542 509.5 (SAGGED) | 542 509.5 (SAGGED) |
| Maximum Seatpost Insert | 270 | 310 | 360 |
2021 Nukeproof Scout 275 Geometry
| Frame Size | Small | Medium | Large | X-Large |
| Reach | 400 417 (SAGGED) | 425 442 (SAGGED) | 450 466.5 (SAGGED) | 475 491 (SAGGED) |
| Stack | 608 596 (SAGGED) | 608 596 (SAGGED) | 613 600 (SAGGED) | 613 600 (SAGGED) |
| Effective Top Tube Length | 586 581 (SAGGED) | 611 606 (SAGGED) | 637 632 (SAGGED) | 662 657 (SAGGED) |
| Seattube Length | 380 | 420 | 460 | 510 |
| Seattube Angle (Actual) | 73° 74.6° (SAGGED) | 73° 74.6° (SAGGED) | 73° 74.6° (SAGGED) | 73° 74.6° (SAGGED) |
| Headtube Length | 105 | 105 | 110 | 110 |
| Headtube Angle | 65° 66.6° (SAGGED) | 65° 66.6° (SAGGED) | 65° 66.6° (SAGGED) | 65° 66.6° (SAGGED) |
| Chainstay Length | 435 | 435 | 435 | 435 |
| Front Centre | 709 | 774 | 761 | |
| Wheelbase | 1139 1125 (SAGGED) | 1164 1150 (SAGGED) | 1191 1177 (SAGGED) | 1216 1202 (SAGGED) |
| Bottom Bracket Drop | -50 -62 (SAGGED) | -50 -62 (SAGGED) | -50 -62 (SAGGED) | -50 -62 (SAGGED) |
| Bottom Bracket Height | 310 298 (SAGGED) | 310 298 (SAGGED) | 310 298 (SAGGED) | 310 298 (SAGGED) |
| Stand Over Height | 690 | 710 | 720 | 770 |
| Fork Travel | 140 150 (PRO) | 140 150 (PRO) | 140 150 (PRO) | 140 150 (PRO) |
| Fork Offset | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 |
| Axle to Crown | 529 494 (SAGGED) | 529 494 (SAGGED) | 529 494 (SAGGED) | 529 494 (SAGGED) |
The promo video for the 2020 model is worth another watch if you missed it last time:
Nukeproof Scout Key Features
- Hydroformed 6061 Triple-Butted Aluminium frame
- 65º head angle (66.6º when sagged)
- 1191mm (Large Scout 275) wheelbase
- 435mm chainstays
- “trail appropriate” tyres
- clearance for the wet dust out back (2.6” in 275 and 2.5” width in 290)
- 140mm fork on the Pro model (130mm on others)
a little corner ripping punk, excelling when pointed down trail or sending off a lip.
Nukeproof
Way back in 2017 we tested the entry level Scout Race including taking it – mostly for a walk admittedly – down the Nordkette in Innsbruck, often billed as one of the most difficult MTB trails in Europe. (Hannah feels a little better about having a cry now that she knows that.) Happier times were had on the Crankworx DH race track, also in Innsbruck, so if the entry level version can get a bike journo down that, the Nukeproof Scout is surely up to what you’ve got planned for it?
Go find your dealer now if you’re interested!
Comments (3)
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I thought Nukeproof were owned by CRC, didn’t realise you can get them from actual bike shops.
@jeffl if you check out the Nukeproof website you can see a list of dealers. The bikes won’t be on sale on chain reaction until they’ve got the actual stock, whereas your local bike shop might let you preorder whatever stock they know they’ve got coming.
They look awesome. But trying to get one is a NO NO. looks Like All the shops have already sold out of them. MONTHs before they even had a spot of paint on them.