I have given the bike some tyres that it deserves, a 2.6 vigilante up front and a 2.4 fast rolling trail boss at the back. I’ve also stuck on a 30 degree stem and SQ labs bars, clearly that’s my preference and I doubt most would appreciate those changes. I did a quick local spin and it felt transformed from my earlier ride, so I thought a proper test would be in order. Enter Eastridge from stage left.
I figured the bike would be ok at Eastridge and just planned to do the standard red and black; still pretty demanding on a hardtail and always left me absolutely knackered in the past. I needed to drop the tyre pressures pretty low early in the ride as I was having real issues when I hit root sections at speed, but after that, the scandal was superb, exactly what I expected from the bike originally. I still felt fresh after the red and black so did several more of the more severe runs, including some of the near vertical, fully committed (and quite slippy / rooty) trails from top to bottom; I was a bit nervous about doing some of them on a hardtail but really shouldn’t have been; just needed to make sure I didn’t hesitate and did hit the sections at speed. I’m mega surprised how well the Scandal tackled some serious stuff, although I have learnt a whole new level of respect for the rear wheel and greasy roots, I’m sure I will improve at that with practice and cut down on those special moments when the rear wheel shoots sideways 🙂 I hang my head in shame, after my first ride I almost put the bike up for sale, that would have been a huge mistake.
This is a bike that deserves proper tyres!
steamtb
Full Member
I have given the bike some tyres that it deserves, a 2.6 vigilante up front and a 2.4 fast rolling trail boss at the back.
@Steamtb Can I ask what you didn't like about the Morsas and what sort of terrain you mainly ride on? I've got them on mine and set them up tubeless. I found the front end had a tendancy to wash out to start with but I put that down to me not being used to the LLS geometry. I've been making an effort to keep my weight forward and this seems to have helped. They seem OK on loamy and rooty areas around me but I've only been doing local loops so far.
@lankystreekofpee unless I put them at really high pressures (poor grip and felt awful) they squirmed really badly on hard corners, drops and jumps. Just not a tyre I liked in any way.
I ordered a GX in Medium (I’m 176cm) last night, semi by accident (don’t ask!), but was actually intending to buy a steel HT.
I know, trigger happy 🙄 but how compliant is this compared to the Big Dog, or should I get in touch (god knows how!) and go for the steel BD?
Is the Big Dog the same sizing?
Ex Solaris and Tarn owner. Dead comfy, forget traditional views of alu smashing your back. Especially true since they changed the cen for steel frames.
Great thanks!
Price of the builds hasn't gone up but bare frames BD and Scandal are presently £700.Perhaps they've had to invest in bigger boxes...
The twits that couldn't buy them 'cause they were cheap now can.
I think when the frames are at *full* pricing they are not actually intending to sell any - they will be getting used for builds.
When they run out of parts to do cheap builds or there are lots of spare frames on the shelf, the frame price will go back to something more sensible.
Still pleased I got in at £149 though!
Regards comfort/compliance - I haven't ridden a big dog, but I've had stacks of steel frames in the past, Cotic, Dialled, Genesis etc etc, always been a big fan.
Now, however, we are in the days of 29ers, short seat tubes, big low pressure tyres and very good forks, I think the 'advantage' of a steel hardtail is being gradually eroded, to the point where the build and geo make much more of a difference to the bike than whether it's steel or alloy tubing. I wouldn't base my choice on material alone these days.
Or to put it another way, I wouldnt choose steel purely for ride comfort these days. Looks, durability, coolness etc are all valid, reasons for steel of course.
Durability. I have had ally frames go baggy. No idea if that still happens. I agree that big tyres literally take the edge off the difference. On One must have bought a lot of frames though. I really liked my Dialled but I went 29 and they didn't so I got an Inbred. Think more would have been sold if they'd named the BD Sinbred son of Inbred. That's what it is.
Now, however, we are in the days of 29ers, short seat tubes, big low pressure tyres and very good forks, I think the ‘advantage’ of a steel hardtail is being gradually eroded, to the point where the build and geo make much more of a difference to the bike than whether it’s steel or alloy tubing. I wouldn’t base my choice on material alone these days.
I agree with this 100% plus years of experience designing and building frames have helped make frames better. Plus a kilo lighter makes a big difference.
Thanks folks... spoke to PX earlier and the chap echoed the comments above. Will stick with the scandal and use the £200 saved for a dropper and new bike trousers!!
Are the frames really £700 now. That's crazy money.
I'm only just in a position now to be looking to buy and kept my eye on the Scandal's but as is my luck they are either sold out or bloody £700. Maybe its not to be for me.
Cheers
Mike
P.S. If anyone has a XL frame they want to sell, please message me or call on 07584413433
Px prices go up and down all the time. Just sign up to the news letter (warning you get an email every day) and be ready for a decent price
Ordered a large last week, due to be built later in November. Then I found this site/thread...
I'm 6ft, and the planetx size guide says I should go large, but everyone on here says large is too large, and medium is ideal.
However, the size guide says I'm 3 inches too tall for a medium.
Is the planetx size guide wrong, and if so, why haven't they updated it?
Do I need to change my order?
You'll have read thread more carefully than me. I think my son is 5 foot 10 be bought a medium based on this thread. He has had two brief rides he says it seems big compared to his old geometry bike but not too big. He says he has space for a 170mm dropper so it's certainly not huge
I am still struggling with the sizing guide and a couple of staff at Planet x saying 5ft 11 ok for large where as customer experience seems to be go medium. My Boardman hardtail has a reach of 441 which seems very comfy and is closer to medium on the Scandal but my only criticism of the Boardman is it feels too short on steep singletrack but the head angle at 68 degrees doesn't help I'm sure. Please help me make my mind up haha
I’m 5’11”, I tried a mates large (With a 35mm stem) after reading what Brant had said on here and have sold my unbuilt large frame as a result, I’m sure I could’ve lived with it but it felt pretty big.
I’m 6 foot and really, really like my Large. I haven’t ridden a Medium but don’t feel the need to.
Taking a look at the Geo chart the medium Scandal has shorter chainstays , shorter reach, both by 10 or so mm than the Big Dog. The wheel base unsurprisingly comes out about an inch less. The seat tube angle eschews fashion and follows tradition for pedalling efficiency. It's slacker than the Dog. I have the seat on my Dog slammed back and definately would not buy a steeper seat tube frame without a test. It's easy to move the seat forward though and not one person has commented on this.
Based on my 5' 8" I can't see how a medium would be right for someone of 6' in the cockpit at least. Wheelbase is another matter. Bikes have got much longer and that does require some adjustment.
Bit of a story behind the purchase of my Scandal.
I broke my arm in two places at the end of June while on a local ride (Humerus & elbow fracture)
I'm usually pretty active so the downtime while on furlough & recovering wasn't something I particularly enjoyed so I thought I'd give myself a new bike build project.
On a restless Saturday I saw one of the Planet X flash sales and snapped up (or so I thought) an Orange Scandal with minor paint chips for the usual bargain price. The rest of the weekend I used planning & searching for parts to complete the build.
Now before we go on I've seen plenty of stories regarding negative customer experiences from Planet X. I've got to say my overall experience was very good albeit a little slow in response time.
Monday came & went without the frame arriving, only then to have an email from Planet X cancelling the order as out of stock. After I couple of emails back & forth with them I found that they'd sold the frame twice. As i'd already started ordering other parts a straightforward refund wasn't going to work. After another email exchange they agreed to send me a new frame at no extra charge. The only catch was they were out of stock until the end of August.
Great I thought. On with the build!
Then they dropped the price of the GX build to £999. Even with savvy buying there was no way I'd be able to build-up the bike with the same components for that price, so I cancelled the frame and bought the complete bike!
It arrived really well packaged and also a little ahead of schedule.
Just need to get back in to riding again now. Is it wrong that I don't want to get my new shiny bike all muddy??
I'm looking at frame protection for it before I start taking it out in the grime. Any suggestions from anyone?
Invisiframe is my go-to. Amazing quality and worth the money.
I just stuck some matt clear frame tape I had kicking around on my mates Scandal and works fine for his bike.
I’m looking at frame protection for it before I start taking it out in the grime. Any suggestions from anyone?
I'd just make sure you've cable guides/protectors on and just ride it.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/SODIAL-Housing-Covers-Protector-Bicycle/dp/B075FP6BSL
Internally routed so you aren’t gonna get much in the way of cable rub. I’ve always found that even wet grimy shorts will rub the frames paintwork. If you aren’t bothered, don’t use any protection, if you are, do. And if you don’t mind shelling out, Invisiframe is awesome.
Thanks all.
Been looking at the dyedbro kits. Will just use cable guides around the headtube.
singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/can-we-have-a-whats-the-new-scandal-like-to-ride-thread/page/3/#post-11448142
I am ordering a couple of the Dyebro kits this week after getting a look at them on a couple of Matt Jones’s bikes. Look cool, hope the quality is good.
I feel its worth pointing out - I dont think you will need any tape on the headtube - Despite being the cheapest frame I've had n ages the Scandal has the best thought out cable routing I've seen - there are NO points where cables can rub once installed - a design touch I really appreciate.
Chainstay needs some protection and possible sides of the top tube from your shorts. I just havent bothered, never do.
My large turned up on Friday, built up yesterday.
Packaged all perfect and not a mark on anything - I got the amber/orange one, looks superb.
Size-wise - I'm 6'2" but long, long legs and a normal body and arms - large fits perfectly.
Weighs 13.1kg as it came.
Wheelwise, mine came with WTB i29 rims.
All very nice for £1k and my OH would not believe that's all it cost - based on my normal spending...
Ok, so rode it yesterday - 40 miles and 5000ft.
Real impressed with it, nice feel and the RS35 fork is decent.
I did though use a different wheelset (for the tyres) as I didn't fancy a big day out on unknown tyres. The bike did deliver as I felt safe & secure even though my 'winter' tyre combo was a Mary front & Minion SS rear.
I reckon though that I could've gone XL, paired with a shorter stem - if for nothing else to get a taller stack. As it is, I'll play about with the stack/stem to lift it up.
I've not ridden an alloy HT for +10 years, still got and riding (until a couple of weeks ago) my old 456Ti - but I didn't feel beaten up, I reckon it's a keeper.
And I've spent the £200 saving on a 200mm dropper 🙂
I’m building mine up now and reckon large would be borderline for my height but I’ve long ape arms and I’ll whack a sun 40mm stem on a riser bar as per my full suss.
I have a C456 so I expect a more compliant frame and 29” wheels and tyres should be more comfortable- or that I ever got too battered on the C456.
How do people think it would ride on a set of Exotic rigid forks?
Says they're corrected for up to a 130 fork on a 29er.
Running selcof rigid fork on mine. Rides great bit choppy over rough stuff as expected but upper body workout guaranteed 😉
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What's the biggest fork anyone is running?
I've got a nice light Reba, low rise bars, skinny mavci wheels etc on my build which is great given I use it as a second/XC/local rides only type bike.
I need to do a bearing change on my Hightower which means stripping it - I'm tempted to put all the 'good stuff' onto my Scandal, which would be a Fox 36, 4 pot brakes, 30mm wide dt wheels and big tyres etc and run it as my only mtb over winter.
Fox34 29er 140mm
That works fine but yr 36 may be quite a bit longer
What’s the biggest fork anyone is running?
Mine's got the RS 35 at 130mm that came with it, but measured up my X-Fusion McQueen is the same axle-to-crown at 140mm.
I've ordered a Medium....
What length seat post are folks using?
Thinking of a Brand X dropper...
Im 5ft10 and run a 125mm dropper, I could fit a 150 when riding clips but when on flats its just a little too tall at full extension.
I've got short legs/long body mind!
Measure and check carefully is my advice, although it means a bit of faff and delay, I'd wait till you get your frame (and maybe try a spare regular seatpost) to make your measurements before ordering a dropper.
I’m running 150mm dropper on medium. I’m leggy
I'd ordered a 170mm, but, once I'd got the seatpost it came with at the right height I changed my order to a 200mm.
Large.
Cheers folks-will have a measure with an old dropper. 👌🏼
Planet X selling scratched frames via ebay. Just got one.
Planet X selling scratched frames via ebay. Just got one.
£250 for a damaged frame. Makes my early order of £150 look an absolute steal.
£150 was obscene and £250 is still a snip depending on just how paint chipped they are?
I got one of the earlier batches of slightly damaged frames. One small chip on the head tube and that was it, obviously the bargainous of this was cancelled out by the forks and wheels I had to buy but ho hum.
