Hi,

I am thinking about building a Scandal 29er for my wife. She is an experienced rider and a Scandal would seem to fit the bill. However, she has read a Bikeradar review that suggests the handling is a bit nervous when fitted with a modern largish (45mm) offset rigid fork, which is what we are looking at. The review also says that this would become much worse with a sagged suspension fork So, who’s got one, what forks do you run, especially rigid, and what do you think of it? Would you recommend it for an experienced, but not particularly aggressive rider?

Cheers

It’s a racing frame so I’d expect a bit of twitchiness. Mines in a box waiting to be built though so can’t really comment!

I’m experienced but not particularly aggressive – I love mine. I like on-one bikes, they’re designed for my style of riding. Where I reckon the cotic soul is aimed at people who attack the trail, weighting the fork and digging into corners, on-ones are aimed at people like me who hang on for dear life and hope to god they’re still on at the bottom

anyway, this is my 16″ scandal 29er with on-one rigid 29er forks

ScandAl by Notoriously Bad Typist, on Flickr

it’s ace

On One carbon fork here. Not nervous at all, just ploughs on. I did try a 100mm reba once but found it a bit ‘disconnected’ but that was probably just me. It’s a wheels on the ground bike really! (Can’t believe I just said that!

Mines currently wearing rigid forks for the winter but usually has 100mm Reba’s, and for me it’s ideal, i’m a fairly experienced rider but not exactly the king of hucks, i generally keep the wheels on the ground, and i have found the Scandal to be extremely stable and not in the least bit twitchy. I’d have no problem reccomending it to anyone.

I’ve got the 21″ version with Rebas on the front. It’s my first taste of a 29er and I love it (had it over 18 months). Tempted to put a carbon rigid fork on soon though.

The only thing I’m struggling with is tyres – the front likes to make me nervous at any opportunity. I’ve tried Conti Mountain and Race Kings so far. 😕

Slight hijack what is the max width tyres you’ve used inthe rear?

I’ve got 2.25s in at the moment. They seem fine

19,5″ V2 29er (1780 gms) built as winter bike with old parts to avoid my posher bikes getting trashed. 3 x 9, 120mm Rebas, old square taper chainset. 26-27lbs. Wide bars. Short stem. Rides great. Found the rear a bit harsh. due to the 31.6 seatpost – have a 27.2 & shim to try sometime. The Scandal is a product that on one have really sorted and at £150 for a frame cant go wrong!

Mine.

WP_001790 by h4muf, on Flickr
It’s my “go to” bike,love it! it’s now got 100mm Reba’s on it and a Reverb.

Mk 1 scandal with rigids after 100mm manitous….much better with rigids on 2.4 front and 2.3 rear, i found the rear pretty comfortable and overall the bike very stable and not at all neverous. I did struggle with some tech off road climbing but downhill it is a streamrller and very good in the twisty stuff.

Yeah I would have preffered a 27.2 seatpost for more comfort rather than a 31.6 dropper friendly thing

I’ve a Scandal 29er V2 with On-One 29er carbon forks…710mm bars 80mm stem, 2.2 Bonty ACX tyres. The raw finishes looks great. Had it a few months and find the steering spot on, don’t find it twitchy…new bike is going to feel different, just takes a bit of getting use to. Taken it down pretty much everything I ride on my full suspnsion bike which can be a touch brutal but in a nice masochistic way 😈

:edit: Joplin is on it at the moment but I also bought a Gravity Dropper seatpost shim off CRC (They come badged up as Cane Creek, all have a 27.2mm internal dia and are in a good 100mm length) so I could use my carbon seatpost I had knocking about.

Mk2 frame, run it SS with bouncy rebas, have a slackset fitted to mine to make it less twitchy but seeing as I had it fit from new I cant say if it was twitchy before, I find it a great bike just need to save up for a reverb.

Great, thanks, sounds like I am not barking up the wrong tree then! I think I’ll try it with the On One carbon monocoque forks and see how we get on, but from what everyone has said, suspension forks won’t upset it at all. Spot on.

Cheers

Got a mk 1 frame with 465mm Exotic carbon forks. Feels fine – quick steering but not scary aggresive. I plan to get some 100mm forks when the weather improves a little and keep the rigids for winter.

Just got back from a night ride and tried my mates newly built v2 scandal 29er, my first go on a 29er. Had reba 100mm forks. Felt very sure footed not twitchy at all.

On a side note. –
What shocked me the most was how natural/normal it felt right from the off, I was expecting it to feel massively different, but very pleasantly surprised. Having about 30 mins riding two different 29ers, it felt odd getting back on my 26er 🙁 and I love my bike. The other was a cube reaction carbon hardtail. That was definitely more twitchy handling than the scandal. IMO.

reba’s up front 100mm, I find it sure footed it’s lots of fun, stable, great handling running 1×10 bike of choice at the moment really enjoying it, off to Dalbeattie tomorrow should be fun. Front hose shortened since this picture.

I’d go so far as to say mine is playful…..definitely not twitchy with 100mm Fox Floats. Point and shoot, like my Zesty.

I have a 16″ 29er one I run with rigid Exotic carbon fork and I have run it single speed, geared and even with semi road tyres. I have to say that this bike has been my favourite, but it is one of the original slot drop out ones in scandium. The frame only weighs 3lb.


A friend also has a 26er Scandal and he rides that with rigid carbon Exotics and he love it!
I also HAD a scandal with Reba’s 100mm and it was brilliant. I do regret selling it! 😥

Get her a Scandal, you will not regret it and don’t believe all you read on Bike Radar. Just ask ALL the people on here about the Scandals. That will tell you something!

I second the stable but really nice steering comments from above.

Yes, it’s best not to believe everything you read, but it was a bit off-putting for her, having read it. But with all this positive feedback I’m sure that’s what we’ll go for.

Cheers

Gratuitous photo:

gate 573 by placid casual, on Flickr

And what I thought to it when I first rode it here

flawless at Dalbeattie today, every time I ride just seems better than the previous times does feel very competent and its comfortable, so pleased and I got it when they were £149 blinding value for this much fun.