Unusual NBD – Bold Linkin Ultimate

Really treated myself with this one, very different to anything I’ve had previously but a *very* tempting offer coinciding with my usual new bike itchy finger and well, you know the rest… Frame only but comes with the cockpit, dropper post, tracloc, Save The Day Kit tools pump etc, both travel options and Fox Factory Shock.

I’ve been incredibly impressed with my Scott Scale XC bike bought last year, and Bold are basically a Lexus to Scott’s Toyota. Made by Scott, sold by Scott… The Linkin fits somewhere between the Spark and the Genius, with either 135 or 150mm travel. I’m at 135 initially but have the linkage to run 150 in the future – I’d need a new fork though. I suspect I’ll conclude by Summer that I may as well run it at longer travel as there shouldn’t be much drawback.

Very different to what I’ve and before, integration, carbon, adjustability etc. I *love* the fact that at 178cm, with my stumpy legs, I can run 190mm of drop, yet have over 490mm of reach – I’m not sure there’s any other frames out there that match that and it was one of the big attractions. Most size large riders blessed with typical length legs would run the included 200mm dropper or more, but kudos to J’s Cycles who as part of the deal let me experiment to find the optimum length and swapped it for me.

The integrated cockpit – yes, I see this as a positive after my experience with the Scale. Easy HA adjustment, works great, looks great… Don’t believe Pinkbike, cables through your headset won’t burn your house down. Great for attaching race plates too!

In here, the Save The Day Kit – tube, pump, tools, tyre levers etc. And easy access to the shock for adjustments.

And hidden in here, a 55mm stroke shock. Is Kashima still Kashima if you can’t see it!
Low CofG, out of the mud, and the really neat travel indicator to help with setup instead of the o ring – super cool. It runs Scott’s Tracloc like the Genius ST – open, traction mode or locked out.

The bike is so different to the alloy trail bikes I’ve had before, full of tech, the bonkers lightweight bar/stem, the headset and frame adjustments, the tools and storage, the Tracloc system, the monster dropper length and like my Scale it’s beautifully finished (Raw matte carbon and I’ve gloss filmed over it)
Feels somewhat extravagant and wouldn’t be anywhere near on my Radar at RRP but it was basically half price and everything has swapped over with no extra spend of parts needed.
Took a while to get it all built and I’ve only done some setup round the estate, but desperate to get out at the weekend!

😍

Very nice. Even with it having a lot of major things I wouldn’t have myself, there’s no denying the cleanliness of its looks.

I’ve a rust red Linkin 150 custom from component swaps.

Lovely looking bike and has been on my wish list since the original bikes launched so a huge bonus when my 2023 genius st was delayed and I had an excuse to get the bold.

It rides great, descends superbly but weighs notably more than my previous generation genius tuned even without

A bit of play in the tracloc cable ferrules perhaps in part due to the 0.8mm inners and skinny outer means it’s hard to dial in full lockout and I’ve pulled the rear shock more than I’d like.

Have fun though!

Oh, hello, that looks fun…

that is a lovely looking bike. congratulations.

Yes, those skinny cables were not something I’ve come across before and it took some time to work out how to get everything setup and tensioned correctly.

The whole bike build took a fair while as its complex and you have far, far more to do than something ‘regular’. There are even a couple of service bulletins and mods to perform on the frame ex-factory, parts included, but I enjoy it, and I think it’s worth it.

With everything nicely hidden away from damage like that they’re missing a trick if they don’t do a bike park version. Excellent marketing opportunity too.

Although I was sceptical about so much worth the first Bold model, and I’m not keen on headset cable routing or one piece bar/stem things, they seem to have got the geometry, the suspension behaviour, the dropper post insertion and the storage, very right. And I’m sure as Scott are how involved they’re very light too! Have fun!

Super looking bike. I hope you keep us updated on the ownership experience.

NEver heard of these… but i do love a shiny new bike thread 🙂

Looks really nice and the geometry sounds spot on, not sure I could cope with the cables myself though.

I reckon they look ace 👍 

it’s in my maybe wishlist for the future but I’d need to be able to remove the shock cabling leaving it open as the lever arrangement spoils the otherwise clean looks. Ditto, wireless gears and seatpost would be the icing on the cake.

NEver heard of these… but i do love a shiny new bike thread 🙂

Yes, we noticed 😉

Looks fantastic – especially in that carbon finish with the gloss tape over the top. Very clean looking and I’m sure it rides well.
I do all my own maintenance so I don’t think I’d fancy one myself – internal routing annoys me enough already without routing brake hydraulic lines through the stem.
You’ll have to come back and update the thread on how it rides – sounds like the geometry is sorted – I’ve got a lot of time for short seat tubes and still having decent reach. There are a few companies that do that sort of thing – Transition / Bird etc – but a lot of companies still have quite long seat tubes which puts me off their bikes

Inspired by some comments elsewhere, I thought it about time to come back to:

@theoo

Super looking bike. I hope you keep us updated on the ownership experience.

@joebristol said

You’ll have to come back and update the thread on how it rides

Best. Bike. Ever.

Naturally, there is a large amount of consumers bias in this. I got a stonking deal on it, but its still an expensive purchase and you’d bloody hope it wasnt awful but here goes…

6 months in as I’d expected given my experience with the Scott Scale, there are absolutely no issued caused by all the things the internet/pinkbikers/stwers like to scream about. Press fit BB is totally silent on both bikes. I’ve had the headset apart and bearings are still like new. The internal cabling has caused me precisely zero issues on either bike and I’ve done brake hose installs and changes on both – it takes 5 minutes longer than it would for ‘regular’ internal routing. Throwing a new gear inner in is no different to any other bike.

Tracloc, is superb. It really, really suits my riding. I love how different it is to regular compression damping lockouts, which give you a wooden, numb feeling bike. Because the Tracloc/Nude Shock changes the shocks volume, not just the damping – it really does feel exactly like changing to a shorter travel bike. It climbs brilliantly, grippy, active, comfortable but very efficient – just like you’d expect a<30lb 100mm travel bike to feel.

I use it constantly, flicking between modes just the same as we are use to flicking our dropper posts up and down constantly these days. Positioning of the levers took some time to get right as initially I was getting thumb pain – all sorted now though with trial and error.

I run it in slack, but high, settings. I’m on 170mm cranks, could potentially go for 165 but the true settings are more like ‘low or lower’, and I like my technical climbs so any lower and I”d be striking the pedals too often.

What the bike feels like is that the centre of mass is very low to the ground – which gives me so much confidence when riding – I have been absolutely charging lately, notably so, and the bike must take some credit for that. It turns really well despite being long, which I can only think is helped by the COG and the confidence in grip/traction it gives me – I feel much happier really leaning the bike over and pushing, pressuring into corners and berms. The ability to run the long dropper and get myself down really low, because of the short seat tube, is also key I think.

I’ve done a few longer Marathon type rides, e.g. the Fox antifreeze, lots of midweek trail centre laps, a fair bit of off-piste woodsy exploring and the Hamsterley Beast Enduro last month, which it was absolutely ideal for.

I bought some really nice, mega bargain Zipp carbon wheels which were intended for my hardtail but I could not help put them on the Bold when riding tamer trails/XC and they naturally only improved it, dropping more weight too.

I did a 6 monthly partial strip/bolt check/deep clean and had one pivot bolt that was slightly undertorqued, all bearings feel like new, no play or looseness anywhere. Shock came out to check, its absolutely spotlessly clean, none of that oily tide mark you get no matter how well you look after it. The built in chain guide is a little underwhelming and flexy, however I never used to drop chains anyway so I might just take it off. Doesnt rub or make noise though, and it probably onle weighs ten grammes.

Finally, the bike, even with a downtube full of spares and tools, is absolutely silent – which is so satisfying!

I do wish there were two sets of bottle bosses, 2 smaller bottles would be nicer than one big one, I reckon on the size large at least they could have managed another set under the top tube.  The rear axle with the built in 6mm/T30/T25 is useful and though this fork is a Fox QR, my other Scott has a bolted up Rockshox SID and its great having the tool always to hand when loading into the car etc.

This is massively vain, however definitely linked to how much I’m loving it – it gets a lot of comments – What is it, it looks awesome, I’ve never seen that before, hey look at that bike etc…. yes, cringe I know, but it does make you feel good.

To summarise – I’ve been riding for 25 plus years, I’ve had some really cool bikes but this one is bloody special. It was a massive indulgence for me and it pretty boutiquey, but I am very glad I bought it.

Sounds like you’ve ended up with a great bike for you!

When you have a bike that you gel with and that brings out the best of your riding, and that doesn’t do anything annoying (creaking, rattling, breaking etc!) it’s just the best place to be in as a MTBer.

(Actually, some more time to ride my bike would really help too!)

That really does look nice with the lack of cables.

I’m impressed you have had so little trouble with it in 6 months, sounds like it’s getting loads of riding.

How much does it weigh? Just curious 😃

I bet it’s lighter than my steel hardtail!

While I personally don’t like the headset cable routing or all the integration. I do think that they are extremely good looking bikes. Possibly one of my favourite as they just look so clean and the black colour makes it look even more stealth and tidy.

I hope it rides as well as it looks because she’s a beauty.

Just weighed it for interests sake – complete with caged (heavy, budget) spd pedals and big dollops of tyre sealant, 2.4 Maxxis Forekasters, but no tools in the downtube it’s 13.4kg (29.5lbs).

In reality that’s an easy 12 point something kilo bike when comparing manufacture specified weights which are always dry and without pedals etc.

Not XC mega light but pretty good for what it can do.

See, it is lighter than my hardtail and that doesn’t have any gears!

@snotrag thank you for the in depth posting. I’m very unlikely to ever have a bike like that but I’m interested in innovation so it’s very interesting, hope you continue to enjoy it!

Great feedback, thanks. And happy that you are enjoying it so much. Still a great looking bike.

Great weight! mine with xm1501s and kryptotal/xynotal, XT and an oneup carbon bar/alloy stem cockpit is probably 32lbs.

If I didn’t have a spark I’d totally do the light carbon wheels thing.

What’s the angle adjustment headset like – is that dependent upon proprietary parts? Can a normal headset replace it if needed?

I’m curious about one of these given the deals to be had. But slightly weary of proprietary parts that could be hard to source if anything goes wrong.

@allyharp its the Scott/Syncros sytem, which I am now running on two bikes.

This is listed for a Spark but its the system in the Spark, Scale, Bold Linkin etc etc…

https://www.syncros.com/gb/en/product/syncros-zs56-28-6-zs56-40-mtb-headset?article=2882510001222

This is what the cups look like:

https://www.westbrookcycles.co.uk/scott_spark_headset_cup_kit_2022-18967

Bog standard bearings. Cups are ‘keyed’ and fit one way or the other.

With each frame or bike you get the regular 0 deg headset cups, then also the plus/minus 0.6 deg cups, plus the parts to run with either a regular stem, or the Syncros cockpit.

Changing from +0.6 to -0.6 requires nothing more than loosening your stem bolts and spinning the cups round. Changing to the 0deg cups you need to de-cable.

You cannot run a ‘regular’ headset, however from my own research and what I’ve read, Syncros are pretty good at supporting stuff (look how many bits for older Scotts are still available online).

Plus, although its proprietary, its not specific to this bike, its fitted to LOADS of other Scott models.

See the animation about 2/3rds of the way down this page:

https://www.scott-sports.com/gb/en/spark-rc

For reference, my Scott is now 18 months old and the Bold is 7 or 8 months old, both bikes have been ridden regularly through winter and beyond, both have been regularly hosed and washed. Both have bearings that  absolutely fine and zero play/creaks/anything at all to worry about.  Ditto the PF BB.

I quite fancied one of these and wondered if you’d weighed up any alternatives. I’ve been looking at the Genius ST and wondered if anyone had compared the two.

Also has anyone compared the two different travel versions back to back and care to offer some feedback?.

The genius st has the piggy back nude so theoretically a better shock, however the platform and kinematics are different. Wether or not the bold is/isn’t optimised for 150/135 as it can do both is a fair question. I does go up and down really well though

My kid loves his genius st although he has the alloy version and it’s a bit porky.

I really like my Linkin 150 but I think i’d be too heavy a bike in 135mm when my spark feels several pounds lighter and significantly faster.

My previous genius was also lighter but the Linkin is a much more competent descender

If I were building up a bike for my wife, I might do a linkin 135 and a 150 fork, but her current  2018 hmx Genius at 28lbs is still all the bike she needs. I can’t see a linkin getting anywhere close to that even with silly light carbon wheels

Yes the fox x on the genius appeals along with the slightly longer stays on the genius. However I think I prefer the look of the bold just a touch, need to see them in the flesh ideally. But as you say two different systems vpp v single pivot. Both similar overall use  concepts although perhaps the genius st errs a bit more towards the downs and comparing a 150 pro to the genius 910 ST similar specs as well.

Weight wise I can’t quite get my head around it. My man maths spreadsheet says the builds would be similar as a Linkin hmx carbon frame is about 3kg and the Genius 910 hmf carbon/alloy is about 2.8kg plus shock at around 550g so 3.35kg.

Not much in it but I’d have thought the Linkin was a fair bit lighter, may just be the deceptive chunky genius silhouette tho. I’m a bit of a recovering weight weenie but think I’d maybe get a build in around 29lbs with some nice kit.

Anybody been able to source a spare linkage for the Linkin too. Scott (importer) seems to think it’s not orderable. In truth I’m on the fence I’m not sure I’ll need it as have a Vendetta X3 for milder days out and the tracloc should help anyway.

My Bold came with both linkages, plus the tooling required to change.

I had initially assumed I would be wanting to get a bigger fork ad run it in the longer travel mode, but as it stands I’m running it with the (fantastic) 2023 Fox 34 factory at 140mm and the frame at 135mm.

I did look at both the Spark and the Genius, I think the Linkin falls somewhere between the two which felt about ‘right’ for me and the crucial one – the Bold has much, much more progressive and suitable geometry – in particular the seat tube length:reach ratio.

The Scotts  are always considerably taller in the seat tube, and shorter in reach. Makes a big difference for me at 5ft10/178cm but long torso/short legs.

I’ve been a bit e-curious too and the Lumen really appeals but I’d have to go down to a medium.

@hutchgee I’m in Yorkshire if you wanted to look at one.

I did enquire about one yesterday  but  problems for me is its 3 weeks out and 250 miles away to view ..

Thanks guys, good to get some feedback. I’ve not been looking at full suss bikes for a bit and think I may have gotten drawn into the old bigger is better malarky when really I won’t be doing much really big stuff… (tho a little bit of me thinks the Linkin or the genius tracloc will let the bike deal with most things terrain wise anyway).

My last trail bike was a Following which was fine for most things travel wise.

Thanks for the offer of a look at yours snotrag. I’m in Lancs so not too far away (don’t hold it against me, I used to live in Sheffield).

Anyway as has been said the Linkin 135 looks a good middle ground so I panicked a little and went for it (seemed to be selling out in a few shops in my size). I’ve had vpp before (in an Intense Tracer) so hopefully not too much of a surprise there and will just have to see how I get on with the geometry. Should be fine as I tend to just go with the flow with these things.

If I do ever get tempted to go for bigger travel I can look into the longer linkage if anyone finds themselves not using one maybe. It’ll take a 160mm fork too so it should be solid.

Any reflections on setup. I noted that the shock only has rebound settings (rather than the float x on the Genius), is it relatively easy to dial in anyway?.

Ref setup – the Fox Nude Shock is effectively the current model Fox Float with the extra air chamber added on so you do only get the rebound adjustment but sacrifices compression adjustment for the dual air chamber setup.

Initially I had set it up way too firm – it’s important to note that the travel indicator shows ‘actual’ travel and not shock shaft travel – with most bikes being progressive, this means on the Bold you need to set the sag quite deep compared to what you might be used toon some bikes, more towards the 30% figure.

This means you get a lovely plush, bottomless feel in full travel mode, and use the traction mode for when you want something firmer feeling – climbing, flow trails etc where you want some support. Full lockout works for Tarmac.

Is anyone aware of a rear mudguard that works with this style of super low seatstay? To cover both the rider and the bike.

I recently purchased a Linkin Ultimate 135 (at a substantial discount) and was surprised how many extra bits came with it:

Two extra headset spacers
Different angle headset cups
Two tubeless valves and 125 ml bottles of Synchros sealant
Front fender
Crank arm boots
Small magnet (and two spares) to measure rear shock sag and travel
…

Initially rode it in the default setup and stock configuration (other than removing Fox front fork volume spacers and swapping the wheels with a hand-built carbon set). The “save the day” tube/pump kit is cool though adds 430g and separate mini tool (magnetically attached in the same underside compartment) weighs 76.5g.

Liked the feel of it overall though the carbon bars (with integrated stem) seemed a bit low. I added the extra pair of headset spacers (raised it a total of 1cm above the steer tube) and will have a go with it again today.