Well, it was going to happen…hybrid content

Flat bar ‘gravel bike’ from Scott.
With some suspension/damping hidden somewhere.

The circle keeps turning

SCOTT Goes Flat-Bar Gravel with the Scale GR RC

April 1st came round quickly.

Never been a fan of XC race MTBs.

Looks like a more colourful saracen levarg from 2016

Wot no dropper?

I’m OUT.

If it wasn’t for the fact that it’ll cost a fortune, I’d have one of those like a shot.

Lame. I’d rather ride a mid 00s 29er.

I’ve always thought the Whippet is what a gravel bike should be.

I reckon the fundamental problem with rigid MTB’s claiming to be gravel bikes is that they don’t have the top end, what’s that? a 32×11 top gear? and 32×52 granny gear? i don’t think with the weight and intention of a bike like that, it needs that kind of climbing gear? maybe if it was a 36 or 38 chainring it would be a bit more on the money, but i’d be surprised if Transmission has that as an option

Maybe you could fit a 2x drivetrain to it to get a good range of high and low gears?

My flat bar gravel bike (Marin dsx1) has 38t chainring and 11-51 cassette. When fit I’m a decent enough climber to rarely need the 51. 38-11 is good for low 30mph which is all I can really be arsed with these days tbf. I popped normal (not onboard) bar ends on mine. I love it, but do keep looking at racey dropbar gravel bikes/road bikes!

I like the look of that Scott, tbf with a fat front tyre it’d probably do me for 95% of my ‘mtbing’.

I reckon the fundamental problem with rigid MTB’s claiming to be gravel bikes is that they don’t have the top end, what’s that? a 32×11 top gear? and 32×52 granny gear? i don’t think with the weight and intention of a bike like that, it needs that kind of climbing gear? maybe if it was a 36 or 38 chainring it would be a bit more on the money, but i’d be surprised if Transmission has that as an option

that’s at least a 36 or possibly a 38 on the pictured bike. Pro-xcers use a 38 or occasionally a 40 so would expect a Scott scale to be able to fit one. 10 is the smallest cog on the back.

Who is riding gravel bikes above ‘low 30mph’? Are you an Olympian? Or does it happen for 2 seconds every 50 mile ride?

To clarify low 30mph happens down hill, on the road! My gravel rides usually take in a reasonable amount of road due where I live.

I had one of those

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No wait I mean

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No wait I mean

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No wait I mean

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No wait I mean

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Missing a couple though.

I dont mind that, but I’m based towards,racey hardtails.

Based on my experience of Scotts carbon offerings I’m sure it rides very nicely

Looks good – apart from the fork / down tube interface, that makes it look like the fork is on the wrong way round to my eye.

Taking MTB back to the NORBA roadies-offroad era of 1991

Or

Making a more useful gravel bike format for maybe 50% of gravel bike owners

Making a more useful gravel bike format for maybe 50% of gravel bike owners

*raises hand

I’ve got a Spesh Diverge Expert E5 Evo (…Turbo GTi HD 16v I think is the full title) on order, which isn’t a million miles from that, and I can’t wait to get it as I think most of my miles will be done on it.

Mountain bikes are pretty bulldozery now so I see the appeal of gravel bikes for riding stuff that’s not a road but isn’t a radical gnaarfest without sucking the life/interest out of it. And I don’t want drop bars because, although I get someone doing the Tour Divide might like a multitude of hand positions, I don’t need it for a two hour blast, and I’d instead prefer the greater control of a flat bar.

yup, looks like a 38 is officially available for transmission,  makes it a little more useful,

to add, i had a flat bar Saracen Levarg a couple of years back, was an absolute hoot, but i still find my NP Digger to be better than something like that in all ways road to trail, but i do love the way a rigid, carbon, light mtb looks