Scott's signing of Brendan Fairclough, one of the most popular and stylish racers on the circuit, was big news this off season, and while there were many photos of him training aboard a bright yellow Scott Gambler downhill bike it was no secret that Scott was busy developing a new race machine for Brendan and the rest of the Scott 11 team. The rumor mill was going into overdrive with whispers of a new carbon framed bike but, unlike many other companies, Scott was able to keep the new bike under wraps until they released these somewhat purposefully guarded photos to Pinkbike of Fairclough and the team testing in San Remo, Italy. The Scott 11 team will also be on the new machine at this weekend's World Cup race in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, so you can expect more detailed full bike photos to come soon.
The prototype Gambler features an aluminum frame and a linkage activated shock.
While it is hard to round up much information from the above photo, it's easy to see that the bike employs an entirely different suspension layout from the previous design, even if it does share the same 'Gambler' name. The vertically mounted shock is activated by a linkage, that much is clear, and new frame also appears to
not be made from carbon fiber. That's not to say that we don't expect to see a carbon framed Gambler at some point in the future but, given the price of frame molds, one can understand that Scott's engineers would want to be confident that the team is 100% satisfied with the design before progressing to carbon.
Fairclough testing the new Gambler in San Remo, Italy.
www.scott-sports.com
I'm a fan of single pivots with progressive links, just funny to see that this design is coming back with so much hype.
www.vitalmtb.com/photos/features/2012-UCI-World-Cup-Pietermaritzburg-South-Africa-Day-1,3370/Slideshow,0/sspomer,2
What looks interesting though..... are those 2.5" DH Version Schwalbe Hans Dampfs DH version??? O_O
And I was right, they completely changed the linkage, it doesnt only look excesively complicated and heavy, it looks hideus! Scott just lost a costumer if thats going to be the new Gambler....
So if you're still reading I would like to share my perspective on the thought that's goin through everyone's mind as the read this post; "How does it work?..."
So to begin, take a look at the rear triangle. It s a one-piece swingarm chassis mounted on a single pivot to the seat tube. The body of this chassis extends past the pivot and around the shock, where it attaches to a vertically positioned link (the V-link). The shock is mounted to the front triangle just above and forward of the BB. The previously mentioned v-link attaches to the other eyelet of the shock and creates compression when the swing arm is activated.
So... Still w/ me? Really? ... Cool.
As I was saying; a one piece swingarm mounts to the seat tube and compresses the shock via the vertical link.
Perpendicular to the vertical link is a horizontal link (H- link) which attaches at one end to the frame and extends forward attaching to the v-link at a pivot that is just below the v-links shock mount. The h-link creates a floating pivot point that allows for the tuning of either compression rate or axle path. Maybe both? Hopefully it at least helps with the brake-jac.
This unique prototype frame appears to share similar designs to previous Scott bikes, with the swing arm having almost identical lines to that found on the later Scott Nitrous frames. And it seems one might say the front triangle is a hybrid between the Genius LT & the Voltage.
So yeah, that's what's I got to say. Not sayin I'm right. Just sayin...
If you're still reading, thanks!
http://www.southerndownhill.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=261335.0;attach=30872;image
here it is side on
www.pinkbike.com/photo/7837550
which DH fork has a tapered steerer?
taper the head tube so you have to run a reducer headset as a bottom cup?
Want a single crown bike.. the voltage is killer in that application.