Scott's New DH Prototype Looks Closer To Production - Lošinj DH World Cup 2018

Apr 19, 2018 at 9:22
by Daniel Sapp  

SCOTT Proto
PROTOHYPE SEASON
Scott "Gambler"
Photography by Ross Bell

We first saw photos of a very similar DH bike from Scott a few weeks back at the third round of the Portugese National Series in Lousa. This week, it's become apparent that Scott could be close to a finished product. Brendan Fairclough posted a photo on Instagram featuring the raw rig and photographer Ross Bell was able to get some more up close photos. Currently, we don't have any additional information available other than what we can see and the Scott team is keeping a tight lid on any details, so it's time for wild speculation.

Is it a new Gambler? It certainly looks nothing like it. Gone is the Gambler's trademark "floating" scissor link and many other design notes. The new bike appears to be on 29" wheels and is using BOS's Obsys fork and Syors shock. Geometry looks to be adjustable to some extent, perhaps to accommodate two different wheel sizes. A closer look at the suspension reveals a fairly high main pivot and an Horst link layout. It undoubtedly builds on some of what Scott has done with the new Spark and Genius.

photo
Instagram: @brendog1

photo

SCOTT Proto
SCOTT Proto

SCOTT Proto
SCOTT Proto

SCOTT Proto
SCOTT Proto

SCOTT Proto
Is it close to production? When will we see details from Scott? Only time will tell.


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173 Comments
  • 297 3
 I'm not going to say it. You can't make me.
  • 19 10
 Yep it looks like S... id does
  • 6 2
 it does!
  • 139 0
 So the Gambler has become an Aurum and the Aurum has become a Commencal?
  • 24 5
 Looks like a GT. There, I said it.
  • 22 9
 This years Sea Otter party theme will be "Celebrity Look Alikes"
  • 38 1
 Toyota Prius
  • 27 2
 let's just say it looks uninspiring.
  • 6 0
 Paint job makes me think of this for some reason.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=djV11Xbc914
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: i'll be there to provide coverage of said party. follow me on pb to receive pic highlights
  • 2 0
 just came here for a good chinwag: horst link
  • 1 1
 ????????????????????
  • 1 1
 @amirazemi: Yes, but it "pales" in comparison.
  • 1 0
 @employee7: I think the reason is pretty obvious no?
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: deep fakes
  • 1 1
 @amirazemi: S.. Hmm. Saracen indeed?
  • 1 0
 @employee7: is this the new Rick rolling? The Ahahahahahaha?
  • 3 0
 Ill say it for you it looks like a Kona! There done sorry

On another note I'm still waiting to see the BOS Dhyos for they teased last year, I wonder what ever happened to it ?
  • 1 0
 Certainly doesn't look like a toaster, or a priest, or even a packet of crisps..... so I can rule out all those.
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: Waki you fool. This is world cup not sea otter!
  • 1 0
 @employee7: Ah ha!
  • 67 0
 Its cool that companies that are bigger like Giant and Scott are going to smaller companies for their parts. Separating from the usual Shimano and Fox, or all Sram packages. Its a little exciting to see what companies like BOS and DVO can prove with these hook ups. I hope good things.
  • 5 24
flag hamncheez (Apr 19, 2018 at 10:08) (Below Threshold)
 I don't know that I would call TRP a 'small' company
  • 41 2
 @hamncheez: Did I mention TRP?
  • 10 0
 Bos was bigger but their amazing lack of customer service lead them to decline in popularity. Now I only see pro bikes or older used bikes like YT have bos suspension.
  • 3 1
 There is one reason alone why we only saw fox, shimano and sram on every team's bikes.

I wonder why that "cha ching" seems to be less important this season.
  • 3 0
 @jaame:
teams need money, teams look for sponsors with money

yeah what a riddle
  • 3 0
 Yes, it is a riddle. Sram, fox and shimano were paying, and everyone was using. Now everyone is not using, so what happened? They stopped paying, or some of the little guys took out bank loans?
  • 43 2
 This is so 2008....

www.google.com/search?q=trek+session+88+silver&client=firefox-b-ab&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=dCylYJHZu4r6HM%253A%252C3959vI6LR5ZqfM%252C_&usg=__NcHPjyY_lndrAXBx3Apzg82vvdE%3D&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjTwcTL48baAhUBBywKHYTZCkgQ9QEILDAB#imgrc=3_0lLLbPPABxHM:
  • 16 3
 Ha.... Original... Ha...
  • 4 9
flag Joegrant (Apr 19, 2018 at 10:10) (Below Threshold)
 session!
  • 9 0
 how far we've come. Or er.....not
  • 2 0
 I had that exact bike! I ended up knocking about 5lbs off it too with a series of lighter component upgrades. Sold it to some lad who worked at Alpe D'huez.
  • 3 0
 First thing I thought was "2009 called, they want their standover height back."
  • 3 0
 damn .. the resemblance is uncanny. We've been played by clever marketing for the last 10 years
  • 31 0
 forget the bike...that fork tho.
  • 16 0
 Too right. All it needs is a Sunn Radical behind it and an ET pointing it in the right direction.
  • 1 0
 @BenPea: I wouldn't say it better :-)
  • 2 0
 @BenPea:

Ohh I always wanted to try out a Sunn Radical- this was such a unique cool looking bike
  • 2 0
 @NotNamed: Radical+,not Radical-.
  • 3 0
 @BenPea: with a perimetrical square tubed frame ! Jesus I'd kill for one of them with updated geo. Dream bike like.
  • 19 2
 So the patent on the session is now officially available for all to use. Please dont rush, plenty to go around. A session for everyone!
  • 4 0
 So many manufacturers ending up in that simple design.
  • 3 0
 @migkab: it seems like it's one of if not the most efficient use of tubes. There's really not alot of configurations that legit put load just at the nodes (and here especially into an already beefy area, the BB). So it's not surprising that it's catching on. Things get blurry with carbon though, where it seems you can be a little more creative with the load paths (for ex, canyon sender. But still lined in the direction of the headtube node)
  • 4 1
 Look under your seats! You get a Session! And you get a Session!
  • 3 0
 Funny then that the only patented part of the session is it's ABP (did it get granted or did DW contest it, can't remember) which it utilises because it is a single pivot -this Scott isn't. The session has more in common with old Konas that pre date it by years than it does to this bike.
  • 3 0
 That's an interesting one. Trek filed for a patent. DW sued them for infringement of Split Pivot. They quickly went back to their drawing room and changed all the dates on their drawings, then claimed they came up with it at the same time as DW. The patents office agreed with them, and then received another patent fee... which is why they are there apparently.
  • 5 0
 @jaame: source: dude trust me?
  • 2 0
 @Asmodai: look it up!
  • 1 0
 I've heard its because it allows engineers most flexibility in suspension design by moving pivots/links around a bit
  • 1 0
 @Racer951: I remember reading a post on here straight from Dave himself, to add to what you said above, trek did do exactly what you said and more. once the patend office agreed with Trek, they (trek) went after Dave, and he ended up moving his brake mount from the seat stay to the chain stay to avoid more litigation with Trek, and they were both awarded patend's based on where the brake was mounted along with the pivot point. (if I remember it all correctly...) funny how everyone hates on the big S, and no one ever mentions the crappy things other big companies have done to ppl.....
  • 2 0
 @nikoli: the Wilson uses the upper stay as the swingarm, the session uses the lower stay. So relative to the swingarm and linkage, the brake mount is in the same place on both designs... which is what allows it to do what they say it does, apparently.
  • 16 0
 Looks like they had a productive designing Session. It was a bit of a Trek, but they got there
  • 14 2
 Oh look it's a
_______ _______ _______ _______ _____ _____ __ _
|______ |______ |______ |______ | | | | \ |
______| |______ ______| ______| __|__ |_____| | \_|
  • 10 0
 i know it's fun to say it looks like a... but let's realize something with this convergence of bike design. these designs are proven to work for their intended application. rocker driven 4 bar suspension can be tweak here and there relatively easily to achieve the riding characteristics wanted by the riders and designers. this isn't a bad thing. really it's not. same as so many tires are now looking similar because elements of those designs just plain work. everyone likes to talk about how so much of DH came from moto but seem to be bothered when suspension and tire design eventually settle down and into what works for the application, just like in moto. i know everyone wants to stand out from the crowd but i personally will take a simple suspension design that rides well for its intended use over over a suspension puzzle just because it looks cool or different.
  • 10 1
 Looks way better than a session. That rocker link is stout. The seatstay bearings on that thing are as big as the main pivot. Awesome job Scott.
  • 1 0
 agreed
  • 8 1
 To the layperson (me), every brand seems to be making the same bike. I'll bet they're all more-or-less as capable as the others - especially when being ridden by the layperson (me).

Things just become style and brand-allegiance based.

The one other thing I'd say is: good for Scott, because the last gambler (to me) was hideous.
  • 7 0
 I must say I loved the previous Gambler. It was so moto, a huge sturdy mother F. It suited Fairclough and his style, it was a match made in heaven. Now... Jesus...
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: Damn right. The old frame just looks so at home having the crap beat out of it. Fairclough, Vink... those guys send it. The standover on this looks too high now for such aggressive and out of shape riding.
  • 10 0
 Looks like a Hyper.
  • 8 1
 This paint job (or lack thereof) and graphics that look like they were a quick sharpie job? Sign me up.
  • 4 1
 Olivier Bossard Was instrumental in suspension development with the SUNN racing team back in the day and he has some hella strong beliefs about bikes being a sum of all parts and that just because you have fancy shocks doesn't mean your bike is gonna be all that much faster.... he even has talked about spoke tension between bike designs could have huge effects on the bike as a whole. Makes me wonder if that with SCOTT teaming up with BOSS Mr. Bossard had some input about the old rear suspension design found on the gambler and him not being a huge fan of how it was performing and drove SCOTT to try going to a more conventional Horst Link design that gave them maybe even just more normal characteristics or something.
  • 8 2
 no bottle cage mounts, NEXT!
  • 6 0
 For Christ sake, don't call it a Gambler, call it something else.
  • 11 0
 They need a quick brainstorming session.
  • 5 1
 Harambeler
  • 3 0
 Gambling Session
  • 3 1
 Amazing. They managed to use a clevis shock extension thing to make the shock's effective eye to eye longer, and a trunnion mount to make the effective eye to eye shorter... but at least both of those things are more prone to causing shock failure. Brilliant.
  • 1 0
 Another reason behind this is to allow for different wheel setups. Remove the clevis and it'll drop the BB by a large margin, allowing 29" wheels to be fitted. Don't have to worry about the shock moving in unintended directions, because the trunnion mount will restrict its movement. Kinda brilliant, really.
  • 1 0
 @PHeller: It'll drop the BB by about two inches... and there's already a flip chip below it. Mmm, useless redundancy, sign me right up.
  • 2 0
 If Pinkbike built a dh bike, and they listened to every single one of us commenters...it would still wind up looking like a Session, or some form there of. I would call that, an Armchair Quarterback Session. no pun intended.
  • 1 0
 So many bikes are using Similar design..... Dont know... may be it cheaper to produce and bike works really well...but point of view from buyers... it is horribly boring..... I Feel orange or some of those not sure but we have our own way to go... kind a bike is way more attractive.... To be honest..... i love previous versions... It was so.... Gambler... Hate it hate it.... scott do better.
  • 2 0
 I bet BOSsard brought along his whole bike concept to Scott race program. The brendog should produce at least a podium this year.
  • 3 1
 I was just thinking that it will likely never see the podium. I'd love to be wrong.
  • 1 0
 @BenPea: Why do you think so? I have to Admit that the brendog isn´t a fix bet regarding world cup competition, but bossard was fundamental for sunn´s domination in the late 90´s
  • 2 0
 @BenPea: Scott need a rider capable of getting a podium
  • 2 0
 @jimmythehat: Precisely. Brendan is good, but look at the field. Is he even top 5 in the UK? He's the British Blenki, who I love nonetheless and who did admittedly hit some heady heights a few years ago.
  • 3 0
 Bikes are so fun these days, it's all just the same with a different badge on it, I'll just buy the cheapest thanks.
  • 3 0
 Super clean and great color!! Bye-Bye bull$#@% Fox orange....you need to exit stage left in a big way!
  • 5 1
 Sharpie art for me if I ever get a raw frame that's for sure!!
  • 1 0
 Does this mean, that in future the bike industry would be like the clothes industry? One factroy in China is going to produce for all brands and the difference will just be the lable? :-o
  • 2 0
 The front triangle is the same as the old gambler, its only a new rear end.
  • 1 0
 Whaaat daa... why the hell all frames are becoming to look exactry the same? aurum, session, two15, commencal, glory and 20 others.. whats the point?
  • 2 1
 I guess they finally ditched that over engineered single pivot and decided to jump on the FSR wagon like so many others. Disappointing.
  • 3 0
 why because it is better now?
  • 1 0
 @Asmodai: Do we know it's any better. And I think it's a shame that companies are just giving up on developing their own suspension platform and just all going to a fsr platform. We need different choices.
  • 3 0
 BRENDOG ON CLIP PEDALS ?????????
  • 2 0
 That fork looks sooo slick, especially with the frame's stance and paint job!
  • 1 0
 looks like a 2011 trek session 88 for sure or a 2013 session 9.9 either way looks nice
  • 2 0
 Oh, I’ve never seen a session in that color.
  • 1 0
 More importantly... if this is Brendog's bike, clips.... (Insta photo shows flats)
  • 2 0
 Looks like a (insert here)
  • 2 0
 That bottom shock mount though. I like.
  • 1 0
 That weld on the seat stays worries me. Pretty high stress area to have a welded tube, No?
  • 2 0
 Proto or maybe he real world engineers think it's ok, so it probably is.
  • 1 0
 Geez every bikes looks the same these days, I miss the days of unique linkage designs.
  • 1 0
 All new Dh bikes are starting to look the same. Boring. Preferred the old gambler, was a unique looking beast.
  • 1 0
 I’m surprised Scott has moved away from their scissor link. That was their trademark Frown
  • 1 0
 Quite a change after the mad linkage they had before, I'd actually come to quite like that haha!
  • 2 0
 Meh...dissapointed..
  • 1 0
 theres porosity on some of those welds lol
  • 1 0
 yeh, they arent exactly pretty, let alone well formed.
  • 2 0
 It session looks like
  • 1 0
 session 2008. they just changed one 0 to 1
  • 1 0
 Even if it rides like a dream I still liked the old one better.
  • 1 0
 Back to the drawing board?
  • 3 1
 cute sharpie graphics
  • 1 0
 I will just go right ahead and write, it looks pretty damn awesome.
  • 6 9
 Yes! Another one of the same. How lame.

All the shitloads of money people spend on bikes and they can't even make original ones any more. Instead of spending our money on hookers & blow why not try using it for R&D and actually give us something new.

It's like 8/10 bikes these days all use the same, or very similar, layout/design.
  • 6 2
 Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex... It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction. E. F. Schumacher
  • 5 6
 @Pinemtn: What's your point? To be content with complacency? Because that is what I see going on every day. Nothing has to be complex to be better, but at least be different. Especially for the kind of money they ask for bicycles these days.
  • 6 0
 or maybe they all come up with conclusion that this is one of the best design that can make right now?
its the same with phones, before smartphone there was huge variety because phones were small and had limited functionality, nowadays? they all look more or less the same simply because this is the best ergonomic and functional design

and going back to back maybe we were getting inferior stuff up until now because this was patent locked
  • 9 1
 @m1dg3t: my point is that there’s a reason they all use a similar design.

after decades of innovation and r&d bike companies have settled on what works.

The same reason you don’t see massive differentiation in the fundamental design of trains, rifles, automobiles, boats, light bulbs, toilets...
  • 3 0
 @Pinemtn: nailed it
  • 2 0
 @m1dg3t: you would prefer to ride an inferior race bike because it is 'different'? It ain't a fashion show, no points are giving for originality.
  • 1 1
 @m1dg3t: I totally agree with you. All if these manufacturers moving to the same platform isn't genius or innovative.Its just lame.
  • 1 1
 @Pinemtn:

The suspension design on a DH bike is not "fundamental design"
By your example the fundamental design of a bike is two wheels, frame, fork, handlebar and some cranks.

You should look up some trains too, mag-levs, diesel electric, trams, funiculars, monorails etc

Rifles; Check up a Kriss Vector, FN P90, DP-28, Thompson machinegun, Mauser Karabiner or a Railgun

I could go on, and on on the other examples but you get my point.
  • 1 0
 @skorp: okay
  • 2 0
 Looks like a Boot'r
  • 1 0
 It looks like an old Aruum....
  • 1 0
 I'll miss the old design, but this one is sexy as hell.
  • 1 0
 anyone know what pedals are on this bike?
  • 1 0
 Brendog on flats?! What is going on there???
  • 1 0
 clipless mechanism in the middle of pedals.
  • 1 0
 Session and elsworth offspring
  • 1 0
 great, now i want a sharpie paintjob
  • 1 0
 This is what giving up on life looks like in bike form...
  • 1 0
 f*ck does trek own the design patents for alll new bikesWink ITS A TREK
  • 5 4
 Trek Session?
  • 2 2
 looks like a crappy session
  • 1 0
 Scott Session
  • 1 0
 A Gambler 9.9 arrives
  • 1 0
 Looks like a cube
  • 1 0
 Session!
  • 1 0
 4 bar is the future
  • 3 2
 Looks like a session.
  • 1 0
 whats that fork?
  • 1 1
 BOS Obsys
  • 2 1
 Looks like a Huffy lmao
  • 1 0
 aaaaaaaaaaaawwwww....
  • 1 0
 Hello Tre... Scott
  • 1 0
 Trek Norco
  • 1 0
 Ok, this is madness.
  • 1 0
 sick bike
  • 1 0
 Voltbler
  • 1 0
 Looks like a demo.
  • 1 0
 Looks like ahh Jetson...
  • 1 2
 Rides like a Session
  • 2 2
 Probably a session
  • 1 2
 Sweet bike, they should have used carbon.
  • 1 0
 i don't think it would be cost effective to prototype frame designs with carbon. I'm not in product design, so I can't say for certain.
  • 1 0
 SCOTT never goes carbon ...
  • 3 0
 @jojotherider1977: Norco did there new bike in carbon during proto and testing
  • 2 2
 Session
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