RANSOM NOTES
Here are the five things you need to know about Scott’ s new hard-hitter ...
1 The new Scott Ransom takes design cues from the Swiss brand’s successful Spark and Genius frames, and is a radical departure from the original, launched back in 2006. As on the Genius, the shock is anchored just above and ahead of a bulbous bottom bracket junction. The Ransom uses the same four-bar linkage suspension design but has 20mm more travel (170mm/6.9in). Because of this, the frame has been beefed up to take more of a pounding – the most obvious changes being a chunkier rocker link and a nearly 10mm wider main pivot, which rules out the use of a front mech. Along with some clever carbon fibre layering and reinforcement, this all adds up to create a stiff yet light frame – the medium size is claimed to weigh 2,650g, with shock and hardware.
2 It’s designed around a proprietary Fox Nude TR EVOL shock. This has a higher volume than previous Nude dampers, along with a small ‘Ramp Adjust’ lever, which lets you close off the shock’s additional air chamber to make the spring curve more progressive and increase the force required to bottom the bike out. If you decide you don’t want the Nude shock, other piggyback dampers will fit.
3 Scott claim that their ‘TwinLoc’ suspension adjustment system is more relevant than ever on the long-travel Ransom, especially when climbing. Actuating the ‘Traction’
or ‘Lockout’ modes firms up the bike’s suspension, helps it to maintain steeper, more efficient head and seat angles and also sits the BB a little higher off the floor, which is handy when tackling rough technical climbs. The remote lever has been refined, with less throw and a repositioned mounting bolt.
4 To keep the Ransom versatile, a flip chip at the upper shock mount lets you switch between 650b+ and 29in wheels without disrupting the geometry too much. With 29in wheels in place and the bike in its ‘low’ setting, the head angle sits at 64.5 degrees, the seat angle is 75 degrees and the reach on the medium frame is 440mm. There’s space for 27.5x2.8in or 29x2.6in rubber.
5 There are four bikes in the Ransom line-up (each available in S, M, L or XL), with pricing starting at £2,799 for the alloy-framed 930 and going all the way up to £6,999 for the top-end 700/900 Tuned models.