NUKEPROOF SCOUT 290 V3
£499.99 (frame only) Does this latest generation of Nukeproof’s popular hardtail uphold the Scout’s honour?
The Nukeproof Scout has always been a versatile bike. This latest version has the same do-it-all vibe as the V1 and V2 but with updated longer, lower and slacker geometry, extra sizes and tweaked tubing. It’s available in several build options or, as tested here, as a bare frame.
THE FRAME
Nukeproof’s boffins have tuned the tube profiles to improve the Scout’s ride and reduce weight. The seat tube is now curved, for extra tyre clearance and to allow a steeper effective seat tube angle. It’s also been designed to ensure the latest long-travel posts with deep insertion lengths can be used. Cable guides are well-placed and low-profile.
This 29er Scout is available in sizes medium to XXL. There’s also a 650bwheeled version, should you want a smaller (S-XL) and/or more flickable bike. The 290 rocks modern enduro geometry, including an average-length reach (458mm, large) and a very low-slung BB, dropped 70mm below the axles. Effective chainstay length grows by 2.5mm with each step up the size range to ensure all the frames maintain the same balanced front-to-rear ride feel.
THE KIT
There are four complete bikes available, including a burly RS model with longer-travel 150mm fork. We built up a frame instead, fitting a 140mm Manitou Mezzer fork, Hayes Dominion four-pot brakes, Michelin Wild Enduro tyres and lots of Nukeproof own-brand kit.
THE RIDE
The contact points were where we’d expect them to be and the ample sizing and low standover height had us feeling comfortable as soon as we climbed aboard the Scout 290. It feels calmer, more stable and surefooted than rival 650b hardtails, thanks in part to the increased rotating mass of its larger 29in wheels, but also its big BB drop, slack 64.5-degree head angle and reasonable reach. We found it stayed planted in difficult South Wales conditions, making for a confidence-inspiring ride.
The bike feels predictable when drifting around greasy corners, although it’s easy to smack your pedals on rocks and stumps, because the BB is so low. Jumps and drops are intuitive, thanks to the frame’s balanced proportions, in particular the top tube and chainstay lengths.
That new steeper seat tube angle makes seated climbing a pleasure, too. Combined with the sizeproportional chainstays and fair reach figures, it makes it easy to keep the front wheel down on steep ascents. The tuned thickness of the tube walls adds noticeable compliance when cornering, too.
We won’t dwell too much on the parts we chose, but we found the Manitou fork surprisingly smooth, if a little flexy and somewhat over-damped. The Hayes brakes are impressive, providing ample stopping power while maintaining that all-important progressive lever feel and modulation, while the Nukeproof wheels offer a good stiffness-toweight ratio and we found it easy to get the Michelin tyres seated. If you buy a Scout as a complete bike, it’ll come with an own-brand bar, stem, post and grips; we’re pleased to report that the Nukeproof parts we ran all performed faultlessly. Will Soffe https://nukeproof.com