LAURA’S SCOTT CONTESSA RANSOM 910
MONTH 11: Laura’s Contessa Ransom proved to be an impressively adaptable all-rounder
What attracted you to the Scott?
I fancied an enduro bike designed for pushing my riding with a spec that, for once, wasn’t compromised when compared to the men’s version. And did I mention it was pink!
Did you change anything straightaway? This bike boasts a heap of adjustability, so I knew that I had a full year of tweaks and changes ahead. The only thing to change straight up was to remove some spacers to drop the bar height. Not long after, I swapped the stem from 50mm to 35mm, just to dial in the fit.
Was the bike easy to set up?
This really was a pull it out the box and get riding affair. I am a big fan of less faff and more ride time so a bike that is well equipped and easy to get out on is an instant win. A quick shock set-up and we hit the trails and didn’t stop till the end of the year.
How did it ride?
With Covid scuppering adventures further afield, the 170mm-travel Ransom could’ve easily been too much for home life, but the reality was so different. I am a huge fan of the Twinloc and the changes it made to the ride on both the ups and downs, essentially giving me two bikes in one. It’s been remarkably nimble on the climbs, tackling fire-road and technical climbs easily. And on the fun stuff it’s been a blast. It requires a fairly active riding style as it’s a big bike in every sense of the word, but once you tweak the set-up, it’s a ripper.
Did anything break or wear out?
The Twinloc cable connected to the fork split fairly early on and that gave me a nifty excuse to effectively turn it into a Singleloc! Removing the cable helped to clear up the knot of housing at the cockpit and didn’t change the performance, so I never bothered to replace it. Other than that we nearly got through a full year problem free, then in the final month I discovered a crack in the frame – see boxout.
If you could change one thing about your longtermer what would it be? There’s only one thing – drop the fork lockout. I really found no merit in being able to fully lock it out. Instead, I would have preferred the ability to adjust the damping on the fork.
Would you buy this bike and why? Yes – happily. It’s a well-specced steed with super levels of adjustability that mean if your riding style or terrain changes there’s always options to adapt. Not all of us can have a stable full of rides, so the ability to cover everything with one bike is a big plus for me.
nnnHIGHS
The Twinloc gives great versatility, allowing you to ride an enduro bike on any terrain.
Ability to switch wheel sizes from 29in to 27.5in or mullet to suit your style and preference.
A unapologetic plush pink colourway – even as a totally ungirly girl, I loved how the bike looked.
nLOWS
Twinloc on the fork is unnecessary from a ride performance standpoint and limits adjustment. Overly cluttered cockpit due to an unruly web of Twinloc cabling.
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Did anything break or wear out?
After two years of unreliable e-bikes, I wanted something that would run and run and the Render 9.0 has been 100 per cent reliable – no issues with the motor, control unit, drivetrain or wheels. It’s been solid, which is what you want when buying a direct-sales brand, because it’s not easy to get something sorted when that company is based in another country.
If you could change one thing about your longtermer, what would it be? Obviously changing the tyres first for something with a bit more grip, fitting a wider handlebar, more comfortable saddle and a better fork (which is what Radon has done to the 2021 bike) but they are all just stock upgrades. What I reckon the large Render really needs is another 20mm in the reach and maybe a better battery cover that doesn’t rattle when you’re riding along.
Would you buy this bike? Yes, I’d buy it for my daughter, she has long legs and a shorter upper body, which means the size large Radon Render 9.0 fits her perfectly.