SEAN’S NUKEPROOF SCOUT 290 PRO

MONTH 7: Times change, and a trip to Bikepark Wales makes Sean discover that it’s time to let go of the past, but not all of it

£2,449.99 / 29in / nukeproof.com

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Itook the Scout to Bikepark Wales a few weeks ago. Heading west on the drive there, my mind wandered to the evolution of the hardtail. It was sparked by the music I was listening to, an album released in the summer of 1990, one that stayed with me from my youth and stood the test of time. I soon realised that there were other constants in the last 31 years too – a road trip to Wales and a hardtail on the roof rack. But that hardtail I now had on board… just how different and evolved is it?

And, more importantly, would it give me a beating at BPW?

I’ve always been attracted to steel hardtails, shrugging off aluminium frames from the mass-market labels and falling for the look of skinny tubing and the compliant ride quality that the material is renowned for. Back then I was on 26in wheels though, with narrow 2.0in tyres, inner tubes and running 40psi.

But the Scout’s frame is built from burly hydro-formed, triple-butted aluminium – distinctly different to the skinny steel tubes of those early ‘90s hardtails. So how come I’m not whining on about the lack of comfort and compliance?

It hit me on the drive back home. I really didn’t feel as beaten up as I’d expected, even after a day on the fast, rocky, rooty, dusty bike park tracks. Why is that though? Well, aluminium frames have certainly moved on from the basic round tubes of the early days but surely there are other contributing factors? It seems that those 29in wheels, highvolume 2.4in tyres set at 24psi, supple 140mm-travel Lyrik fork and even the soft grips all play a part in how refined the Nukeproof feels, without the need to rely on steel tubes for added comfort – just a welldesigned aluminium frame. So, three decades later, has my love affair with steel finally ended? Yes, but I won’t be deleting that album from my playlist anytime soon.

WHY IT’S HERE Sean addresses the hardtail imbalance in our longtermer fleet

Spent the nights hanging out in a dimly lit car park, flicking his lights on and off and polishing his lenses. Still found time for the big lights group test though.

Spent a soggy weekend in the Lakes, falling over on the fells and sleeping in the back of a van. Genuinely relaxing break from his three screaming kids.

PAUL BURWELL

JAMIE DARLOW

Taking the Scout out for a spin highlights the importance of build over metal Triple-butted aluminium Fork Rockshox Lyrik Select Charger RC, 140mm travel Wheels DT Swiss M1900 Spline wheelset, Maxxis Assegai/dissector 29x2.5/2.4in tyres Drivetrain Shimano M7100 SLX 30t chainset, SLX r-mech and shifter Brakes Shimano SLX M7120, 203/180mm Components Nukeproof Horizon V2 800mm bar, Horizon 50mm stem, Brand-x Ascend 170mm post, Nukeproof Horizon SL saddle Sizes M, L XL Weight 13.5kg (29.72lb) GEOMETRY Size tested XL Head angle 64.6° Seat angle 71.2° Effective SA 74.2° BB height 307mm Chainstay 440mm Front centre 798mm Wheelbase 1,238mm Down tube 757mm Top tube 675mm Reach 465mm

THE RIDER SEAN WHITE Position Freelance writer/tester Mostly Rides Forest of Dean, Mid Wales Height 6ft 2in Weight 87kg THE BIKE n Flagship version of Nukeproof’s 29er aluminium hardcore hardtail that promises verstility as well as gravity-fuelled fun n Pro model gets ‘overforked’ with a 140mm-travel Rockshox Lyrik; the Comp and Race spec bikes get 130mm-travel forks n Complete Shimano SLX groupset Maxxis 3C rubber with reinforced casings adorn DT Swiss’s M1900 Spline wheelset