SEAN’S NUKEPROOF SCOUT 290 PRO
MONTH 11: Sean gets the Scout in the work stand for a health check and discovers some undiagnosed issues...
Afew weeks ago I was working my way up a climb in the Forest of Dean when I glanced over as I’d heard a rider descending a nearby red route. Yes, I heard the bike well before I saw it – a full-suspension trail bike creaking and groaning its way down the trail.
The noise coming from it made me appreciate just how stealthily quiet the Scout is, even after 11 months of riding – the simplicity of a hardtail and the quality components are a proven recipe for silence.
But this got me thinking. How much maintenance have I actually given the Scout? It gets a hose-off, wipe-down and some chain lube after a wet ride, but not much more. With this in mind I got to work with a thorough health check and was dealt a few surprises…
First up, I checked the Shimano SLX 12-speed transmission – it’s not missed a beat so far – and all seems well, although a new chain sometime soon would be wise. Nukeproof has specced Shimano cables throughout and they are still running as
£2,449.99 / 29in / nukeproof.com
WHY IT’S HERE Sean addresses the hardtail imbalance in our longtermer fleet
smoothly as day one, as are the bearings in the threaded bottom bracket. The brake pads in the SLX four-piston brakes have some life left, but not loads, so I’ll pop some spares on my shopping list too.
Next up was to drop the DT Swiss M1900 wheels out and top up the sealant in the tyres. The rear tyre was switched a few months back so I hoped it was fine but the Maxxis Assegai front tyre has remained in place since day one. I soon hit an issue though, just removing the front wheel. With zero punctures and a roof rack to transport the bike, I can’t remember ever removing it. And off the back of that I found a seized axle, which needed some very carefully applied force from something more than a multi-tool to remove it. And yes, along with a slather of grease on both axles, a sealant top-up was needed on both tyres, as the front was bone dry. So while it’s all too easy to fall for the line ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’, in this case I’ve been given a sharp reminder to get the workstand out a little more often.