I got to demo the carbon scout at blankets creek, it did feel pretty sluggish to me, and was very twitchy. I think that is because I rode a large, and I am about 5'8 I have an older fuel ex8, and it is way more comfortable to me.
I ride last yrs Scout... custom build. Still a smidge fat but always rides as if it's 3lbs lighter than it is and stupid tough. Honestly I have no desire to ride anything but a TR Scout. Phenomenal fit for me.
During the week, I mostly ride flat, tight singletrack with the occasional short decent and short, steep climbs. On the weekends I hit the mountain to the bike park for some DH. The scout is currently on shortlist and that’s mostly due to the low stand over height. Would you say this bike is a good fit as an all-rounder do everything bike?
good stuff Clint. sentinel vs scout. they have the same travel on the rear and 10mm different in the front so surely in the same category....just different wheel size
In my opinion they are in different categories because of the wheel size. The 29-in wheels make the sentinel feel more enduro, that is more capable for rough terrain and more stable. The scout feels lighter and more flickable which makes it feel more trail. Same thing I noticed between the Niner RIP 9 29 and 27.5
I just don’t think there’s a one bike quiver that does it all period. They may come close but you have to decide based on the trails you ride most often if you can only have one bike. Otherwise it looks to me like xc, aggressive trail, and dh are the 3 niche groups.
@@ClintGibbs I'm not against any bike but 31 pounds I'm a bike messenger my cannondale capo weighs 14 pounds I think I would die on one of them with the weight difference, maybe in the future cuz I live in a concrete jungle no trails at all any way stay safe Clint from boston
Casually Ive been trying to compare the Jeffsy and this new scout. Financially there’s no brainer, nothing beats the Jeffsy out there for the Carbon with Gx model ($3900). But this bike looks so good. Ive been looking at videos to see if that extra $1600 over the Jeffsy it’s worth it...this bike looks amazing
Awesome review! Any issues with pedal strikes on techy uphill climbs or just in general? I've run into that a lot on my 2019 patrol but noticed that the bb height is a little lower on the scout. Would love your thoughts on that. Cheers!
Was really curious how this climbs. Was thinking this might have to be my 27.5 option. As a short rider that likes a little more playful ride the 27.5 is just a lot easier to handle. I've got a 2020 RIP 9 RDO 29er and am not convinced that 29er is for me.
I'm thinking about getting the Alloy NX build Scout as my first dual-sus bike. Do you think it would be a good choice for someone who is looking for a really fun bike and not worried about being the fastest guy out there? Would this be 'too much bike' for someone who recently became mtb obsessed and has ridden one season?
Sounds like the Scout would be a great bike for what you described. It is a lot of bike for someone who's newer to riding, but you prevent yourself from having to spend more money a few years later to upgrade.
The modern geometry definitely makes the bike handle better on the descents. The trance there’s a decent riding bike, but I put the transition scout in another level in terms of performance.
How would you say this compares to the Spur? I'm torn between that and the Scout. I would assume the Spur is the better climber, but are they still pretty even when it comes to the descents given the Spur is a 29er? Thanks for all the great videos btw!
I think climbing is going to depend on the type of terrain. If it’s really tight that requires quick accelerations I would give the climbing edge to the scout. Both are transitions trail bike offerings, just in different wheel sizes. So really it’s going to depend on which wheel size you want to go with. I’ve got quite a few videos comparing 27.5 and 29 trail bikes. Just go to UA-cam and search for “29 vs 27.5 Clint Gibbs”
@@ClintGibbs I actually haven't tried a modern 29er yet. Thing is, I'm only 5'5 and I've always thought that a 29er would just feel too big for me, even on a small frame. But with everyone saying the Spur is so light and nimble yet still very capable going down, it's got me thinking that might be the bike to break into 29ers with.
This topic is very timely. I got the Spur for 3 months now. I live close to Transition. I came from a Santa Cruz Bronson with new VPP and had for 3 years and sold it for Spur. The Spur is great, light and fast! However, I went OTB once every month since I got it. Not faulting the bike at all, but I am switching back to 27.5 since I feel safer and never went OTB. I am getting the Scout and will be selling my Spur.
@@jhonz2973 oh wow really? That's very interesting.. just out of curiosity how tall are you? Are you a shorter rider like myself? And if you are, would you attribute that as a reason why you more easily go OTB?
@@croman38 5’6 tall. I ride a medium from Bronson to Spur. Maybe the 27.5 keeps me low and back no matter what thats why I feel safer. I also thought of getting a small only for a 29er just to see, but at this point I leaning towards going back to 27.5
Transportation bikes do you feel a little bit more downhill focused and more planted but, because it has 27.5 wheels, the scout is very nimble. It’s a really great feeling bike.
I asked Dawson and he said that the scout felt more nimble and more progressive than the patrol. My take on it is that the scout would be more agile and playful but not as capable on really rough terrain.
I'm a smidge under 5"6 short (1.67m) and on the border of small and medium on the Transition size chart. What would you recommend? (I'm in South Africa and there is no opportunity to do a test ride).
i bet you could throw a 38 and some more aggressive tires on it and turn it into an enduro bike or throw a 34 and some lighter tires and make it an xc bike
Hey Richard, the Scout rides really well with a coil shock. It loses some of its pop, but the increase in traction and suppleness is great and we haven't experienced any harsh bottom out. Our tech vid talks about it a bit as well ua-cam.com/video/8up73bZaSfk/v-deo.html
I think it really depends on the terrain. On tight terrain with lots of switchbacks I think 27.5 are easier. On terrain with more roots and rocks I think 29 are easier. It would be a good test though to compare the different wheel sizes up climbs. I may actually do that in the next month or so, whenever we can start traveling again
@@ClintGibbs I got the Sentinel but it felt a bit to big since I am used to a Trance a friend of mine wanted it so I sold it to him so now I am debating whether to get the scout or a new Trance. Trance is such a lively bike, you can put that front wheel anywhere you want it...
Can’t really go wrong with either. I think it’s going to come down to what deals you can get and your comfort level with the bike shops. . If I had equal access to both, I would choose the scout because I’ve ridden it and loved it.
This was just a one day demo for me. Perhaps one day I'll get a long-term demo from them. I was super impressed with the bike from the minute I started riding it. I don't think you could go wrong with it.
I enjoy your thoughts on all these bikes. I recently bought a Bike from Bikes Direct, I couldn't pass up the deal. It was full SRAM GX with a Pike and Monarch Deluxe. 140 rear, 150 front travel. It uses a Horst style suspension. It's a "Motobecane" branded bike, but as far as I can tell they are a company that seems to be defunct and the name is just being used with permission maybe? The bike was $2,100 delivered. Anything similar, even mail order from Canyon etc. was still at least $3,000 or more easy. I have had hardtail XC bikes in the past, the most recent a Trek. When I decided to go for a Full suspension Trail style bike there prices were hard to stomach and that's what drove me to the bike I got. Just interested in your thoughts on this bike if any, would love to see you do a review on a bike like this from bikes direct. At the price this bike went for, it brings the hobby more in reach of people just wanting to dip a toe without dropping 3 to 4 grand for a decent level quality. I have worked as a bike mechanic professionally, but it's been years. I think the local bike shop is the way to go for people not mechanical inclined, but for someone able to turn there own wrench this was hard to beat... there website is a mess, but here is what I am talking about if you have any thoughts about this route linked below. www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/full-suspension-mountain-bikes/hal-boost-eagle-ltd-29er-mountain-bikes.htm#gsize
Good to see a non-magazine review of a bike that just came out
The Scout could be the one bike for everything! Definitely going to see that bike in Brevard. Thanks Clint!!
Agreed. Killer bike
Love to see a long term review of the scout, one of the bike I have my eye on atm, just the US to AUS dollar conversion that will kill me
I got to demo the carbon scout at blankets creek, it did feel pretty sluggish to me, and was very twitchy. I think that is because I rode a large, and I am about 5'8 I have an older fuel ex8, and it is way more comfortable to me.
I'd love to see you compare Transition and Kona bikes! Thanks for the great vids
27.5 FOR LIFE
I ride last yrs Scout... custom build. Still a smidge fat but always rides as if it's 3lbs lighter than it is and stupid tough. Honestly I have no desire to ride anything but a TR Scout. Phenomenal fit for me.
Been riding a TR Patrol for the last year, these guys know how to build a bike. The Scout is likely my next in line.
Solid review. Transition offers a pretty good build for the money.
Long term Scout vs Jet9!
website says 460 reach for the med?
The steep seat tube angles on the newer geo’s is such a noticeable difference pedaling uphill
Can we get you on the new Ibis Ripmo v2 and Pivot Switchblade? I'd like your insight on these 2 bikes DW Link
For my next bike I am considering
1. TR Scout
2. YT Jeffsy
3. Yeti SB140
4. Commencal Clash
I am thinking about scout, jeffsy and spectral. Did you get to test ride any?
Sounds ideal. But , I'm wondering if the Smuggler will get a redesign also.
It's been a while since it was, and there were no Smugglers in the demo fleet...
During the week, I mostly ride flat, tight singletrack with the occasional short decent and short, steep climbs. On the weekends I hit the mountain to the bike park for some DH. The scout is currently on shortlist and that’s mostly due to the low stand over height. Would you say this bike is a good fit as an all-rounder do everything bike?
Absolutely
good stuff Clint. sentinel vs scout. they have the same travel on the rear and 10mm different in the front so surely in the same category....just different wheel size
In my opinion they are in different categories because of the wheel size. The 29-in wheels make the sentinel feel more enduro, that is more capable for rough terrain and more stable. The scout feels lighter and more flickable which makes it feel more trail. Same thing I noticed between the Niner RIP 9 29 and 27.5
@@ClintGibbs Possibly, but I dont think a bikes capability is defined by wheel size.
@@cwalt74 I wouldn't have thought so either until I owned the rip 29 and then had the rip 27.5 as a long-term demo.
I just don’t think there’s a one bike quiver that does it all period. They may come close but you have to decide based on the trails you ride most often if you can only have one bike. Otherwise it looks to me like xc, aggressive trail, and dh are the 3 niche groups.
How does it compare to a
2019 Giant Trance 2 - 27.5 ?
Slacker geo makes it feel more planted and better for rougher terrain. Scout is more laterally stiff which makes it corner better.
@@ClintGibbs got it !
I can't believe the 64° head angle is going to steer playfully at all, I'll probably go for a 2020 Switchblade instead.
You probably owe it to yourself to test ride a Scout. I wouldn't let numbers on a piece of paper dictate your decision.
I saw a y-33 in the background!!!
The Scout is on my short list, with Optic and Trance. BUT was that a Y-bike at 2:14 ??? Didn’t know those things were still alive!
Dawson makes the trail look effortless in front of you
He's a very fluid rider
@@ClintGibbs I'm not against any bike but 31 pounds I'm a bike messenger my cannondale capo weighs 14 pounds I think I would die on one of them with the weight difference, maybe in the future cuz I live in a concrete jungle no trails at all any way stay safe Clint from boston
Can this compare to a YT jeffsy? I know it has less travel but with that serious geo I wonder if it can be very similar out on the trails
Casually Ive been trying to compare the Jeffsy and this new scout. Financially there’s no brainer, nothing beats the Jeffsy out there for the Carbon with Gx model ($3900). But this bike looks so good. Ive been looking at videos to see if that extra $1600 over the Jeffsy it’s worth it...this bike looks amazing
How would you think changing the scout to a 150 in the rear 160 in the front affect the feel of the bike ?
Awesome review! Any issues with pedal strikes on techy uphill climbs or just in general? I've run into that a lot on my 2019 patrol but noticed that the bb height is a little lower on the scout. Would love your thoughts on that. Cheers!
I don't think I had any pedal strikes on this bike when I was riding it that day. The 170 crank arms definitely help
@@ClintGibbs Right on, thank you!
Was really curious how this climbs. Was thinking this might have to be my 27.5 option. As a short rider that likes a little more playful ride the 27.5 is just a lot easier to handle. I've got a 2020 RIP 9 RDO 29er and am not convinced that 29er is for me.
I had a Specialized 29er, it got stolen, bought a 27.5 10x more fun
Same thing happened to me and I bought a 27.5 as well
I'm thinking about getting the Alloy NX build Scout as my first dual-sus bike. Do you think it would be a good choice for someone who is looking for a really fun bike and not worried about being the fastest guy out there? Would this be 'too much bike' for someone who recently became mtb obsessed and has ridden one season?
Sounds like the Scout would be a great bike for what you described. It is a lot of bike for someone who's newer to riding, but you prevent yourself from having to spend more money a few years later to upgrade.
How does it compare to a Giant Trance 27.5 2021? Would you say there is a big performance difference on steep descents?
The modern geometry definitely makes the bike handle better on the descents. The trance there’s a decent riding bike, but I put the transition scout in another level in terms of performance.
That's one cool company 👌. I have only great things to say about them and pivot. They treat me like family
It's a shame to see they only offer it in carbon, but oh, well...
Do you think there would be a significant difference in performance b/w the NX and GX build?
No, only slight weight penalty
How would you say this compares to the Spur? I'm torn between that and the Scout. I would assume the Spur is the better climber, but are they still pretty even when it comes to the descents given the Spur is a 29er? Thanks for all the great videos btw!
I think climbing is going to depend on the type of terrain. If it’s really tight that requires quick accelerations I would give the climbing edge to the scout. Both are transitions trail bike offerings, just in different wheel sizes. So really it’s going to depend on which wheel size you want to go with. I’ve got quite a few videos comparing 27.5 and 29 trail bikes. Just go to UA-cam and search for “29 vs 27.5 Clint Gibbs”
@@ClintGibbs I actually haven't tried a modern 29er yet. Thing is, I'm only 5'5 and I've always thought that a 29er would just feel too big for me, even on a small frame. But with everyone saying the Spur is so light and nimble yet still very capable going down, it's got me thinking that might be the bike to break into 29ers with.
This topic is very timely. I got the Spur for 3 months now. I live close to Transition. I came from a Santa Cruz Bronson with new VPP and had for 3 years and sold it for Spur.
The Spur is great, light and fast! However, I went OTB once every month since I got it. Not faulting the bike at all, but I am switching back to 27.5 since I feel safer and never went OTB. I am getting the Scout and will be selling my Spur.
@@jhonz2973 oh wow really? That's very interesting.. just out of curiosity how tall are you? Are you a shorter rider like myself? And if you are, would you attribute that as a reason why you more easily go OTB?
@@croman38 5’6 tall. I ride a medium from Bronson to Spur. Maybe the 27.5 keeps me low and back no matter what thats why I feel safer. I also thought of getting a small only for a 29er just to see, but at this point I leaning towards going back to 27.5
How was your time travel ride? Do you think scout is less nimble than niner?
Transportation bikes do you feel a little bit more downhill focused and more planted but, because it has 27.5 wheels, the scout is very nimble. It’s a really great feeling bike.
How does it compare with Dawson’s Patrol?
I asked Dawson and he said that the scout felt more nimble and more progressive than the patrol. My take on it is that the scout would be more agile and playful but not as capable on really rough terrain.
Thanks. Transition makes great bikes
Nice
You didn't mention climbing, Clint. How did you like it's climbing ability?
On the short, steep climbs on this trail it was fantastic. The peddling platform is surprisingly good.
I'm a smidge under 5"6 short (1.67m) and on the border of small and medium on the Transition size chart. What would you recommend? (I'm in South Africa and there is no opportunity to do a test ride).
Probably a medium for a 27.5 and a small for a 29. However I would call transition and ask them to make sure.
always go for the smaller size. i was in between a medium and large and went medium. no regrets.
i bet you could throw a 38 and some more aggressive tires on it and turn it into an enduro bike or throw a 34 and some lighter tires and make it an xc bike
With the progressive suspension curve, would a coil shock work on these?
As always, great review.
Hey Richard, the Scout rides really well with a coil shock. It loses some of its pop, but the increase in traction and suppleness is great and we haven't experienced any harsh bottom out. Our tech vid talks about it a bit as well
ua-cam.com/video/8up73bZaSfk/v-deo.html
Hey what color do you like better?!
If I had to pick one I'd say the blue.
Is it just me or are 27.5 bikes easier to climb on energy wise? I feel like once im burnt out the 29er feels like so much more work to pedal around.
I think it really depends on the terrain. On tight terrain with lots of switchbacks I think 27.5 are easier. On terrain with more roots and rocks I think 29 are easier. It would be a good test though to compare the different wheel sizes up climbs. I may actually do that in the next month or so, whenever we can start traveling again
Clint Gibbs copy that, what about for climbing steep fireroad 10-15% grade. Thats where I feel it the most
hey Clint how does ths Scout compares to the Trance Advanced
Slacker, more downhill focused but still very maneuverable. Frame feels stiffer. Bottom bracket is also lower.
@@ClintGibbs I got the Sentinel but it felt a bit to big since I am used to a Trance a friend of mine wanted it so I sold it to him so now I am debating whether to get the scout or a new Trance.
Trance is such a lively bike, you can put that front wheel anywhere you want it...
POLYGON D7 REVIEW
What size was this? Large?
Medium
140/150 now qualifies for a "trail bike"? with that geo!
Yes, that's why wheel size mixes this up. 29ers with that much travel ride more enduro, 27.5 more trail.
SCOUT OR MOJO ? WHATS BETTER
Can’t really go wrong with either. I think it’s going to come down to what deals you can get and your comfort level with the bike shops. . If I had equal access to both, I would choose the scout because I’ve ridden it and loved it.
Any word on a long term review?
This was just a one day demo for me. Perhaps one day I'll get a long-term demo from them. I was super impressed with the bike from the minute I started riding it. I don't think you could go wrong with it.
how about price of this bike ?
It varies on the build. Check out Transition's website for the various bills and prices.
How much is it?
Builds and pricing are listed on Transition's website
I enjoy your thoughts on all these bikes. I recently bought a Bike from Bikes Direct, I couldn't pass up the deal. It was full SRAM GX with a Pike and Monarch Deluxe. 140 rear, 150 front travel. It uses a Horst style suspension. It's a "Motobecane" branded bike, but as far as I can tell they are a company that seems to be defunct and the name is just being used with permission maybe? The bike was $2,100 delivered. Anything similar, even mail order from Canyon etc. was still at least $3,000 or more easy. I have had hardtail XC bikes in the past, the most recent a Trek. When I decided to go for a Full suspension Trail style bike there prices were hard to stomach and that's what drove me to the bike I got. Just interested in your thoughts on this bike if any, would love to see you do a review on a bike like this from bikes direct. At the price this bike went for, it brings the hobby more in reach of people just wanting to dip a toe without dropping 3 to 4 grand for a decent level quality. I have worked as a bike mechanic professionally, but it's been years. I think the local bike shop is the way to go for people not mechanical inclined, but for someone able to turn there own wrench this was hard to beat... there website is a mess, but here is what I am talking about if you have any thoughts about this route linked below.
www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/full-suspension-mountain-bikes/hal-boost-eagle-ltd-29er-mountain-bikes.htm#gsize