First Look | The 2023 Scott Scale gets adjustable head angle & insanely lightweight carbon frame


Following the successful launch of the new generation Spark last year, a brand new Scott Scale is joining the XC party for 2023. The Scale receives an all-new chassis that is both sleeker and lighter than its predecessor, which makes this one of the lightest mountain bikes currently on the market. With carbon and alloy frame options, more tyre clearance, plus the addition of contemporary (and adjustable) geometry, there is a surprising amount of tech going on with the new Scale.

2023 scott scale
The minimal weight and maximum responsiveness, the Scott Scale is about as sharp as XC race bikes get.
2023 scott scale
Featuring an all-new carbon frame for 2023, the Scott Scale stands as one of the lightest mountain bikes on the market.

An overview of the 2023 Scott Scale

The Scott Scale has long been known as the Swiss brand’s lightweight XC hardtail race bike, which is designed to go head-to-head with competitors like the Cannondale Scalpel HT and Canyon Exceed. Featuring a stiff and responsive double-diamond frame, the Scale is built specifically around 29in wheels and a 100mm travel fork.

While full suspension bikes like the Spark RC are becoming the most popular option for World Cup XC racers, a hardtail like the Scale is still preferable on smoother courses, where it offers more precise handling and maximum response under power.

For privateer racers, a hardtail is a simpler machine that is easier to maintain, and cheaper to purchase in the first place. And if you care about weight, it also offers a significant advantage over a full suspension bike.

2023 scott scale
A big 1.5in head tube houses modular headset cups for tweaking the steering geometry.

Scott Scale weight

Weight is of course a big reason why you’d consider a hardtail like the Scott Scale, which stands as one of the lightest mountain bikes on the market. Unbelievably, this new 2023 Scale manages to go even lighter than its predecessor.

According to Scott, the top-end Scale HMX-SL frame weighs just 847g. Even the cheapest carbon frame, the HMF, is claimed to weigh just 1,013g, which is still lighter than most of the competition.

Scott has achieved this incredible figure by improving the carbon layup, reducing the number of metal inserts in the frame, and simplifying tube profiles and junction points.

For example, the dropouts are now entirely hollow. This not only saves a few grams in itself, but it also allows the chain and seatstays to be narrower, and therefore lighter. Along with the new post mount brake tabs, a lightweight chain guide, and a move to polymer inserts for the bottle cage bosses, grams have been shaved despite the new frame becoming significantly longer and slacker than the outgoing model.

Dropped stays & bigger tyres

A notable visual change with the new Scott Scale frame is its dropped seatstays. This design follows a similar route to the Scalpel HT and the latest Giant XTC, with the goal being to improve rider comfort by minimising the amount of trail chatter that makes its way up to the saddle.

The Scale has also moved to the new-school 55mm chainline standard, which employs a slightly wider crankset that pushes the chainring further out from the frame. This allows for a thicker chainstay yoke to increase stiffness and provide more direct power transfer between the pedals and the rear wheel. It also provides clearance for wider rubber, with stock models coming standard with 2.35-2.4in wide tyres.

As with the latest Spark and Genius, the Scale adopts internal cable routing that sees the rear brake hose and cables sent through the headset. Top-end models come with a one-piece carbon cockpit to reduce weight and complete the fighter jet look. A service door underneath the downtube is there to provide you easier access when replacing a cable.

2023 scott scale
You can access the huge downtube via a service port.

Scott Scale size & geometry

The Scott Scale has received some big changes to its geometry, with the frame getting a longer reach, a slacker head angle and a steeper seat tube angle.

The carbon frames also adopt the same modular headset cups that we’ve seen in the Spark, Genius and Lumen, which allows you to adjust the head angle by 0.6° in either direction. In its most raked-out position, the Scale features a 66.7° head angle, making it one of the slackest XC bikes around.

2023 scott scale geometry size chart
2023 Scott Scale Geometry & Size Chart
2023 scott scale
Turn the headset cups around to slacken or steepen the head angle.

Scott Scale price & specs

While we’ve been wowed by the sleek design and high-tech construction of the top-end Scott Scale RC frames, sadly we won’t be seeing any of those models coming into Australia. That’s not exactly surprising given the popularity of full suspension bikes these days, which is made clear by the fact that there are no fewer than 12 models in the current Spark lineup.

However, for those of you who have a smaller hardtail-sized budget, or simply prefer riding hardtails, you’ll be happy to know that there will be three Scale models coming to our shores. Two of those will feature an alloy frame, and the other gets the HMF carbon frame. Prices start at $2,099 AUD for the Scale 980, and will go up to $3,799 AUD for the Scale 930.

2023 scott scale 930 carbon
Using a HMF carbon frame, the Scott Scale 930 features the same sleek design and adjustable head angle as the top-end models.

2023 Scott Scale 930

2023 scott scale 965 alloy
The Scott Scale 965 is spec’d with an alloy frame and a RockShox Judy fork with a remote lockout.

2023 Scott Scale 965

2023 scott scale 980 alloy
Despite being the cheapest model in the range, the Scott Scale 980 still features a Shimano 1×12 drivetrain and hydraulic disc brakes.

2023 Scott Scale 980

2023 scott scale
As well as being about a kilo lighter than an equivalent full suspension bike, a hardtail like the Scott Scale is simpler, cheaper and easier to maintain.
2023 scott scale
With its 67-degree head angle and 2.4in tyre clearance, the Scott Scale is one of the more progressive XC hardtails out there.

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