August 22, 2005

Mountain Bike Action Switches on the Nitrous

Moutain Bike Action

Back in the USA
After years of selling bikes only in Europe, Scott USA has re-established its presence in the U.S. with a full line of road and mountain bikes. The long-travel, do-anything Nitrous line of trailbikes is the point of Scott’s reentry spear. The war for mountain bike supremacy will be determined by who will win fame and fortune amongst the sport’s fast-growing group of aggressive trail riders. If the Nitrous ride is as good as its looks, it shouldn’t take too much convincing to turn the tide in Scott’s favor.

Meet the Nitrous SL11
The Nitrous uses oversized top and downtubes to maximize the stiffness of its frame. The low-mounted Manitou Swinger air shock is straddled by a pair of welded monocoque seat mast supports that give the Scott a very “moto” profile. The Nitrous’ rear suspension also incorporates oversized aluminum tubes to add strength. The single-pivot swingarm is wide enough to accept 2.35-inch wide tires and still plow through sticky mud without clearance issues.



Two forward shock positions allow Nitrous owners to choose between a firm-feeling six inches, or a plush-feeling 6.7 inches of rear wheel travel.

Scott intended the Nitrous to be jumped and bumped, so it gave the frame an oversized OnePointFive standard head tube that is certified for six- to seven-inch-stroke forks. If you really want to get serious, the left side of the bottom bracket shell incorporates a universal chain guide mount so you can switch to a downhill-type single chainring setup with a bash guard.

The $3927 SL 11 is the pinnacle of the Nitrous lineup, with an upscale, yet sensible, parts selection (like a Shimano XT component group, including hydraulic disc brakes with an eight-inch front rotor). Don’t look for Dual Control here. The Nitrous is outfitted with RapidFire Trigger shifters and uses a conventional, high-normal shifting rear derailleur. To minimize weight on the SL version of the Nitrous, Scott used aluminum reducers in the frame’s head tube to adapt a conventional-diameter steerer tube and headset.

Switching on the Nitrous
We tested the Nitrous by exploring a series of remote motorcycle trails – some were no more than two or three tracks on a ridge line, while others were wide, rutted, monster descents that kept us behind the saddle and hoping for a quarter of a mile at a stretch.

Under power: The Nitrous’ high-pivot swingarm and Manitou “Swinger Air SPV 4-way” stable-platform shock work together to provide bob-free pedaling, even when powering out of the saddle. The ultra-firm pedaling platform helps offset the 30-plus pound weight.

The Fun Begins: What the Nitrous does best is bang down steep terrain at moderately scary speeds. Its ample braking and easy-steering front end make switching lines almost an intuitive process, and its long-legged suspension is an added level of security. At the handlebar, the Nitrous steers more slowly than a typical cross-country trailbike, but it is quick enough to feel energetic at single-track speeds. Like all good trailbike-type chassis, it handles best when the rider remains centered between the wheels.

The Nitrous doesn’t rail corners like a mountaincross racer. Its tallish, 13.5-inch-high bottom bracket mutes some of its sharpness around the bends. But it turns way better than your average cross-country machine. We quickly found its groove and learned that we could lay the Nitrous over and burn corners near racing speeds on a wide variety of terrain.

Get airborne and you’ll find that the Nitrous lands as lightly as a cat – nine tenths of the time. When you do blow a landing, you can rely on the Scott’s rigid chassis to snap the bike back in line without requiring post-ride trauma therapy. Get some speed going on a technical section and you’ll be searching for any small ramp of drop-off to use as an excuse to take flight. The Nitrous plays well in the hands of an aggressive rider.

Suspension report: The Scott’s pivot location moderates the swingarm’s tendency to stiffen up under hard rear braking, and its stable-platform damper delivers better-than-expected bump absorption throughout its performance envelope. Set up the Scott’s Manitou Swinger shock correctly and you’ll be rewarded with an unsophisticated but very capable rear suspension.

Manitou’s Nixon Super fork was both loved and hated by the wrecking crew. Its smooth-acting sliders and supple damping made short work of almost everything that nature threw at us. Its damping clickers were very effective and easy to use with gloved hands. But nobody raved about its handlebar-mounted remote travel adjust feature. In fact, most of us tried it once and never touched the yellow lever again. Manitou should move the feature to the fork crown.

Technical report: Overall, the Nitrous is sensibly appointed. Our own bikes are set up in much the same way.

Is The Nitrous SL11 In Your Future?
The best reason to own a Nitrous SL is that it expands the possibilities of where and how you wish to ride. We had a blast roosting a barren motorcycle route one day and spent the next ride plunking around the woods on a familiar singletrack. The Nitrous would be fun to noodle around our local jumping park too. Scott’s long-travel Nitrous SL is a perfect match for a hard-core enthusiast who views the world as his personal playground.