Mountain Bike Action tested The Gambler
The riders (employees) at Scott USA take downhill riding and racing seriously. Although downhilling is one of the smaller niches within mountain biking, the fellas up in Sun Valley, Idaho, know that having an elite-level downhill bike in their lineup makes a statement as to their com¬mitment to high-performance mountain bikes.
[Scott USA Marketing Director Adrian Montgomery]
The culmination of Scott's downhill R&D efforts is the new Gambler. There are four versions of the Gambler: two designated downhill racers, the DH10 and DH2O, and two in Scott's black-diamond category, the FR10 and FR20. We got a firsthand look at the much-anticipated, race-ready DH10 in beautiful Santa Barbara, California, and were lucky enough to bring it home for sonic runs on our local trails.
Showing Your Hand
The $6299 Scott Gambler DH10 is available in either short (a 22.2-inch top tube) or long (23.6-inch top tube) frame sizes, has three travel setting options between 7.5 and 9.5 inches, and is equipped with a Fox DHX 5.0 coil shock. The hydroformed single- pivot frame uses a swing-link to acti¬vate the suspension, has an adjustable head tube angle between 64 and 66 degrees and carbon fiber seat stays. There are interchangeable 12-millime¬ter thru-axle dropouts available, creat¬ing a longer or shorter wheelbase.
Our DH10 has the shorter version, providing 16.9-inch chainstays and a 44.2-inch wheelbase. The DHIO has a premium race build with a burly, 8 ¬inch travel Fox Shox 40 RC2 fork and a titanium spring, SRAM X.0 trigger shifter and rear derailleur, Formula "the ONE" hydraulic disc brakes, Truvativ Holzfeller OCT cranks and 36-tooth chainring, DT Swiss 5.1 wheels, and Maxxis Minion DHF tires (front and rear). The Gambler we've been riding weighs 42.2 pounds.
Riding Impressions
Apart from the many high-end com¬ponents, a few traits of the DH10 stand out. The carbon fiber seat stays may be perceived as fragile or risky for a downhill bike ridden on gnarly ter¬rain. However, the reason carbon fiber was used on this part of the frame is not only because it's lighter, but because it is more impact-resistant than aluminum. It's possible for car¬bon fiber to even return to shape rather than dent or crack upon impact.
The Super Tacky Maxxis Minion DHF (front tire specific) tires are mounted front and rear. This is a com¬mon tire combination, but Scott shows the racing mindset by complementing the 2.5-inch front tire with a dual-ply 2.35-inch downhill casing Minion DHF in the rear. This tire is no longer available in the States and is a nice little perk of buying the bike complete.
Unfamiliar handlebars can be difficult to get used to. Not so for the Scott Pilot FR handlebars. They were comfortable and ergonomically spot on. The adjustable head angle is a cool feature if you ride a variety of trails rang¬ing from steep and technical to sweeping switchbacks.
The Scott Gambler DHIO suspension has impressive rear wheel tracking when riding rocks and ruts at speed. There were many times when the Gambler stuck to its line cornering gnarly terrain, and the rear end never skipped around. The single-pivot suspension sprints well out of the saddle, and the tunable Fox suspension complements it well. The low standover height and on-the-money geometry make the Gambler a blast to ride.
From our first glimpse of the Gambler we realized it was a well- thought-out downhill race bike. We're anxious to see how much noise the Gambler makes in the downhill world.
Race Ready
For a stock production bike, the Gambler DH10's build, geometry and adjustability should make it as competitive on the mountain as any stock downhill rig we've seen. It has a well thought-out design and component arrangement.
Travel Destination
The Gambler DH10 is available in either short or long frame sizes, has three travel setting options between 7.5 and 9.5 inches, and is equipped with a Fox DHX 5.0 coil shock.
Good Form
The Gambler's hydroforrned single-pivot frame uses a swing-link to activate the suspension and has an adjustable head tube angle between 64 and 66 degrees. The unique shaping where the head tube meets the top tube allows for more fork leg clearance and a better turning radius.
Drop In
Two different dropout choices are available for the Gambler. Our "short" frame was equipped with the shorter of the two dropout options, providing 16.9-inch chainstays and a 44.2-inch wheelbase.
