Nukeproof's New Scout Hardtail Range

The Hardtail: Often mooted as the perfect style bike to master your first pedal strokes into the world of mountain biking or the best way to develop your bike handling skills. Mastering a hardtail will sharpen your skills from perfecting your balance point on the bike through to being creative with the trail ahead reading natural features to generate speed. One thing is for sure though; you shouldn’t underestimate what this hardtail is truly capable of. The new Scout: welcome to the world of Scoutin’ About; it really is an attitude.

Highlights

• Travel: 27.5-inch: 140mm fork (150mm on RS) // 29-inch: 140mm fork
• Material: Hydroformed 6061T6 triple-butted aluminum
• Intended Use: DO-IT-ALL
• Size Range: 27.5-inch: S,M,L,XL // 29-inch: M,L,XL, XXL
• External cable routing (internal dropper post)
• Rubber molded frame and chainstay protection
• Size-specific chainstays
• Accessory and water bottle mounts
• Boost 148 rear hub spacing
• Threaded bottom bracket with ISCG05 tabs
• WEIGHT: 2.35kg (27.5-inch)
• Frame-only available
• Four complete builds available
• Frames in stock June 1st
• Full bikes available July 25th

The all-new Scout is a graduate of the school of gravity. Its geometry is on the “aggressive” side of the coin, designed to attack the trail ahead. The new pedal position, developed using Nukeproof’s Saddle Offset theory, will propel you efficiently up the trail-ready for the gnarliest descent you can handle. The new geometry adds to the all-around capability of the Scout. Improved riding position and sizing combined with a low Bottom bracket enhances your control in the corners. The Scout is a versatile frame; ready to scout out endless singletrack, session technical enduro trails, or just hoon around like you’re auditioning for the latest “Scoutin’ About” video epic.

A Nukeproof Scout is the embodiment of the Nukeproof attitude. In riding a Scout, you become part of something special; every ride of this hardcore hardtail rewards every last drop of your skill and commitment when riding. In owning a Scout, you are inducted into something a little bit special too. That subtle nod of appreciation from other Scout owners that you too know what a special frame this is, through to the support and community that has grown around Scout ownership.

Features

Nukeproof went with external cable routing for the gears and brakes on the new Scout, keeping the only internal routing for dropper posts. The Scout hales from the UK, so there's ample mud clearance, even when running 2.6-inch wide tires. Despite a traditional profile, the Scout is 1x specific, no front derailleurs here. In keeping with Nukeproof's updated line, the Scout uses a SRAM universal derailleur hanger. Boost 148 rear hub spacing keeps on keeping things standard.

On the underside of the top tube, the Scout has a gear accessory mount that is conveniently compatible with its own mounting system (among others). There are water bottle mounts on the downtube, as one may expect. To keep rock pings and noises quieted, the Scout has robust rubber protection on the downtube/bottom bracket area as well as a chainstay guard.

The Scout line makes use of a 73mm threaded bottom bracket with ISCG05 three-tab mounts. With 180mm post mounts for the rear brake, the Scout isn't messing about. Unless you want to. The chainring size maxes out at 34T regular or 32T oval.

Updated Geometry

New sizing structure for optimized fit. Whilst most humans may not have changed size in recent years; the bike sizes they choose to ride most certainly have. To ensure a perfectly dialed fit for our riders and customers alike, we now offer 5 frame sizes spread across our two wheel sizes. 27.5-inch is available in S-XL and 29-inch is available in M-XXL

Low, long steeper, and slacker! Nukeproof's geometry is optimized around the saddle offset for each reach size in order to give riders the best weight distribution. As one may expect, this resulted in the seat angle becoming one degree steeper than the V2 frame while also increasing reach numbers. To keep with the aggressive times, the head angle is now 64.5-degrees. There are now shorter seat tubes that also offer more seat post insertion depths. Riders are now free to run even more drop on with their bikes. To round it out, there are now size-specific chainstays as well as longer head tubes on larger sizes.

Nukeproof Scout Line

The entire Scout family is available as either a 275 (27.5-inch wheels) or 290 (29-inch wheels) option. Each build tier uses the same frame and features. All of the Scout builds have 200mm front brake rotors and 180mm rear rotors along with Schwalbe tires. Nukeproof is only offering one color per build spec, with the frame-only options available in the yellow or black paint schemes.

The Scout range tops out with the Scout RS 275/290 Riders get a SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain with SRAM Guide RE brakes. A 150mm travel RockShox Lyrik Select+ fork and DT Swiss XM1700 wheels with Schwalbe Magic Mary/Hans Dampf tire combo rounds out the kit.

Retail: 2,799 GBP // $3,699 USD // 3,599 EURO

Moving down the line lands you at the Scout Elite 275/290 RRP 2399 The drivetrain goes blue with a Shimano SLX 12-speed kit with matching brakes. A FOX 36 Rhythm fork, DT Swiss XM1900 wheels and the same Schwalbe rubber finish off the build. 

Retail: 2,399 GBP // $3,199 USD // 3,099 EURO

Take another step down the ladder and you arrive at the Scout Comp 275/290. The Scout Comp is the last in the line to still make use of a 12-speed drivetrain with Shimano's proven Deore line, including the M6120 4-piston brakes. Marzocchi takes over the fork details with a Z2. Wheels are Nukeproof's own Neutron V2 hubs with WTB KOM trail rims.

Retail: 1,799 GBP // $2,399 USD // 2,299 EURO

At the entry level is the Scout Race 275/290. The drivetrain is still Shimano but is now the 10-speed Deore 5100 series with MT4100 brakes. Riders will forego a dropper post here as well. Wheels maintain the same Nukeproof hub but now have WTB's STI30 rims.

Retail: 1,299 GBP // $1,799 USD // 1,699 EURO

Vital's Test Bike

Vital may be a tad off base, but it does seem that when grabbing a hardtail, riders tend to go for a frame-only build more so than with other platforms. Leaning into that (and citing lack of parts) Nukeproof made frames available to media outlets in order to do their own build. How could we say no? 

Doing our own gymnastics in working with brands and digging through our parts bin, we've just now been able to get our grubby hands on the bits needed to build our own Scout. Look for the full review later this summer. For now, here's a summary:

• Frame only Option Retail: 499 GBP // $799 USD // 599 EURO
• Frame: Nukeproof Scout 275, size Med.
• Fork: RockShox Pike Ultimate
• Brakes: SRAM Code RSC
• Drivetrain: Spomer's used SRAM X01 Eagle kit
• Bars: OneUp 35mm rise bar
• Stem: OneUp 42mm length
• Dropper Post: OneUp 170mm with matching lever
• Wheels: Hunt Trail Wide 30 (might be used)
• Tires: Maxxis
• Seat: Nukeproof
• Grips: Nukeproof Sam Hill Signature
• Nukeproof accessory mounting system

Like much of the bike industry, we are still waiting for some goods to land before we can do our final build and get this bike on the trail. Look for our ride impressions this summer as we Scout about the greater Boise, ID area. In the meantime, head to Nukeproof.com to learn more about the Scout line.

View key specs, compare bikes, and rate the new Nukeproof Scout in the Vital MTB Product Guide.