Super Gravel in its most exciting form

Why not? Bored-out road bikes for the groomed gravel lap already exist, why not an MTB for this special use? There would certainly be room for a gravel MTB in the range of competition and training gravel bikes, the classically beautiful steel gravel bikes and the adventure/backpacking gravel bikes for such a category!

The large tyres offer sufficient control and comfort, and the geometry and handlebar position also provide additional reserves when the terrain gets rougher. If you are coming from an MTB, you don't need to make a big change to a gravel MTB.

Bike Presentation

The Scott Scale is the perfect basis for this. This frame has been completely redesigned for 2023 in both the aluminium and carbon versions. In the carbon range, there are 3 carbon fibre qualities to choose from: HMF, HMX and HMX SL. For this build, Dangerholm opted for the medium HMX version, the World Cup variant. Besides the new design of the frame shape and the revised cable routing in the headset area, there are two other exciting details that Dangerholm liked. On the one hand, the service opening in the down tube directly in front of the bottom bracket, which makes it easy to install a dropper post, for example. On the other hand, the new bottle cage inserts that are used instead of the traditional rivets. If these remain unused, corresponding caps ensure a clean look. At the front, the new Scale Rigid fork ensures directional stability. Visually, it matches the frame perfectly and, if required, adds mounting options for bikepacking to the bike. The weight is around 600 grams and is a real statement. The geometry of the Rigid simulates a suspension fork with 100mm travel, which is in the SAG. This also achieves a fairly short wheelbase of 471mm. In addition to all these features, it is possible to route the brake line both internally and externally, as desired. The sporty, stylish look is provided by a dark emerald green paint finish that will be familiar to Porsche fans: Forest Green Metallic. Golden details on rims and selected components provide the accents.

Of course, titanium is the material of choice for this bike! In addition to the two thru axles from Meti, there is a 3D printed UDH derailleur hanger from Sturdy Cycles on the rear wheel. A matching titanium crank from Sturdy Cycles is also fitted. The finishing touch is one of the new DangerDward chainrings. The bike is pedalled with Shimano XTR pedals, which have received a proper update from Meti with the Rapido axles. Shifting is done with a SRAM Red XPLR rear derailleur, which has been fitted with a CeramicSpeed 3D OSPW cage. The cage is a special edition in the colour Titanium Nitride. Here, Dangerholm draws the colour line back to the automotive world, as it resembles the heat discolouration of some exhaust systems. On the handlebars, Dangerholm uses the Zirbel Twisters, which this time do not work via SRAM BlipBox but have been given a special setup consisting of a circuit board and battery in the handlebar. Dangerholm leaves nothing to be desired when it comes to the wheelset - the Silverton SL are used here. The lightweight, one-piece carbon construction creates a direct and extremely responsive wheelset. The Kenda Rush 2.4" with their 650g per piece form the decisive conclusion for the wheels and also bring along an excellent weight and low rolling resistance. The large tyre volume gives Dangerholm a good portion of comfort on the gravel routes of his choice. For the time being, Dangerholm does without a tubeless setup. The Revoloop keep the air in place and, at 45g, offer a weight that most tubeless systems find difficult to match. Especially when tyres need to be changed and tested frequently, this saves unnecessary mess, sheer nerves and time.

For the brakes, Dangerholm relies on the tried and tested: Trickstuff Piccola Carbon. These grip two Dächle UL with 160mm diameter and offer a good balance between low weight and high performance. A very special detail are the 3D-printed brake disc circlips from Sturdy Cycles. These are almost like small works of art in themselves. Dangerholm shortened the Syncros Fraser iC SL with 80mm length to a width of 720mm. For a gravel bike it could certainly have been a little shorter, but this is where personal preferences come into play. The headset has been refined with CeramicSpeed SLT bearings, which ensure low friction in the system. Finally, the Foam grips from Syncros are nice hand-flattering grips that offer a lot of comfort and reduce vibrations. The saddle is a Schmolke Carbon TLO, which at 120g is not only extremely light, but also offers enormous comfort. Anyone who has an eye on the saddle will unfortunately be disappointed. This is an old prototype from Berk Composites, which weighs just 60g - and will soon be 8 years old...

Let there be light - with a Bright As Day 4000 from Moonlight, Dangerholm brings light into the darkness in every situation. 4000 lumens need to be tamed - the Moonlight has a pleasant light pattern and the aluminium cooling fins on the lamp head ensure that it stays that way for a long time. The cable to the battery is routed almost completely inside through a service opening on the down tube. The battery itself is hidden in a water bottle and specially padded - so nothing rattles or wobbles. The bottle in turn sits in a Sturdy Cycles titanium bottle cage, which harmonises in colour with the other Sturdy parts. Speaking of colour harmonisation... this is also done by the SCOTT Centric Plus helmet and the Shield sunglasses 😉

All in all: 7.67 kg! If you do want a light, you have to add 650g for the light, mount and bottle with battery pack.

SCOTT Scale SuperGravel