Last summer Scott launched the all-new 170mm carbon 29er Ransom enduro bike. In the time since, they’ve seen growing demand from technical women trail shredders in high alpine trail centers and enduro race start lines, so now Scott is launching a premium Contessa model – the 2020 Scott Contessa Ransom 910.
Scott Contessa Ransom 170mm carbon enduro bike
The Contessa Ransom gets all of the same trail versatility as the long-travel Ransom that debuted last August, now it a custom shock tune and build kit for women mountain bikers. Available in just one matte mauve complete bike build for now, the Contessa Ransom 910 gets 29″ wheels shod in meaty Maxxis Minion rubber and 170mm of TwinLoc-controlled Fox Performance Elite four-bar rear suspension.
That gives the bike two distinct ride positions within three remotely operated suspension modes: fully open Descend mode with the complete 170mm of travel, a middle Traction Control mode that actually raises the BB 20mm & limits travel to just 120mm for technical climbing, and the high-sitting fully-closed Lockout mode. (Fork travel isn’t affected by the TwinLoc, simply increasing its compression damping setting.)
Contessa Ransom geometry
Even though the Contessa is only offered in a 29er complete build (fitting up to 2.6″ tires), the bike is nearly 27.5+ compatible, able to fit up to 27.5″ x 2.8″ tires. The suspension itself also includes a flip chip at the upper shock mount on the rocker link, that let’s quickly play with the bike’s geometry to go back-and-forth between wheelsizes (or potentially dial in the bike for your preferred riding style.)
The Contessa Ransom shares the same long, low & slack geometry as the men’s Ransom, but comes in an abbreviated three size range (S-L).
Tech details
The 910-level bike features Scott’s stiff & light HMX hi-mod carbon front triangle, a carbon rocker link, and 6061-alloy SL seat & chainstays. It also has the unique new Fox Nude TR adjustable progression rear shock with on-the-fly ramp adjust.
While the frame is unchanged except for the custom shock tune, the spec of the new women’s bike is a bit different than the men’s. First, the Contessa benefits from some newer, more advanced tech, including the latest Shimano XT 4-piston brakes, a longer 175mm travel Fox Transfer dropper post on the large bike to make it easier to get weight back (up from 150mm on the 2019 Men’s M-XL… Update: The 2020 men’s Ransom now gets the same longer droppers too), and the newly more durable and yet still trail-supple EXO+ casing Maxxis Minion DHF tire in the rear, a happy medium between the standard EXO trail & DH-ready DoubleDown casings.
The women-specific build also gets two teeth smaller GX Eagle 30T cranks, smaller diameter Syncros Women Pro lock-on grips, and a 240g Syncros Savona V-Concept 1.5 women-specific saddle with ti rails vs. the lower spec chromoly railed men’s saddle. (Update: The 2020 men’s Ransom now gets a ti-railed 235g Syncros Comox 1.5 saddle too. The women-specific Savona though, has extra mounting for an optional saddle bag, GoPro, or fender.)
Those spec updates ultimately make the Contessa version of the Ransom 910 a bit more enduro-capable and two hundred grams heavier than the 2019 version, but still pretty light at 14.1kg (31.1lb) for a 170mm travel 29er gravity-shredding carbon enduro bike (same claimed weight for the 2020 Contessa Ransom 910 & standard Ransom 910).
Pricing isn’t expected to change for the Contessa model, so look for it at $5400 / 5500€ with availability later this year in the new matte mauve finish.
