PINKBIKE FIELD TEST
Scor 4060 ST
Words by Mike Kazimer; photography by Tom RichardsScor is a
new brand that was created as an after-hours project by two BMC employees who wanted something a little different from what was in the Bicycle Manufacturing Company’s catalog. The 4060 is the result, a futuristic-looking carbon machine that uses a dual short-link suspension layout to deliver either 160mm of travel (on the LT version), or 140mm of travel on the 4060 ST that’s reviewed here.
The two travel amounts are achieved by using different shock stroke lengths – 62.5mm for the LT, and 57.5mm for the ST. There’s also an angle adjust headset that can be used to steepen or slacken the head angle by a little over 1-degree. It’s installed and removed like a typical press-in headset, so it’s not as simple as the drop-in cup used on the Specialized Stumpjumper EVO, but it does create the option to change either model’s geometry in a significant way.
Scor 4060 ST Details• Travel: 140mm rear / 150mm fork
• Carbon frame
• Wheel size: 29"
• Head angle: 65.5° or 64.3°
• Effective seat tube angle: 78°
• Reach: 485mm
• Chainstay length: 433mm (across all sizes)
• Sizes: S, M, L (tested), XL
• Weight: 32.1 lb / 14.5kg
• Price: $6,599 USD as tested
•
scor-mtb.com The 4060’s sleek frame has plenty of room for a water bottle, along with mounts under the top tube to hold a tube or tool. There’s also a bonus storage compartment on the downube that’s is accessed by turning a dial and removing a plastic panel. A spare derailleur hanger is already stashed in there, and that compartment has just enough space for a tool and some tire plugs. Other frame details include fully guided internal cable routing, generous chainslap protection, and customizable frame protection that’s made specifically for the 4060.
Conditions during our test session ranged from wet to wetter, which is how the 4060’s biggest downside emerged – the area around the shock is a mud magnet, and even though the bike comes with moto foam already installed it’s a very, very dificult area to clean. As the suspension compresses it opens up nooks and crannies for pine needles and mud to get into, and then as it extends that debris gets trapped between the lower link and the swingarm. Desert dwellers obviously won’t need to worry as much about this trait, but it’s worth a mention for riders in wetter climates.
The 4060 ST has a 65.5-degree head angle with a 150mm fork and the headset in the steeper position. That’s combined with a steep, 78-degree seat tube angle, and a reach of 485mm for a size large. No matter the frame size, the chainstays measure a relatively short 433mm. Creating a fun, playful bike was high on the lists of goals for the 4060’s designers, as opposed to making something ultra-stable, but potentially less maneuverable.
The 4060 ST GX retails for $6,599 USD, and comes very well spec’d with a RockShox SuperDeluxe Ultimate shock, SRAM Code RSC brakes, a GX Eagle 12-speed drivetrain, a BikeYoke Divine dropper post, and DT Swiss XM1700 wheels.
A Pike Ultimate is supposed to be the stock fork, but there weren’t any complaints when our test bike showed up with a Lyrik Ultimate. Weighing in at 32.1 pounds (14.6 kg), the 4060 ST was the second lightest bike in the test fleet for the trail category, pipped only by the Propain Hugene.
ClimbingThere are some bikes where climbing feels like a means to an end, a task that’s done solely to be able to enjoy the descent. And then there are others where climbing is actually enjoyable (at least some of the time), bikes that make picking apart tangled messes of roots and rocks perversely pleasurable. The Scor 4060 falls into the latter category, thanks to a suspension design that blends support and traction extremely well, and an upright climbing position that delivers plenty of comfort for big days in the saddle. The bike's long(ish) front center is tempered by the steep seat tube angle, which helps keeps the bike from feeling too sprawling during seated climbs in tighter terrain.
The Scor’s suspension doesn’t feel as firm under power as the Propain Hugene, but it’s not that far off, and I’d give it the point in that matchup when it comes to grip – the rear end is able to move more freely under hard pedaling, which helps it better match the contours of the ground.
I’m always a little skeptical when a company claims a bike was designed to be ‘fun’, mainly because I feel like that’s an unwritten goal for all mountain bikes. Still, there’s no denying that the 4060 does hit the fun / playful mark, thanks in part to those short chainstays. They make wheelies and manuals a breeze, and it was easy to get the 4060’s front end up whenever the urge struck.
Descending As is typically the case, the 4060 is even more fun on the descents than the climbs, especially for riders that are constantly on the hunt for those bonus little side hit and jibs. On rougher sections of trail it has an almost floaty feel, smoothing out the chunky bits without even a hint of harshness.
The 4060 ST makes the most of its 140mm of travel, with a super smooth ramp up that makes it possible to use all of the travel while avoiding any harsh bottom outs. I wrote the words “snappy traction” in my ride notes for the Scor, referring to the way the bike manages to feel very energetic while doing a good job of finding grip in slippery situations.
I somehow found myself with a little extra time one evening during Field Test, so I decided to do some tinkering and rotate the ST’s headset cups to make it even slacker. Pemberton’s trails tend to be on the steeper side of the spectrum, so it seemed like a worthy little experiment.
Once the cups were rotated the head angle ended up around 64-degrees, a number that’s become fairly common on modern enduro bikes. Out on the trail, I only found upsides to the additional slackness. The bike still climbed just as well, and any changes in slow speed handling were fairly minimal. The change did improve the bike’s poise in the steeps, giving it a calmer, more locked in feeling that made it easier to stay off the brakes and push the speeds a little higher.
I'd love to see a version of this bike offered exactly as it was in our final configuration, with the headset in the slack position and a Lyrik up front. That setup gives it category-blurring abilities, and allows it to shine even brighter on the descents without losing much of its well-roundedness on mellower terrain.
How about those short chainstays? I typically prefer longer chainstays across the board, but for the most part I didn’t mind the stubby back end on the 4060. It fit well with the bike’s overall character, and it does make it easier to get the rear wheel through sequential tight corners. However, there were a few instances where the balance of the bike didn’t feel quite right. This was most noticeable on steep, straighter sections of trail with multiple stair-step like drop-offs in a row. In that scenario it was more difficult to keep my weight centered – the longer front center paired with the shorter back end took a little more work to manage.
Overall, the 4060 is an impressive debut from Scor. It epitomizes just how capable a modern trail bike can be, a fast and composed climber and descender that ticks nearly all the boxes – it’s really only the poor mud clearing capabilities that take it down a notch.
Now if only the ever-broadening selection would equate to increased competition and lower prices.
You can put me down in the category of "its totally worth it". Personally, I love the way my actual bike is tuned and performs (2021 Spec Enduro), and I really like the look of these bikes that carry their shocks lower in the frame.
Designers need the links and pivots in exact places to make the suspension work the way they want. Link/pivot placement somewhat determines shock size and placement. Shocks work best when the bushings rotate as little as possible. Often the best place for a shock is right in the middle of the frame.
But we want water bottles. So shocks need to get out of the way. Hence shock tunnels. Or brands like Pivot and Banshee going to vertical shocks + trunnion.
Having a shock lower in the frame doesn't meaningfully change the total center of gravity for the rider + bike, but it does for the bike alone. When riding, the bike moves a ton under you- having a lower CoG is actually quite noticeable when riding.
When tipping the bike over, dropping the bars left and right, and in stability it matters. You want the bike to "pivot" closer to the ground when it moves under you. This can most easily be felt when riding through consecutive, alternating turns, or riding an ebike through loose gravel. Ebikes have lower CoG, even though there is a lot more wieght because the weight is lower (on a good ebike). In loose terrain, when a wheel gets deflected off course by a loose rock, if the weight is low the tire will deflect laterally less, since the bike wants to pivot lower to the ground. Go try it- its part of the reason why ebikes are so stable on the fast and loose.
@greenblur Go try and throw table on an ebike. Its harder, yes, but not as much as you think 'cause all that extra weight is down low. Try throwing a moto whip and its (comparatively) much harder on that same ebike.
Moving 2-3 pounds down 6 inches on a bike isn't going to be the difference between me and Greg Minnaar, but it is noticeable. Great bikes don't ride well because of any one thing, they ride well because they have a thousand small improvements and optimizations. Death by a thousand paper cuts, so to speak.
No difference.
The giga didn't use a shock tunnel but it looks pregnant. And luxury items like bikes have to look good. No one wants to pay $6k for an uggo bike.
Chris Porter over at Mojo has done a few videos adding lead weights to bikes and done timed training. For everyone in his test group except two Pro World Cup racers they had faster DH times with the weights. A pro can handle a bike so well that the extra stability a super low CoG provides can't overcome the extra actual weight of the bike. The riders also reported less hand fatigue, easier to move the bike around, and easier cornering. I'll see if I can find the video. I think it was with bike radar.
I notice the same thing when I strap a bikepacking setup on my bike.
Actually, I'd like to know how the test bikes compared to the 20-21 flex stay Stumpjumper.
The Scor looks like a great bike and has piqued my interest!
Sign me the f*ck up!
Very strongly recommend looking for a bike at your height that’s got at at least 445+ chainstays. You’ll love it
It’s that feeling that everyone else shorter than us gets when they ride size mediums etc and it feels so good
I think the offering rips and is also super playful when I want it to be.
A way to try things out
Well, time to pack the skates and head for hell, because it must be frozen over.
SRAM/RockShox lists the same 561mm A2C height for a 150 Pike and a 150 Lyrik: www.sram.com/globalassets/document-hierarchy/service-manuals/rockshox/front-suspension/2022-front-suspension-oil-air-coil-token-and-specifications-english.pdf
SCOR's geo chart for the 4060 ST shows a 64.5 degree head tube angle for a 560mm A2C, so if the test bike actually had a 160 Lyrik (571mm A2C), it would be understandable that you measured a 64* HTA in the 40460 ST set up in "bonus mode"
At some point SC could do that, so I hope they’ll manage to make it again.
“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.”
Also, it's been said before but I'll say it again: RockShox SuperDeluxe Ultimate: how can something so expensive sound so incredibly cheap?
Gotta get one!!!!
You know how, when u write a review, you take the manufacturr's brochure, weed out the ones that are obvious marketing hypes, and extract some of fhe details worth mentioning to regurgitate onwards? Well, I'm not sure link rotation directions qualify...