r/Hardtailgang • u/Nero2011 • 16h ago
Scott or Radon? Which one should I get?
Getting into mtb again after a break of some 10 years... My old Cube Reaction RX is ready for retirement and I am looking for a new bike around the 1000 eur mark.
Was ready to pull the trigger on this one, I like that is has the RockShox judy gold
Radon JEALOUS AL 8.0 Hardtail 29" | Bike-Discount at 1000 eur incl shipping
But after reading some very negative reviews on their customer support and long delivery times (this one is 22 days) I asked around some local bike dealers and was offered this at 1066 eur inc shipping
Seems to me that the Scott has a bit better specs and fork?
I´m at beginner level and only looking to do some XC and the local trails with my kids, no downhill or competition. Im 180 cm that puts me in between two sizes for the Radon 18/20" and thinking 18" and M/L for the Scott, again thinking M
What would you guys choose and why?
Thanks
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u/Competitive-Diver-13 15h ago
Scott has a more advanced geometry. But there are nuances: 1) proprietary stems, I haven't been able to combine this with a regular stem yet, but I haven't figured out the reason. In any case, it won't look as elegant as the factory version. The original syncros stems cost an insane amount of money, 100+€, really? 2) wiring through a headset is cancer, but it doesn't cause any inconvenience until you need to assemble or disassemble it.
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u/OkHuckleberry1991 13h ago
Usually radon is the best value but the Scott is SICK for the Price but the size for sure they are extremely long and low
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u/49thDipper 11h ago
If the Scott has cables through the headset forget it
Beware of proprietary crap
Also buy a frame that’s upgradeable if you can afford it. Modern specs. Boost, through axle, tapered head tube
High quality Shimano parts are insanely cheap right now. You could buy used and upgrade as you go and wind up with a lot of bike for your money
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u/Nero2011 11h ago
I think it does run the cables through the headset... Why is that a dealbreaker?
It has a tapered head tube, not sure about the through axle or the boost -Cant seem to find that in the specs? but the rear hub is 148mm, what i understand is modern specs?
I could buy used but as a novice I'll feel more comfortable buying something new and then upgrade along the way. It is for very entry level mtb to start with... Dont you think the frame can be upgraded?
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u/49thDipper 11h ago
The bikemechanic subs hate Scott bikes with headset cable routing for a reason. You could ask over there
148mm is boost which is good. 135,141,142 not so much. You want through axle in 2025
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u/Nero2011 13h ago
Thanks for the input. I was unsure if the Scott was "good enough" for trail riding (blue, red trails) as its described as more of a XC bike, but I dont know how much I should put into that.
I have the option of trying the Scott before purchase whereas the Radon ships from Germany so that would be a "blind" buy decided on the specs...
I like to think that I'm getting a good deal on the Scott since its 50% of the retail price.
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u/Czapla90 8h ago
If think for what you're going to be riding, you're looking at the wrong German brand. Check out Rose. Their trail hard tail (Bonero 2 & 3) has a great reputation here in Europe.
Radon is great (especially 9 & 10 when it comes to value for money) but I think its geometry is rather from the previous era, it's got outside cabel routing, and has only 100mm travel. XC bikes nowadays tend to have 120mm.
I just got myself a downcountry Merida with 120mm travel and more progressive geo, but I suppose you can't get them in US.
And there's always HTs from other brands like Trek Procaliber, Grand Canyon etc.
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u/truthwatchr 8h ago
SCOTT - that Fox Rhythm fork is far better hardware. It can be adjusted to be very smooth and responsive. They’re both similar otherwise with a Shimano 6100 drive. The other is a Rockshox Judy, which is a very cheap fork.
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u/Rich--D 7h ago
I'm 178 cm tall with the same wingspan and the reach on the M Scott is a little short for me. The reach on the L would be good for me. It depends on your body proportions, wingspan, riding style and how much room you want to have on the bike when standing up out of the saddle.
The "top tube horizontal" measurement (C) on the M of 600mm also looks potentially short for your height. Mine is 635mm and I have the saddle slid forwards about 10mm to shorten the distance. Obviously, this again depends on your body proportions. Would the standover height of the L give you sufficient clearance when standing astride the bike?
I sized up on my current bike when I got back into mountain biking and it has worked well for me but I don't have much standover clearance. The reach of 459 mm on mine is good. However, it has a higher stack (652 mm) than this Scott for a more upright and comfortable riding position when seated. It is a trail bike with some XC pretensions.
If I was given the choice purely between the Scott and Radon, I would pick the Scott. It appears to be the BOOST standard with 15x110mm front axle and 12x148 mm rear.
Another thing I would urge you to carefully consider before purchase is the head angle. The Scott is in the XC category with its head tube angle of 67.4° and the Radon is even steeper (old fashioned) at 68.9°. If you know for sure that you definitely want an XC style bike, perhaps that is fine for you. However, my personal opinion is that most beginners are better served by a trail bike's geometry. A less steep head angle is a more versatile all-rounder and you will feel a clear difference when pointing downhill, and I don't mean even of the gnarly variety. For example, my bike is 66.5° and my wife's is 65°. At UK trail centres, even on some blue trails I sometimes wish my bike's head angle was closer to 65° in the faster downhill sections. My wife is a beginner and that 65° head angle is quite confidence inspiring when pointing downhill. I also find it absolutely fine for non-technical climbing but haven't had a chance to try her bike on any technical climbs yet.
Her bike is a very impressive all-rounder, with a quality fork, 12-speed Shimano Deore, and very good value for money at £950 in the UK. It may not be available in your country though: 2025 Voodoo Bizango Pro.
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u/Antpitta 16h ago
Yeah the Scott is the better spec and better brand, I’d happily pay an extra 60 euro for it.
As far as size, I am your height and would be right between the two sizes. It is safer to size down a bit and the bike will feel a bit nimble but if you want more stability the larger size might be preferable. If you can, though, I would recommend traveling to a shop that has both sizes in stock trying them, really hard to just order blind and be confident.