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SBG Scout Build Thread

38K views 285 replies 42 participants last post by  ecodoug 
#1 ·
Thought I would start a build thread for the SBG Scouts since we have a thread for the OG Scout. I used that original thread to find out a lot of info. It helped me not only decide to buy one, but to also set it up correctly and tweak and tune it to be a great all around bike.

I mistakenly sold that 2015 Scout because I needed a longer travel bike and went with a different brand. The day I sold it I started to miss how much fun that Scout was. I'm happy to be back on a Transition this year. I am currently waiting on my new 2018 Scout GX to be shipped to me.

I wanted to let those of you who may not be familiar with the Crew at Transition that they seem to be a genuine bunch of guys. I have never met any of them in person but spoke with one of the guys today about my order. In the original Scout Build Thread I mentioned that these guys seem to be just a bunch of guys who ride mountain bikes, and build bikes how they want them to be......not what some mega conglomerate thinks they can make the most sales and profit from. I could be totally wrong in this statement....... but pick up the phone and call the factory one day and you will see what I mean. Their answering machine message will give you an indication of what kind of guys they are.

Watch a couple of videos from their website, call and talk with someone about ordering a bike, or call for tech help.......you'll get the idea.

So why am I even writing any of this down? If you are passionate about mountain biking.......shouldn't the company that your buying a bike from be passionate as well?

Anyway, as soon as I get my bike in and build it up I will get some pics up. It's not exactly riding season where I live but just the thought of my new Scout being 1/2 as fun as my OG Scout was I will be happy!

Inside I know it will be 3x as fun though! Bicycle tire Bicycle frame Bicycle wheel Bicycle wheel rim Wheel
 
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#14 ·
Hey folks -

A little clarification about how we ship our complete bikes; All of our NX models ship roughly 90% assembled in one full size bike box. You'll only need to install the handlebar, seat post, front wheel, and dial it in. Our GX and XO bikes ship in two boxes; a frameset in one and a disassembled parts kit in the other. The parts kit has tires and cassettes installed, but everything else requires a full assembly. This goes both for product sent to a dealer, or direct to customer. We made a special exception for BluePitch as he didn't have the ability to press his headset in.

There are pros and cons to each as BluePitch pointed out. Of course, if you're ever in doubt, we highly recommend seeking the advice of your local bike shop.

Enjoy!
 
#15 ·
Hey folks -

A little clarification about how we ship our complete bikes; All of our NX models ship roughly 90% assembled in one full size bike box. You'll only need to install the handlebar, seat post, front wheel, and dial it in. Our GX and XO bikes ship in two boxes; a frameset in one and a disassembled parts kit in the other. The parts kit has tires and cassettes installed, but everything else requires a full assembly. This goes both for product sent to a dealer, or direct to customer. We made a special exception for BluePitch as he didn't have the ability to press his headset in.

There are pros and cons to each as BluePitch pointed out. Of course, if you're ever in doubt, we highly recommend seeking the advice of your local bike shop.

Enjoy!
Love the fact that you guys not only monitor this forum, but jump in and answer questions like you did. This is one of the reasons I bought another Scout. There is something about buying a bike from a company that actually cares about its end users like this and its certainly appreciated!!!!!!!!

Cant wait to get my Scout!
 
#2 ·
Thought I would start a build thread for the SBG Scouts since we have a thread for the OG Scout. I used that original thread to find out a lot of info. It helped me not only decide to buy one, but to also set it up correctly and tweak and tune it to be a great all around bike.

I mistakenly sold that 2015 Scout because I needed a longer travel bike and went with a different brand. The day I sold it I started to miss how much fun that Scout was. I'm happy to be back on a Transition this year. I am currently waiting on my new 2018 Scout GX to be shipped to me.

I wanted to let those of you who may not be familiar with the Crew at Transition that they seem to be a genuine bunch of guys. I have never met any of them in person but spoke with one of the guys today about my order. In the original Scout Build Thread I mentioned that these guys seem to be just a bunch of guys who ride mountain bikes, and build bikes how they want them to be......not what some mega conglomerate thinks they can make the most sales and profit from. I could be totally wrong in this statement....... but pick up the phone and call the factory one day and you will see what I mean. Their answering machine message will give you an indication of what kind of guys they are.

Watch a couple of videos from their website, call and talk with someone about ordering a bike, or call for tech help.......you'll get the idea.

So why am I even writing any of this down? If you are passionate about mountain biking.......shouldn't the company that your buying a bike from be passionate as well?

Anyway, as soon as I get my bike in and build it up I will get some pics up. It's not exactly riding season where I live but just the thought of my new Scout being 1/2 as fun as my OG Scout was I will be happy!

Inside I know it will be 3x as fun though! View attachment 1183751
Hello,
I'm very happy for you.
I own a 2015 Scout and I'm very happy with this bike.
I'm waiting to do a bike test of the Scout SBG 2018 and then buy it.
What size did you buy?
How tall are you?
 
#4 ·
One of the things I did not know when buying the bike online from Transitions website is the bike does not come assembled. When I spoke with Chris from Transition he asked if I knew how to put a bike together? So if you order from their website keep this in mind. Someone from Transition will call after you do your online order and ask.

I actually don't have a headset press so they are supposed to install the headset before it ships which is pretty good.

I ran across this video.....I was wondering why she was building the bike herself?



The two bikes I bought online came nearly fully assembled. One from a large online retailer, one from the bike company itself. All you had to do was install the wheels, seat, and handlebar.
 
#6 ·
Mine has been sitting in my garage on top of my work bench for weeks now. Unridden. Is that a word? Haven't ridden it yet. Cataract surgery a week before I got it and hand surgery next week. FML.

Anyway, I was thinking that for my local trails those Minions might be kind of heavy. Wondering on some good replacements if anyone has a recommendation. Hard pack. Dusty most of the year. Dry, wishing I was in the PNW.

FWIW, I'm 5'7" with about a 31" inseam to the ground and got a Medium. Feels perfect if my ride around the parking lot is good enough to judge on.
 
#7 ·
Mine has been sitting in my garage on top of my work bench for weeks now. Unridden. Is that a word? Haven't ridden it yet. Cataract surgery a week before I got it and hand surgery next week. FML.
Just had my left wrist carpal tunnel surgery done, right will be next month. Tried to time it where I could snowmobile...little break....onto the MTB'ing. I live in NY/NE area so our season has awhile before the trails are remotely ready for riding. It takes a long time for them to dry up. Hoping to sneak in a ride before next month.....snow in the forecast for tomorrow, followed by a cool down.

Itching to ride!
 
#20 ·
Buying from Transition Bikes

Just wanted to mention what great customer service I received from Transition Bikes yesterday.

My Scout GX showed up yesterday, so I played hooky from work and started the build. I ran into an issue with my GX shifter that more than likely was caused by myself. The barrel end of the cable got wedged in the shifter so that the shifter was inoperable. I called Transition looking for tech support but they had gone home for the day. I ended up speaking with my salesman and he immediately offered to help.

Within minutes we where diagnosing and troubleshooting the issue and came up with an alternative plan if I couldn't fix it myself. I ended being able to fix it and everything worked out.

I think that it worth mentioning this for a couple of reasons.

First, do you think you would get this kind of help from one of the larger companies? Sure they have customer support lines but have you ever tried to call them? It takes minutes just to navigate the menu to find help, let alone speak with an actual person.

Second, I spoke with my salesman because tech support left for the day. He was just as knowledgeable as tech support!!!!

There are definite advantages to buying from companies like Transition Bikes......this scenario is one. When the people that work there are actually involved in their product, and know it front to back......makes you feel good about your purchase.
 
#27 ·
It's not the pic! It is loooooong!

I just had carpal tunnel surgery on my left wrist, go in two weeks for the right. Unless I can sneak a ride in next week I wont get to ride until April.

Most of our trails are used in the winter so the snow gets packed down pretty good. There will be no snow or ice anywhere but in middle of the trail.

I did do the customary driveway, paved road test ride! Intuition tells me its gonna be a fun bike.
 
#28 ·
Couple of things I learned when building

I mentioned in a previous post I bought the bike from the Transition website. The GX and X01 builds do not come assembled. So if you decide to go this route there are a couple of things to look out for.

First thing the Reverb dropper line does not come cut to length. I have a Reverb bleed kit mainly because 3 out of 4 I have owned have quit working. Bleeding the lever for the Reverb was no problem, and you can sometimes cut the hose and skip the bleed, but it usually just losses enough oil to affect it a touch. My old Reverbs had the Connectamajig that allowed you to remove the line a couple of times without the bleed. The Reverb I got did not have it though.

The Sram Guide rear brake hose is also uncut, and super long. The front brake did not need to be cut. I have a Shimano bleed kit but no Sram bleed kit. In the parts kit you do get a new barb and olive so if you cut the line you have the necessary parts to connect the line back up. I'm not sure how much not bleeding the brake is affecting performance because I have not had a chance to bed in the pads yet. I will probably end up bleeding that brake though when I get the parts to do so. I can't believe they still use DOT 5.1 fluid!!!!

The chain was actually the correct length.....go figure.

Included in the parts kit were two lengths of soft foam cable wraps. My 2015 Scout had the most annoying cable rattle imaginable. These soft foam cable wraps are just what is needed to keep the derailleur and dropper cables from rattling around in the downtube.........thank you TR for including these!

The cable port covers are also a nice way to keep the cables secure in the frame. Keep in mind though that there are two different sizes of port covers. I nearly threw them in the garbage because I couldn't get it to fit on the cable! The derailleur port cover will not fit the dropper line.......it was kind of late and I didn't make the connection. Once you have them installed you can still slide the cable in and out which is nice. I put my bike on my stand and raise the dropper out of the bike so Im not clamping the post but the base. The ports will make this easier then ever.

Make sure you install the dropper line before you install the bottom bracket. Makes it much easier.

I did have an issue with installing the derailleur line through the swing arm and the chain stay protector. The exit hole on the chain stay protector did not line up with the exit hole. I had to fish the cable out of there with a pick. Not a big deal but the protector is glued into place, so to fish out the line I had to peal off some glue. Maybe starting from the rear of the bike would be better? I started at the front when installing the derailleur cable.

If you buy your Scout at the LBS none of this matters! I do however thoroughly enjoy wrenching on my bikes. Riding is part of the experience, wrenching/upgrading/fixing/customizing is also a part of the experience.....at least for me.
 
#32 ·
So far I added the TLD ODI grips, Muckynutz fender, 3m Scotchgard protection, and I bought some fork decals off Ebay. I didn't know it at the time but the decals change color in the sunlight? They are deep orange in the shade, then turn yellow/gold in the sunlight.

Tire Wheel Bicycle tire Bicycle wheel rim Automotive tire


Tire Bicycle tire Wheel Bicycle wheel rim Automotive tire
 
#33 ·
Ditch your tubes!

I have been running tubeless on my last 3 bikes but never paid attention to the weight of them until tonight. I decided to weigh the tubes that came out of my Scout and both tubes weighed in at 1 pound 2 ounces!!!! The rims on the GX build (E*Thirteen TRS 30mm) already had tubeless rim tape on them, so they where ready to fill with tubeless sealant. I filled each tire with 2 ounces of Stans. If you do the math by going tubeless you take 14 ounces off the bike. That's nearly a pound of weight from the build, and since its in the tires its a very noticeable drop in weight.

Keep in mind I used my kitchen scale......not exactly the most accurate scale out there.

31.6 lbs stock weight minus .875 lbs gives you 30.725 lbs.

Found this video about the new SBG frame weight. I feel good about what the Scout weighs in stock trim.

 
#48 ·
I have been running tubeless on my last 3 bikes but never paid attention to the weight of them until tonight. I decided to weigh the tubes that came out of my Scout and both tubes weighed in at 1 pound 2 ounces!!!! The rims on the GX build (E*Thirteen TRS 30mm) already had tubeless rim tape on them, so they where ready to fill with tubeless sealant. I filled each tire with 2 ounces of Stans. If you do the math by going tubeless you take 14 ounces off the bike. That's nearly a pound of weight from the build, and since its in the tires its a very noticeable drop in weight.

Keep in mind I used my kitchen scale......not exactly the most accurate scale out there.

31.6 lbs stock weight minus .875 lbs gives you 30.725 lbs.

Found this video about the new SBG frame weight. I feel good about what the Scout weighs in stock trim.

Actually put my bike on a scale the other day.

The 31.6lbs must be for the size medium GX build.

My Scout is a large GX build. No pedals 32.32lbs

Bicycle tire Tire Wheel Bicycle wheel rim Bicycle wheel

Blue Light Electric blue Signage Purple
 
#37 ·
No ride reports anywhere on this bike, it seems like the focus is on the 29er models. Any indication when the Patrol and Scout will be released in Carbon? I'm interesting in how the Scout compares to the Calling, looking for a "trail" bike to complement my quiver.
I was thinking the same thing! Where are the first ride/impressions from the major sources? I have been trying to follow the Sentinel reviews because they are the only ones out right now for the SBG bikes. The more I read about the SBG on the Sentinel most of the reviewers are saying the same thing......SBG is special. Check out this review by Vital. When I listen to what he has to say I basically imagine everything transfers over to the Scout, but with 27.5 and less travel I imagine the Scout will be just like the original.....very playful....just more capable.



My 2018 SBG Scout has been sitting in my garage since February. Carpal tunnel surgery, and a Northeast winter that wont stop dropping snow hasn't allowed me to get a actual test ride in yet!

I bought my 2015 Scout without a proper test ride, and wow I'm glad I did. That Scout was a great bike......I know the 2018 will be the same.
 
#38 · (Edited)
Had 2015 Scout, just bought a used SBG. Yes I was skeptical, how can the funnest bike get better? Well the new Scout handles better. I bought a frame and fork and after the build i regretted the decision. Too much incompatiblity between the 15 and 18 Scouts. It would have been way easier to get a complete. The new bike handles awesome though. Super stoked and blown away by the handling. I dropped the fork to 140mm also.
 
#42 ·
They have completes from what I understand, but the CSU you might have to source elsewhere. Give them a call or shoot them an email and ask.

I don't think going with a reduced offset fork is going to give you the SBG magic......I think your HA is going to stay the same, and wheelbase is going to shorten. Might make it quicker turning at slow speed, but less stable at full speed?
 
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