Scott bikes pro deal. NSP Bike Committee

Why Join NSP Bike Patrol?

National Ski Patrol (NSP) is a 501(c)(3) membership-based nonprofit organization dedicated to providing the gold-standard of outdoor education to first responders, in all seasons.

Affordable, “Gold Standard” Training: NSP offers Outdoor First Care (OFC) and Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC) to our membership. Thanks to over 31,000 members and generous donations, we are able to offer these at affordable prices. Our medical training is recognized by mountain resorts across the country at a price that is doable for volunteers. For example, for 60 national fee, materials and your class time, you can earn your OEC credentials, which is similar to EMT training, but is much more affordable and transferable across state lines. NSP dues and fees vary slightly by region.

Pro Deals NSP Online Store: As a member of NSP, you get access to a variety of discounted equipment directly from partner brands. You also have access to gear on the NSP Online Store, which includes bike patrol jerseys, general bike clothing, eyewear, medical supplies, etc. Our partner brands include Patagonia, Bolle, Smith, Yakima, and more.

Recruitment Assistance: NSP supports local patrols by providing recruitment materials such as designs for recruitment posters, cards, etc. (to be printed by local patrol). You can see our snow sports versions if you are an NSP member on our online store. NSP offers a Bike Patrol 101 course that serves as an introduction for those interested in patrolling. We can also leverage our public social media following to raise awareness of the growing need for bike patrol and encourage people to find a local patrol to join.

Community and Advancement: NSP has a robust organizational structure that encourages leadership roles and diversified training options outside of the more common OFC and OEC courses. We have programs such as Mountain Travel and Rescue (MTR), Women’s Program, Young Adult Patroller Program (YAP), etc., as well as awards for Outstanding Bike Patroller and Outstanding Bike Patrol.

Information-sharing Platforms: Membership includes an annual subscription to Ski Patrol Magazine. NSP is also currently compiling best practices among bike patrols all around the country. While we do not plan to set standards for bike patrol activities, as they are area-specific, we do want patrols to be able to share and learn from each other.

NSAA Bike Responsibility Code

The NSP offers bike patrol and bike host member types. Bike patrollers and bike hosts are trained as first responders through NSP’s education programs, Outdoor Emergency Care and Outdoor First Care.

This means that if you are a bike patroller with an OEC card, you can join the NSP! If you take our OFC course, you can join the NSP as a bike host. Hosts serve in a variety of roles but are trained as first responders through the Outdoor First Care course. This required first aid course includes content knowledge and hands-on skills training. OFC only costs 25.00 and provides a two-year certification upon completion. Subsequent renewals of OFC may be completed at no additional charge. All Outdoor First Care courses are offered through host units or patrols and course schedules vary. Please contact the patrol or host unit you are interested in joining to learn more. Not sure what patrol is near you or who to contact? Send us an email at biketaskforce@nsp.org.

The NSP offers these memberships in response to the evolving year-round outdoor recreation industry. As ski areas offer more summer activities, NSP education programs equip patrollers and hosts to support lift-accessed areas as well as additional land management units, including urban parks and open space parks.

How to Set Up a Bike Patrol or Bike Host Unit Whether you are in a ski area or at a non lift-accessed area, there are a variety of things to consider when establishing a bike patrol or host unit. The first step is to work with area management to determine the desired approach.

• Purpose: What is the need for a bike patrol or host unit?
• Skills patrollers need: NSP bike patrollers must obtain Outdoor Emergency Care certification. NSP bike hosts must obtain Outdoor First Care training.
• Roles and responsibilities of patrollers in bike park: It is important to discuss this with area management as you proceed with forming a patrol or host unit.
• Communication and safety: Do patrollers and hosts greet guests and serve as ambassadors? Do they distribute pamphlets or brochures and/or point out signage?
• Signage, closures: Visit the National Ski Area Association’s webpage for more information.
• Care and transportation: Extraction and care of the guest differ from the winter. Be aware that travel times tend to be longer and rougher. Train your patrol on summer transportation techniques.
• MOU or other agreement with your land area: You must have an agreement with the land area on which your bike patrol or host unit operates. If you are in a lift-accessed area, ski area management ultimately supervises and controls patrolling and host activities of individual NSP members, NSP patrols, and host programs at each ski area.

Join Process: Become a NSP Bike Patrol or Bike Host Unit

Step 1 The bike patrol or host unit leader will reach out to the Lakewood office in Colorado by emailing the registration manager at memberrecords@nsp.org, or by calling the office at (303) 988-1111. The NSP Registration Manager will reply with information about the different types of membership the bike patrol or host unit can participate in.

Step 2 The bike patrol or host unit leader will respond to the registration manager via email with the decision if they would like to join as a bike patrol or bike host unit. The registration manager will respond with an attached application for a bike host unit or bike patrol. In this email, the registration manager will also include the division’s contact information based on the inquiring bike patrol or host unit geographic location.

Step 3 The bike patrol or host unit leader will reach out to the division director regarding how they can take either the Outdoor First Care (OFC) or Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC) course, as determined by whether they are forming a host unit or patrol, respectively. The leader will also take this opportunity to introduce themselves to the division and discuss dues and best practices. If the patrol or host unit does not already have trained OEC instructors as members, the division director will need to identify a process for the patrollers or hosts to obtain the proper training.

Step 4 The bike patrol or host unit leader will create an account on the www.nsp.org website. They will then fill out all fields of the application minus the section, region, and division signatures at the bottom. Once this is filled out, the leader will email or fax this application to the registration manager at the Lakewood office. If they have any questions, they can reach out to the Lakewood office at memberrecords@nsp.org.

Gimmick or Good? Scott’s new Gravel Bike Shoe [Review]

We check out the Scott Gravel Tuned shoe to see what (if anything) makes it different from an XC mountain bike shoe.

Singletracks may receive compensation for purchases made through any affiliate links in this article.

I’ll be the first to say, at least in this article, that a “gravel riding shoe” is silly. There are minor differences between this shoe and the sleek and stiff XC MTB shoe I was using for gravel rides before. And in this case, I would use this Scott Gravel shoe interchangeably for XC riding. That said, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how comfortable and dialed these shoes felt straight out of the box.

The marketing does very little to define how exactly these are “gravel specific” aside from just saying it. Even the video is defunct of any real justification, and basically says, “hey this guy bought a gravel bike and needs some shoes. Good thing we made gravel shoes!” I digress though, because, I do really like these shoes.

Details

First, here are the hard deets on the Scott Gravel Tuned shoe.

• “Gravel-specific shoe”
• Stiffness index 8
• Nylon carbon composite sole
• Boa fit
• Available in black only
• Weight: 320g. Tested, size 41: 337g w/ cleat
• Price: 180

Ride impressions

I had been using Shimano’s previous version of the S-Phyre MTB shoes and the Scotts had some tough shoes to fill, pun intended. But instantly after slipping into the Gravel shoes and ratcheting the Boas, I knew they were going to perform, and at a much better price.

I ordered a size 41 of the Gravel shoes and the fit is spot on. The heel cup wraps around the back of my foot like a sturdy sock. Scott has two versions of the Gravel shoe, a Tuned (tested) and a Pro with a single Boa dial. The Pro model is less expensive at 140. Fit is the first and foremost reason why it’s usually worth it to get a pair of shoes with an upper and a lower Boa dial. Shoes with only an upper Boa dial often feel like they’re trying to do too much and the pressure distribution usually seems off, whereas you can really dial it in here. Pun intended.

The top of the tongue is cut away and filled in with tendon-friendly fabric — always nice as there are shoes out there with tongues that can really dig into the top of your foot and ankle.

There’s a touch of flex through the sole, which I always appreciate even on a shoe meant for high mileage. I don’t understand why there are XC shoes in Scott’s line that are stiffer than the Gravel shoe. It seems like you’d need more flex out of an MTB shoe compared to a gravel shoe ten times out of ten, but either way, a little flex doesn’t hurt off of the bike. This makes the Gravel Tuned shoe a little more walkable.

I haven’t felt any hot spots in this shoe yet. They vent well and with the winter temperatures lately, I’m glad that the black soaks up some sun. The Gravel Tuned shoes have fended off dirt and rocks well and have maintained their matte black finish.

The cleat channel is nice and wide and I haven’t had any issues when sliding into the pedals. The toe and heels have some added firmness to fend off large pieces of gravel.

Comparing the Gravel Tuned soles to Scott’s mountain bike shoe, the Vertec Boa, the Gravel shoe has a less chunky and less elevated/thinner sole. The sole on the Gravel shoe doesn’t look quite as fancy as the woven fiber Vertec either, though both shoes are priced about the same. The Gravel shoe is rated as an 8 on the stiffness index, whereas the Vertec Boa is slightly stiffer at 9. Perhaps the biggest difference is the MTB Vertec looks more apt at digging into loose dirt and stabilizing itself, though it’s even stiffer overall than the gravel shoe. As far as I can tell, this may have been an opportunity to shave some weight since the Gravel Tuned shoe is about 60g lighter than the MTB shoe according to Scott’s website. So what matters more when you have to hike: Knobs or flex? Both use the same Sticki Rubber compound on the bottom.

Closing thoughts

If you couldn’t tell already, the Gravel Tuned shoes have treated me well. The fit is nice, they’re stiff, light, and efficient feeling, and the looks are hardly polarizing. Better yet, the price point is pretty reasonable for such a stiff and well-performing shoe.

On the flip side, there’s hardly a difference between this shoe and an XC mountain bike shoe, and those mud spike threads you get on an XC mountain bike shoe make them more versatile. A true XC MTB shoe is an easy choice since you could have one shoe that takes on everything from mountain bike trails, to cyclocross courses, and gravel riding. Unless being more aero or the few extra grams of a mountain bike shoe are a big concern. If they are, the Gravel Tuned shoe won’t let you down.

SCOTT Addict RC Pro road bike in review

SCOTT are confident enough not to send the flagship model of the Addict RC series into this comparison test, settling on the Addict RC Pro instead. No wonder, since the differences to the Addict RC Ultimate are limited. But is that enough to face up against the four fastest race bikes of the 2021 season?

SCOTT have been racing the Addict RC in the WorldTour for years and let the wishes and experience of the pros flow directly into its development. The flagship model in particular is designed for racing. However, in this test the Swiss company didn’t deliver the Addict RC Ultimate but the RC Pro, which sits one rung down the ladder. The differences include a different carbon layup and a Shimano DURA-ACE Di2 groupset instead of SRAM RED eTap AXS. In addition, Syncros Capital 1.0 35 wheels are fitted instead of Zipp’s 303 Firecrest. Compared to the flagship build, that adds up to additional weight of just under 100 g and a saving of € 3,500. Our size L test bike weighs 6.99 kg and costs € 8,499. The electronic Shimano DURA-ACE Di2 groupset with 52/36 t chainrings and an 11–30 t cassette ensures fast and precise gear changes, with a range that matches the bike’s intended use well. However, for those who ride in very mountainous regions or aren’t at peak fitness, a compact crank (50/34 t) would be recommended. The SCOTT Addict RC Pro comes without a power meter.

If you want to lean into the corners like Valentino Rossi, the SCOTT Addict RC Pro is the bike for you: with its wide tires, it carves through open turns like no other road bike in the test.

Specifications

Seatpost Syncros Duncan SL Aero 20 mmBrakes Shimano DURA-ACE BR-R9170 160/160 mmDrivetrain Shimano DURA-ACE Di2 R9170 2 x 11Chainring 52/36Stem Syncros Creston iC SL 110 mmHandlebar Syncros Creston iC SL 420 mmWheelset Syncros Capital 1.0 35Tires Pirelli P ZERO Velo 31 mm

Technical Data

Size XXS XS S M L XL 2XLWeight 6.99 kg

Specific Features

one-piece Creston iC SL carbon cockpitdirect-mount front calliper with cover31 mm wide tiressandwich dropouts

The braking performance of the Shimano DURA-ACE is at the highest level, offering sufficient power and good modulation at all times. However, it doesn’t offer quite the same initial bite as the SRAM RED HRD brake system. The SCOTT Addict RC Pro also uses a one-piece aero cockpit, in the form of the in-house Syncros Creston iC SL unit. On our size L test bike, it comes with a stem length of 110 mm and a width of 420 mm. The Syncros Capital 1.0 35 wheels are 35 mm deep with a 21 mm internal width. The 700 x 28C Pirelli P ZERO Velo tires fitted to them measure a full 31 mm wide – by far the widest tires in the test. This is great for vibration damping and handling through corners but hurts the bike’s efficiency.

The fact that the SCOTT Addict RC Pro isn’t the sharpest racing whip in the SCOTT portfolio is noticeable in terms of speed. It doesn’t accelerate as effortlessly as the candidates from Trek, BMC and Wilier and is at the bottom of the test field in terms of efficiency. This is most likely due to the tires, which are very voluminous for a race bike. It might be nitpicking, but the SCOTT Addict RC Pro still loses valuable time to the competition on flat and undulating terrain. Despite its first-class uphill and downhill performance, it doesn’t have enough to deliver a best time. Nonetheless, although it’s the heaviest bike in the test field, it climbs the fastest.

It also comes out on top on the downhills, together with the Wilier Filante SLR, which is mainly thanks to the excellent cornering characteristics of the wide Pirelli tires and highly precise handling. Overall, the bike covered our extrapolated 150 km test route with almost 2,000 m of climbing with an average speed of 25.9 km/h, taking 5 h 47 m 11 s to do so.

Scott Scale RC 160-600

The other addition for 2022 is just filling out the family of rigid alloy Scale RC mountain bikes at the performance. level. There are now four models that each rely on the idea of a simple lightweight bike being one of the best options for growing kids. Don’t mess with any suspension, just simple components, light alloy wheels, and lightweight high-volume MTB tires – in 16, 20, 24 26″ versions.

All get lightweight folding casing Schwalbe Rocket Ron tires with Addix or Addix Speed rubber, even the tiny one.

The smallest gets 16×2″ tires and a simple singlespeed V-brake setup at 5.64kg complete for the 500€ Scale RC 160. The 900€ Scale RC 200 steps up to bugger 20×2.25″ tires and a Shimano Deore 1×10 with hydraulic disc brakes at 7.9kg.

At 24″ wheels, some parents opt to buy a bike with a suspension fork. But it’s hard to beat the 8.9kg of the full rigid aluminum Scale RC 400 at 999€ with 24×2.25″ tires and a Shimano Deore 1×11 groupset with hydraulic disc brakes. Or even one size bigger for the same 999€ price, the Scale RC 600 has the same Deore 1×11 spec, just bigger wheels 26×2.35″ tires for a claimed weight of 9.5kg.

Bigger kid Future Pro bikes

The alloy kids version Scott Ransoms aren’t new at all, debuted just a year and a half ago. But you can’t ignore them with their modern geometry, flip-chip that even lets you switch from 24″ to 26″ wheels as your kid grows, and 140mm fork 130mm rear-wheel travel that’s tuned for lighter kids. Either wheel size version sells for the same 2200 / 1999€ with its Shimano Deore 1×11 X-Fusion build spec. And for the Future XC Pro, there’s also the 2900€ alloy Spark 700 with 27.5″ wheels and 120mm front rear for smaller riders in an XS, and an X-Fusion SRAM NX Eagle build at 12.9kg. But I can’t help wondering how much taller a kid would need to be to fit on that newer, 29er-only redesigned Spark with a hidden rear shock, that has just 24mm taller standover, even with longer 120/130mm travel, and is even cheaper starting at just 2600€… Scott-Sports.com