Our Reader’s Rig of the week comes from Adil in Brazil, who offers a look at the drop-bar Scott Scale 965 hardtail he built up to handle the rigors of loaded off-road riding without breaking the bank. Meet Adil and check out his aluminum all-rounder here…

Words and photos by Adil Filoso

Hello, folks from the BIKEPACKING.com community. My name is Adil Filoso, a Brazilian gravel racer who is also passionate about traveling by bike.

Scott Scale 965

For this build, I decided to combine all my needs into a single bike. The initial idea was to choose a mid-level brand new MTB with progressive geometry and convert it into an adventure drop-bar MTB, following the premise of replacing as few original parts as possible. The model I chose for the project is the SCOTT Scale 965, taking advantage of the fact that its aluminum frame is light and modern, with fully integrated cable routing and thru-axles.

Scott Scale 965
  • Scott Scale 965
  • Scott Scale 965
  • Scott Scale 965

When setting it up, I chose the Ritchey Venturemax XL handlebar, which is perfect for this type of conversion due to its ergonomics and generous width. I opted for Ltwoo GRT shifters and rear derailleur because of their low cost and reliability. They are 100 percent compatible with Shimano MTB brake calipers. I kept the Praxis crankset and only replaced the original 32T chainring with a 36T one.

  • Scott Scale 965
  • Scott Scale 965
  • Scott Scale 965
  • Frame: SCOTT Scale Alloy
  • Fork: RockShox Judy Silver TK Solo Air
  • Rims: Syncros X-27
  • Hubs: Formula CL-811 / CL-3248M
  • Tires: Maxxis Chronicle / Maxxis Rekon Race 29 x 2.4″
  • Handlebars: Ritchey Venturemax XL
  • Headset: Syncros
  • Crankset: Praxis Cadet with 36T chainring
  • Pedals: Shimano XT PD-T8000
  • Cassette: Shimano Deore 10-51T
  • Derailleur(s): Ltwoo GRT
  • Brakes: Shimano MT201
  • Shifter(s): Ltwoo GRT 12-speed
  • Saddle: Syncros Belcarra Regular 2.5
  • Seatpost: Syncros Duncan Dropper 2.0 (125mm travel)
  • Stem: Syncros
  • Front bags: Riverside Decathlon
  • Frame bags: Marlene Bags Custom
  • Rear bags: Riverside Decathlon
  • Accessory bags: Syncros top tube bag
  • Other accessories: Ortlieb Quick Rack, Tailfin SFM, Deda Parabolica Due aerobars

In terms of bags, since I decided to use a dropper post on the Scale 965, I preferred a rear rack instead of a seat bag. In this regard, the Ortlieb Quick Rack was the best choice because, even though this XCO bike has no mounting points, the product from the German brand was installed with matching seatstay adapters. For the main triangle, I opted for a custom frame bag from the Brazilian brand Marlene Bags, a fully waterproof and high-quality product. At the front, I used the excellent Tailfin SFMs to mount both a bottle cage and an anything cage on each of the RockShox’s legs.

  • Scott Scale 965
  • Scott Scale 965
  • Scott Scale 965

The rest of the bike is original, including the 29 x 2.4″ tires. After several trips and more than 3,000 kilometers ridden, I am extremely happy with my choices. I hope you like it!

You can follow Adil on Instagram.

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