SCAPIN SPEKTRO S3
The Italian race bike
Scapin is best known for its collection of hand-crafted Italian road bikes, but recently the company has been working its way into the mountain bike market. Scapin currently offers three hardtail models, all of which embrace the same lightweight, race-winning attitude. Scapin was founded in 1957 by Umberto Scapin, a professional Italian cyclist who later passed the company on to his sons. Scapin’s Italian heritage has been preserved, and customers looking to buy a Scapin can rest assured that their new bike will be backed with a full lifetime warranty.
WHO IS IT MADE FOR?
The Scapin Spektro has “race bike” written all over it. It is happiest with an avid cross-country racer aboard powering towards the finish line. Tight-fitting Lycra is almost a necessity on the Scapin, and shaved legs are welcomed too. If going hard on every climb is your goal, then the Spektro is probably the bike for you.
WHAT IS IT MADE FROM?
Scapin’s Spektro is built with a carbon frame and offers many modern features. A direct-mount rear caliper provides smooth braking, and a direct-mount front derailleur prevents the mechanism from sliding or moving out of place. Internal cable routing gives the Spektro a clean look, and thru-axles front and rear provide riders with a stiff platform.
Cross-country strong: The Scapin Spektro exhibits a pure cross-country look with its stiff carbon frame and its long-and-low reach.
WHICH COMPONENTS STAND OUT?
Cross-country race bikes are all about performance, and the Spektro was built with an array of high-performance parts. The RockShox SID fork has a cable remote system that allows riders to lock out the suspension on the fly, giving riders a stiff platform for out-of-the-saddle pedaling. Modern high-end race bikes normally use a 1x drivetrain, but the good old 2x system is far from dead. The 2x XT drivetrain provided our test riders with a wide gear range to tackle the steepest climbs or pedal down the fastest descents without spinning out.
Remote lockout: The RockShox SID’s remote lock- out allows riders to firm their front suspension on the fly. It’s right at home on a dedicated XC race bike like this.
2x is far from dead: Although many high-end race bikes use a single-ring drivetrain, the Scapin’s XT 2x system worked great and offers riders a wider gear range.
HOW DOES IT PERFORM?
Up front: RockShox’s SID fork is easy to set up and offers a true cross-country feel. Don’t forget to use the handy low-speed compression adjustment to keep the fork high in its travel until you need it. This knob worked wonders, preventing the fork travel from diving in sharp corners.
Setting sag: The RockShox SID RLT is a lightweight and efficient fork that requires quite a bit of air pressure to achieve proper sag. We filled the air chamber to 110 psi, which provided our cross-country test riders with 20-percent sag. The low-speed dial on this fork is very useful and should not be ignored. We found a few clicks of low speed to be a great way to fine-tune the suspension’s overall feel and prevent the fork from diving in the corners.
Moving out: The Spektro offers a true cross-country feel, putting its riders in a forward-leaning position. This stance requires a bit of flexibility, but diehard cross-country racers will feel right at home. The aggressive stance gave us the ability to put plenty of power to the pedals during our entire ride, but made some of our less-fit cross-country test riders a little sore.
Fast: Carbon hardtails are typically built with one goal in mind: flat-out speed. The Scapin Spektro S3 is no exception, as this bike loves to be pushed hard through flowy singletrack with a laser focus on the finish line.
Climbing: This is where the Spektro shines. Whether we were charging a long fire road or powering up a punchy singletrack, the Spektro begged us to push harder. The rear end had a stiff and efficient feel, while the front suspension soaked up the terrain. Under the rider’s command the fork can be set to fully rigid, allowing the rider to get out of the saddle with zero suspension movement. This feature came in handy many times.
2x is far from dead: Although many high-end race bikes use a single-ring drivetrain, the Scapin’s XT 2x system worked great and offers riders a wider gear range.
Raw power: The Scapin Spektro is a rocket chasing fast lines and blasting around turns. The Vittoria Barzo tires hooked up to the ground well, propelling our test riders around our favorite cross-country loops. The Spektro’s overall feel allows riders to be low and aggressive during their entire ride.
Cornering: The Scapin Spektro maintains traction well and is very maneuverable through tight turns. The 2.1 Barzo tires provided confidence, and the 70.5-degree head tube angle provided snappy handling. The Spektro is built to shred flowy cross-country trails and enjoys being flicked around a racecourse.
Going down: The Spektro requires a low, behind-the-saddle approach when tackling descents. To an avid cross-country rider, this position will feel right at home. Trail riders, on the other hand, might find this approach to be a little uncomfortable.
Descending: This is when things began to go downhill—and not just literally. The Spektro was not the most confidence-inspiring on rougher trails with rain ruts and rocks, but keep in mind, most cross-country races are won on the climbs. The Spektro is a blast to ride on smoother trails and carries its speed well, but descending rough terrain is not its forte.
Braking: Scapin spec’d the Spektro with XT brakes front and rear. With 180-millimeter Ice Tech rotors, these brakes brought the bike to a stop well. We had no complaints at all about the braking power.
TRICKS, UPGRADES OR TIPS?
Scapin offers the Spektro in nine different models and also gives riders fork and wheel options. If you can’t find the components you’re looking for, then you probably never will. One import- ant tip is to dial in your fit and put your handlebars at a comfort- able height. With minimal-rise bars and a sloped-down stem, the Spektro fits like a true cross-country race rig.
BUYING ADVICE
If getting to the top of a climb the fastest way possible is your goal, the Scapin Spektro might be the bike for you. This is one mean race machine designed with the sole purpose of putting racers on the podium. Riders seeking an everyday race-oriented bike may not find the Spektro to be the best choice, but as a race bike, this thing rips.
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