Scott Aspect 920 review

The Aspect 920 is second from the top in the ‘Sport’ range of Scott’s entry-level hardtails, alongside a wide choice of bikes in the women’s specific Contessa Active range.

They all share similar geometry and cater for various rider sizes and budgets, thanks to the varying spec levels.

For just shy of £1,000, the Aspect 920 comes with an SR SunTour suspension fork, Shimano drivetrain and brakes, Kenda tyres and a rather nice, sparkly paintjob.

On paper then, it looks well worthy of a place on our 2023 Budget Bike of the Year shortlist, but just how well does it perform on the trail?

Scott Aspect 920 frame and specifications

The Aspect’s tubes are made from 6061 alloy and are custom butted to be lightweight, while retaining strength where it’s needed.

All sizes (XS-XXL) are designed around 29in wheels.

Up front is a 100mm-travel SR SunTour XCR 32-Rl-R coil-sprung fork, complete with remote lockout to help keep things nice and efficient when you need them to be.

House brand Syncros provides its X-20 rims with Formula hubs at their centre. These are wrapped in Kenda Booster 29x2.4in tyres.

The drivetrain is a combination of Shimano XT and Deore parts to give the Aspect a 22-speed gearset with an 11-42t cassette.

Stopping power is provided by Shimano MT200 brakes and further Syncros kit includes a 720mm handlebar, stem, ergonomic grips, saddle and 31.6mm seatpost.

For an additional £199, the Aspect 910 comes fitted with a 12-speed SRAM SX Eagle drivetrain and RockShox Judy Silver TK.

There are two sets of bottle bosses on all frame sizes, though it could scupper how low your seatpost will go in the frame when dropping it.

A 68.5-degree head angle is on a par with much of the competition, though the 406mm reach is quite short, while the 450mm chainstays (which feature across all frame sizes) are long.

Scott Aspect 920 geometry

Scott Aspect 920 ride impressions

I tested the Aspect 920 on the purpose-built trails of Glentress Forest, taking in challenging sections of black trails as well as greens, blues and reds to find out what the Aspect 920 was capable of.

Initial impressions were of a sound, well-made hardtail, with the Syncros components having a high-quality feel. The saddle is supportive and comfortable, though I had to push it further forwards to create a more comfortable and efficient seated position.

While the brand’s aim was to deliver a hardtail that is light, efficient and reasonably priced, it remains one of the heavier bikes in our Budget Bike of the Year category, at 14.3kg.

While the Aspect 920 may well be the same weight as the Cannondale Trail SE also in this test, on the trail it felt heavier to ride on descents, especially when trying to pop jumps and drops.

While the weight could be a factor here, the long chainstay measurement will affect agility and how much muscle is required to lift the front wheel up and over things.

This is particularly noticeable when trying to loft the front wheel up to clear rocks and roots.

This will likely be less of an issue for taller riders on bigger frame sizes (because their weight will be balanced better between the wheels), but for me at 160cm on the size-small frame, it was certainly something I was conscious of when riding more technical trails.

Taller riders will likely find the 720mm handlebars a touch narrow. That lack of leverage is less of an issue if you’re looking to tackle more leisurely rides, though.

On rougher trails, the SR SunTour fork, with its 100mm of travel, helps to smooth out chatter.

Because it uses a coil rather than an air spring, setup isn’t as easy and lighter riders may find it tricky getting it to feel soft enough.

However, there’s a decent level of support and the lockout is handy on lengthy road sections to up efficiency further.

I had to play with the saddle position because I felt too much weight was going through my hands when riding flatter trails or cruising down fireroads when seated.

The 60mm that pulls you further forwards doesn’t help here either, but swapping it out won’t cost much and should help boost comfort.

That said, the ergonomic paddle-shape grips help alleviate some of that hand pressure, the downside being these feel better when sitting down climbing rather than standing up and descending.

The Syncros saddle was supportive and comfortable once I had pushed it forwards on the rails to get the most pedalling efficiency out of the 73.5-degree seat angle.

Dropping the seatpost for descending was hindered slightly by seat-tube mounted bottle bosses, but it was soon easy to adapt to.

Although the Aspect 920 isn’t totally averse to tackling more technical terrain, its real strengths lie on smooth, flowy forest trails, where the conservative and somewhat outdated geometry doesn’t feel as though it holds the bike back as much.

Be warned though; you'll want to buy a chainstay protector to quieten the chainslap down if you do settle on the Aspect 920.

Scott Aspect 920 bottom line

The Scott Aspect 920 is a decent option for forest trails or tow paths that aren’t technically demanding.

Here, the 29in wheels and wide spread of gears help make it a decent climber once you shift the saddle forwards on its rails, while the SR SunTour fork works reasonably well.

Not everyone will be able to get the coil-sprung suspension fork set up just right for them, though.

On anything too technical, the conservative geometry holds the Aspect 920 back compared to the best bikes in this category.

However, stick to leisurely paced rides, commutes or steady laps on the greens at trail centres and it’ll do just fine, with some great parts for the money.