Kate Courtney is known for her outrageous taco-inspired training rides and #sparklewatts social media hashtags.
The American is also one of the very best mountain bikers around and although this year’s Leogang World Championships did not see her successfully challenge for the title, Kate earned a lot of style points for her custom Scott Scale RC.
With the help of her Swiss bike sponsor and long-serving mechanic, Brad Copeland, the hardtail Kate rode around the drenched Leogang World Championship course was expertly built with an outstanding assortment of components.
At only 1.54m in height, Kate favors a small-sized Spark Scale RC frame and some equally compact touchpoint components.
Kate powers away by driving 170mm length SRAM XX1 Eagle cranks, with a 32T chainring driving a 10-50T rear cassette ratio. Those cranks also house a Dub power meter, to ensure that Kate is always managing her threshold efforts and remaining true to training parameters.
The cockpit of Kate’s race specification hardtail contains some dimensions which will be most unfamiliar to the average-sized riding mountain biker. Her stem is Scott’s integrated carbon set-up, supplied by Syncros.
Measuring only 680mm wide, the Syncros Frazer IC SL handlebar is ideal for Kate’s narrow shoulders and is attached to the steerer tube via an integrated 90mm stem.
On a race hardtail at World Championship level, the best XC fork is going to work hard for its living. Kate uses RockShox’s latest SID SL Ultimate RL3, which has 100mm of stroke and special Blackbox Race Day damper internals, an upgrade that RockShox supplies to its elite team riders.
Wheelsets and tires are often the difference between a podium or a win and Scott sources the best carbon hoops from fellow Swiss brand, DT Swiss. Kate’s XMC 1200 spline carbon wheels have a generous 30mm internal diameter, which makes the best of Maxxis' XC tire technology, with its Rekon Race 29 x 2.4in.
As one would expect from an elite level mountain biker, Kate uses SRAM's AXS wireless dropper seatpost.
Although Kate has shown a stunning Contessa special edition finish for her latest Scott dual-suspension race bike, including a sparkle wrap for the shock body, the Scale was finished limited edition Oyster pink.
| Frame | SCOTT Scale RC900 SL HMX SL Custom (small) |
| Fork | RockShox SID SL Ultimate / RL3, 100MM Blackbox Race Day Damper |
| Stem | Syncros Fraser IC SL, +/- 8-degree 90mm |
| Handlebar | Syncros Fraser IC SL, 680mm |
| Seatpost | SRAM's AXS wireless dropper seatpost, 100mm |
| Saddle | Syncros Belcarra V1.0 |
| Grip | Syncros Pro slip-on |
| Rear Derailleur | Sram XX1 Eagle AXS |
| Shifter | SRAM XX1 Eagle AXS |
| Chainset | SRAM XX1 Eagle Dub Power Meter / 170MM/ 32T |
| Chain | SRAM XX1 Eagle |
| Cassette | SRAM XG-1299 Eagle / 10-50 |
| Brakes | SRAM Level Ultimate Blackbox |
| Wheels | DT Swiss XMC 1200 Spline Carbon / 30MM / 29in |
| Tires | Maxxis Rekon Race 29 x 2.4in |
| Pedals | HT Components M1T |
| Bottle cage | Topeak Shuttle Cage Carbon |
