Velo City: Bicycle Culture and City Life

A Scott Boulder living in Queensland

Scott Boulder mountain bike

To quote a famous Australian bike blogger and photographer: “It doesn’t matter what you ride, it just matters that you ride.” So while mountain bike tech continues to push both upward and downhill, it’s refreshing to remember that just as much fun can be had on an old Scott Boulder as a Yeti SB4.5C.

Scott Boulder mountain bike

If you ski as well as ride, you’ll be familiar with the Scott brand. Ed Scott was a ski racer from Sun Valley, Idaho who, in 1958, invented a ski pole made from aluminum, a lighter and improved pole compared to the bamboo and steel offerings of the day.

Scott Boulder mountain bike

Scott expanded into motocross gear; producing goggles, gloves and other apparel for the burgeoning off-road market before venturing into mountain bikes in 1986. An interesting note: Scott invented the aero handlebar, which Greg LeMond grasped while he rode to victory in the 1989 Tour de France.

Scott Boulder mountain bike

Sam Zammit lives in South East Queensland and doesn’t care what he rides around the local trails, just that he’s riding. Whether it was a nostalgic decision or simply a desire to get rowdy on whatever was available, he picked up this fine Boulder on eBay “pretty cheap”.

It was pretty stock, just as it was spec’d in 1990, with a full Deore LX groupset, Exage Mountain rear U-brake, original saddle, and Ritchey stem and seat post. After re-greasing the hubs and fitting new tires, he was ready to hit the dirt.

Scott Boulder mountain bike

Sam admits that riding the Scott is a good reminder of how modern mountain bikes have improved over the last twenty-five years; but just being ‘out amongst it’ on a classic steel MTB is just so much damn fun. Nothing can beat the simple pleasure of riding a bike through the Aussie bush.

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Scott Boulder mountain bike