A bike designed for absolute silence: Dangerholm turns a Scott Scale RC into an 8.58 kg gravel bike inspired by a guitar

A competition hardtail MTB, an electronic fork of 100 mm, SRAM RED XPLR transmission, and wheels designed to roll practically silently. These are some of the ingredients of Gustav Gullholm's latest project, better known as Dangerholm, who this time has collaborated with the Swedish guitar manufacturer .strandberg* to create a bicycle where lightness, aesthetics, and even sound play a leading role.

The result is a spectacular Scott Scale RC transformed into a gravel bike that weighs only 8.58 kg, including pedals, bottle cage, and cyclocomputer mount. A completely customized construction that uses high-end components, some parts specifically manufactured for the project, and even prototypes that have not yet reached the market.

A Scott Scale RC that combines MTB, gravel, and guitar design

The collaboration between Dangerholm and .strandberg*, the guitar brand founded by Ola Strandberg, starts from an unusual idea: applying some of the principles used in the design of musical instruments to a bicycle.

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The project has resulted in a bicycle and a guitar with a shared aesthetic, but the similarities go beyond their finish. Both seek a balance between weight, ergonomics, comfort, and user sensations.

For Dangerholm, sound also had to be part of the experience. While in most bicycles, any annoying noise is eliminated, this setup has worked to achieve a different acoustic experience, reducing mechanical sounds and giving prominence to the contact of the tires with the ground.

The chosen base is a Scott Scale RC carbon frame in size S, originally designed for competitive XCO. Its low weight and ability to mount tires up to 2.4 inches make it an interesting platform for this type of conversion.

The geometry also required specific adaptation. By using a road handlebar on a mountain frame, Dangerholm opted for a smaller size to compensate for the greater reach of the riding position. Additionally, he slightly raised the handlebar position to improve comfort and control on uneven terrain.

RockShox Flight Attendant electronic suspension and an ultra-light carbon cockpit

One of the components that most defines this bicycle is its RockShox SID SL Ultimate Flight Attendant fork with 100 mm of travel.

The interesting thing is that the fork can also be manually controlled from the SRAM RED AXS levers, integrating the operation of an MTB suspension into a gravel riding position.

The handlebar is another of the most striking points. Dangerholm has used a Darimo IX4AL stem of 50 mm and -12°, combined with a Darimo Ellipse Gravel handlebar that is only 380 mm wide.

This configuration seeks a relatively aerodynamic position without sacrificing the control provided by the MTB frame. The setup is completed with a custom headset cap and spacers, manufactured using 3D printing by Darimo.

CeramicSpeed SLT bearings have also been installed in the headset, which use a self-lubricating polymer instead of conventional grease to reduce maintenance needs.

SRAM RED XPLR 13-speed transmission and Darimo cranks that weigh only 260 grams

The transmission combines road, gravel, and MTB components in a very particular configuration. The rear derailleur is a SRAM RED XPLR 13-speed, accompanied by a 10-46 tooth cassette and a SRAM RED E1 chain.

At the front, we find one of the most exclusive components of the bicycle: some Darimo Sigma carbon cranks that we saw a few weeks ago, but that are still in prototype phase and weigh approximately only 260 grams.

The cranks are combined with a Garbaruk Thread Mount MTB chainring of 40 teeth and a SRAM XX SL power meter, which also provides the power information necessary for the automatic operation of the Flight Attendant.

The set is completed with a CeramicSpeed BB ALPHA bottom bracket and CeramicSpeed ALPHA PW pulleys, developed to reduce friction and improve resistance to dirt ingress.

In some photographs of the bicycle, a modified version of the rear derailleur also appears, with a carbon kit from Hopp Carbon Parts that allows for even more weight savings.

High-profile wheels, textile spokes, and a completely silent hub

If there is one area where the collaboration with .strandberg* has had a particularly evident influence, it is in the wheels.

Dangerholm has chosen BERD PolyLight textile spokes, whose appearance resembles guitar strings. But their choice also responds to technical issues: they offer a very low weight, high tensile strength, and some ability to absorb vibrations.

As Dangerholm himself explains, this last feature also helps to soften some sounds transmitted by the wheels.

The hubs are Onyx Racing Products Vesper MTB Boost, with a freewheel mechanism that allows for silent coasting, eliminating the characteristic rattling of the hub.

This choice is not casual. Dangerholm wanted that when stopping pedaling, mechanical noises would disappear and the cyclist could primarily hear the tires rolling on the ground.

The rims are Light Bicycle WG55 Flyweight carbon, with a high profile and 32 mm internal width. A measurement that favors the support of large volume tires and allows working with relatively low pressures.

The wheel assembly has been handled by R2BIKE.COM and is completed with Schwalbe Thunder Burt tires of 2.25 inches (57 mm) and Continental TPU tubes.

That is, despite being such an exclusive construction, Dangerholm has not opted for a tubeless setup, but rather for ultra-light tubes.

SRAM RED brakes with special discs to reduce noise

The braking system follows the same philosophy as the rest of the project. The SRAM RED E1 calipers have been installed using Wolf Tooth Components adapters that allow the use of larger diameter discs on this mountain frame.

Specifically, BrakeStuff Punch Disc Light 180 mm discs have been mounted, whose surface features a large number of small diameter perforations.

As Dangerholm explains, this design aims to improve heat dissipation and provide a more uniform braking, but it also has another less common purpose: to modify the sound produced during braking.

Compared to the vibrations and sounds that some conventional discs can produce, these offer, according to their creator, a smoother response both acoustically and in the feel of the levers.

A bicycle weighing 8.58 kg where comfort has also been taken care of

The pursuit of lightness has not prevented attention to contact points. The Darimo T2 SB15 carbon seatpost provides some flex to help filter out terrain irregularities, while the Björn Kort saddle combines a flexible carbon structure with padding made using 3D printing.

This technology allows for the distribution of areas of different firmness to reduce pressure points.

The set is completed with Crankbrothers Eggbeater 11 pedals, Syncros RC handlebar tape, and a Björn Skoba bottle cage.

With all these components, the final weight declared by Scott is 8,580 grams, a particularly striking figure for a bicycle that features 100 mm front suspension, 2.25-inch tires, and an electronic shifting and suspension control system.

Complete setup of the Dangerholm x .strandberg* Scott Scale RC

• Frame: Scott Scale RC, size S
• Fork: RockShox SID SL Ultimate Flight Attendant, 100 mm
• Headset: Syncros with CeramicSpeed SLT bearings
• Stem: Darimo IX4AL, 50 mm, -12°
• Handlebar: Darimo Ellipse Gravel, 380 mm
• Handlebar tape: Syncros RC
• Seatpost: Darimo T2 SB15
• Saddle: Björn Kort
• Cranks: Darimo Sigma, prototype of approximately 260 g
• Power meter: SRAM XX SL
• Chainring: Garbaruk Thread Mount MTB, 40 teeth
• Bottom bracket: CeramicSpeed BB ALPHA
• Rear derailleur: SRAM RED XPLR
• Cassette: SRAM RED XPLR, 13 speeds, 10-46T
• Chain: SRAM RED E1
• Pulleys: CeramicSpeed ALPHA PW
• Brakes: SRAM RED E1
• Discs: BrakeStuff Punch Disc Light, 180 mm
• Hubs: Onyx Racing Products Vesper MTB Boost
• Spokes: BERD PolyLight
• Rims: Light Bicycle WG55 Flyweight, 32 mm internal
• Tires: Schwalbe Thunder Burt, 2.25"
• Tubes: Continental TPU
• Pedals: Crankbrothers Eggbeater 11
• Total weight: 8.58 kg, with pedals, bottle cage, and cyclocomputer mount

Beyond its components and weight, this Scott Scale RC demonstrates how far bicycle customization can go when the goal is not simply to reduce grams, but to design the entire riding experience around an idea.