About The Scott Aspect 940 Aluminum 9 Speed Hardtail Mountain Bike

The Scott Aspect 940 sits one step above the entry-level Aspect 950 in Scott's hardtail lineup, distinguished primarily by its upgraded fork and Shimano Alivio drivetrain. The Suntour XCR32/X1-LO-R fork adds rebound adjustment on top of hydraulic lockout, giving riders more control over how the fork responds to trail hits — a meaningful difference from fixed-rebound forks for riders spending longer time on trail. The 6061 alloy frame shares the Aspect 900 series platform with custom butted tubing, BSA73 threaded bottom bracket, and internal cable routing with a replaceable derailleur hanger. Geometry remains XC-oriented — stable and predictable on natural trails and rolling singletrack.

The drivetrain steps up to Shimano Alivio RD-M3100 with a Shimano FC-MT2102 crankset (36x22T) and Shimano CS-HG200-9 11-36T cassette — a noticeable improvement over the Altus-equipped 950 in shift feel and long-term durability. Braking uses Shimano MT200 hydraulic disc brakes with SM-RT10 160mm rotors, a meaningful upgrade from Tektro to Shimano hydraulic. Wheels are Syncros X-20 Disc 32h alloy rims on Kenda Booster 29x2.4 30TPI tires with Shimano HB TX505 hubs. Total weight is approximately 31.2 lbs.

Who It's For

  • Riders who want a step up from base-level components with better fork tuneability and Shimano hydraulic brakes
  • Trail riders who spend meaningful time on natural singletrack and need a more dialed brake and fork setup
  • Cyclists who want Shimano hydraulic disc braking across the bike rather than Tektro
  • Riders progressing beyond pure beginner terrain who plan to develop trail skills
  • Not ideal for: riders planning on technical enduro or aggressive trail riding — this is an XC geometry hardtail

What to Look For

  • Fork rebound: The XCR32 rebound adjuster lets you tune how fast the fork returns after compression — set it slower for rough trail, faster for smoother terrain. This is absent on the 950.
  • Drivetrain: Alivio shifts and wears better than Altus — a practical upgrade if you plan to put real miles on the bike.
  • Shimano vs. Tektro brakes: The Shimano MT200 hydraulic system offers slightly better modulation and wider pad availability than the Tektro units on the 950.

Key Features

Frame: Aspect 6061 alloy with custom butted tubing, BSA73 threaded bottom bracket, internal cable routing, and replaceable derailleur hanger. Butted tubing removes weight in the low-stress mid-span of each tube while maintaining material at the weld zones.

Groupset: Shimano Alivio RD-M3100 rear derailleur, Shimano FD-M3120 front derailleur, Shimano FC-MT2102 36x22T crankset, Shimano SL-M3100 shifters, Shimano CS-HG200-9 11-36T cassette, KMC X9 chain. Alivio is a proven workhorse groupset at the mid-entry tier.

Brakes: Shimano MT200 hydraulic disc with SM-RT10 CL 160mm rotors front and rear. Shimano's MT200 is widely serviced and pads are readily available — an important practical consideration for a trail bike.

Wheels: Syncros X-20 Disc 32h alloy rims with Shimano HB TX505 hubs and Kenda Booster 29x2.4 30TPI tires. The Shimano hub upgrade over the Formula hubs on the 950 improves long-term bearing serviceability.

Rider Intent Summary

  • Biggest strengths: Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, rebound-adjustable fork, and Alivio drivetrain represent a meaningful upgrade tier above the 950 for a modest price difference
  • Tradeoffs: XC geometry and 100mm travel limit capability on more aggressive terrain; 30TPI tire casing is entry-level
  • What makes it different: The XCR32 fork's rebound adjustment is the key differentiator from the 950 — it is the first tuning parameter most progressing riders want to learn to set

Victory's Take

At Victory Bicycle Studio, we often steer riders who are serious about trail development toward the Aspect 940 over the 950 — the fork rebound adjustment and Shimano hydraulic brakes are both things you will notice and use as your skills grow.

What you get

  • Frame - Aspect 900-700 series
  • Fork - Suntour XCR32/X1-LO-R
  • Groupset - Shimano 9 Speed (Mechanical)
  • Wheels - Syncros X-20 Disc 32H / black
  • Tires - Kenda Booster 2.4" / 30TPI
Scott Aspect 940 Aluminum 9 Speed Hardtail Mountain Bike

Scott

Scott Aspect 940 Aluminum 9 Speed Hardtail Mountain Bike

Regular price $899.99 USD
Sale price $899.99 USD Regular price $899.99 USD

Specifications

Frameset
Frame

Aspect 900-700 series

- Alloy 6061 Custom Butted Tubing BSA73

- Internal Cable Routing

- Replaceable hanger

Fork

Suntour XCR32/X1-LO-R Hyd. Lockout / Reb. Adj. 100mm travel

Headset

Syncros OE Press Fit / 1 1/8" OD 50mm / ID 44mm

Wheels
Rims

Syncros X-20 Disc 32H / black

Front Hub

Shimano HB TX505

Rear Hub

Shimano FH-TX5058

Spokes

14 G / stainless / black

Tires

Kenda Booster 2.4" / 30TPI

Drivetrain and Brakes
Rear Derailleur

Shimano Alivio RD-M3100 9 Speed

Front Derailleur

Shimano FD-M3120 Side Swing / 31.8mm

Shifters

Shimano SL-M3100 R-fire plus / 2 way release w/gear indicator

Crankset

Shimano FC-MT2102 2-piece Design / 36X22

Bottom Bracket Set

Shimano BB-MT500 Hollowtech II / threaded

Chain

KMC X9

Cassette

Shimano CS-HG200-9 / 11-36T

Brakes

Shimano MT200 / Hydr. Disc Brakes

Cockpit
Handlebars

Syncros 3.0 / 720mm black

- 31.8mm

- 12mm rise

- 9° BS Syncros Pro Grip

Stem

Syncros 3.0 / 7° / Black

Seat Post

Syncros 3.0 31.6mm / 350mm / Black

Saddle

Syncros 3.0

Additional Information
Bike Weight

14.15kg / 31.2lb

Max. Allowable Weight

128kg / 282lb

*Specifications subject to change without notice

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the bike packaged and how long does delivery take?

All bikes are securely packaged to ensure that damage doesn't occur during shipping. All parts of the bike are padded and if needed, zip tied to minimize or eliminate movement inside the box. Once a bike is handed to the shipping company (usually Fedex or UPS), depending on your location, delivery will range from 1 day to 8 days. If you do choose the option for Professional Assembly or White Glove Delivery, this can add anywhere from 2 days to 5 days to the lead time.

Can I finance the purchase of my new bike?

Yes.  Simply select the Shop Pay Installments option which will allow you to buy now and pay later.  Shop Pay Installments is powered by Affirm.  If you would like to determine your spending limit, simply download the Shop app or the Affirm app on your smartphone and after you create an account on one of these apps, the app will let you know what is your spending limit.

Can I return the bike if it doesn't suit my needs?

Our return process is as follows. The customer is responsible for the return label ($150). Once the returned bike arrives at our warehouse, our team will inspect it and make sure it is in new condition and undamaged. Once we verify, we will process the return and issue a refund to the original payment method on file. To clarify the amount refunded, it would just be the amount of the bike (and tax if applicable) less the $150 shipping label that we provided, but the original shipping is not refunded. So if the original bike cost $4,500 and shipping was $150 (so you paid $4,650), you would be refunded $4,350 (the $4,500 less $150 for the return label) assuming the bike was returned in new and un-used condition and within the 30 day return period.

What does the warranty of my new bike or product cover and what is the warranty period?

Depending on the bike or any product, different companies have different warranty policies.  If you do ever have an issue with your bike or any product, simply email us at online@victorybicyclestudio.com and we will assist with any warranty issues and clarify the warranty for the affected product.

Can I have my bike serviced at any bike shop?

Typically, to avoid any issues with your warranty, you should bring your bike to a certified mechanic or bike store for that bike (i.e. if you have a Trek bicycle, you should bring the bike to be serviced to a local bike store that is an authorized Trek dealer).  If you need assistance, simply email us at online@victorybicyclestudio.com and we can direct you to a certified dealer of your bike.

Do you ship bikes internationally?

We unfortunately do not ship bikes outside of the 48 contiguous states of the United States. We do recommend for international customers to open (or use a current account) account with a freight forwarding company. If you use a freight forwarding company located in the U.S., make sure to put your billing address for a dedicated credit card as the same address as the freight forwarder so that you don't have any credit card or payment method issues).

Once you do this, simply place an order with us and we can ship to the U.S. address as long as the credit card doesn't get rejected. Once the freight forwarder has the box/order/shipment, you would instruct them to then ship to you in your home country and they would charge you their own shipping charge to ship to your international address.

Do you offer free shipping?

We do offer free shipping on non-bike orders over $100. We do not offer free shipping for bicycles unless it is a one time promotion. Generally, bike shipping will cost $150 and that covers just the shipping of the bike with no assembly. If you were to bring that bike to your local mechanic or bike store, you would pay them their assembly fee. If you choose our Professional Assembly option for $200, our service technicians would assemble the bike before shipping and then re-pack the bike safely for transit. When you receive the bike you would attach the front wheel, attach the seatpost/saddle, and raise the handlebars and clamp them. Those three items do have to be detached to minimize or eliminate the chance of damage in transit.

How much does shipping cost?

For orders of parts, accessories, apparel, etc. on orders under $100, shipping is a flat rate of $9.99. Regular bike shipping without assembly is $150, bike shipping with Professional Assembly is an additional $200 (so $350 in total which includes the $150 of regular shipping). Our White Glove Delivery option is $699 and that will cover the assembly of the bike and our White Glove Delivery partner delivering your dream bike to your front door, ready to ride!

How can I track my order?

When you place your online order, you will receive an instantaneous email update with your order number and order details, and shortly after, you will receive a follow up order email with the tracking number for your order.  If you still need assistance with your order, feel free to email us at online@victorybicyclestudio.com and we will respond asap.

What happens if my package arrives damaged?

If your package arrives damaged, email online@victorybicyclestudio.com with pictures of all angles of the box and pictures of the damaged product and we will work with you to either send a new replacement asap and coordinate return (or re-imburse you for labor or costs incurred to fix the issue at your local bike store).

Are pedals included with the bike?

If you do not see pedals in the bullet point product specs on the product page, the bike does not come equipped with pedals.  Many manufacturers do not spec bikes with pedals, so they are often purchased separately.

If I only pay the $150 for bike shipping, can I assemble the bike on my own?

Victory Bicycle Studio highly recommends that you bring your bike to your local certified bike store for the brand of the bike that you purchased. If you do attempt to assemble the bike and damage occurs, this may result in your warranty not being honored. For that reason, we do highly recommend to select our Professional Assembly option for $299.