The brand new Scott Addict RC is right here – or what there may be of it, 5.9kg of motorcycle to be exact.
Scott has formally up to date its climbing bike for the primary time since 2020, claiming the brand new Addict RC is the ‘lightest ever street bike’ the model has produced.
The brand new bike options way more slender tube profiles, body partitions as skinny as 0.6 millimetres, and a world class spec which all assist hold weight to a minimal. The bike hopes to be genuinely user-friendly too, with 34mm tyre clearance, an built-in handlebar multitool, and sufficient of a deal with aerodynamics to be inside a stones throw of the model’s aero Foil RC aero race bike.
The headlines
First issues first, let’s sort out the principle headlines, and first reply the query – is that this the lightest ever manufacturing street bike full cease?
The brand new Scott Addict RC nonetheless considerably resembles the outgoing mannequin, however lots has modified.
(Picture credit score: Scott)
A fast Google search brings up two acquainted contenders. First up is the Specialised S-Works Aethos, boasting a claimed weight of 6.34 kilos. Then there’s the AX Lightness VIAL Evo Extremely, with an eye-popping weight of simply 4.8 kilos.
The AX Lightness might win the numbers recreation, but it surely sacrifices practicality within the course of. The Addict RC, alternatively, balances feather-lightness with usability, that includes disc brakes, respectable tire clearance, and a bunch of different options I’ll discover shortly.
So far as claimed weights go, we’re 600 grams for an unpainted medium body, and 270 grams for an unpainted regular-length fork which makes for a 161 and 54-gram respective weight saving over the outgoing mannequin. It is price noting these weights are for the HMX-SL frameset, which is barely out there within the Addict RC Final construct. The HMX frameset discovered on the opposite 4 construct choices weighs round 40 grams extra.
The brand new bike additionally claims to 12 watts quicker than its predecessor, and simply 9 watts slower than the Scott Foil RC aero bike at a check pace of 45kph and yaw angles of +/- 15 levels, when testing the frames impartial of their parts.
The AX lightness has been round for some time now, however lacks fashionable options, and flexibility.
Scott has additionally gone to nice lengths to shave treasured grams off of the entire body package (that features {hardware}), with additional financial savings being made within the seatpost, and Syncros one-piece carbon fibre cockpit.
The specification – how did they get the load so low?
In the event you love watching engineers push boundaries simply because they will, you’ll benefit from the obsessive consideration to element that Scott’s crew poured into this venture.
To hit such an impressively low weight, the Swiss model has taken a methodical method to weight reduction. Each element was scrutinized, redesigned, and optimized to carry out robustly and reliably whereas shedding each attainable gram. The consequence? A claimed 300g drop in weight from all the body package.
The brand new Scott Addict RC nonetheless retains some nods to aero across the headtube.
(Picture credit score: Scott)
All these tiny financial savings add up. The Scott Addict RC Final claims to shave 800 grams from the total construct in comparison with its predecessor, arriving at a weight of 5.9 kilos. Scott needed to trim weight all over the place with out sacrificing performance.
This meticulous method even led to the event of a brand new manufacturing method, dubbed Polypropylene Molding Core. The inside of the body is as clean as attainable, eliminating extra carbon fiber and epoxy. This refined course of can be stated to remove wrinkles and voids within the carbon fibre construction, permitting Scott to make use of much less materials but nonetheless assure security and stiffness. In some locations, the body is an astonishing 0.6mm thick – a testomony to simply how far Scott was prepared to push the bounds.
The Addict RC Final comes with Sram’s Pink AXS groupset.
(Picture credit score: Scott)
Whereas the Sram Pink AXS groupset performs a significant position – it’s the lightest in the marketplace – the remainder of the bike is delivered to you nearly all the time courtesy of Scott. There are one or two outliers although, certainly one of them being the Schwalbe tyres. The yet-to-be-released Schwalbe Aerothan tyres have been teased at Eurobike and even raced to victory in a Tour de France stage this 12 months. These 28c tyres are unbelievably gentle – simply 169g for a 28mm tyre. This makes the unreleased tyres the lightest in the marketplace for the width, enormously serving to the Addict RC’s general numbers.
The Schwalbe Aerothan Tyres weigh simply 169g every for a measurement 28mm
(Picture credit score: Future (Richard Butcher))
Then there are the wheels. The Addict will get Scott’s subsidiary model Syncros’ Capital SL40 wheels weighing simply 1170 grams for the pair. These 40mm-deep wheels, with their 25mm inside width, not solely contribute to the bike’s featherweight construct but in addition play a key position in its journey high quality. That includes dependable DT Swiss internals, they improve efficiency and complement the bike’s ultralight design fantastically.
A phrase we are going to all be listening to much more of over the subsequent twelve months is ‘system weight’. As manufacturers battle to shave grams or watts from the body alone, we’re more and more seeing ending package and wheels enjoying a stronger hand in making certain each new bike is extra aero, lighter, and comfier.
It comes as no shock then that Scott has invested numerous growth into the brand new Syncros IC-R100-SL cockpit. The brand new one-piece handlebar and stem is round 40 grams lighter than its predecessor, because of a brand new stem clamping design, and an improved carbon fibre layup.
Scott has additionally created a 3D printed magnesium titanium alloy pc mount, which weighs a scant 12 grams – however that is a further buy.
(Picture credit score: Future (Richard Butcher))
The opposite headline characteristic in regards to the new bar is the hidden multitool.
Take a peak contained in the handlebar drop, and you will find a T25 torx key which can service each bolts on the bike. That is because of a streamlining of bolt specs – one thing we completely love in regards to the new Canyon Aeroad which did this again in July of this 12 months.
A brand new geometry, and a nod to consolation
Scott has additionally stated that the geometry for the brand new Addict RC has undergone a ‘complete redesign’ too. The Swiss model claims that the brand new geometry has been optimised for inventory 30mm tyres, and goals to offer higher dealing with for its weight, remaining steady at greater speeds.
For my first ideas on how the bike rides, try our first journey evaluation of the brand new Scott Addict RC.
Scott has additionally laid an enormous emphasis on consolation with the brand new Addict RC, which begins inside the frameset. Due to a redesigned seat publish clamping system, Scott has been in a position to design a seat tube with thinner partitions, which in the end will increase flexibility on this space of the body, permitting for extra vertical compliance.
The brand new seatpost is 10% lighter, and claims to extend consolation by 30%. This comes alongside the clearance for 34mm tyres, which, in case you have been nonetheless apprehensive about street buzz, ought to put your thoughts at relaxation.
Scott Addict RC construct choices
For these contemplating the Scott Addict RC however not essentially aiming for the ultralight, range-topping Final mannequin, there are 4 different builds to discover.
On the backside of the vary, you’ve the Addict RC 30. At $4,999 / £4,899 / €4,999, it kicks of the vary with Shimano 105 Di2, Syncros Capital 1.0 40mm wheelset, and a two-piece handlebar and stem.
Subsequent up is the Addict RC 20, which retails for $5,699 / £5,899 / €5,999. The RC 20 upgrades to Shimano Ultegra Di2, with the identical cockpit and wheel setups.
The RC 10 drops extra weight and features a one-piece carbon fibre cockpit retailing at $6,599 / £6,599 / €6,699.
Subsequent, we now have the Addict RC Professional, which comes with Shimano’s Dura-Ace Di2, and prices $8,999 / £8,599 / €8,699
And naturally, the Addict RC Final full with Syncros Captial SL40 wheels and Sram Pink AXS groupset, will set you again $14,999 / £12,799 / €12,999.
Now, in fact, that is extremely costly for a two-wheeled man-powered machine, so to place all this into perspective, I believed I’d run by way of some comparisons to related bikes for every mannequin.
Obtainable colors embody banana yellow.
(Picture credit score: Scott)
On the extra accessible finish of the spectrum, the Addict 30 stands out. For the value, weight, and general specification, it’s onerous to beat. When in comparison with the Specialised Aethos, you possibly can both get monetary savings by going for the Aethos Comp construct (and sacrifice carbon wheels and go for a third-tier carbon layup) or spend an additional £850 for the Aethos Skilled construct and save a mere 200 grams. To place that in perspective, saving 200 grams elsewhere may value the identical – or much less.
The Addict 20 tells the same story. In its worth vary, it competes successfully. Whilst you may spring for the Aethos Skilled construct once more, this selection doesn’t fairly match up when you think about its third-tier groupset.
One mannequin within the Addict lineup that’s more durable to justify, for my part, is the Addict 10. Right here, you’re paying a further £700 for the built-in cockpit, and albeit, I’d have appreciated to see an influence meter included at this worth level to present it extra worth and distinction.
The Addict RC Professional options Shimano Dura Ace Di2.
(Picture credit score: Scott)
Alternatively, the RC Professional – the Dura-Ace construct – holds its personal. Whereas the Aethos Professional is available in £600 cheaper, the Addict steps up with a higher-tier groupset, the slick built-in cockpit and a weight saving of round 280 grams. Nonetheless, the Aethos does achieve a slight edge with the inclusion of an influence meter, and once more, it’s disappointing that Scott didn’t add one right here.
Merely put, the brand new Addict RC vary is aggressive in each class of weight, worth, and specification. Even when the mannequin you select isn’t sub-six kilos, it can probably be the lightest – or among the many lightest – choices inside its class.
For extra info, try the Scott Web site.
