Scott on tour 2018
This year I had the pleasure of being part of the technical team that assisted riders at the Turin stage of SCOTT on Tour 2018.
For those who don’t know SCOTT on Tour, here are a few lines on what this fantastic event is about.
The tour
SCOTT, a brand born in the United States, organises a series of events for its fans to show the bikes of the coming season and let people test them.
Why me?
Thanks to my previous work with Dario Sumin as a workshop mechanic, I was invited to join the mechanics who assisted the hundreds of people at the Turin stage of the event on 22 September 2018.
Here is a short interview with Dario in his shop a few days before the event (in Italian):
Removing some rust
I have to admit that, apart from the regular maintenance I do on my own bikes, I hadn’t worked in a workshop for other people for a few years. Some nerves were normal, and the only way I found to shake them off the night before the event was watching Deathgrip on Netflix in very good company.
The Turin stage, 22 and 23 September 2018
As I said, my experience was limited to Saturday 22 September 2018: a great success for the number of test rides, the pleasant atmosphere and the team spirit among the mechanics.
On Sunday, much to my regret, I was on a plane to Cuba 😀
The models on show
In the spotlight: the Ransom, the Addict Gravel and the E-Ride line with the new Shimano motors.
The big absentee was the Scale, and many riders asked us why. The answer is simple: SCOTT has always made innovation its trademark, and many of the improvements it introduces each year are now well established and define the brand (think of the TwinLoc system). The missing models belong to a line that fans already know well, so the Swiss brand chose to show off its biggest innovations of the year. A winning decision, in my opinion.
Mountain bikes
SCOTT is one of the most talked-about MTB brands, partly for its run of XC World Cup wins, partly for models that break the mould compared with other big brands. Let’s look at what was presented this year.
Ransom 900 Tuned
The most awaited bike for every enduro fan, and an old love of mine coming back. Yes, the Ransom: back in 2006 it was my first enduro bike. At the time it was called an all-mountain bike, but even that earlier model gave me a lot of satisfaction.
This model really surprised me with how well it pedals. The 29″ wheels roll remarkably well over very rough ground, both uphill and downhill.
Compared with my current 2016 Genius LT 710, comfort and confidence on the descents are much better. In the same size I found it a little shorter, something everyone who tested it appreciated. I hope to get a longer test soon to find out the pros and cons of the new geometry. I’ll keep you posted.
With so many visitors queuing for test rides I couldn’t try this little gem properly, so here is the launch video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dl8aVEcxKa4
Key features according to SCOTT:
- HMX Ransom carbon frame
- TwinLoc suspension system with 3 modes (Lockout – Traction Control – Descend)
- FOX 36 Float Factory Air / Kashima FIT4 fork, 170 mm travel, 15×110 mm QR thru-axle
- FOX NUDE TR EVOL Trunnion Kashima shock with adjustable travel: 170 mm – 120 mm – 0 mm (Lockout)
- Syncros Revelstoke 1.5 TR wheels
- FOX dropper seatpost
- 65° head angle
All this for about €591 per kg.
(13.2 kg, list price €7,799)
Genius Ultimate
I admit I had lost track of a lot of the innovations in this world but, being a good nerd, this Genius caught my attention.
The Genius is designed to take you up the mountain easily and bring you back down in a flash. It suits every mountain lover who doesn’t want to give up comfort on long rides in the good season.
A well-known model with smart equipment, including a special FOX Kashima shock with the electronic Live Valve system. This high-end component adds a smart touch to a bike already packed with technology:
- HMX Genius carbon frame
- FOX Kashima shock with electronic Live Valve system, 150 mm travel
- Syncros Revelstoke 1.0 TR wheels
- FOX dropper seatpost
This technical jewel weighs only 12.4 kg, for a list price of €10,699.
Genius 910
A slightly lower spec than the previous one, but still very respectable.
SCOTT’s website lists:
- Genius HMF carbon frame
- TwinLoc suspension system
- FOX 34 Float Performance Elite Air fork, 15×110 mm QR thru-axle, with Lockout
- FOX NUDE TR EVOL Trunnion shock with travel and geometry adjustment, 3 settings (150 – 100 mm – Lockout)
- Syncros Revelstoke 2.0 TR wheels
- FOX dropper seatpost
Yours for €414 per kg.
(13.3 kg, list price €5,499)
Spark 910-930
An XC bike built on World Cup experience. The lightness and agility of a race bike combined with 120 mm of suspension travel make a bike that is ready for anything.
Unfortunately I didn’t get the chance to try these two XC monsters.
Spark frame design with updated geometry, TwinLoc suspension system, a SRAM groupset and Syncros components.
That’s 12.2 kg and €4,949 for the Spark 910, and 13.1 kg and €3,799 list price for the Spark 930.
Road
As for the road line, being a roadie with a muddy soul, I chose to test the gravel versions. The top models of the Addict and Foil lines were available for test rides too.
Addict RC 10
The SCOTT Addict RC 10 has an HMF carbon frame and fork weighing 860 g and 360 g respectively. Add a set of high-end components and you get an extremely strong and light bike, ready for any mountain stage.
The spec of this model:
- Addict HMF / IMP Carbon technology frame, Road Race geometry
- Full Shimano Dura-Ace R9100 groupset
- Syncros components
The Addict RC 10 was designed to keep weight down without losing reliability and strength:
7.26 kg for a list price of €3,999.
Foil RC
Stage wins at the Grand Tours, victories at the Milan-San Remo, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Paris-Roubaix classics. The FOIL is the most versatile aero bike on the market, and the SCOTT FOIL 10 was designed to help you gain those precious extra seconds.
With the integrated Syncros FOIL stem and a Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset, the FOIL 10 is a true race bike at a very competitive price.
- Frame: FOIL HMF / IMP, F01 AERO Carbon tech
- Groupset: Shimano Ultegra Di2
- Syncros carbon components
7.86 kg and €4,399.
Gravel
It’s nothing new, but for years I’ve been riding my road bike on the short dirt roads I come across in the lower Susa Valley and in the Canavese. Gravel is the kind of bike I had been waiting for, and I hadn’t had the chance to try one yet.
Addict Gravel 10
The SCOTT Addict Gravel 10 Disc is designed to take on any route, anywhere, in any weather.
Coming from my current road bike, a SCOTT Speedster with an aluminium frame and carbon fork, I felt at home straight away.
The frame has been reworked compared with the road models to add comfort and absorb vibrations.
The wider handlebar, flared outwards, makes the bike ideal for dirt roads and easy mountain trails.
The gearing suits mixed riding, with a 42-tooth single chainring and a 10-42, 11-speed cassette.
The 700x35C tyres grip well on the terrain of the Turin hills, and the thicker casing adds comfort, making up for the lack of suspension.
What can I say: a gravel bike will definitely replace my current road bike.
7.62 kg, list price €5,799.
E-Ride
The E-Ride line has been renewed this year, above all on the technology side. The Shimano E-8000 motor brings many improvements over the first e-bikes I tried in past years, first of all walk mode.
Genius eRide Tuned
The SCOTT Genius eRide 900 Tuned takes everything you love about the new Genius and adds a bit of push: the new Shimano STEPS system, modern geometry, FOX suspension and the TwinLoc suspension system.
Climbing the steepest mule tracks is no longer a struggle: the E-8000’s assistance is smooth and steady.
For me walk mode is the big news. The extra kilos of motor and battery are no longer a problem even when the trail can’t be ridden: this mode keeps the motor driving while you walk next to the Genius, helping you through the hardest hike-a-bike sections.
As for the spec:
- Genius eRide aluminium alloy frame
- TwinLoc suspension system
- FOX 36 Float Factory Air / Kashima fork, FIT4 remote, 3 modes with Lockout, 15×110 mm QR thru-axle
- FOX NUDE TR EVOL Trunnion shock with travel and geometry adjustment, 3 settings (150 – 100 mm – Lockout)
- Shimano E-8000 motor, integrated battery
- DT Swiss H1825 TR wheels
- FOX dropper seatpost
This little freeride motorbike weighs 23.6 kg and costs €6,999.
Axis eRide Evo
The touring e-bike. I’ll be honest: I don’t feel like writing any more 😀
Summary
So many great new bikes. I can’t wait to test these new models properly on the mountains of my valleys.
Now I can leave with peace of mind!
