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FEATURES: SCOTT ADDICT R1
Road Bike Action
September 19, 2009
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Scott USA’s Addict is a statement in itself—that a true racing bicycle cannot be constrained by sticker price or weight limits. The top-drawer Addict Limited costs a cool $12,000, so you will be relieved to read that our test model, the second-tier R1, costs only $7000. And the weight? The large-sized 56-centimeter model, outfitted with SRAM Red, Mavic R-Sys clincher wheels and Ritchey carbon cockpit items, weighed only 14 pounds (6.35 kilograms) on the dot, sans pedals. That’s lightweight for any big-guy bike, and in case you think otherwise, its semi-monocoque truly high-modulus carbon frame weighs a close-to-imaginary 790 grams—so those who choose to upgrade with scary-light components can take the Addict sacrilegiously below the UCI-legal weight limit.
THE FRAME
One can actually squeeze the Addict’s top tube with finger pressure, which should scare anyone except for a Scott USA fan, because the Addict of today is the product of a long line of competition-proven carbon frames. In short, Scott didn’t arrive at a sub-800-gram frame overnight. The carbon used for high-stress areas of the frame is an ultra-high-modulus unidirectional material called HMX, which is reportedly made specifically for Scott. The Addict’s front triangle (head tube, top tube and downtube) is a molded monocoque structure that is cured using a secret high-pressure process which produces its thin, low-resin-weight tubes. The rear triangle and integrated seat mast are bonded to the front section using the tube-to-tube “CR-1” method that Scott USA pioneered. Scott’s premier racing frame is aptly named, as their engineers are addicted to carbon—the dropouts, fork, front derailleur mount, even the cable-housing stops are made of the stuff—but the results speak for themselves.
Looking at the frame’s configuration, it becomes clear that however wild Scott designers may be in their execution of carbon, they have learned from ProTour experience not to stray from proven frame geometry. Our 56-centimeter chassis uses a 73-degree head angle, a 73.3-degree seat angle and a comfortably long, 56.5-centimeter top tube. The slightly sloping top tube is only a concession to contemporary fashion and keeps the handlebar noticeably low. As mentioned, the Addict features an integrated seat mast, topped by a Ritchey external masthead which offers about an inch (25mm) of adjustment. The mast is round, which allowed us to cut the frame to length with a Park Tool fork-steerer saw guide. Scott does not hold back on frame sizes (a constant RBA carbon-bike complaint), with seven frame sizes offered between 47 and 61 centimeters and each with size-specific geometry.
THE BUILD
If you are tired of reading about carbon, then you will snooze through the Addict R1’s parts pick. The SRAM Red crankset and shift/brake levers, Fizik Arione CX saddle rails and Ritchey WCS handlebar join the Addict’s carbon crusade—and while the Mavic R-Sys wheels are mostly aluminum, all but the rear drive-side spokes are tubular carbon.
THE RIDE
It is an oxymoron to state that the ’09 Addict R1 is both evolutionary and revolutionary, but it earns both accolades. For starters, the new chassis handles speed with a new surety. One RBA test rider topped 50 mph aboard the R1 without a worry. Early large-sized Addict frames were not laterally rigid and thus could develop a speed wobble if not tended to on fast descents. Pedaling rigidity is boosted as well, as witnessed by the oversized frame section near the bottom bracket area and large-diameter downtube. All of this stiffness, however, does not rob the new Addict of its previously heralded smooth ride. Somehow, even with rough riding Mavic R-Sys wheels, the Addict R1 manages a comfortable ride over uneven pavement.
The evolution of the Addict’s frame design does not come with a weight penalty, which brings us to the revolutionary comment. Adding strength and stiffness to an equal or lighter-weight frame pushed Scott to rethink its molding techniques and to reinvent its carbon layup process. The fact that one can aggressively climb, sprint and descend aboard a 14-pound racing bike makes the Addict R1 a member of an elite club.
Technically, the Scott has a few quirks. Its Hutchinson Fusion 2 Team Series tires felt a bit squirmy in the corners, so we replaced them with a bit racier tire, which made a noticeable improvement in its handling. One rider insisted that the Scott was too light in the front end in the corners—but he was the same man who broke the national speed limit aboard the Addict—so, go figure. Lightweight racing bikes that perform as well as the Scott Addict R1 are rare, so we often were inspired to hand it over to a fellow rider. This was the only drawback of the Scott’s integrated seat mast. Once it is cut, if you can’t fit within the Ritchey masthead’s 25mm of adjustment, you won’t get to experience its impressive performance.
THE?VERDICT
Lots of performance in a package that is so lightweight that you will be half way up your first climb before you realize that you possess a low gear option is reason enough to own a Scott Addict. While $7000 dollars was once the top of the market for an elite carbon racer, considering that Scott injected enough high-speed surety and cornering performance into a chassis that was once considered to be a climbing specialist, the 2009 version might be a sweet deal. After all, it can replace every racing bike in your stable—with the exception of that $13,000 TT bike hanging from your rafters.
PRICE: $6999
WEIGHT: 14 pounds (6.35 kilograms), 56-centimeter size
INFO: www.scottusa.com |
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