Home > 4.3

Scott relaunches Addict for 2014

The lightweight racer is accompanied by the Solace endurance machine

Scott Sports showcased its 2014 bike in Gstaad, Switzerland with the re-introduction of the Addict road frame, launching a new SL and Team version. Scott had seen a great deal of success with the original Addict, which once led the lightweight bike category. The company wants to regain this lead again. The new Addict SL is the lightest bike in Scott’s history with the frame and fork coming in at less than 1 kg.

The new Addict SL
The new Addict SL

The previous Addict was an exceptionally light and stiff bike but Scott set out to improve on its benchmark design. According to engineer Benoit Grelier, “even saving 1 g proved to be a challenge.” Scott also made no secret that they looked at bikes such as Cervelo’s R5Ca with a frame weight of only 1,009 g and wanted do something similar, without the big price tag. In the end, Scott was able to get the new Addict SL frame and fork to come in at only 995 g (in size medium), using their new HMX-SL carbon fibre. Built with SRAM Red 22 gruppo, carbon-fibre Ritchey Evo Curve handlebar, Syncros RL 1.0 clinchers, Syncros seatpost and Fizik Arione 00 saddle, the complete bike weighs only 5.6 kg.

New tapered 1 1/8" to 1 1/4" headtube
New tapered 1 1/8" to 1 1/4" headtube

Scott was able to achieve these weight savings by moving to a monocoque front-triangle design, hollow carbon-fibre dropouts and lighter seatstays, adding up to about a 42 g of savings compared to the previous model. They’ve also moved to a larger 1 1/8″ to 1 1/4″ tapered head tube and the larger PF86 bottom bracket. The latter allows for a wider down tube that increases BB stiffness by about 5.9 per cent, according to the company. Scott has also moved away from the integrated seat mast of the previous Addict, which improves the comfort by about 39 per cent under seat post flex.

HMX-SL Carbon
HMX-SL Carbon

For a bike that was designed as a pure racing machine, I was immediately impressed by how comfortable it was to ride. For such a stiff frame, I was surprised at how compliant it felt under load. The bike climbed exceptionally well and was highly responsive on the descents, allowing me to carve around steep hairpins with conviction. The bike also reacted extremely quickly when I dropped it into a big gear and mashed on the pedals.

Scott has moved away from the integrated seat mast which results in a much more compliant ride
Scott has moved away from the integrated seat mast, which results in a much more compliant ride

The new Addict Team has a slightly different carbon layup than the SL and uses a Syncros bar instead of the Ritchey carbon-fibre bar. It’s a tad heavier, but what you gain in weight, you also gain in comfort. The Team was an incredibly smooth bike to ride and the slight weight penalty isn’t really noticeable on a long climb. It wasn’t quite as telepathically reactive as the SL, but overall the bike performed beautifully. For a bike with race geometry, you could easily spend a day in its saddle as it was so comfortable to ride.

The Addict Team
The Addict Team

Scott also launched a new frame called the Solace, a comfort bike aimed at gran fondo riders. While weight didn’t have the same level of priority as it did with the new Addict, the Solace took its lead from the CR-1. Scott wanted to create a lighter and more comfortable bike than the CR-1 and the result is a 40 per cent increase in comfort, with a simultaneous gain of 15 per cent more stiffness.

The new Solace
The new Solace

To improve comfort, Scott lowered the seatstays, shortened the top tube length for a more upright position and reduced the seatpost diameter for additional flex. The junction where the top tube, seat tube and seatstays meet also got some attention. Scott attached the stays farther forward along the top tube, thereby lengthening them, which allowed for more give and comfort. But the seatstays also ensure a good lateral stiffness because they now have a wider stance for stability and power transfer. This arrangement “did a lot to improve the overall comfort of the bike” according to Grelier. The Solace also has a higher head tube, which combined with the shortened top tube, makes for a more relaxed riding position.

This shows the 53mm seat stays that attatch to the top tube for greater frame compliace
The 53 mm seatstays attach to the top tube in a away that give greater frame compliance

However the Solace is no comfort cruiser; Scott wanted to find a balance between comfort and power. So when focusing on the power delivery of the frame, they decided to move to the same tapered headset used by the Addict, a wider PF86 bottom bracket allowing for a 25 per cent wider down tube and a wider tapered seat tube. The result is a 17 per cent increase in down-tube stiffness and a 3 per cent increase in lateral stiffness compared to the CR-1.

Scott did a great job creating clean lines with the interal cable routing with the new tapered head tube
Scott did a great job creating clean lines with the internal-cable routing with the new tapered head tube

Of special note are the rear brakes, which are tucked under the chainstays near the bottom bracket as opposed to keeping them in the traditional position on the seatstays. Mounting them under the BB, an area that is already heavily reinforced, gives the brakes a solid mounting point, which increases braking power, while allowing Scott’s designers to tune the seatstays for a bit of weight savings and a more comfortable ride.

Shimano Dura Ace direct mount brakes are tucked nicely under the chain stays for more powerful braking
Shimano Dura-Ace direct-mount brakes are tucked nicely under the chainstays for more powerful braking

As with their new mountain bike line, Scott has really managed to create balance with their 2014 road line. With its higher, more comfortable riding position, the new Solace would be the ideal gran fondo bike. The bike is extremely smooth to ride, climbs well and handles with efficiency.