The SCOTT Addict eRIDE Premium in review

With the SCOTT Addict eRIDE Premium E-road bike, the Swiss multi-sport brand put an E-road bike on the market that manages to conceal its extra support better than almost any other current model. Are its low weight and stealth look the recipe for a spot at the front of the group test? You can read about our most important findings here.

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best road bike of 2021 – 15 models in review

If you don’t know its name before you hang the SCOTT Addict eRIDE Premium on a scale, you’ll wonder about its 10.9 kg weight in size L/56. Having realised that it’s an ebike, you’ll only be more surprised, because the SCOTT is one of the lightest bikes of its kind. At the heart of the SCOTT is the MAHLE Ebikemotion X35+ hub motor that delivers up to 40 Nm torque. The X35+ can be controlled via the iWoc ONE button on the top tube or a smartphone app and weighs 3.5 kg, including the battery, cables and control unit. The capacity of the 252 Wh battery integrated into the down tube can be expanded with a 208 Wh range extender to a total of 460 Wh. An accompanying smartphone app lets you control the power of the three assistance modes, navigate on your ride and evaluate your ride history including power usage. It’s also handy to be able to connect a heart rate monitor, allowing you to define what level of support the motor provides for a given heart rate zone. In turn, the eRIDE becomes the perfect training partner to complete base training on rolling terrain. Our test bike came as a 100% series build, is the top of the range model and costs € 9,499. It comes with a complete Shimano DURA-ACE Di2 groupset, Syncros Creston iC SL cockpit as we’ve previously seen on the SCOTT Addict RC Ultimate (read review here) and Syncros Capital 1.0 40e Disc carbon wheels.

---

---

The E-road bike takes over several features from its non-motorised brother, the Addict RC Ultimate, including the design language, SCOTT’s highest-end HMX carbon build, the Syncros Duncan SL Aero carbon seatpost and the 12g carbon seatpost clamp. Though they might look alike, the ebike is designed to feel a lot more relaxed. In comparison to the pro-tour model, the geometry of the Addict eRIDE has become less aggressive due to the higher stack, shorter reach and longer chainstays, making it much more suited to long rides.

Size	XS	S	M	L	XL
Seat tube	490 mm	520 mm	540 mm	560 mm	580 mm
Top tube	515 mm	530 mm	545 mm	560 mm	575 mm
Head tube	105 mm	125 mm	145 mm	165 mm	185 mm
Head angle	71.0°	72.0°	72.5°	73.0°	73.3°
Seat angle	75.0°	74.5°	74.0°	73.5°	73.1°
Chainstays	422 mm	422 mm	422 mm	422 mm	422 mm
BB Drop	70 mm	70 mm	70 mm	70 mm	70 mm
Wheelbase	995 mm	997 mm	1,003 mm	1,008 mm	1,015 mm
Reach	373 mm	377 mm	381 mm	384 mm	389 mm
Stack	529 mm	552 mm	572 mm	593 mm	614 mm

The SCOTT Addict eRIDE Premium in review

From a standstill, the eRIDE accelerates with pleasant control and offers support on a scale from gentle to assertive, depending on the mode you choose. The FAZUA system fitted to the Trek is more powerful, particularly at low speeds and in steep terrain. It quickly becomes clear that the eRIDE isn’t a bike that will shuttle you up the climbs. It still requires an active riding style and the sweet spot for the system lies at an incline from 5 to 9%. Under that you’ll usually be quicker without the support of the motor and above it runs out of torque. In the standard settings, the difference in assistance modes of the two lower modes on the SCOTT are fairly similar. In this factory setup, only the highest assistance mode delivers noticeably more power. The eRIDE transitions seamlessly at the 25 km/h motor assistance limit and rides efficiently on the flats.

The E-road bike that doesn’t look like one. Even dedicated ebike haters will find it hard not to rave about the SCOTT.

If the surfaces are well-maintained, it can be kept at speed just like a traditional road bike. To switch assistance modes, you’ll have to remove one hand from the bars to reach for the iWoc ONE remote on the top tube, though this didn’t cause any problems during testing. However, the system doesn’t incorporate a torque sensor to modulate control of the motor. Instead, it compares the speed of the cassette relative to the hub, meaning the motor sometimes produces power even without any pressure on the pedals. Pseudo pedalling with one leg is no problem – moped feeling included! Just lifting and dropping your legs to keep the cassette spinning is enough to activate the motor. Unfortunately, in tight corners that can detract from your feeling of security, with the motor sometimes responding unpredictably. In addition, the SCOTT requires a steady hand on rough terrain due to the frameset’s stiffness. Compared to the other bikes in the test, only the 700 x 30C Schwalbe Pro One TLE tires contribute to improvement in the level of comfort. In direct comparison to the Orbea Gain M20i, the SCOTT is significantly less comfortable. On the other hand, on perfect surfaces, the Addict reveals its full potential and feels very planted. Here it damps small vibrations effectively and convinces with its intuitive and balanced handling. Likewise, absolutely no learning curve is required to immediately be able to appreciate the pleasantly direct steering as well as the stable ride. In comparison to the E-road bikes from Trek and Orbea, SCOTT definitely come closest to the handling of a “normal” road bike.

Tuning tip: Take it or leave it! The SCOTT works as it is. Either you think the bike is for you, or it isn’t.

Conclusion

The SCOTT Addict eRIDE Premium is the perfect bike for all bike fans who live in hilly terrain and who want to enjoy sporty and intuitive handling with a built-in electronic tailwind while riding on asphalt. If you’ve got the taste but don’t want the motor support, the SCOTT Addict RC Ultimate is also an interesting alternative. However, if you put stock by high comfort or concentrated E-power, you should look elsewhere.

---

For more information head to scott-sports.com

The test field

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best road bike of 2021 – 15 models in review

All bikes in test: BMC Roadmachine 01 ONE (Click for review) | Cannondale SuperSix EVO Hi-MOD Disc Ultegra (Click for review) | Canyon Grail CF SLX 8 eTap (Click for review) | Cervélo Caledonia-5 Dura Ace Di2 Disc (Click for review) | Mason Resolution Ekar (Click for review) | MERIDA REACTO TEAM-E CUSTOM (Click for review) | MERIDA SCULTURA ENDURANCE CUSTOM (Click for review) | OPEN MIN.D. (Click for review) | Orbea Gain M20i (Click for review) | ROSE REVEAL FOUR DISC Ultegra Di2 (Click for review) | SCOTT Addict eRIDE Premium | Specialized S-Works Aethos (Click for review) | Storck Fascenario.3 Comp Disc Ultegra (Click for review) | Trek Domane+ LT 9 (Click for review) | Wilier Filante SLR (Click for review)

---

Did you enjoy this article? If so, we would be stoked if you decide to support us with a monthly contribution. By becoming a supporter of GRAN FONDO, you will help secure a sustainable future for high-quality cycling journalism. Click here to learn more.

Words: Photos: Tobias Hörsch