There’s no doubt that the gravel bike market is enjoying significant growth in South Africa. As with mountain bikes, road bikes and eBikes, SCOTT has committed to designing a high-performance flagship model that’s aimed at the committed and very serious gravel racer. We spent a few weeks test riding the R239 000 SCOTT Addict RC Gravel. Here’s what we discovered.
SCOTT’s Addict RC is the Swiss brand’s road bike model that’s designed to be light and responsive and scoot up long climbs and steep ascents with ease. The Addict RC Gravel is designed to be that – and more. It’s one thing have a light, responsive gravel bike, but comfort and control are key factors that cannot be ignored. Does the SCOTT Addict RC Gravel meet those objectives?
THE BIKE
The first thing you notice is how light the Addict RC Gravel is. At under eight kilogrammes it’s feels like nothing. But at R239 000, it’s pretty much everything. How can so much weigh so little? Apparently, this why bicycles are so much more expensive than motor cycles. The ongoing quest for the ultimate combination of light and fast…
Made with Addict Gravel HMX Carbon, the frame and fork have been crafted to deliver a combination of light weight and responsiveness. Unlike the Addict Road HMX Carbon, this frame’s carbon has been specifically layered to optimise comfort without sacrificing efficiency for gravel racing. It’s also rather gorgeous. Predominantly matte white with purple and black accents with a tiny hint of neon yellow.
It was obvious to the SCOTT engineers that aerodynamics plays a key role in gravel bikes, particularly the high-end racing models like this one. SCOTT has used its patented airfoil design on the downtube, headtube, seattube, seatpost and seatstays with the intension of optimising airflow and reducing drag.
The Syncros Creston iC SL X Carbon bar and stem has the same integrated cable routing the Addict RC and Foil to guide both mechanical and electronical shifting wires as well as both hydraulic hoses completely internally. This makes for a very clean cockpit and, for those that use handlebar bags, ensures no cable rubbing.
There are two smart mounts on the frame – one on the top of the toptube for a frame bag and an additional one under the downtube for additional bottle cage or toolholder. There are also two different bottle cage positions on the downtube to better accommodate a frame bag.
From a comfort perspective, in addition to the gravel-specific carbon layup of the frame, the Addict RC Gravel also has slightly lower seatstays and frame and fork accommodate tyres up to 45mm wide. Geometry-wise, the Addict RC Gravel has a slightly slacker headtube angle than it’s RC Road stablemate – 71.0-degrees versus the 72.8 on the 54cm frame size. This also increases the wheelbase slightly and deceases the reach, all of which translates to descending stability and steering feel, especially on rougher surfaces.
There’s been no compromise on the components. The wheelset is Fulcrum’s Sharq Carbon with 24 spokes front and rear wrapped with Schwalbe G-One RS Revolution 45mm wide tubeless tyres. The groupset is full SRAM Red 12-speed AXS with 46/33 chainrings, SRAM’s Paceline 160mm-rotor brakeset and the cockpit is all Syncros’s top-end stuff. The Addict RC Gravel comes standard with a Quark power meter. There’s a Syncros SL rear axle with a removable lever/tool.
The SCOTT Addict RC Gravel is high-end in every respect.
THE RIDE
We had the SCOTT Addict RC Gravel for five weeks and spent that time charging around gravel roads and mountain bike trails parks – all in Gauteng. Not all gravel roads are equal. Some gravel roads in Gauteng are in terrible condition with sand, stones, ruts and corrugations to make a grown man wince. We’re not sado masochists, so we limited our time on those roads, but we knew they needed to be ridden…
CLIMBING
A bike this light is sure to be a swift climber. And it is. Super responsive under acceleration and, with the double chainring configuration, relatively easy to find a steady rhythm on long ascents. German Tour Magazine says this is one of the most laterally stiff gravel frames they have tested. And you know the Germans, they actually test this kind of thing in factories and laboratories…
DESCENDING
Descending is where many roadies that convert to gravel racing struggle. Fast, long descents on sketchy surfaces can undo and even completely unravel any gains made on a long climb. Although our testers all have a mountain biking foundation, they all felt the Addict RC Gravel delivered a stable descending feel. This will come partly from the more relaxed headtube angle (71.0 degrees), partly from the longer wheelbase (than a road bike) and partly from the tyres – if they’re not overinflated. The braking is as predictable as you’d expect with high-end hydraulic discs and we liked that it was possible to feather the 160mm-rotor brakes with consistency with no vibration felt during any of our rides. Although we didn’t ride any super long descents (there aren’t any in Gauteng), it is possible to fit a larger 180mm to the front for increased braking power.
CORNERING
Cornering speed is highly rider dependent. Fortunately, our testers are cornering masters and really tested the limits of the Addict RC Gravel. Their verdict: “This bike corners superbly!” From tight and twisty firm-surface singletrack to sweeping, flat gravel road turns, the Addict RC Gravel always felt stable. There’s enough handlebar flare to allow you to move your weight forward through turns without any bar/wrist contact and limitation moments. The Schwalbe G-One RS Revolution 45mm tyres delivered a confident feeling and there were very few instances when it felt like the front of the bike might wash out.
HANDLING
We didn’t change the stack height of the bars, but our older test rider was comfortable with 40mm of stack. Our younger (more flexible) tester felt he could have been a little lower on the front. Changing this is possible when you buy the bike obviously. Having said that, the handling was superb. Just so responsive when expected and firm when necessary.
COMFORT
The SCOTT Addict RC Gravel is indeed confirmation that you can’t have everything. Even with the gravel-specific elements, a lightweight carbon frame with aerodynamically shaped tubing with an aero seatpost is designed for speed, not comfort. The carbon fork is designed to offer some compliance, but the bike relies predominantly on the tyres for comfort.
GROUPSET
We experienced exceptional performance from the SRAM Red AXS groupset. We already mentioned the braking, but the shifting was always super crisp and reliable. The Quark power meter was also easy to connect to our testers’ Garmin devices and delivered what appeared to be an accurate reflection of our efforts.
SUMMARY
If comfort is a priority, look elsewhere. If speed is your thing, then the SCOTT Addict RC Gravel is exactly where you should be focused. If you have the budget of course. It’s gravel super-bike. There are no luggage mounts and it’s only able to accommodate the Syncros aero seatpost. It’s a race bike, not an adventure bike. SCOTT has other gravel bike models focused on comfort and adventure. There’s a 120kg weight limit (that’s total weight, not rider weight!) and the 2x drivetrain makes it easy to roll this lightweight steed on road rides. In fact, with a tyre swap, it’s an ideal endurance road bike too.
Sizes: XS (49cm) | S (52cm) | M (54cm) | L (56cm) | XL (58cm)
Price: R239 000
Note price is correct as at December 2024 and obviously subject to change, as is stock availability.
