Scott Addict eRide review: Hard to see great power!

Test: E-bikes have become an indispensable part of the bicycle industry and have brought many riders back into the saddle over the years. However, most bikes with electric motors are used either in everyday life or on the trail. There are e-racing bikes, but they have not been able to establish themselves in the masses. The reasons for this include the high weight, but also the speed limit of 25 km/h. Nevertheless, Scott dares the step to the e-racing bike - with all its consequences. We tested the new Scott Addict eRide - perhaps the first "real" e-road bike for racers?

At first glance, the Scott Addict eRide looks quite inconspicuous and is more reminiscent of a modern racing bike than an e-bike. Inconspicuous is probably the wrong term, because the high-quality carbon frame shines with an attractive finish that is anything but 0815 and thus offers an unmistakable look. If you are familiar with Scott's product range, you might even mistake the Addict eRide for a mix of Addict RC and Foil due to its shape. But far from it, because this is a sporty e-racing bike that is supposed to ride like a normal road bike, but can support you with a lot of power.

If you take a closer look, you can still see the difference to a normal road bike, or at least guess, because there is a button on the top tube with which you can not only switch the drive on and off, but also choose between the different support levels. In the rear wheel there is also the Mahle X35 hub motor, which provides the built-in tailwind and supports it with a maximum of 40 Nm. Thanks to disc brakes and a cassette, however, the compact motor is completely invisible when viewed from the side.

Scott Addict eRide - Drive & Features

The most important thing about an e-bike is undoubtedly the drive. The Scott Addict eRide relies on an X35+ 40 Nm hub motor from Mahle. This is located in the rear wheel hub and is powered by the internal battery in the down tube with a capacity of 252 Wh. There is also the option of attaching a range extender with an additional 208 Wh to the second bottle cage. This is available for every model and is even supplied with the top model. According to the manufacturer, with a total of 460 Wh you get active support on a route of 120 kilometers and 2.200 meters in altitude until the battery is empty. The internal battery is fully charged again from 3 to 0 percent within 100 hours.

In addition to the drive and the first-class frame construction, the Scott Addict eRide also benefits from high-quality equipment that supports performance in all areas and raises it to an even higher level. The Syncros Capital 1.0 40e Disc carbon wheels make an important contribution in terms of rolling characteristics and speed, while the Syncros Creston iC SL carbon cockpit not only convinces with good ergonomics and, in combination with fork and frame, ensures great aerodynamics but also a clean look offers. As a result, all cables and lines have been integrated like on a normal racing bike, so that you cannot find a single one on the entire Scott Addict eRide. This makes it the first and currently only e-racing bike without visible cables and trains.

The cables of the Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 are also hidden without any problems, so that they are simply integrated into the overall picture and the group can offer its usual precise and high-quality shifting performance. With 50/34 teeth at the front and 11-30 teeth at the rear, in combination with the electric drive, you have enough bandwidth to master fast passages and steep climbs alike.

Scott Addict eRide models and trim levels

Testing the Scott Addict eRide

Even before the official launch date, we were invited to Scott and were able to take the Addict eRide home for a few tours. Our ex-pro and road bike editor Flo Nowak was of course excited to see what this bike has to offer, because in the past e-road bikes quickly reached their limits due to their weight and the support up to only 25 km/h and only offered partial performance advantages. Especially in the typical scenario on flat terrain at over 30 km/h, only a few e-road bikes have really been able to convince so far.

After a few longer rides and demanding tours, one thing can be said in advance: the Scott Addict eRide rides exactly as it looks, namely almost like a normal racing bike. Thanks to the high-quality workmanship and the sophisticated design, the eRide not only looks fast, but is also nice to touch. The sporty geometry is reminiscent of that of the Addict RC and is almost identical. Only the head tube is slightly higher, which ensures a slightly more relaxed seating position. Nevertheless, it should be clear to everyone that this is definitely a piece of sports equipment and not an e-bike for dawdling around.

Even if you can offer an impressive total weight of 10,75 kilograms for a full-fledged e-bike, the 25 km/h problem still remains. Because the Addict eRide, like any other e-bike, only supports up to 25 km/h and after that the motor only offers its additional weight. The switch-off is very harmonious and without noticeable jerking, so that you get a pleasant and authentic driving experience and often do not consciously notice the switch-off in the low levels. However, since this is an e-racing bike, the 25 km/h are reached quickly and supposedly weaker riders then probably have to fight even more on the flat at 30 km/h than before and can hardly cycle in the beloved group.

However, the Scott Addict eRide shines with such good and useful equipment that you don't feel a disadvantage at higher speeds on flat terrain and you benefit from the bike's good rolling characteristics. This is not only due to the aerodynamic tube shapes, but also to the Syncros carbon wheels and the Syncros Creston carbon cockpit. Equipped with a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2, you get a first-class complete package.

Due to the extra weight, especially on the rear part of the bike, you can enjoy smooth running, as the Scott Addict eRide lies firmly on the road and is difficult to shake. This conveys a lot of safety and a pleasant driving experience. Of course, the weight also has a certain effect on the handling, because the bike pushes a lot more at higher speeds, which is why you have to approach and brake the corners a little differently. However, if you prepare yourself for these circumstances from the outset, you quickly develop a feeling of how far you can go and tackle every descent almost as quickly as with any other racing bike.

We were particularly amazed at how comfortable the Scott Addict eRide was. Due to the extra weight, we suspected a somewhat hard ride without any particular flex. However, since the carbon frame has been particularly reinforced at the critical points, the material absorbs the impacts increased by the weight in a first-class manner and, in combination with the 30mm wide tires, ensures pleasant rides, even when things get rough. According to the manufacturer, there is even room for tires up to 32 mm in the Addict eRide.

But let's finally get to the most important topic, the drive! The Mahle hub drive provides direct support to the rear wheel and delivers powerful power up to 25 km/h. After that, the engine takes off smoothly and lets us continue to ride like a normal racing bike. On our trip with 100 kilometers and 1000 meters of altitude, the drive was able to provide active support and was pretty much empty at the end. The range extender is definitely recommended for longer or mountainous tours. With a quick nudge, the drive really gets going at the highest level and lets us accelerate out of every corner when accelerating. Thus, the additional weight and the associated sluggishness are also accounted for here and the Scott Addict eRide can score with its crisp acceleration.

Even on longer mountain routes and passes, the specially tuned Mahle drive was able to convince us and always stood by our side. Thanks to the different levels of support, you can adjust the speed to those of your companions or to your own fitness level. Thanks to the good rolling characteristics, however, the field of application of the e-racing bike is expanded in one fell swoop, because now you don’t just want to ride it uphill, you can also tackle entire laps or ride the transition route through the valley up to the climb like with a normal racing bike .