Scott Road Bikes Guide : Which Model is For You?
Founded in the United States in 1958, Scott actually started with ski sports and motocross. It wasn’t until the late 80’s that they entered the cycling space with the introduction of the aerodynamic handlebar, which we refer to TT bars today. It was designed by Charley French and used by Greg Lemond in his 1989 Tour de France win.
In 2007, Scott introduced its first Addict frame, which is the lightest available at that time with the frame, integrated seat post, and carbon fork weighing just 1,285g.
Scott Road Bikes in Pro Cycling
In recent years, Scott is synonymous with Mark Cavendish’s HTC Highroad team, where he won some of his early Tour de France wins in 2010 on a Scott Addict.
From 2011 to 2020, the Australian team, GreenEdge Cycling (also known as Orica–GreenEDGE, Orica–BikeExchange, Orica–Scott, Mitchelton–Scott) was on Scott bikes for both its men and women team. In some years, Scott stepped up to become one of the two main sponsors of the team.
Simon Yates won the 2018 Vuelta Espana and Annemiek van Vleuten won the UCI women road world championship in 2018 riding a Scott Addict.
In 2021, Team DSM will be riding Scott bikes after Team Bike Exchange rode them from 2012 to 2020.
Scott Road Bikes Range
Scott road bikes can be divided into four models; Addict, Foil, Speedster, and Contessa.
The top of the line carbon frame is called the Ultimate, followed by Pro and numbering such as 10, 20, 30, and so on. The women-specific models are denoted by 15, 25, 35, and so on. One of the main differences is the carbon fiber which ranges from HMX-SL (lightest, stiffest) to HMX and HMF (heavier but more comfortable).
The majority of the bikes are disc only with the exception of the lower end of the Speedster family (below $1,000).
| Model | Description | Price Range |
|---|---|---|
| Addict RC | All-rounder race bike | $4,000 to $12,000 |
| Addict | Endurance bike | $2,000 to $4,000 |
| Addict Gravel | Gravel bike | $3,000 to $5,500 |
| Foil | Aero race bike | $4,000 to $9,000 |
| Speedster | Entry level bike | $700 to $1,700 |
| Contessa | Women bikes | $800 to $5,500 |
Scott Addict RC
RC stands for Racing Concept and the Addict RC is Scott’s performance racing bike.
Sitting atop is the Addict RC Ultimate which is made from the superlight HMX SL carbon, followed by the Addict RC Pro with the HMX Carbon. Both models have a fully integrated, one-piece carbon handlebar.
Further down the line are five Addict RC models built with the HMX Carbon. They use a two-piece, aluminum handlebar and the cables are fully hidden. Depending on the price, they are specced with either Shimano Ultegra, SRAM Force eTap AXS, or Shimano Ultegra Di2.
Read More : SRAM Etap vs Shimano Di2 – Which is Better?
There’s also a women-specific, Contessa Addict RC that is very similar to the standard version except for the touchpoints; saddles, handlebars, and compact cranksets.
- Addict RC Ultimate ($12,000) – SRAM Red eTap AXS
- Addict RC Pro ($8,500) – Shimano Dura Ace Di2
- Addict RC 10, 20, 30 40 ($4,000 to $6,500)
Our Value Pick : Scott Addict RC 15 with Shimano Ultegra Di2 ($6,000)
Scott Addict
The Addict used to be Scott’s performance racing bike before the Addict RC. Today, the Addict is the endurance bike range, replacing the CR1.
The Addict sports a more relaxed geometry with a focus on comfort and long rides. The frame is made from a lower-grade carbon called the HMF.
Sitting atop the range of the Addict SE which is the only model in the family to have electronic shifting. Depending on the price, the other models are specced with anything from Shimano Tiagra to Ultegra mechanical groupsets.
- Addict SE ($4,000) – SRAM Force eTAP AXS
- Addict 30, 20, 10 ($2,000 to 3,000)
Our Value Pick : Scott Addict 20 with Shimano 105 ($2,500)
Scott Foil
First introduced in 2011, the Foil is Scott’s aero bike. Before the reintroduction of the Addict RC recently, the Foil was the do-it-all bike for the pros when they ride it for both flat and mountain stages.
The top of the range Foil Pro is built with the HMX carbon which is stiffer and lighter than the HMF which is used for the lower models. In 2021, all Foil models get a minor makeover where there are no exposed brake cables on the front end. This is achieved using the Syncros Creston iC SL carbon handlebars.
There are four models in the Foil family.
- Foil Pro ($9,000) – Shimano Dura Ace Di2
- Foil Pro 30, 20, 10 ($4,000 to $6,800)
Our Value Pick : Scott Foil 20 with Shimano Ultegra Di2 ($5,500)
Scott Speedster
The Speedster family is an entry-level, aluminum road (and gravel) bike. Similar to the Addict, it has an endurance frame geometry for a wider spectrum of recreational cyclists. While the frame is made from aluminum, the fork is carbon and comes with 32c tires for even more comfort.
Read More : The 7 Factors that Affect Your Bike Tire Pressure
Unlike the Addict and Foil, the Speedster still has rim brake models. There are five models in the Speedster family with two of them being the Contessa (women specific) models.
- Speedster 50, 30, 20 ($700 to $1,200)
- Speedster Contessa 25, 15 ($800 to $1,700)
Our Value Pick : Scott Speedster 20 with Shimano Tiagra Disc ($1,200)
Scott Contessa
The Contessa is the women-specific range of road bikes. It’s present across the Addict RC, Addict, Addict Gravel, and Speedster lineup.
The difference between Contessa and the regular, unisex models is the touchpoints. Contessa models have shorter stems, narrower handlebars, and women-specific saddles. The frame geometry remains unchanged.
- Contessa Addict RC 15 ($5,500) – Shimano Ultegra Di2
- Contessa Addict 35, 25, 15 ($2,000 to $3,000)
- Contessa Addict Gravel 15 ($3,000)
- Contessa Speedster Gravel 25, 15 ($1,500 to $2,000)
- Contessa Speedster 25, 15 ($800 to $1,700)
- Contessa Addict 35, 25, 15 ($2,000 to $3,000)
Our Value Pick : Scott Contessa Addict RC 15 with Shimano Ultegra Di2 ($5,500)
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is Scott’s warranty?
Scott bikes come with a 3-year warranty for the frames and two year warranty for the fork. The warranty only covers the first owner.
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