August 23, 2005

The latest CR1 Team Issue review from Bicycling

CR1 TEAM ISSUE
PRICE: $4800
WEIGHT: 15 lb 1 oz. (for a 54 cm frame w/o pedals)
GRIN: A rocket-ship race bike
GROAN: Not the smoothest ride imaginable
COMPONENT HIGHLIGHTS: Shimano Dura-Ace 20-speed group; Mavic Ksyrium SL wheelset; Continental GP3000 tires; Ritchey WCS bar, stem and seatpost; Selle Italia SLR saddle
SIZES: 49, 52, 54 (tested), 56, 58, 61cm
CONTACT: 800-292-5874; scottusa.com

CR1 Team Issue review from BicyclingWith miles and miles of sustained, sinuous climbing followed by screaming, 45-plus mile-per-hour descents over patchy, lumpy pavement, the Angeles Crest Highway outside of Los Angeles would put any road bike to the test. What better place to push the limits of the Scott CR1, with it's 1.9-pound Scott CR1 Team Issue carbon fiber frame and carbon fork? We figured the CR1 Team Issue would work well on the climb, and it did - it nearly floated to the top. The low weight is enhanced by an efficient feel, thanks to the surprisingly stout bottom bracket. We were really floored, however, when we pointed the CR1 downhill. Light bikes are great, but they almost universally feel whippy and fragile when ridden aggressively. This bike? It's a brick, with a solidity that belies it's weight. It stays planted, even on bumpy, 45-mph corners. Some credit should also be given to the surprisingly balanced and neutral geometry. Still, even frames that weigh a pound more won't necessarily ride this well.

This sort of handling has one tradeoff: comfort. Though the CR1 ably tunes out low-level road buzz, larger irregularities come through the frame with little filtering. The wheelset doesn’t contribute to comfort; the Mavic Ksyrium SLs are tough and corner well, but they’re also known for being stiff. And the massive Ritchey WCS aluminum seatpost isn’t much help, either. If you seek a smoother ride, some careful parts swaps in the wheel and seatpost departments would help you achieve that goal.

Though not a cheap bike by any stretch, in the world of very light bikes, the CR1 is price-competitive: It’s $2,350 cheaper than a featherweight Litespeed Ghisallo equipped with a Dura-Ace 10 drivetrain, $600 less expensive than Trek’s Dura-Ace-10-equipped Madone SL 5.9, and $2,900 less than the top-end Madone SSL. Even Giant’s new TCR Advanced, which is fighting head-to-head with the Scott CR1 for the mantle of world’s lightest production frame, costs $200 more when equipped with Dura-Ace 10.

If nearly $5K is too rich for you, Scott offers other, less expensive models. A CR1 equipped with Shimano’s 105 goes for just $2,100, a Campagnolo Centaur-equipped version sells for about $2,835, and a CR1 with Shimano Ultegra sells for about $3,360. These models are also offered in triple chainring versions for about $40 more. - Matt Phillips