Need For Speed – Scott Addict: Saunier Duval Team Edition
‘The Scott Addict is a great bike – Pro Cycling's Marcel Wüst found that out when he first tested it last year. No wonder he was keen to get to Majorca to check out Saunier Duval’s new version.’
‘I’d tested an earlier model a good year ago and that had left quite an impression on me, so I was intrigued to find out what could have been improved to make this new model lighter and stiffer.
The weight for starters: the new addict is so light that, when it comes to UCI weight limited for bikes in sanctioned competitions, the Addict is illegal. A size ‘S’ bike prepared for the challenge Mallorca weighed so little – 6.3 kg – that weights had to be added on to legalize it.
As soon as I clipped my shoes into the pedals, the pleasure was immediate. Thanks to the lightness of the frame and the carbon aero wheels, I found it easy to accelerate up to cruising speed.
I didn’t want to spend the entire ride on the flat so I took a side road to Alcudia towards the Ermita de la Victoria. Once on the climb, there were two things that struck me right away. The first was the rigidity of the Addict’s frame, which was hugely impressive. The second characteristic I noticed was the smoothness of the ride and how well the Addict absorbed road feedback. I gave the climb everything I had and the Addict responded well. It didn’t flex at all when I was dancing on the pedals.
As we all know, the effort of every climb is rewarded by a descent. I was keen to put my downhill skills to the test as I turned around and shot into the first downward hairpin. The light, full carbon wheels were great, especially on the straights when my speed reached 60kph and more. Thanks to the rigidity of the frame, the handling was a complete joy – even with a fork weighing just 330g.
Indeed just a glance at the Addict is a pleasure. The integrated seatpost is as central to the bike’s great look as the SRAM groupset. All in all the Addict is an excellent ride and one no pro could complain about. All the Saunier Duval riders I spoke to loved their work tool – and not just a bit, but a lot. Saunier Duval would be high on my wishlist of teams to sign up with. With this bike thrown in with the package, who could resist?
Conclusion
There’s no denying that the Scott Addict is a classy bike. It features both a very light frame and the lightest groupset around, and as such won’t get many complaints from riders. It will from the UCI however, it comes in below their race weight limit.
The frame is perfect; the new Addict features top-quality components and looks the business to boot; you’re sure of turning a few heads riding this. And of top of that, it feels secure in all situations.
It looks fast and it is fast – the Formula One on two wheels. The Addict is proof that, up to a point, you can buy speed. If someone beats you uphill on this bike, you’ve only got yourself to blame.’
