SCOTT Voltage eRIDE 900 Tuned – In our 2024 light eMTB comparison test

Grasp of integration SCOTT enters our mild eMTB comparability check with the elegant Voltage eRIDE 900 Tuned, which takes on the competitors with an enclosed shock, a mind-boggling degree of integration, and a TQ-HPR50 motor that pulls its energy from a 360 Wh battery. How did our Swiss candidate fare in opposition to the most well liked mild eMTBs of the season?

With the SCOTT Voltage, the Swiss bike producer enters the race with the electrical counterpart of their path bike, the Genius. The Voltage depends on a classy carbon body and rolls on 29” wheels, producing 160/155 mm of journey on the entrance and rear. SCOTT is the one producer on this check to make use of a TQ-HPR50 motor which, at 50 Nm, is the weakest in the complete check subject, along with the Specialised 1.2 drive. The Swiss path bruiser suggestions the scales at 19.4 kg and retails at € 10,999, which is just about common on this check.

Click on right here for an summary of this comparability check: One of the best mild eMTB of 2024 – 9 of essentially the most thrilling bikes in direct comparability

Hidden innovation – What units the SCOTT Voltage aside from the competitors?

The SCOTT Voltage stands proud from the group with a clear but hanging look. Similar to its smaller sibling, the SCOTT Lumen eRIDE 900 SL, or SCOTT’s analogue bikes, just like the Ransom 900 RC and Genius ST 900 Tuned, it hides the shock contained in the body. American suspension colossus FOX provide the 36 Manufacturing unit GRIP2 fork and FOX FLOAT X Nude Manufacturing unit shock, each of which supply numerous adjustment choices and ship high efficiency on the path. The shock was developed solely for SCOTT, and designed particularly to be built-in into the body, with the valve and dials positioned in such a means that they’re simply accessible by way of the service port. Nonetheless, the bike must be turned the other way up or at the very least laid on its aspect for the setup. Fortunately, the magnetic SAG indicator on the rocker of the rear triangle makes it simpler to regulate without having a second particular person.

The comparatively small TQ-HPR50 motor is built-in seamlessly into the underside bracket space and delivers 50 Nm of torque and 300 Watts of peak energy. It attracts its energy from a 360 Wh TQ battery, which is the second smallest on this check after the Specialised S-Works Turbo Levo SL. The battery may be charged by way of the simply accessible charging port on the high of the down tube. For lengthy days within the saddle, you possibly can broaden the battery with the non-compulsory 160 Wh TQ Vary Extender, which may be secured to a mount on the seat tube. Two mounting factors on the down tube can help you carry a water bottle, which means that you need to use the vary extender and nonetheless carry water with you on a trip. The motor system is paired with a minimalist distant on the handlebars, which is intuitive to make use of. The fantastically designed TQ OLED show within the high tube exhibits the present assist degree and battery cost standing in addition to different fundamental using information.

All cables are routed internally and disappear into the carbon body by way of the primary spacer of the Syncros Hixon iC SL Rise one-piece cockpit. This underlines the bike’s clear look however makes it more durable to service the bike.

SRAM CODE Silver Stealth four-piston brakes with 200 mm rotors entrance and rear do stopping duties, whereas shifting is taken care of by an digital SRAM GX Eagle Transmission drivetrain. This depends on a direct-mount rear derailleur and delivers butter-smooth shifting, even beneath load. SCOTT’s in-house part model Syncros additionally provides the 180 mm Duncan Dropper 1.5, which lets you cut back the journey. That is on the brief aspect for our measurement L check bike; the Orbea Rise and MERIDA eONE-SIXTY guarantee considerably extra freedom of motion with their 230 mm droppers. The SCOTT Voltage eRIDE 900 Tuned rolls on a 29″ Syncros Revelstoke 1.0 carbon wheelset, which comes customary with TyreWiz air stress sensors, permitting you to control your pressures utilizing the SRAM AXS app. And it’s best to, as a result of each the ASSEGAI on the entrance and Dissector on the rear come within the puncture-prone EXO+ casing and laborious MaxxTerra rubber compound. In the event you punch a gap in your tire, you need to use the tubeless restore package within the handlebar ends, which is out there as a worthwhile non-compulsory accent for a further € 34.95.

Nonetheless, if you’d like your carbon wheels to outlive the hardest trails, we suggest upgrading to a rear tire within the sturdy Doubledown casing, particularly should you’re heavy or wish to get rowdy. Whilst you’re at it, it’s best to swap the entrance tire for one with a softer rubber compound for extra traction.

Tuning tip:
– Improve to a extra sturdy rear tire with powerful Doubledown casing to guard the edges, and to the softer MaxxGrip rubber compound on the entrance for extra traction.
– Retrofit the SYNCROS IS tubeless handlebar device for € 34.95.

Environment friendly efficiency – The SCOTT Voltage on the path

Driving uphill, the SCOTT Voltage locations you in a sporty but snug pedalling place. Nonetheless, it has a slacker entrance finish than the YT Decoy SN, which ensures a extra front-heavy using place and thus prevents the entrance wheel from lifting off the bottom in steeper climbing sections. The TQ-HPR50 motor offers pure help and is pleasantly quiet. At 50 Nm, it’s one of many weakest motors in the complete check subject and may’t sustain with the highly effective Shimano EP801 and FAZUA Journey 60 drives. In the event you’re curious concerning the TQ system, we lined it in-depth in our massive motor check. The rear suspension solely bobs marginally when pedalling, and turns into much more environment friendly when activating the SCOTT’s proprietary TracLoc system on the shock. To do that, you simply have to make use of the 2 levers on the handlebars to change between the three modes: Climb, Ramp Management and Open. In Climb mode, the compression damping on the shock is closed, locking out the shock to keep away from any of your pedalling enter getting absorbed by the suspension. Ramp Management mode opens up the damping, however closes one of many shock’s air chambers. Because of this, the suspension sits increased in its journey, permitting you to deal with technical climbs with extra confidence. Open mode is for descending, and corresponds to a standard shock’s open setting. It takes a while to get used to utilizing the distant at first, because it’s simple to push the incorrect lever. Given the Voltage’s environment friendly using place and minimal suspension bob, we primarily rode the SCOTT Voltage in Open Mode, even on the climbs.

When you’ve reached the trailhead and switched the shock to Open mode, it’s time to shred your means again down into the valley. Downhill, the SCOTT Voltage impresses with its agency suspension and provides loads of assist. On flowing trails, this lets you generate loads of spèed by pumping by way of rollers and berm, and encourages you to pop off tree stumps and pure kickers. In the event you get just a little too excited and overshoot a soar, the suspension provides a stunning quantity of reserves. On tough, demanding trails, the direct dealing with of the SCOTT Voltage turns into evident. Whereas this allows fast route modifications and vigorous dealing with on move trails, it’s not very forgiving of using errors. On the similar time, the Voltage’s stiff nature shortly leads to arm pump on lengthy descents. Because of this, the SCOTT requires an skilled hand and vigilant using type in difficult technical sections. When it comes to composure, it’s worlds aside from the Orbea Rise and YT Decoy SN. Nonetheless, in case you have the talents, the SCOTT Voltage mild eMTB enables you to hit your line with medical precision and blast again down into the valley at full pelt, with an energetic using type.

With the SCOTT Voltage, you possibly can construct up tons of velocity on flowing trails. In the event you overshoot a soar, you’ll be shocked by the suspension’s large reserves.

Who ought to take a better take a look at the SCOTT Voltage?

We suggest the SCOTT Voltage above all to skilled riders who can deal with its stiff nature and direct dealing with, and don’t thoughts working a bit more durable in return for excellent effectivity. Newbies with a leisurely using type will get their cash’s value too, offered they follow flowing trails and don’t go too wild. In the event you’re in search of an excellent clear bike with a mind-boggling degree of integration, you may wish to take a better take a look at the Voltage.

Our conclusions concerning the SCOTT Voltage

Scott impresses with first-class integration that may make the guts of any bike fanatic beat sooner. On the path, the SCOTT Voltage impresses with its nice suspension, permitting skilled riders to achieve unimaginable speeds with an energetic using type. However, our Swiss contestant additionally requires a vigilant using type and reaches its limits on tough terrain. Uphill, it rewards you with a pure using expertise and reaches the highest with nice effectivity, although requiring just a little extra bodily effort.

Tops

• Excessive degree of integration
• Environment friendly suspension
• Energetic riders can trip quick

Flops

• Very direct dealing with doesn’t forgive using errors
• Puncture-prone tires

For extra info, go to scott-sports.com

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The check subject

Click on right here for an summary of this comparability check: One of the best mild eMTB of 2024 – 9 of essentially the most thrilling bikes in direct comparability.

All bikes in check: Cannondale Moterra SL1 | GIANT Trance X Superior E+ Elite 0 V2 | Mondraker Dune RR | MERIDA eONE-SIXTY 10K | Orbea Rise | Santa Cruz Heckler SL XX AXS RSV | SCOTT Voltage eRide 900 Tuned | Specialised S-Works Turbo Levo SL | YT DECOY SN

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Phrases: Benedikt Schmidt Images: Mike Starvation, Peter Walker