Scott introduces the Voltage, a lightweight e-bike with TQ motorization, integrated 360 Wh battery, 29-inch wheels, 160 mm travel at the front and 155 mm at the rear. I was able to check it out on the trails in GironaSpain and so on the ones at homesupported by the unstoppable CrisB.
Our followers will notice similarities to this Scott Lumens, and in fact the Voltage has the same motor and battery as well as the now typical Scott design with a shock absorber hidden in the frame. The character of the bike is completely different: it is an all-mountain bike that loves downhill. Details and review in the video (Italian)!
Scott voltage geometry
I rode a size L Voltage with a 485mm reach and it felt good. I am 179 cm tall and have a distance between saddle and bottom bracket of 74 cm. The rear triangle is 455 mm long, long enough to be able to climb steep climbs while keeping the front wheel well on the ground, also because the saddle angle of 77° is nicely vertical. Don’t forget the Fox Nude shock absorber’s Traction mode, which reduces the volume of the positive chamber, effectively reducing the sag and therefore sinking in less.
On the trail of Scott Voltage
In fact, the Twin Lock, i.e. the handlebar remote control, is a must on a Scott. On the left side of the handlebar we find three levers: two for opening/closing the rear suspension and one for operating the dropper seat post. The fork remains open at all times because the Fox 36 Factory features the Grip2 cartridge, which has no lockout.
It sounds complicated, but in the end it just takes a little getting used to to use the Twinlock without hesitation. It’s not that basic on an e-bike, but traction mode is undoubtedly handy when riding uphill on technical terrain.
The TQ remote control is minimalist, functional and easy to use. Once you remove the “beep” that sounds by default when changing the assistance level, the system is silent. The motor is the quietest on the market and also the most natural. No sudden acceleration, the power on the pedals is transferred to the motor very smoothly. On the other hand, with its maximum torque of 50 Nm, it is not the most powerful either. If you’re riding technical uphill trails, you need to be in good shape because the Voltage Tuned in size L weighs in at 19.3kg on our scales.
The display is also very unobtrusive and well integrated into the top tube. This is complemented by the TQ app, which quickly detects and finds the bike, with a few screens that take care of business and also allow you to vary the assistance levels (see). Video).
The 360 WH battery is not removable, also because you have to deal with the shock absorber. Here’s a snippet of what’s in the tension frame.
Downhill, this is an excellent all-mountain that doesn’t shy away from slow, technical trails. The rear suspension is very responsive, sustainable and progressive at the end of the travel once set to 30 percent sag via the indicator on the bottom bracket shell.
The rider’s position is nice and central and requires no special movement of the upper body to give direction to the front, although Cris disagrees. The 19.3 kg is also “noticeable” on the descent, as the Voltage is nimble and easy to pump over obstacles, completely different to a full-power e-bike.
Since Scott is the king of integration, the cable routing inside the headset was a must. Impractical, but certainly neat when viewed from the front, especially when combined with SRAM Code Stealth brakes. With HS2 discs the performance improves significantly compared to the lousy Centerline, but they do not reach the level of a 4-piston Shimano system.
I just don’t like the plastic headset tower with integrated cable management, although the Garmin mount is a treat.
For those who fear that the battery is not enough, there is a 160Wh range extender (weight: 1 kg), which finds its place on the seat tube via a very practical and very stable attachment, which can be transformed into a second (!) . ) Bottle holder if required.
Personally, I manage to climb a little over 1000 meters in trail mode. Eco support is really minimal in the factory settings.
The last detail: the multitool with chain riveter integrated into the Syncros bottle cage. The Allen key for 6 is located in the rear axle lever.
Prices and assembly
Voltage eRIDE 900 SL: €12,999.00
Voltage eRIDE 900 Tuned (in test): €10,999.00
Voltage eRIDE 910: €7,399.00
Voltage eRIDE 920: €6,799.00
Contessa Voltage eRIDE 900: €7,199.00
Contessa Voltage eRIDE 910: €6,599.00
Build up Scott website
Action photos by Daniel Geiger.
