New unreleased Scott Addict RC breaks cover — take a closer look at this refreshed climbing bike ahead of its official release

First launched in 2007, the Addict is Scott's dedicated lightweight climbing bike, and after being on the UCI’s List of Approved Models of Framesets for some time, spy photos have finally surfaced on a Weight Weenies thread revealing what appears to be the latest iteration of the Scott Addict RC.

Weight Weenies @Esbeny

Despite Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL exclusively riding the Scott Foil RC for all stages of this year’s Tour de France, Scott also offers the Addict, a bike specifically designed for climbers.

Last updated in 2020, the Addict is now well due a refresh. Rather than following the trend of many road bike manufacturers, Scott has opted to stay committed to a dedicated climbing bike rather than adopting the 'one bike to rule them all' approach. 

This marks the fifth generation of the Scott Addict, if you count the switch to disc brakes in 2016. Over the years, the Addict has been part of some notable victories, including 11 of Mark Cavendish's record-breaking Tour de France stage wins. 

The appearance of the Addict on the UCI’s approved list earlier this year hinted at an upcoming release, but it has taken some time for photos to surface. When a brand seeks approval for a new frameset, it sends the drawings over to the UCI, which then checks that the design conforms with the rules (the finished frameset itself isn’t sent in; these aren’t safety checks after all). 

As you can see, the models were approved in January 2024 and the company can request that the details are kept off the UCI’s list until the official launch date.

So, what's new?

The photos reveal the Scott Addict RC, the brand’s dedicated racing spec of the bike, with RC standing for Racing Concept. It shows an evolutionary update rather than a revolutionary overhaul of the design. 

The 2020 Addict RC Ultimate, the brand's top-of-the-line model, pictured above, has a notably chunky look for a climbing bike, with a prominent head tube and exposed seat clamp. 

Weight Weenies @EtoDemerzel

The new Addict RC Ultimate maintains a similar overall design but hints at a sleeker silhouette with a thicker downtube, slimmer forks and lower seatstays. The headtube looks less bulky and there appears to be a updated one-piece bar and stem with new spacers, contributing to a slimmer overall look. 

> Have ‘climbing bikes' had their day?

The Ultimate is likely to be the most expensive and lightest model in Scott's range, often featuring a different carbon fibre layup. Pictured above are wheels from Scott's subsidiary brand, Syncros. The Capital SL 40 Wheelset features a one-piece carbon fibre system, and Syncros claims they are the fastest wheels on the market (which is to be expected). They're designed for both road and gravel use, and weigh in at an impressively feathery 1,202g. 

Weight Weenies @Esbeny

Further pictures on the Weight Weenies forum show a lower-tier version with a Shimano 105 Di2 groupset. Despite being lower-tier, it still features carbon fibre wheels but loses the integrated bar and stem. 

It also seems that this model features a seatpost design similar to that of the more aerodynamic Foil, which accommodates the Syncros Campbell 20 Aero IL rear light. According to Scott, this design allows for the addition of a rear light while keeping the aerodynamic benefits of the seatpost.

Weight Weenies @Esbeny

There are no drastic changes, much like what we've seen with the latest Pinarello Dogma F, Specialized Tarmac SL8 and Canyon Aeroad.

Rumoured weights 

Some weights for these complete builds have also been speculated on, with the Addict RC 10 featuring Shimano Ultegra Di2 and Syncros Capital 40mm wheels said to weigh around 7.1kg, while the Addict RC Pro with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 and Syncros Capital 40mm wheels could weigh as little as 6.5kg. This is 0.3kg less than the UCI's weight limit of 6.8kg,  and we could then expect the Addict RC Ultimate to come in even lower than 6.5kg. 

We'll have to wait for the official launch to confirm or deny these weights, and if Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL will be utilising the new feathery bike in the mountain stages of Grand Tours next year.