Bicycle Race

The Lightest Road Bike In The World: Scott's Addict LTD

Every year, the major bicycle manufacturers around the world thumb their collective noses at one another and swear that their flagship model is the lightest bicycle frame in existence. Then, the numbers are presented, and an American manufacturer, Scott, waltzes in with a complete road bike, lays it on the scale and smiles as it walks out to a chorus of silence.

At just a hair over thirteen pounds with the right components, Scott's Addict LTD road bike is the lightest bicycle in the world. The frame itself holds the honor of being the lightest bicycle frame in the world at a scant 1.74 lbs, or 790 grams. For diehards, this road bike is the pinnacle of what they wish to own. It is the Ferrari of the bicycle world.

This road bike, available in six sizes from extra-small to extra-extra large is built around the premise that a bicycle can be built almost entirely of carbon fiber. Its road race geometry frame with integrated seat tube is built with Scott's IMP Carbon technology, one of the highlights of which is the fact that there is no finishing material on the frame to prep it for paint. In the quest for the ultra-lightweight, Scott has very effectively eliminated the "middleman" as it were between the frame material and the paint. All this has built up to a bike which is actually illegal to race in UCI competition. While it may be hard to imagine a half-pound making that much of a difference in road bike racing, imagine if Dale JR shaved four hundred pounds from his NASCAR racer. That would be an approximation of the ratio of the weight reduction.

Nearly every part of this road bike is a carbon piece, from the frame itself, the fork, headset, derailleurs, shifters, crankset, rims, pedals, stem, and handlebar. The remaining parts, right down to the chain are spec'd to the bike with the intention of shaving weight.

With some manufacturers, weight is removed at the cost of ridability, and in particular carbon bikes are known to be unforgiving and harsh riding- It's one of the tradeoffs that make carbon bikes so suited for racing, but the reason many carbon racers have steel or aluminum bikes for leisure riding and touring. Reviews of the Addict have been generally glowing, but what more do you expect from a bike which retails for in excess of $12, 000? Two major magazines were given test bikes from Scott, and both reported that the Addict LTD is an amazing climber, and a road race bicycle which is fast and efficient to ride, as well as offering a decent level of comfort despite being a race-spec road bike. Is the Scott Addict LTD for you? Probably not, given that a little more muscle will overcome the $10, 000 price difference between this and a well-built aluminum bike, but then, a Ferrari's not for everybody, is it?

By Don Kress - I am currently available on a contract basis for freelance projects from technical writing to ghostwriting. My areas of specialty include small business administration, auto repair and auto/motorcycle restor...

What location has been the finish to the greatest number of Tour de France bicycle races?
Found it!!! Parc des Princes

Get the answers...

What does the thing they drink from in bicycle races called?

Get the answers...

R&P. Queen - Bicycle Race, interpretations?
Does anybody believe that the song ?Bicycle Race? is a gentle nod towards Freddie?s bisexuality? A lot of people are adamant that it?s just about riding a bike, or about being free and not caring about the world?s many dramas. I think they?re right, but I also think it was a hint towards Freddie?s sexual preferences. My evidence lies within the lyrics: ?Biiii---cycle race, biiii-cycle race? ? Freddie seems to massively emphasise the stem of the word bicycle, which is ?bi?, right? ?I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride it where I like? ? This, to me, says ?I want to screw somebody, I don?t mind the front drive, but sometimes I want to take the dirt path?. I obviously also see the viewpoint where he?s not interested in world affairs and just wants to get on with his life, with the references to Viet Nam & Watergate etc. This could be something or nothing, it could be something that is already widely acknowledged and I?m just slow on the uptake. What are YOUR thoughts, R&P? Please be gentle. @ John K - That could have been a ruse! Then again, bisexuality does encompass a love of women, maybe all the naked men were hanging out in Freddie's dressing room? That's a sweet piece of trivia ha ha, great way to obtain a new bike seat, rent a bike, ride it naked. @ Monamie - I love Fat Bottomed Girls. The song, not ladies with large behinds. I must say I always thought that song was Freddie's child. Interesting to note, Mika released the song 'Big Girls You Are Beautiful', and that guy couldn't be any more Freddie-Mercury-wannabe if he tried. @ Scott - Maybe so. You'd have to ask Freddie. @ Amy - Yeah I get that, but if you listen it's super-pronounced like 'BIIIIIIIIII-cycle' almost as if he's desperate to tell everybody about his conflicting love of both poles and holes. Receiver of swollen goods, I like it! Not the whole receiving part, just the phrase. Yeah there's no debating he liked a bit of porksword, but he was closeted for so long I thought this song sounded like a hint towards it, I don't think I would have ever considered that meaning, listening to the song before people knew that Freddie was bisexual (or gay, whatever he was).

Get the answers...

Bicycle Race News

CLIF Bar and Bicycling Magazine Launch “Join the Ride,” Delivering Free Bikes in Exchange for Inspiring Stories

Could life be better on a bicycle? CLIF Bar is challenging Americans across the country to find out, announcing today its first-ever “Join the Ride” program, which invites consumers to describe how a new bicycle will help them live better.

Bicycling your way to fitness

When Don and Darla Daley dine at restaurants near their Royal Oak, Mich., home, they no longer drive their car. It's the same with quick trips to the store or nearby Royal Oak Farmers Market. They hop on the bicycles they bought two years ago -- their favorite form of recreation and exercise.

Columbus, Fort Wayne make bike-friendly list

A bicycling advocacy group has named Columbus and Fort Wayne to a list of bike-friendly cities in Indiana.

Bicycling Linked To Decreased Sexual Enjoyment in Women

Spending a lot of time sitting atop a tiny bicycle seat may be a hazard to a woman's sexual health. Researchers at Yale University found that women who ride frequently, especially those with handlebars lower than their saddle, experience numbness in their genitalia, caused by a lack of circulation. ...

Bicycling Across America to Raise Awareness and Support for Pro-Life Medical Clinics

ALISO VIEJO, Calif., May 17, 2012 / Christian Newswire / -- From May 12, 2012 to June 30, 2012 Tom Massoth will ride his bicycle across the country from Los Angeles to Boston.

Get Active Today - Bicycle benefits

Bicycling and walking have declined in the U.S. since the 1960's. At the same time there has been a surge in adults and children who are obese. And obesity leads to many health problems. But one area woman recently reconnected with her bicycle, and it's made a world of difference.

Bicycling promotion efforts honored

FORT WAYNE -- The League of American Bicyclists gave the city of Fort Wayne its Bronze Award for the work done to make riding bicycles easier around town.