Through the winter forest on a luxury MTB

Of course, a small car cannot replace a bicycle and vice versa. Which doesn't change the fact that mountain bikes are also in the price range of cars. Take the Scott Lumen eRide 900 SL, for example. How does this expensive bike ride?

You can tell by looking at super sports cars or Dakar rally cars: These are wickedly expensive vehicles on wheels. Not so much for the e-mountainbike, which is set to prove itself on jaunts through the hilly winter forest near Berlin. It bears the insignia of current MTB fashion: 29-inch wheels, wide handlebars, suspension technology, nothing unusual so far. Only if you take a closer look will you realize that the Scott Lumen eRide 900 SL, which costs around 16,000 euros, is taking a trend to the extreme.

The front and rear disc brakes are four-piston models from Shimano (XTR M9120).

Just three or four years ago, the lightest e-mountainbikes on the market weighed more than 18 kilos. Brands such as Nox, Rotwild and Orbea were at the forefront of the lightweight league with production models. Orbea currently advertises a weight of 15.9 kilograms. The Scott has reached 15.5 kilograms. "It is one of the lightest full-suspension production eMTBs in the world," says Marketing Manager Julian Oswald.

Intended use

Where are the motor and shock? Both cleverly integrated into the frame. The power unit is small around the bottom bracket, the absorber in the seat tube.

The manufacturer has labeled the high-end model for high demands, "it is fast, agile and super light," says Oswald, who identifies the target group among tech-savvy bikers who "want the best material and are also willing to spend the necessary money on it." As a trail bike, it is one of the labeled all-rounders, unlike the downhill bikes that are tailored to extreme descents.

Technology

In order to reduce the weight of the top model, the developers have worked a lot with carbon. Only the "highest quality and lightest parts have been used", says Oswald. The carbon frame is made of even lighter HMX fiber, weighing just 1.96 kilos in size M. Also made of CFRP: stem, handlebars, crank and even the seat stays.

Carbon rims are known as an expensive extra on lightweight sports bikes. But the fact that the rim, spokes and hub are made from a single component is a specialty in itself.

The Syncros wheels deserve a special mention: they are carbon components made from a single piece - not only are their rims made from carbon, but also the spokes and hubs. "The Silverton wheelset alone costs 4000 euros on sale." Weight: only 1280 grams. The weight savings here and there add up and bring the SL into the weight class of mountain bikes without a motor.

Further SL technology can also be found in cheaper versions of the Lumen series: the rear shock absorber is concealed in the seat tube - a complex solution, but a clean one. This keeps the component with 130 millimeters of travel protected from dirt even in wet or thawing weather. Less practical: To get to the valve and the adjustment wheel for the shock, a flap in the bottom bracket area has to be opened first.

The display in the frame tube is part of the e-bike system from the manufacturer TQ, which also supplies the motor and batteries. It is two inches in size and shows, among other things, the charge level or the predicted range. It can be read at any time, but unlike stem-mounted bike computers, it is hardly in the field of vision.

From the outside, the model is "hardly recognizable as an e-bike", says Oswald. That's right, because the mid-motor from German manufacturer TQ and the battery are also almost invisible. This is located in the down tube. And yes, lightweight construction here too: the drive unit called HPR50 weighs 1.85 kilos, and together with the 360 watt-hour battery and the 2-inch display integrated in the top tube, it weighs 3.9 kilos.

However, the high-end model also has a removable second battery with 160 watt hours disguised as a water bottle. According to the manufacturer, this increases the range to 80 kilometers or more, but makes the weight-optimized bike 900 grams heavier again.

Riding impression

The frame is made of full carbon, and other components such as the handlebars are also made of lightweight CFRP. The additional battery with the look of a water bottle supplies the bike with an additional 160 watt hours.

We ride through the winter forest on the outskirts of Berlin. The terrain is a hilly landscape shaped by the Ice Age: the climbs are steep in places, as are the descents, but everything is short and crisp. The very first hump shows how capable the geometry is of climbing: without the front wheel being too light or more body weight on the saddle noticeably reducing traction at the rear, the bike climbs up the slope without the front tires lifting off or the rear tires spinning.

Even the snow cover, into which the tread of the tires digs, only causes slight slippage where icing lurks. Then it's a winding descent: the outer lugs provide far-reaching grip, while the interaction between the springs and shock absorber is harmonious. The fork neither rebounds too slowly nor is the rear shock too sluggish. But even on expensive bikes, physics has an effect when the tires slip sideways on damp roots or stone slabs. On the other hand, the carbon wheels rotate very smoothly.

The stem can be adjusted: Thanks to various headset covers, the headset angle, i.e. the angle at which the fork sticks out, standard at 65.5 degrees, can be varied. Steeper or slacker by 0.6 degrees, depending on how aggressive your riding style is.

The motor has 50 Newton meters of torque - only, you might think, because the top motors on the market already reach 120 Nm and more in terms of torque. On the one hand, the light-weight concept forces smaller units. On the other hand, half the rotational power is enough to master climbs that require a lot of riding technique. And when in doubt, the light weights appeal to the target group's muscle power and sporting spirit.

The TQ motor feels correspondingly organic: The power injection simply makes the muscles stronger, but not externally determined. With its compact design, the HPR50 operates very quietly. It only starts to whine discreetly when you push it uphill.

The Sram electric derailleur responds wirelessly to impulses from the lever on the right handlebar grip.

If you switch it off, the Scott rides like a normal mountain bike, the paused motor pedals without any noticeable friction or resistance. And you almost forget about it.

This raises the question: Do you even need the motor or wouldn't an even lighter MTB without the "E" be the alternative? On the other hand, even the first support level raises the speed level and thus the fun factor in flowing terrain. And the mountains are easier to climb, which means more descents are tempting.

Criticism

A jumble of levers and switches: everything is within reach of the left thumb. But at first, you can get confused with the controls, especially for the suspension fork and the remote-controlled seat post. The rocker switch for the motor support is difficult to feel when wearing gloves.

A point of criticism when it comes to operation: there is a confusion of six levers and buttons on the left-hand side of the handlebars. Instead of locking the suspension fork, you sometimes hit the lever for the dropper post and suddenly find yourself sitting one level lower. And: The rocker button on the handlebar remote, which is used to control the support levels and display, is somewhat small and difficult to feel with gloves.

Other components, accessories, peripherals: The Lumen eRide 900 SL is also networked. Using the TQ app, the motor power can be increased to a maximum of 300 watts or the assistance to 200 percent using a virtual slider.

Always on board: a mini tool concealed in the bottle cage on the seat tube.

Bike computers from Garmin, Hammerhead or Wahoo can be integrated via the Ant+ wireless standard, which can be mounted on the stem. Practical: a mini tool is hidden in the water bottle holder. This allows you to adjust the negative suspension travel at any time while on the move.

The price

The Scott Lumen eRide 900 SL is priced at € 15,999; it could become a little cheaper with the 2024 facelift. E-MTBs in the Lumen eRide range are available from € 6999. What you pay for: 800 grams more weight and less high-end.

Conclusion

This E-MTB is an expensive toy and at the same time a demonstration of feasibility that skillfully takes the lightweight trend to the extreme, which you can feel in the saddle. You have to have the necessary spare change. Fun is then guaranteed.