Review: Scott CX Team

By Scott Mares | Published Sep 19, 2010

Right Out of the Box

Right Out of the Box

Our UPS guy is really starting to wonder what's going on here. So much so that he asked me when he delivered the SCOTT CX Team. After giving him the down low, he left saying "Cool Job."

After saying "Thanks" to the UPS guy, we pulled the CX Team out and put it in the stand. Pretty bad a$$ looking with the black paint job and white decals with yellow accents. Not only does the white and red hardware TRP Euro X brakes match the decals but they match the wheels as well. Overall the bike is pretty cool looking.

Ease of Assembly

The bike was really easy to put together. All we had to do was put the handlebar on, hook up the cables, install the seat post and we were good to go.

Bling factor

Not a lot of carbon here for the bling factor. The fork is carbon and is bonded to an aluminum steerer. The bling comes from the matching goodies that adorn this high end extruded aluminum frameset. Scott USA gave the frame a jet black paint job and then outfitted it with top of the line red and white toys: TRP Euro X brakes, DT Swiss wheels, and a white saddle.

Road Test Ride

Climbing

We took the bike out for a spin early Sunday morning. There were scattered showers, but the cyclocross gods decided to spare us the rain. The Scott CX Team climbs very well because of the hydroformed multi-shaped AL tube set. This made the bottom bracket nice and stiff. No wispy rear end here. So you can scamper right up the hill without any problems.

Cornering

The Scott CX Team has the same geometry as the upper end Addict CX's making them corner the same. The only difference is that the CX Team is aluminum and the Addict CX is carbon. Both bikes are stable but you feel the road a little more with the CX Team. The bike is stable and positive; not squirrelly at all. It will gladly dive in and straighten out all but the toughest corners on the road.

Handling

Very stable and predictable. Sorry to be beating a drum on this, but Scott has not changed much on this year's bike. The geometry is based on feedback from a world renowned cyclocross and mountain biker.

Ride Feel

The ride quality is very stable and solid. This is not very surprising given the frame and the weight of the bike. However, you do feel the road with this frame. It is very stiff and responsive, but you do feel the road. Again, the frame uses some high tech hydroforming of the tubes to maximize the strength to weight ratio of the aluminum.

Dirt Test Ride

Climbing

Just like on the road, this bike will go up with the best of them. The only limiting factor is the engine that you strap to it. Not only are the tubes hydroformed, but Scott USA also incorporated 2 brace struts on the chain stay seat tube area. This will increase the stiffness while prevent mud from clogging in that area.

Cornering

This bike can turn! But we already knew that. There are a few things that make this happen and we have just about covered all of them except for tires. Scott USA upgraded the tires this year and put Schwalb Rocket Rons on this bad boy. Because of the frame design, this bike loves to go into 180° corners and leap out of them when you put the hammer back down. I heard a rumor that the UCI is looking to ban this bike because of this, although we can't confirm or deny this at the time of this review.

Handling

The Scott CX Team is predictable in what it's going to do in just about any situation that you might encounter. I felt a connection with the frame that made me more comfortable and confident. This is very important because in a race, you are going to get tired and when that happens you get sloppy in everything that you do. I was able to focus more on the race because of this connection to the bike.

Ride Feel

This bike feels solid because of the super stiff aluminum frame. Not surprising here when you take a close look at the super trick multi-shaped, hydroformed tubeset on this chasse. But this comes with a trade off: you will feel more of the terrain.

Race Test Ride

We had a lot of fun with this bike at a muddy cyclocross race here in the Pacific NW. Lots of rain. Three days prior, I went to the temple of the big chain ring and prayed to the cyclocross gods for rain. They were more than happy to oblige me. It rained intermittently just 1 day after I did that. Note to self: only do that once every 2 weeks.

The race was flat and had tons of mud with lots of slippery 180° turns, flat straight sections that let us apply our mortal power to the pedals and turn ourselves inside out. Bottom line..... more bike than engine. I am deaf from the bike yelling at me like an 8 year old in the back of the car shouting "let's go! let's go!". Thank god that the bike is on the outside of the car on the rack on the ride home.

We Liked

In the cyclocross world, white is the new black. But Scott USA did a great job in putting this gal in her own little black dress. Very nice glossy paint job with cool white graphics and yellow accents complete the ensemble. Just like that little black dress you can wear anywhere, this paint job looks totally appropriate at the coffee shop or when your turning the screws at the races.

We are a big fans of the TRP brakes. Not only are they light and trick but they match the DT Swiss wheelset that comes with this bike. The hoops and hubs are red & white with red nipples. Plus, they are DT Swiss after all. Can you say smooth as butter?

Capping the hoops off is a nice set of rubber by Schwalbe. Scott USA put Rocket Rons on them. They are an all around tire that leans more towards being a mud tire. Lots of tall side tread makes this a tire that is excellent for edging.

Another favorite of ours is the tubeset on the Scott CX Team. The multi-shaped hydroformed tubes not only look cool but they are also very functional. Each tube was carefully formed to provide the best strength to weight ratio so that you can go as fast as you can. We have no complaints with the welds as they are spot on. Now what would a great frame be without a great fork? A tried and true carbon fork design with a bonded aluminum steerer.   Tracks great and chatter free. No complaints here.

The stem that is on the Scott CX Team is pretty cool looking and even though I haven't weighed it, I would be half tempted to keep it when upgrading the bike as it definitely adds style to the bike.

We Didn't Like

Normally we avoid using the word "hate."  However, we had an encounter with a very similar seat post earlier in the year and we   hate all seat posts that are constructed like this one.  The Scott Comp seat post is just a round anvil. I thought I was going to give myself a hernia when picking it up to assemble the bike. Please go to a side 1-bolt seat post design!

Upgrades

The upgrade recommendations that I have for the Scott CX Team are the EXACT same as for another bike that we rode.   Therefore, I am going to have to repeat myself in this area.

There are two things that need to be upgraded to the Scott CX Team for it to be truly become world class. The first one is the cockpit of the bike.

The handlebar & stem are Scott's house brand. Changing them out for a carbon bar and high end stem would no doubt shed some weight. The seat post is an aluminum Ritchey knock off and as mentioned in the previous section, I truly hate the design of it. It's also their house brand post and it needs to go. Both of these items are quick and easy upgrades.

The second thing that needs to be upgraded for racing is the wheel set. Please don't get me wrong as I love the DT Swiss wheels that ship with the Scott CX Team. These wheels are pretty trick but they do weigh 1700g. Although that's not too heavy, a lightweight racing wheel set would drop at least  200+ grams or almost half a pound off the total weight alone.

The Final Say

The Scott Addict CX Team bike is not only a great bike but it's an awesome value. It's literally $700 cheaper than other bikes in it's class. So in our book, this bike is not the Uber super cool $10,000 bike, and quite frankly any company with capital can make one of those. But not every cyclocross racer can afford one of those 10K bikes.  

The CX Team bike is the AK-47 of cyclocross weapons. It's quick, light, handles like a dream, and it's at a price point that no one has matched yet  So what would you do with an extra $700 bucks and a super fast bike?  Answer: Win a race, get a set of race wheels and take the wife/girlfriend out to dinner.

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