“The road is the goal” reads your average, tacky motivational poster with an orange sunset lurking in the background. But as corny as it might sound, this is actually very true sometimes — and the brand-new SCOTT Axis eRIDE Evo is proof of it.
You can’t place the SCOTT Axis eRIDE Evo in any category. At first glance it looks like a trekking bike, but then you notice the full-suspension frame and the chunky tires. A remote on the handlebars allows you to adjust the 120 mm of front and rear travel among three positions — SCOTT calls it TwinLoc technology. The Axis is powered by a Shimano STEPS E8000 motor with an integrated 500 Wh battery and rolls on big 29”, 2.25″-wide Schwalbe G-One tires. The off-the-peg equipment includes pretty much everything you could possibly need in your everyday cycling-life.
Pannier rack? Check! Lighting system? Check! Mudguards? Double check! The only thing we’re missing here is a dropper seatpost – this would increase comfort and security. The spec of the € 4,799 Axis eRIDE Evo features a SRAM NX Eagle groupset and a set of cheap but powerful Shimano BR-MT520 four-piston brakes.
The SCOTT Axis eRIDE Evo in detail
Fork SR Suntour XCR34 Air
Shock X-Fusion Nude Trunnion
Drivetrain SRAM NX Eagle
Motor Shimano Steps E8000
Battery Shimano 500 Wh
Brakes Shimano MT520 4-Piston 203/203 mm
Handlebar Syncros FL2.0 720 mm
Stem Syncros FL2.0
Seatpost Syncros FL2.
Tires Schwalbe G-One Allround Performance 2.25″
Hubs Formula
Rims Syncros
Weight 25.50 kg
Price € 4,799
To activate the light you have to click your way through the entire menu of the Shimano motor. We recommend leaving the 600 Lm headlamp activated even when riding in the daytime. This will make you more visible and increase your safety.
DThe cheap Shimano four-piston brakes deliver a good amount of power and the 200 mm discs allow for a controlled braking performance, even on long descents.
TwinLoc technology is one of SCOTT’s trademarks. With the Axis eRIDE EVO, however, we hardly ever used the system because it affects the bike’s riding comfort. With its 120 mm of travel, the bike climbs efficiently even with the shock in open mode.
On long tours a backpack can be uncomfortable option and make you sweat unnecessarily. The pannier rack of the Axis eRIDE Evo can take panniers with a total load of up to 15 kg.
The geometry of the SCOTT Axis eRIDE Evo
| Size | S | M | L | XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top tube | 582 mm | 607 mm | 632 mm | 652 mm |
| Head angle | 65.0° | 65.4° | 65.4° | 65.4° |
| Seat angle | 73.8° | 73.9° | 73.9° | 73.9° |
| Chainstays | 462 mm | 462 mm | 462 mm | 462 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1195 mm | 1216 mm | 1242 mm | 1264 mm |
| Reach | 406 mm | 431 mm | 453 mm | 471 mm |
| Stack | 607 mm | 610 mm | 619 mm | 628 mm |
Riding the SCOTT Axis eRIDE Evo
SUVs are becoming increasingly popular amongst drivers — the raised driving position and safety-inspiring construction are responsible for this. The SCOTT Axis eRIDE Evo takes a similar approach. After riding just a few metres you will notice how comfortable it is. The riding position is pleasantly upright, and the ergonomic grips support your hands very well. However, the many levers on the handlebars are anything but intuitive and it will take a while to spot the small bell and hit it with your thumb to get noticed by oncoming pedestrians.
Fast on tarmac, confidence-inspiring on gravel – we’re impressed with the good-natured handling of the SCOTT.
The bike rolls smoothly on tarmac and the motor regulates the support levels pleasantly and sensitively. If you reach the threshold speed of 25 km/h you can still carry on pedalling beyond this, but you will need some extra leg-power on the flats. On moderate descents the bike will easily exceed the 25 km/h limit.
As mentioned above, you can stiffen up the suspension with the remote on the bars. After a few test rides, however, we didn’t bother doing this anymore — the bike feels way more comfortable with the shock in open mode, even when riding on paved roads with manhole covers and small potholes. Thanks to the powerful motor, the loss of efficiency isn’t a big deal.
The SR Suntour fork and X-Fusion shock are both budget options, but at the same time they’re also suitably sensitive and controlled. In combination with the chunky tires and comfortable grips, the suspension confidently smoothes out the imperfections of rough gravel paths and makes you feel like you’re gliding on air. Schwalbe’s G-One tires offer good grip on tarmac and gravel, but quickly reach their limitations on mud and wet grass. We really missed a dropper seatpost on both the uphill and downhill. Despite its nimble handling on descents, the Axis eRIDE Evo feels very stable and controlled at all times — even when riding at higher speeds. The weight distribution feels great and contributes to the excellent balance of the bike.
Conclusion
The SCOTT Axis eRIDE Evo is a great choice for both your everyday routine and long tours. The bike impressed us with its very good-natured handling, clever equipment, and its high degree of riding comfort. However, we would happily swap the TwinLoc system for a dropper seatpost with remote to increase the safety and comfort even more.
Strengths
– Good-natured and well-balanced handling
– Perfect everyday equipment
– High degree of riding comfort
Weaknesses
– No dropper seatpost
– In order to activate the light, you have to fiddle around with the display menu
For more info head to: scott-sports.com
This article is from E-MOUNTAINBIKE issue #014
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