SCOTT Voltage eRIDE 900 Tuned – In our huge 2024 e-mountainbike test

The Voltage eRIDE 900 Tuned light eMTB takes on the competition with SCOTT’s trademark futuristic, integrated styling. It generates 160/155 mm of travel and comes equipped with a subtle TQ-HPR50 motor and 360 Wh battery. How did it fare against the competition in our huge 2024 e-mountainbike group test?

“As if from another planet!”. No, this isn’t a new science fiction movie, but our take on the new SCOTT Voltage eRIDE, which takes on the competition with a futuristic look and hides everything it can inside the frame. The Voltage, which used to be SCOTT’s dirt jump and freeride bike, now bears the eRIDE suffix in its name, which identifies the Swiss manufacturer’s electric models. The Voltage eRIDE relies on a TQ-HPR50 motor, which delivers 50 Nm of torque and 300 watts of peak power, all fed by a 360 Wh battery. Generating 160/155 mm of travel (f/r), it sits just above the Lumen light eMTB in SCOTT’s portfolio, acting as the electric counterpart to their analogue trail bike, the Genius. Tipping the scales at 19.2 kg in size L, it’s one of the heaviest light eMTBs in this group test, with only the Santa Cruz Heckler SL (19.3 kg) and GIANT Trance X Advanced (19.5 kg) weighing even more. If you want to buy SCOTT’s new, two-wheeled spaceship, you’ll have to fork out € 10,999 for the 900 Tuned version we tested. But how does it stack up against the rest of the test field in our 2024 eMTB group test?

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best eMTB of 2024 – 27 of the most exciting models in our comparison test

As if cast from a single mould – What sets the 2024 SCOTT Voltage eRIDE 900 Tuned apart from the competition?

With its unmistakable, futuristic frame silhouette, the SCOTT Voltage eRIDE 900 Tuned stands out from the crowd in our 2024 eMTB group test. Just like the fuselage of a spaceship, the full carbon frame looks as if it were cast from a single mould. Even the cables are mostly invisible from the outside, passing through the stem directly into the frame. The stylish, one-piece Syncros carbon cockpit also contributes to the clean look of the bike. Particularly striking, however, is the integrated shock, developed in close collaboration with FOX specifically for the Voltage eRIDE. The small service port on the down tube, which can be opened quickly and easily without the need for tools, doesn’t hide any small, green creatures but instead allows you to access the shock for setup. To facilitate this, SCOTT added a sag indicator on the rocker link.

While SCOTT’s integration game is truly mind boggling, it also comes with a few drawbacks: for example, the one-piece handlebar/stem unit might look great but doesn’t allow for fine tuning and significant additional effort for servicing. The slim TQ-HPR50 motor system is seamlessly integrated into the frame, rounding off the bike’s tidy look. The minimalist remote on the handlebars and the display in the top tube are extremely discreet too and impress with excellent haptics, providing all relevant riding data without overwhelming you with a ton of unnecessary information. The motor draws its power from a permanently integrated 360 Wh battery, which can’t be removed from the frame for charging, meaning that you’ll have to schlep your bike into your house if you don’t have a garage or basement with a plug – like the Santa Cruz Heckler SL. When embarking on epic backcountry expeditions, you can expand the internal battery with TQ’s optional 160 Wh range extender. SCOTT’s resourceful development team added additional mounting points to the seat tube, allowing you to carry a water bottle even when you’re using the extender.

The SCOTT Voltage eRIDE 900 Tuned comes equipped with FOX Factory suspension consisting of a 36 mm fork and matching FLOAT X Nude shock, both of which offer countless adjustment options and deliver a tremendous performance on the trail. The electronic SRAM GX Eagle Transmission drivetrain ensures butter-smooth shifting and feeds directly off the bike’s main battery. SRAM CODE Silver Stealth four-piston brakes with 200 mm rotors front and rear provide reliable, powerful deceleration. For the rest of the spec, SCOTT rely on their in-house component brand Syncros. Their 180 mm Duncan dropper post offers sufficient travel and can be inserted nearly all the way into the frame. The Syncros Revelstoke 1.0 carbon wheelset is paired with MAXXIS tires, with an ASSEGAI in the soft MaxxGrip rubber compound at the front and DISSECTOR in the harder MaxxTerra rubber compound on the rear, both in the light EXO+ casing. Heavy, aggressive riders who spend lots of time on technical trails should upgrade to the more robust Doubledown casing at the rear to protect the expensive carbon wheels.

Tuning tip: Rear tire with more robust Doubledown casing, for heavy and aggressive riders and to protect the carbon wheels.

What is the 2024 SCOTT Voltage eRIDE 900 Tuned capable of on the trail ?

The SCOTT Voltage eRIDE 900 Tuned puts you in a sporty yet comfortable pedalling position, which is slightly more front heavy than the Santa Cruz Heckler SL. While this puts slightly more pressure on your hands, it prevents the front wheel from lifting off the ground on steeper climbs. The TracLoc’s three-position handlebar lever allows you to switch between the Climb, Ramp Control and Open modes. However, the suspension is incredibly efficient as it is, making the climb switch superfluous. In fact, we preferred climbing with the suspension in Open mode, because it generates noticeably more traction than in the other two modes. Moreover, all those levers can be confusing and sometimes you wonder in which mode you’re even riding. Despite its efficient suspension, the Voltage eRIDE 900 Tuned isn’t a shuttle replacement, with the natural TQ-HPR50 motor requiring significantly more physical effort than the full-power drives in this test. That said, the hard work is totally worth it, and you’re rewarded with a natural, quiet riding experience.

The SCOTT Voltage eRIDE 900 Tuned looks as if cast from a single mould and stands out from the crowd of eMTBs with its clean, futuristic appearance.

Going downhill, the Voltage eRIDE inspires with intuitive handling and makes you feel at ease from the get-go, and even beginners will find it easy to ride on moderate trails. The low front end ensures good traction up front, meaning that you don’t have to actively weight the front wheel in flat, open corners. The SCOTT’s significantly firmer than the Santa Cruz Heckler SL and Mondraker Neat, with the excellent suspension providing tons of support and pop, thus inviting you to play with the terrain on flowing trails. As if you were on a pump track, you can generate lots of speed by pumping through rollers and berms, while using small ledges and tree stumps to take off into the air. At the same time, the rear suspension offers plenty of reserves, bailing you out when you get yourself into a pickle. With its agile, poppy character, the Voltage encourages you to spontaneously change your line. Beginners will quickly get used to the lively handling on moderate trails, but should play it safe and slow down on technical terrain, especially after a long day in the saddle, as the direct, firm character also requires a high level of concentration. Overall, the Santa Cruz and Mondraker are noticeably more composed and inspire more confidence. In experienced hands, on the other hand, the SCOTT Voltage eRIDE becomes an authentic space rocket that allows you to shred your way back down into the valley at Mach 10.

The SCOTT Voltage is aimed primarily at experienced riders and covers a wide range of applications, whether it’s a sporty tour or technical trail.

Who should take a closer look at the 2024 SCOTT Voltage eRIDE 900 Tuned and who should look elsewhere?

The SCOTT Voltage eRIDE 900 Tuned is an excellent choice for integration junkies who value a futuristic design and don’t care about ease of maintenance. Sporty riders who want a bit of support but still want to sweat a little will find a good partner in the Voltage too – and their hard work will be rewarded with a natural, efficient riding experience. The Voltage eRIDE 900 is also fun for beginners, provided they don’t get too rowdy. As long as you’re in control and know what you’re doing, SCOTT’s light eMTB also handles rough trails pretty well.

Our conclusions about the 2024 SCOTT Voltage eRIDE 900 Tuned

As usual, SCOTT take integration to a whole new level! However, that’s not the only reason why the Voltage eRIDE 900 Tuned stands out from the crowd – it also delivers a tremendous performance on the trail! Uphill, it appeals above all to sporty riders with excellent climbing capabilities and a natural ride feeling. Downhill, it cuts a fine figure too, ensuring precise, intuitive handling in all sorts of scenarios – provided you don’t go too wild!

Tops

• Next-level integration
• Excellent suspension
• Precise handling

Flops

• Integration comes at the expense of ease of maintenance

For more information, visit scott-sports.com

The test field

For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best eMTB of 2024 – 27 of the most exciting models in our comparison test

All bikes in test: BULLS VUCA EVO AM 2 (Click for review) | BULLS SONIC EVO AM SX-I (Click for review) | Canyon Strive:ON CFR LTD (Click for review) | Canyon Torque:ON CF Roczen (Click for review) | CENTURION No Pogo SL R8000i (Click for review) | CUBE AMS Hybrid ONE44 (Click for review) | FLYER Uproc X 8.70 (Click for review) | FOCUS SAM² 6.9 (Click for review) | GASGAS ECC 6 (Click for review) | GIANT Trance X Advanced E+ Elite 0 (Click for review) | KTM Macina Scarp SX Prime (Click for review) | Lapierre Overvolt GLP3 (Click for review) | Merida eOne-Sixty 10K (Click for review) | Mondraker Neat RR SL (Click for review) | Moustache Samedi 29 Game 11 FOX (Click for review) | Orbea WILD M-LTD (Click for review) | Pivot Shuttle AM Team (Click for review) | Propain Ekano 2 CF (Click for review) | RADON RENDER 10.0 HD (Click for review) | ROTWILD R.X 1000 Ultra (Click for review) | Santa Cruz Heckler SL XX AXS RSV (Click for review) | SCOR 4060 ST (Click for review) | SCOTT Voltage eRide 900 Tuned | SIMPLON Rapcon Pmax Pinion (Click for review) | Specialized Turbo Levo SL Expert (Click for review) | Specialized Turbo Levo Pro (Click for review) | Spherik E-SMT XX AXS (Click for review)

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Words: Mike Hunger Photos: Peter Walker