With the new Scott Solace, the Swiss bike experts are launching a lightweight e-bike with racing handlebars for the 2023 model year, which is set to impress with its sleek design, generous tyre clearance and lightweight carbon frame. With the Solace eRide, Scott wants to kill two birds with one stone: depending on the equipment and choice of tyres, the bike can be used as an e-road bike on the road or fly over gravel tracks as an e-gravel bike. The basis for the new, sporty e-bike is a carbon frame made from HMX fibres, which is based on the carbon chassis of the Scott gravel bike. Addict Gravel looks quite similar.
The carbon frame of the Scott Solace eRide
Regardless of whether the Solace eRide is equipped as an e-road bike or e-gravel bike, it has the same carbon frame made from HMX fibres. Gravel bike models have a SRAM single-speed drivetrain, racing handlebars with flare and tread tyres up to 50 millimetres wide. The road version of the Scott Solace eRide is equipped with Shimano double gears, has normal handlebar profiles and uses road bike tyres up to 38 millimetres wide. However, the road version of the Scott Solace can of course also be converted to wide gravel bike tyres - the frame makes it possible. In terms of stiffness, the Scott Solace frame should be on a similar level to the carbon weave of the Addict Gravel. On the Scott gravel bike, we determined a steering head stiffness of 98 Nm/° and a bottom bracket stiffness of 62 N/mm in the TOUR lab - both first-class values.
The TQ e-bike drive in the Scott Solace eRide
Unlike his E-road bike Addict eRidewhere a Mahle rear motor is used, Scott, like many other manufacturers, relies on an e-bike motor from TQ Systems. It was not until July 2022 that the first e-mountainbikes with the brand new TQ HPR50 e-bike motor on the market. There are now a number of lightweight e-MTBs that rely on the Bavarian component manufacturer's lightweight and, above all, quiet drive. The TQ motor in the Scott Solace weighs just 1.85 kilos and is extremely compact. At the same time, the e-bike drive delivers 50 Newton metres of maximum torque and a maximum output of 300 watts. But for a lightweight e-gravel bike or e-road bike, one thing is even more important: the motor has almost no resistance, which is particularly noticeable when you have switched off the motor or are travelling faster than 25 km/h. Our colleagues from EMTB magazine have TQ HPR50 has already been thoroughly scrutinised in laboratory and practical tests. The compact, bottom bracket-mounted TQ motor also opens up new, streamlined possibilities in terms of frame design.
Minimalist top tube display on the Solace
A minimalist display on the top tube is used to operate the motor and provide information on the battery charge level and other information. The LED display clearly shows all the important key figures, such as the battery level in per cent, the range in kilometres and the current support level. Thanks to the integrated power meter, you can also read the speed and the current wattage on the TQ display. The Scott Solace eRide can also be connected, customised and controlled using the TQ e-bike app. The e-gravel bike or e-road bike is equipped ex works with a pre-set motor configuration from Scott.
Two batteries: one internally installed and one range extender
In addition to the 360 Wh battery integrated in the down tube, you can also use a 160 Wh range extender on all Scott Solace bikes. The external additional battery of the Scott Solace eRide comes in the design of a water bottle. With a special quick-release system, the range extender can be exchanged for a bottle cage without tools. For longer tours, there is space for a water bottle and the range extender, while two water bottles can be transported in the frame for shorter tours.
Scott Solace eRide: models and prices
Scott offers the Solace eRide as a standard road and gravel version. All models have the same carbon frame. There are a total of six models of the Scott e-bike with racing handlebars for 2023, including a special Contessa version for women. Prices and weights for the new Scott bikes for 2023 can be found on the Scott website.
