Only a few years ago the highest performance bike in Scott's range, the almost venerable CR1 received something of a makeover for the 2010 season and has become more of a comfortable all-day mount well suited to sportive and leisure riding.
Looking fairly similar to its predecessor, the new CR1 frame is very different under its glossy coat of lacquer. The seat and chain stays and 330g all-carbon fork incorporate Scott's Shock Damping System, which is signed to cancel out road vibration. The rear stays are shaped to deform in a controlled manner under both high amplitude and high frequency loads in search of the fabled "vertical compliance" with no loss of lateral stiffness.
Road Comfort frame dimensions mean, compared to Scott's Road Race proportions, a shorter top tube ( to the tune of 5mm in size L) along with a 20mm higher head tube. While steering geometry remains dialed for performance, the CR1 provides a less aggressive riding position better suited to cyclists looking for all-day riding comfort.
The CR1 is built using Integrated Molding, in which the top tube, head tube and down tube are produced in one step through a secret proprietary process that allows for lighter construction by requiring less material around the headtube intersection. IMP also enables more precise fibre placement in critical areas.
Further weight saving comes from the Naked External Tubeset or NET finish, which eliminates the outer cosmetic carbon layer. Fork and stay dropouts are Integrated Carbon, as are the cable stops, while the rivetted front mech hanger is machined from an aluminium extrusion.
There are five models in the CR1 range, with the Pro featured here wearing Shimano's 6700 Ultegra groupset, a Scott Road Pro saddle and Scott-branded cockpit and rolling on Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheels with Continental Ultra Race rubber.
Sizes run from XXS to XXL with size L equating to a 56cm standard. It's a pleasing package with exceptional visual appeal and and aggressive stance that belies all that talk about ride comfort and vertical compliance. We'll report back on how it actually rides in the very near future.
Scott CR1 Pro £2499.00
www.scott-sports.com
