2021 Scott Contessa Addict Gravel 15

We consider ourselves the local experts. Whether you walk through our doors or give us a call, our staff knows the answer to your questions and you’ll get the same professional service whether you are in the shop or on the phone. Many of us, like you, are more versed in one area than the other. If the first person you talk to at Contender Bicycles isn’t the expert you need, we’ve got the expert just a few steps away. We’ve got more than 250 years combined experience in the shop at any time and there’s always someone on duty with the experience and expertise you trust.

To make sure you find the right bike, we make sure our staff is up to date on the latest innovations and technologies. The bike world evolves every year and so do we through training and education. With our size, sales volume and reputation, we have excellent relationships with bike brands, component companies and apparel makers. If we don’t have it at the moment, we can get it.

Contender Bicycles is one of the largest physical bike shops in the country and we have an unmatched selection of quality bicycles from numerous brands. Many bike shops these days have narrowed down their inventory to one or two brands. That’s absolutely not the case at Contender.

We also offer a high end selection of gear and apparel. Our jerseys, shorts and other accessories are things we’d feel comfortable wearing while riding. There’s not much risk of buying a set of bibshorts from us with a chamois you regret.

An area Contender Bicycles takes special pride in is our Pro Build service. Many of our customers don’t simply want a great bike from the floor. They know their parts and components and have something special in mind. With our Pro Build service, you can select a frame - road, mountain, gravel, whatever - and consult with one of our Pro Build specialists to create a complete bike that matches your needs and tastes to a T. We can even help you customize your bike with a paint job that is truly one of a kind.

Of course, every bike will need to be serviced now and then. Contender Bicycles has the largest service staff in the state. With more than a dozen wrenches on staff, we have experts ready to make your bike as good as new as quickly as possible. Our mechanics have experience and training unmatched in the market. We’ll talk over each fix, discuss options and get you back in the saddle as soon as possible.

While Contender Bicycles has a reputation for selling only the best bikes, bike accessories and bike gear, we listen to you first to determine what your needs are. We don’t pay sales commissions, so we care more about making sure you ride the best bike for you rather than selling the best bike for us.

Whether you’re buying a bike from Contender Bicycles in person or working remotely with our Pro Build experts, we’re dedicated to making your experience in the shop as good as your ride on the trails or road.

The pinnacle of SCOTT’s road bike line is the Addict RC Ultimate. Worthy of being raced in the Tour de France where cyclists demand and expect only the very best, the Addict RC Ultimate is what happens after thousands of hours spent researching, modeling and testing bikes.

SCOTT is pleased with that result.

Let’s dig into the SCOTT Addict RC frame. Aside from the rider’s fitness, usually the biggest hindrance to riding fast is wind. Made of a HMX carbon fiber, the Addict RC uses a patented Airfoil design to help the bike split the wind. Airfoil brings the best in aerodynamics to road cycling, minimizing air drag and optimizing power transfer.

Bikes are funny creatures when it comes to power transfer. Typically, the more stiff a bike frame, the more power is directly specifically to the drivetrain. A less-stiff bike might flex or bow under the strain of a powerful pedal stroke resulting in watts evaporating into the frame flew and being wasted. Individually, a little lost power per pedal stroke isn’t a huge thing, but it adds up over a long day in the saddle.

Suppose two riders with identical fitness and identical body measurements began a ride together and each pedal stroke had a hypothetical 250 watts of power. Rider A was on a SCOTT Addict RC Ultimate while Rider B was on a bike with a less stiff frame. Rider A gets 250 watts of power transfer with each pedal stroke while the riding partner gets 248 watts because his chain stays flex a tiny amount under the force of the pedal stroke. After thousands of pedal strokes, Rider A is either already much farther ahead than his buddie or has a lot more energy left in the tank for the sprint to the finish line.

Being lightweight helps a bike climb faster. Being aerodynamic helps a bike ride flat roads faster. But being responsive makes all the difference in both regards.

Everything from bottom bracket size and position to top tube angle has a small impact on performance. By running computer and mechanical simulations, SCOTT is able to fine tune each frame to provide the most power transfer per pedal stroke possible while retaining rider comfort and aerodynamics.

Even the evolution of components makes a difference. Let’s take a look at the Syncros Creston cockpit. Crisp, clean and classy, the Syncros Creston combo cockpit is a one-piece unit that combines the handlebars and stem into a seamless package that is oh, so aero. Total cable integration from the levers into the handlebars, through the stem and into the head tube reduce all air flow interruption from cables and junctions between components. When less power from your pedal stroke is spent fighting through air - even when there is a tailwind - more power is transferred directly to the rear wheel where the rubber hits the road.

Careful design of angles and positions is performed to maximize rider comfort while maximizing the ability to create force. Again, it’s a sweet spot every bike maker strives for and SCOTT seems to be setting the standard.

Small details - ranging from a 12-gram carbon friendly seat clamp to a thru-axle system on the rear dropouts - add up to create one incredibly responsive bicycle.

It’s fast, it’s functional and it’s all about performance. It’s SCOTT.