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TECH NEWS

Pro Bike Setup: Simon Yates’ Scott Addict RC race bike

The Vuelta a Espana winning bike

Simon Yates won the Vuelta a Espana over the weekend, and while we know it's not all about the bike, here's a look at the bike he used to win the Grand Tour.

His Mitchelton-Scott team is sponsored by, yes you guessed it, Scott Bicycles and Yates chooses to ride the Addict RC. It’s the company’s lightest bike, one of the lightest production bikes in the world actually, with a claimed 790g frame and 300g fork. 

simon_yates_bike7.jpg

- 2018 WorldTour race bikes - The complete list of this year's race bikes

He could also ride the company’s Foil, an aerodynamic road bike, but he clearly chooses weight over aero. That’s normal for GC contenders as they don’t actually spend that much time riding in the wind, saving their energy for the decisive climbs where they hope to put time into their rivals. That said, he is using the Syncros RR1.0 SL one-piece aero handlebar and wears a Scott aero helmet rather than a more ventilated model, so aero does matter to an extent.

simon yates scott addict1

Back to the handlebar, and Yates is one of the few racers that have both sprint and forward-facing climbing shifter units fitted and hooked up to the Di2 groupset for multiple shift options. We’re used to seeing satellite shifters for the cobbled classics but they aren't a normal sight in a Grand Tour. His Garmin Edge computer floats out front with mount integrated into the Syncros handlebar.

simon_yates_bike10.jpg

A full Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 groupset adorns his bike with Shimano’s brand new power meter, a switch from the SRM power meters the team was using last year. There are matching Dura-Ace wheels, with a shallower front rim matched to a deeper rear rim, and 25mm wide Continental Competition ProLtd tubular tyres glued to the rims.

No custom painted bike here, it's a standard team issue black and yellow bike. Until the final stage that is; Yates was gifted with a special edition race bike with the yellow Scott logos replaced with red ones, matching red bar tape. We don't have any photos of it but here it is on Instagram.

At 5ft 8in tall Simon rides a size small Addict RC with a 110mm stem and 40cm wide handlebar. His saddle height is 69.8cm measured from the bottom bracket, and his bar height (hub axle to under the bar) is 48.9cm. His legs spin on 170mm crank arms.

simon_yates_bike6.jpg

Lace-up shoes are back in fashion, and Yates uses Scott’s RC road shoes and employs a footballers trick of wrapping the laces around the bottom of the shoes before tying them up, presumably to get the desired tension.

Images © Cor Vos.

David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes

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9 comments

Avatar
RobD | 5 years ago
1 like

I am surprised he hasn't at least gone for the handlebar tape, but as said, he may not want to jinx it. There's probably a pink Dogma hidden away somewhere that will be getting a respray very soon.

Avatar
700c replied to RobD | 5 years ago
1 like
RobD wrote:

I am surprised he hasn't at least gone for the handlebar tape, but as said, he may not want to jinx it. There's probably a pink Dogma hidden away somewhere that will be getting a respray very soon.

 

I just put a couple of quid on Froome at 10/1 ish, I think it would be unwise to ever write him off

 

having said that I hope Yates can hold on

 

Avatar
NorthEastJimmy replied to 700c | 5 years ago
1 like
700c wrote:
RobD wrote:

I am surprised he hasn't at least gone for the handlebar tape, but as said, he may not want to jinx it. There's probably a pink Dogma hidden away somewhere that will be getting a respray very soon.

 

I just put a couple of quid on Froome at 10/1 ish, I think it would be unwise to ever write him off

 

having said that I hope Yates can hold on

 

 

Good call there!  This is one of the most exciting cycling stages I've ever watched,  gutted for Yates though.

 

Avatar
700c replied to NorthEastJimmy | 5 years ago
0 likes
NorthEastJimmy wrote:
700c wrote:
RobD wrote:

I am surprised he hasn't at least gone for the handlebar tape, but as said, he may not want to jinx it. There's probably a pink Dogma hidden away somewhere that will be getting a respray very soon.

 

I just put a couple of quid on Froome at 10/1 ish, I think it would be unwise to ever write him off

 

having said that I hope Yates can hold on

 

 

Good call there!  This is one of the most exciting cycling stages I've ever watched,  gutted for Yates though.

 

Thanks  1 yes remarkable. Poor Yates!

Avatar
Rich_cb replied to RobD | 5 years ago
2 likes
RobD wrote:

I am surprised he hasn't at least gone for the handlebar tape, but as said, he may not want to jinx it. There's probably a pink Dogma hidden away somewhere that will be getting a respray very soon.

This comment has aged spectacularly.

Avatar
peted76 | 5 years ago
1 like

It does seem slightly odd that there’s no even a hint of pink on his bike, normally the sponsors are dying to get the kit noticed by providing a pink saddle/bar tape/ bike/ helmet/ socks/ literally whatever... I wonder if it’s a Yates decision, perhaps not to jinx it? 

Avatar
PRSboy | 5 years ago
1 like

Hilarious that the team managed to find time to gift a top-end bike to zillionaire and well known (?) cycle enthusiast Neymar, yet haven't arranged a proper coloured bike for their Giro leader!

Avatar
bogbrush replied to PRSboy | 5 years ago
3 likes
PRSboy wrote:

Hilarious that the team managed to find time to gift a top-end bike to zillionaire and well known (?) cycle enthusiast Neymar, yet haven't arranged a proper coloured bike for their Giro leader!

 

peted76 wrote:

It does seem slightly odd that there’s no even a hint of pink on his bike, normally the sponsors are dying to get the kit noticed by providing a pink saddle/bar tape/ bike/ helmet/ socks/ literally whatever... I wonder if it’s a Yates decision, perhaps not to jinx it? 

 

While competition for the jersey is still 'live' and it is being worn by a genuine contender, I much prefer to see a bit of restraint. If, early on, a rider is in the jersey through a lucky breakaway or bonus seconds then, by all means, let the sponsors go mad. However when it comes to the heads of state, limiting the pink to the jersey and a few accents, enhances the feeling that it's something that can be wrenched away by another rider. 

 

That said, I hope we see Yates with absolutely everything pink in Rome. 

P.S. I think Mitchelton-Scott are also trying to work out how they can both combine the maglia rosa e pantaloncini and the sponsors colours while avoiding the risk of having Noel Edmonds show up to support on the final day
 

Avatar
steviemarco | 5 years ago
1 like

The 'Q' on the GPS module would be a big hint towards it being made by Quarq/Sram yes

I think he's waiting until he knows he's won it before he gets the bike blinged in pink?

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