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This week’s Five Cool Things features Scott’s “lightest production race bike ever,” Boardman’s budget-friendly aero bike, an adventure-ready gravel bike, plus deep-section Chinese carbon wheels and Hutchinson’s “fastest tyres” to date. Check out the previews here, with full reviews coming soon!
Scott Addict RC Pro (£8,599)
A new Scott Addict broke cover at the end of last year, and we’re currently testing the Swiss brand’s updated climbing bike, the Addict RC Pro, described as their “lightest production race bike ever”.
This build comes in under the UCI’s minimum weight limit of 6.8kg, tipping the scales at a feathery 6.58kg (size 56). The groupset is Shimano’s Dura-Ace Di2, while Scott’s subsidary brand Syncros supplies the wheels, handlebar, seat post and saddle.
Farsports 2025 New EVO S Series wheelset ($1,499 ~£1,120)
> Have Chinese carbon wheels now overtaken established brands?
Chinese carbon wheels have long been a more affordable option, and Jamie is currently putting the latest pair from Farsports to the test.
The 2025 New EVO S Series is the brand’s flagship wheelset and comes UCI-approved, meaning it has been designed and tested to meet or exceed UCI standards.
We are testing the EVOs5 which have a rim depth of 50mm and internal rim width of 24mm, weighing in at 1,205g on the road.cc Scales of Truth. They feature a tubeless-ready hooked rim design, bladed carbon spokes and enduro steel bearings which can be upgraded to Ceramicspeed.
Buy from Panda Podium for $1,499
Boardman SLR 9.0 (£1,800)
Boardman has released a fully updated version of its SLR road bike that’s said to be faster, more comfortable and more versatile than previously, and better value, too.
The new SLR is said to have been aero-optimised, reportedly outperforming its predecessor by 5.7 watts. It also offers greater tyres clearance, accommodating up to 32mm tyres with mudguards or up to 36mm without.
Boardman has also transitioned all SLR frames to the Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH) system, making it easier to source a replacement if needed. Pricing starts at £1,400, while the model we’re currently testing costs £1,800, featuring a 12-speed Shimano 105 groupset.
Hutchinson Blackbird Race tyres (£69.99)
Claiming to be Hutchinson’s “fastest tyre” ever, the Blackbird Race is said to have been developed in collaboration with WorldTour team Intermarché-Wanty to offer “a 10% gain in watt efficiency.”
Hutchinson also claims a reduction in weight, which leads to decreased rolling resistance and faster acceleration. The 30mm tyre we’re testing weighs in at 261g on our scales.
I’m putting these tyres to the test, so check back in a couple of weeks to see how I get on.
Temple Cycles Adventure Disc 3 (£1,985)
The final item featured this week is the Adventure Disc 3 from Temple Cycles, a gravel bike built around a Reynolds 725 steel frame. It shares the frameset of the Adventure Disc but comes with wider gearing, making it more suitable for fully-loaded mountain adventures.
The bike also features mechanical disc brakes and generous tyre clearance, fitted with 38mm Schwalbe Marathon tyres.
It’s available in five sizes from extra small (47cm) to extra large (60cm) and in four different colourways.
Buy from Temple Cycles for £1,588
For all the latest full test reports on road.cc, head over to our reviews section. For more advice before splashing the cash you can check out our buyer’s guides, and head over to road.cc Recommends to find all our top-rated products in one place.
2 thoughts on “Bikes, more bikes, carbon wheels and race tyres! Five cool things coming soon from Scott, Boardman, Hutchinson, Farsports and Temple Cycles”
I like the measure of
I like the measure of effectiveness of the new Hutch tires, % of wattage improvement. Instead of saying, “28.6 watts at 49.34 km per mile a nano meter of light speed.”
A measurement relative to any rider makes since.
Just this Yank’s opinion.
good to see you’re testing
good to see you’re testing the farsports wheels – hope to see road.cc continue to expand the range of brands it considers. These or the shallower ones are on my shorlist to replace my Winspace/Lun Hypers though they are still going strong after 4 years.