I get the impression that Scott has labelled the Lumen eRide 900 as a cross-country/light trail bike to aid its pursuit of creating one of the lightest e-MTBs around and it’s worked. However, thanks to some solid geometry choices and responsive trail manners, the Lumen is a real dark horse and one of the best e-MTBs on the market. However, some componentry choices hold the bike back.
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Scott Lumen eRide 900 – Technical details
The Lumen rides the coattails of the Spark, a bike that’s taken Nino Schurter to the top of the world but gets a bit of a boost in suspension travel to 130mm at both ends.
There is a lot on the Lumen that harks to its non-assisted counterpart. Of course, it gets the single-pivot suspension layout with that now-famous integrated shock combined with a flex stay that sheds weight by ditching bearings traditionally used with a Horst Link. There’s an adjustable headset alloying for 0.6 degrees of head angle adjustment and the bike’s designed around a 5mm chainline which allows space for bigger tyres – all without affecting overall stiffness. The brand says that it makes the Lumen feel more like a regular mountain bike.
Other similarities come in the form of the door at the bottom of the downtube that allows access to the shock, and the Lumen is sorted with Scott’s TwinLoc suspension lockout. It’s not just any lockout however as its three ride modes effectively steepen the bike’s geometry while adjusting the suspension damping and spring curve all with a throw of a lever. And the cool thing is, at full ‘lockout’, there’s still a bit of squish in the suspension to offer a bit of extra traction but, importantly, more comfort.
The Lumen’s geometry isn’t a stone’s throw away from the Spark 900 TR, where it benefits from a slightly slacker head angle at 65.5-degrees as standard. Its reach is a bit longer at 476mm on a large frame and its seat angle is a bit steeper at 77.2-degrees. Notably, the chainstay is longer at 450mm as is the wheelbase at 1,240mm.
Where the lightweight e-MTB takes steps away from its meat-powered brethren is that it’s equipped with TQ’s HPR50 motor that knocks out 50Nm of torque and up to 250W of power. That’s combined with the same brand’s 360Wh battery which can be boosted by 160Wh with a range extender.
And with that range extender in mind, Scott has equipped the bike with two bottle mounts in the Lumen’s front triangle, so users can either run two bottles or the range extender along with a water bottle.
This bike rolls on 29-inch wheels and it gets internal cable routing that runs through the headset.
Scott Lumen eRide 900 – Componentry
The Scott Lumen eRide 900 is the range-topping bike in the lineup and, differing from previous years, there’s no Fox Factory-equipped full bling build available. Instead, this one is a little more down to earth, albeit still quite expensive.
But for your £9,300 you get Fox Performance Elite suspension with a 34 up front and a Nude 5T EVOL shock hidden in the seat tube. Shifting duties are handled by SRAM’s GX Eagle drivetrain with a Praxis carbon crank and Shimano has braking covered thanks to a pair of XT four-piston stoppers that are combined with 180mm rotors at both ends.
Rolling on a pair of Syncros Silverton 1.5-2.0 CL wheels, Schwalbe provides the 29×2.4in Wicked Will tyres in the Super Race casing and Addix Speed Grip compound.
Elsewhere on the bike, there’s a Syncros Fraser iC SL DC Carbon handlebar and stem and perched atop a Fox Transfer dropper post with 150mm drop on this large frame is a Syncros Tofino saddle with titanium rails.
With this particular build, Scott raises some questions about what and who the bike is for. The low-profile tyres and smaller-than-average brake rotors, along with the wheels align with the Lumen’s cross-country intentions. However, its bang-up-to-date XC geometry suggests that it can get up to some fairly serious riding, and given that the bike tips the scales at a relatively mere 16.7kg (400g weightier than what Scott claims), it gives me the feeling that the brand’s designers had a weight goal to hit and has specced to suit.
Scepticism aside, these component choices match the bike well, for the most part, but they also present a bike that can suit different riding styles with a swap of some minor parts. We’ll touch back on this a little bit later.
Scott Lumen eRide 900 – Performance
Getting a leg over the Lumen very quickly highlights its XC intention as its 70mm effective stem length and the 77.2-degree seat tube angle put the rider in a comparatively racy riding position. As such, it’s a slightly more front-weighted position that harks to its Spark roots making the Lumen feel like a familiar training tool to those with a penchant for miles and cross-country riding.
Thanks to that riding position, the Lumen is a competent machine up a hill – as expected. When the gradient points up, it’s balanced and predictable. Its suspension kinematic isn’t anything to be sniffed at either. Here, Scott has recognised that the Lumen is an e-MTB so all-out, unforgiving efficiency isn’t required. Instead, the rear end is active as the suspension helps the rear wheel hunt for grip. Then throw the fast-rolling Wicked Will tyres into the mix, and the Lumen is something of a rocketship up a hill.
However, the brand has kitted the bike with its TwinLoc suspension lockout tech which is of arguable use on this bike but for those who do seek all of the efficiency, the option is there.
Of course, this is where the influence of the motor plays its largest role but when I say influence, I mean the lack thereof. During my time with the Lumen, the TQ HPR50 has seriously impressed me as its power delivery is nothing short of natural. It’s quiet, emitting only a whirr that’s overpowered by the sound of the tyre’s tread rolling over the ground and it works in the background, handing over subtle but useful levels of assistance that mask the weight of the bike, and making life a little easier when firing uphill.
It’s very much unlike the norm as it doesn’t allow the rider to just keep the pedals turning to reap the rewards of massive, almost effortless power. Instead, the TQ HPR50 rewards with a bit more input from the rider as it prefers a higher cadence before it gives up its peak support. There are three output modes to choose from though, so when the climb gets extra strenuous, the high-power mode kicks out enough power to make things much easier on the legs.
As for range, I’ve managed to put in 1,200-1,300m of elevation over 13km. That’s a lot of up over a short distance before running the battery completely dry, after which the motor showed minimal drag. It’s only the 16-plus kilos that serve as a stark reminder that as with all the best things in life, battery power is finite. Its relatively low weight does make pedalling the Lumen without assistance a much greater possibility compared to anything weightier but it’s still not the most pleasant of times.
Any downsides? well, the display, although packed full of easily attained riding metrics, is a bit on the plasticky side, which is a shame given that this is a high-end bike and motor.
Scott categorises the Lumen as cross-country/trail and even name-drops Nino Schurter, I won’t lie. I came into this test with the preconception that this is a cross-country bike with a motor. Its climbing capabilities and riding position consolidated this initial thought despite the somewhat aggro geometry. But it didn’t take too long into a descent to be proven incredibly wrong.
The Lumen is fast up a hill but it’s even faster going down where it utilises its extra weight to gather loads of momentum. Then, the impressively slack head angle (with the headset in its slack setting) supports this absolute change in character. And even though there’s just 130mm of travel at the bike’s disposal, because its extra heft improves suspension performance, it’s super composed when hitting the rough stuff.
But the 130mm of suspension ups the fun factor massively in that the bike’s keen to transfer feedback and communicate with the rider, something that’s become rare with e-MTBs.
Thanks to the mass of carbon that surrounds the shock, the Lumen is one laterally stiff number where it hardly flexes in the corners making for a responsive ride. Though the stiffness isn’t completely appreciable. Through rocky sections, the Lumen is easily knocked off-line which is something that’s kept me right on my toes, especially when the lightweight alloy wheels come into play.
Scott has nailed the geometry, too. Keeping true to its trail and cross-country intentions, there’s nothing too crazy here but it is very well-balanced. The 450mm chainstay is edging towards the longer side but, as a result, this aids climbing and adds a bunch of stability when descending. And because the front-centre isn’t massively long, rider weight is central, making for solid performance when cornering. This is even more noticeable when the head angle is in its slackest position, which helps the bike lean into a turn and hold its line.
The Lumen almost perfectly marries the characteristics of an e-bike with those of a regular mountain bike. The motor delivers its power so naturally and the comparatively low weight and supportive suspension make for a lively, agile and responsive bike.
It’s mostly that geometry that’s to be credited for the impressive versatility of the bike as I’ve been able to take the Lumen far beyond what the average rider would perceive as cross-country. By all means, it’s a hoot around trail centre loops and mellow tracks but, because the head angle is rather slack, it can be pushed through steep, natural and technical riding without complaint. However, this is where some of the componentry begins to get in the way of the Lumen’s true capability.
Namely, that’s the Wicked Will tyres and the 180mm rotors. To start with the former, while they’re grippy over hardpack and roll very quickly, grip wanes when the trail gets loose and braking power leaves a lot to be desired. They’re also built with weedy XC carcasses which prove to be a pain when lumbered with the extra weight of a motor and battery. When ridden hard and fast, the carcasses were eager to roll and squirm, which isn’t the most confidence-inspiring. During my test, I swapped to a more trail-friendly Maxxis Minion DHR II and the front and a Maxxis Dissector at the rear – both of which have softer rubber compounds and slightly burlier casings. This did up the weight and the rolling resistance but the change rewarded with heaps more confidence in all scenarios. But this swap in tyres is where the bike shows its two characters. If you want tonnes of efficiency to cover as many miles as possible, the lighter-weight Schwalbe rubber helps do that. I wanted more confidence when riding trail-style tracks and that’s where I benefitted.
What doesn’t make loads of sense is the choice to fit 180mm brake rotors. Although one of the lightest e-MTBs on the market, the Lumen is still a heavy bike. Pair its weight with the kind of riding it can withstand and it needs far more braking power to slow its near-17kg chassis. Larger rotors won’t add too many grams in return for better braking and improved heat dissipation, the latter of which will prove important during extended XC descents.
The Syncros one-piece handlebar and stem has become a staple part of Scott’s high-end mountain bikes and having ridden one on the latest Genius, it’s a trend I wish would go away. It does pose some benefits, mostly in the form of less weight and (arguably) improved aesthetics but, in practice, it restricts adjustment and this bar is simply too stiff.
As a one-piece bar, it’s limiting in its adjustment, too. When tipped into a steeper gradient, the 70mm stem puts weight further forward on the bike which can make the front end a little twitchy. As the bar and stem are one piece, riders can’t take full advantage of the bike’s versatility by throwing on a shorter stem for a day of riding natural tech.
Then, as there’s so little give in the bar, hand fatigue sets in quickly when rattling down descents and, when ridden with the thin stock grips, I’ve been left with a hand hangover for days after a ride. The lack of brake power from the small rotors doesn’t help this either. I swapped the grips for something comfier and squidgier which helped but there’s only so much that can be done to combat a stiff handlebar…
That said, the Lumen almost perfectly marries the characteristics of an e-bike with those of a regular mountain bike. Its weight gets the suspension working beautifully over a variety of terrain and the motor delivers its power with poise. Although it’s touted as a cross-country/trail bike, it’ll certainly put a smile on the face of anyone who wants to push it a little harder, granted with a change of componentry.
Scott Lumen eRide 900 – Verdict
TQ motor-equipped e-MTBs are still few and far between but, to compare, the Trek EXe famously brought the motor to the market and its 9.8 XT build shows competitive value, despite it being designed for a different style of riding. Rather than electronic SRAM GX shifting, the EXe 9.8 XT gets a Shimano XT setup but carbon wheels are present. It also gets larger rotors and RockShox suspension but this bike takes the form of a trail/all-mountain bike, as do many other TQ-powered e-MTBs.
The real competition comes from BMC’s Fourstroke Amp LT One GX Eagle AXS. It too runs a TQ HPR50 drive unit and it follows a similar philosophy to the Lumen but it leans more towards cross-country riding. Its spec is somewhat similar but it’ll set you back £9,800.
But if we look away from the TQ drive system, a potential customer can get a better deal. Take Focus’s latest VAM2. It’s a 125mm trail bike with a Fazua Ride 60 motor but it’s equipped with Fox Factory suspension and SRAM AXS Transmission. So where the motor might not be quite as sophisticated, you’re getting a higher-end build spec in return. That top-end bike costs £9,700.
If you’re after that TQ motor in a cross-country/trail bike, the Scott Lumen poses good value, coming cheaper than its main competitor, the BMC Fourstroke Amp LT. However, you can find better value with bikes that don’t use TQ’s system.
The Scott Lumen eRide 900 is an e-MTB that can be two things, either a mile-munching cross-country ripper in its stock specification or an excellent trail all-rounder by changing some minor parts. Either way, it’s a lightweight e-MTB with a ride that doesn’t take itself too seriously, offering fantastic responsiveness, stiffness and a capability that’s well beyond expectation. However, in some areas, namely the wheelset and brake rotors, it’s clear that the brand has done everything it can to make the Lumen the lightest e-mountain bike on the market and, unfortunately, that does come as a detriment to its performance. That TQ motor, however, is a gem of a drive unit that compliments the Lumen’s character superbly.
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Carbon fibre frame, Fox 34 Performance Elite fork, Fox Nude 5t shock, SRAM GX AXS shifting, Shimano XT four-piston brakes. Syncros finishing kit with Fox Transfer dropper post and Schwalbe Wicked Will tyres. TQ HPR50 drive system with 360Wh battery.
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