Scott Foil RC Ultimate

Anna Abram cranks up the pace on Scott's overhauled aero superbike

- Anna Abram

DEEPER TUBES

After the UCI updated its regulations on bike design in 2021, Scott took the opportunity to bulk up the Foil's tubes, particularly around the down tube and the head tube

WIDE TYRE CLEARANCE

Despite being optimised around 25 and 28mm tyres, you can actually fit up to 30mm widths in there without a problem

HUGE BOTTOM BRACKET

Topping even the chainrings, this massively oversized bottom bracket is primarily to help the airflow, but it also gives a rock-solid pedalling platform

£15,899 | 7,28kg

The Foil aero bike has been a stalwart of Scott's range since 2010, but it's also been T something of a paradox. Under the aegis of Mat Hayman, in 2016 the Scott Foil became the first aero road bike to win at Paris-Roubaix, showing emphatically that aerodynamic efficiency can trump endurance comfort.

Fair enough. But at the same time, these previous iterations of the Foil were trying to make concessions in the name of comfort (Hayman's Foil was able to fit 28mm tyres) - yet still, when we had the 2021 model on test, we found it notably harsh for an aero bike.

This latest reworking, though, seeks to resolve that tension regarding the Foil's compliance, while also shaving weight and working to increase the aerodynamic performance for good measure.

The frame 

It's worth spending a little time examining how each of this trifecta of improvements has influenced the design of the frame.

Let's start with the compliance. That chunky Kammtail seatpost doesn't exactly scream compliance, but look a little closer and you can see a large D-shaped cutout which greatly reduces the cross-sectional area of the seatpost, allowing for a greater degree of flex.