Hi,
About me: I run half-marathons, I’m 25 years old, and I did downhill biking for about five years as a kid (until my bike was stolen 🙁 ). I’m in good shape. I’ve never ridden a road bike before, and I don’t even own cycling shoes.
Dilemma: I want to buy my first road bike that I can really lean into and ride fast on. Two different bike shops gave me completely opposite advice
1) Go straight for the Scott Foil RC 10
2) You have no foundation, and too much aero will wear you out; go for an endurance bike—the Scott Addict 20/30
Question: Is buying the Scott Addict 30 2026 for €3,600 a good choice for my first road bike? Or should I go straight for a higher-end aero bike Scott Foil RC 10 2025 for 5 300€ and take the risk?
Conditions: Primarily flat asphalt, but I also want to ride in the hills of central Slovakia—Poľana Hill.
Thank you in advance for solving my dilemma and not doing stupid decision.
by redkovka
7 Comments
I would go with the addict, it’s more versatile bike overall and more apropriate first road bike.
An endurance bike isn’t going to be *that much* slower until your fitness gets really good. Hell, even then it may not be.
You’re also realistically going to go further and faster if you’re comfortable, especially if you’re not used to the position.
Go for an endurance bike, get used to the position and type of riding, then you’ll know what you want!
Sounds like you really want the foil and will regret not getting it in no time.
I would suggest you buy a reasonably priced used road bike to make sure you like it, then get the foil down the road if you still think that’s what you want.
Otherwise, get the bike you want to avoid loosing more money when you have to trade in for it haha
You have a variety of athletic pursuits in your background so seems to me you’re better off with the endurance bike so you can explore what style of road riding interests you. The Addict will even let you ride unpaved/light gravel whereas you don’t want to go near that with the Foil.
25 is plenty young enough to start your bike collection. Get the all-rounder now, and add specialty bikes as you mature. 😄
Get whatever makes you want to go out and ride. Just don’t fool yourself into saying you’ll be quicker with the first one – comfort will allow a power output that will be easier to sustain over time that will DEFINITELY be higher than any aero benefits.
The greatest trick the bike industry ever pulled was convincing the world that we would be faster on aero bikes, which is not the case for 99.99% of the cycling population.
Have you considered any other bike other than Scott that may sit somewhere in the middle?
Either way, have fun, welcome back into cycling!
EDIT: Coming from someone who had an aero and went back to an all rounder.
Ok, so you’re fit, you’re lean, and you want to go fast on flats. On foil, you’d me miserable in beginning, but you can make it work. And when I say beginning, about first 500-1000km.
The problem is bike geometry and agresive stance. Sure, it’s more fun and it’s kinda faster, but it’s less forgiving.
I’d recommend you to get bike fit to your body before purchase. It wouldn’t be bad even to go second hand with bike fit. But you’re gonna have to get someone who does it well.
Just to give you a perspective, youtube BikeFit Tuesday and BikeFit James. He has singlehandedly with Francis Cade and Cade media helped so many cyclists not hate cycling.
Basically, more relaxed geometry bike has, more forgiving it is to inadequate fit. But more aggressive it is, less room for finesse all joints, tendens and bones have. When push gets to shoving, something gives, and cyclists gets in pain.
Just for tl dr, go with Foil, or foil like bike, but educate yourself on what you’re getting into. They are that more fun.
Guys, thank you so much for helping me with making a decision and such a detailed answers and advices ! I decided to go with Scott Addict as it is more versatile and later as my posture, condition, overall feel on bike goes better and i will be ready for very agressive ride, i’ll take aero one.