Scott Solace Gravel Eride 30
An aero-looking frame and hidden cables help this machine to blur the line between road bike and gravel muncher
Road bikes are becoming less focussed on racing and gravel bikes are growing in popularity, which is making it harder to define when one style crosses over to the other. The Solace Gravel Eride 30 is a case in point. The carbon fibre frame may have oversized tube profiles, but they’re not dissimilar to the aerodynamic tube shapes used on road race bikes. Similarly, all the cables and hoses for the bike’s controls are neatly hidden away.
At first glance, the only clue to the Gravel Eride 30’s true intentions is its choice of large-profile tyres. It says a lot about the bike’s potential versatility because, while it arrives with Schwalbe’s G-one Overland tyres for a bit of off-road action, it’s only a change of treads away from becoming a capable and rapid road bike. This means that for the cost of an extra set of tyres you can drastically modify the function of the bike.
If gravel is your thing, the Sram Rival 1x11speed gearing offers a broad enough range to tackle most off-road gradients. And if things get too steep, the powerful TQ HPR50 mid-drive motor will give you some help. However, the fact that the motor is mounted low in the frame and the 360Wh battery is hidden in the down tube means the bike doesn’t look obviously electrically assisted.
You can also add an external 160Wh range extender battery that mounts to one of the two sets of water bottle bosses on the frame. Either way, how long you can stay out riding before the battery goes flat will depend on how light you like to travel. Scott is pitching the bike at a racier crowd, and its practicality for touring is limited by the lack of luggage mounting points on the frame – just the two sets of bottle mounts and a complete lack of bosses for accessories on the forks. This is fine for minimalist bikepacking or fast off-road riding, but you’ll have to do without panniers or mudguards.
► From £5,499
► scott-sports.com