SCOTT CONTESSA SPEEDSTER 15
This women’s road bike from Scott purportedly provides a highly affordable aero advantage. But will this involve too much compromise? Let’s get testing…
They’re renowned for their tri bikes but how does Scott’s women’s alloy road bike fare?
Contessa is the women-specific bike range from US bike behemoths Scott, with a geometry and design based around the needs of female riders. The brand has plenty of tri pedigree, providing the steed upon which Bermudan Flora Duffy won the 2016 ITU World Triathlon Series. Technology from other top-end bikes in Scott’s line-up trickle down to more entry-level models, and Scott say the Contessa Speedster has borrowed some of the characteristics of their Foil aero road bike.
The Contessa Speedster features a shorter reach and a more upright position than its unisex equivalent; that said, it’s still designed with a race-ready geometry so expect to be in a more aggressive position when riding. This is great news for short-course racers, but it’s worth considering that comfort could become an issue on longer rides, as we were about to find out….
AERO THEME
For those who want an aero frame but don’t have thousands to spend, the profile of the tubing is a big plus point, especially at this price. The forks in particular are based around those on the Scott Foil, Scott’s flagship aero road bike. The aero theme continues with the Syncros Race 27 wheels, which have an aero profile rim. An alloy frame with carbon/alloy blend forks are to be expected at this price point, but it’s good to see reliable and efficient Shimano 105 gearing and Shimano rim brakes.
We found the Syncros saddle rather uncomfortable, and while saddle choice is very much down to personal taste, we’d suggest upgrading it at point-of-sale. We’d also recommend, if budget allows, upgrading to a carbon seatpost and some more plush bars to dampen out the road vibration we felt. The bike comes with some of the narrower bars from the Syncros women’s range, but we’d prefer a wider set for more comfort.
Speedster by name and by nature, the bike feels fast and has a stiff frame to get the most out of your acceleration. That said, while the 11 x 32 cassette was great for tackling climbs it left something to be desired on the flats, and we’d like to see some higher gears for getting up to speed on flatter terrain. This is somewhat contradictory taking into account the bike’s aero shape, and you may want some bigger gears for flat rides or sprint tris.
Cornering is smooth, stable and efficient, though a little sluggish. While steering is predictable, it wasn’t quite as responsive as we’d have liked through tight twists and turns, but on long swooping corners it held the line and remained stable. The stiffness of the frame does mean that road buzz directly translated to the handlebars and saddle, which led to some nervous descending.
If you want a bike that’ll give you great acceleration and speed when racing, the Speedster is certainly one to consider. And it does come in under that magic Cyclescheme voucher amount of £1,000, with cash to spare if you want to upgrade the saddle and seatpost. For 2017 the bike gets a few upgrades, including a carbon seatpost, full carbon forks and a more low-key blue colour paintjob. But the RRP jumps to £949.