1ST IMPRESSION
feel and a really smooth power delivery, even without engaging the Twinloc. Basically, it goes on and on and makes lighter work of lumpy climbs than some less pedal-efficient e-bikes. The new Kiox 300 display and bar control offers plenty to look at and fiddle with, too.
Personally, I’m not that fussed about rev counters and endless stats and would still prefer a more minimal Bosch controller. You can always remove the display, but the ‘master’ Led-lit remote has to stay, and with Scott’s Twinloc set-up and dropper lever on the same side, there’s a lot going on to test handeye coordination.
The Patron’s seated pedalling position is perfect for milking the abundant power and traction on flowy singletrack, and if you mix it up, and hover just above the saddle occasionally, there’s a nice tight feel bombing along bendy trails. We got stuck into some crazy climbing scenarios, riding DH tracks backwards for giggles, and it felt great here too, never getting weirdly unbalanced or pitching weight off the back. The ‘Traction Control’ setting effectively tips the chassis forwards and increases ground clearance for a more attacking attitude too, but I’m not convinced this will necessarily outweigh the reduced traction of having less travel on slippery, step-laden UK climbs.
Pointing the other way, Scott’s stiffness claims stack up, with noticeable tightness side-to-side, and no sense of deflection or flinching down some of the grippiest, grittiest rock formations I’ve ever ridden. The steering is pretty responsive, but being used to a shorter stem, the 60mm unit felt less reactive to me, and my weight was also a bit tipped forwards, which showed up the relative lack of support in the FIT4 fork (to the point of craving more volume reducers to hold it up deeper in the stroke). A better solution might be the superior, more adjustable GRIP2 damper, but that’s not an option here since Twinloc only works with the
FIT4 damper.
The rear Nude suspension is smooth off the top, but doesn’t entirely float over every bigger bump, or seem that plush – there’s less of a cushioned, glued-to-the-floor feel than some 160mm-travel e-bikes with more Dhgrade dampers. Hard-charging riders might also occasionally smash through all the rear travel; I bottomed the shock on deep landings and when hammering through compressions, eventually adding extra air pressure as a quick-fix.
This isn’t to say the Patron doesn’t keep you feeling totally safe and calm riding virgin trails at a fair old lick. There’s great balance between both ends; just less hyperactive off-thetop touch and end-stroke punch to stab at turns or bounce out of berms like some more progressive bikes. It’s very accurate to position, with neutral handling that carves rather than chops at turns. This could be partly to do to the chainstay length – despite being shorter, they’re still on the long side, and this is why it doesn’t display the razor-sharp dynamism of some e-bikes.
Another consideration, that’s in no way unique to the Patron, is that bigger batteries for longer range also means more weight and less agility. In my view, if you don’t do huge rides, you’ll be paying for that extra range with a lessplayful bike.
Scott has hit plenty of bases with the Patron and, as much as it looks like the sort of bike an oligarch would ride down to the cigar shop in Verbier, it’s also seriously practical.
Neutral, calm and planted, it pedals and handles smoothly enough to make it an effective ally both up and down. There’s also enough capability to hit up some tasty trails, even if it isn’t the perfect winch-and-plummet enduro shredder.
HIGHS
Superb climber with tons of traction and good pedalling support. Slick chassis is solid and has wellbalanced suspension and geometry. Bosch motor works superbly and also has huge power and range.
LOWS
Expensive. Hard to set up hidden rear shock. Relatively heavy for an expensive carbon e-bike. The Nude shock-mounting hardware (held in place by a small pinch bolt that rotates a lot when the hidden link moves) developed play after 50km of riding – production models will replace Fox’s IGUS bush with a brass set-up.