Scott Lumen in Review

The Scott Lumen eRide is somewhat of the spearhead of the current light eMTB trend. The lightweight trail bike weighs only 17 kilograms – an ode to weight. But can it deliver on the trail with just 130 mm of travel and uncompromising integration?

The prices for EMTBs are steep. Scott charges 9,999 euros for its Lumen eRide 900. And that’s a price range we’ve unfortunately become accustomed to with E-Mountainbikes. The components are respectable but not flashy luxury: Sram’s electronic GX AXS drivetrain, a lightweight aluminum wheelset from their in-house brand Syncros, and a reliable Shimano XT four-piston brake system provide a solid foundation.

A standout feature is the Fox suspension with Scott’s unique Twin-Loc Technology. This allows you to switch both the fork and shock remotely from the handlebar into three modes: Descend, Traction Control, and Lockout. A feature that no other brand implements as comprehensively as Scott does.

The components are high-quality, but the fork warrants some criticism. Because for 10,000 euros, you don’t even get Fox’s top-tier “Factory Kashima” line, but rather the one class lower “Performance Elite.”

16.99 kg is the weight of our test bike in size M. For a 130-mm mountain bike without a motor, that would be 4 kg too much. But for an E-MTB, that’s an excellent value. With its low weight, the Lumen almost enters the realm of muscle bikes. Visually, it’s also very close.

The compact mid-drive motor is almost invisibly hidden in the bottom bracket area. The specs already reveal that it only gently pushes with 50 Nm of torque. But it’s light and quiet. The motor weighs only 1.5 kg and comes from TQ in Bavaria. For comparison, the Turbo SL 1.2 from Specialized has the same torque but weighs 430 grams more. The Bosch CX motor delivers a hefty 85 Nm of torque but with nearly 3 kg, it weighs almost double. However, the TQ HPR 50 not only impresses with its outstanding weight-to-performance ratio but also with its compact design.

With a slim 8 cm diameter, the visible part of the motor is as small as a coffee cup. A 32-tooth chainring is bigger. When looking at the Lumen from the drivetrain side, it appears like a muscle bike on steroids. The motor – almost invisible. If you want to go undercover e-biking, you’ll hardly find a better-disguised e-bike than the Lumen E-Ride.

The Lumen is definitely an eye-catcher. You might wonder if something is missing here? A full-suspension bike without a shock? Well protected from dirt and water, the shock is hidden invisibly inside the seat tube. It sits between the motor and the seat post and is actuated from above via an integrated linkage.

What looks excitingly different and clean means extra effort when adjusting the shock. A service hatch in front of the motor allows access to the shock. To get good access to the shock, it’s best to turn the bike upside down. Scott provides a valve extension for adjusting the air pressure. If you don’t have the extension at hand, you’ll need a bit of finesse. Dexterity is also required when adjusting the rebound, as the shock hides behind a tangle of cables. Once the setup is done, these issues can be easily forgotten.

For tour bikers with a penchant for all-day rides, the integrated frame construction is a major advantage. The frame triangle offers space for two water bottles – a rarity for e-bikes. If you’re worried about range, you can swap the bottle holder on the down tube for a range extender. The bottle-sized additional battery offers 160 Wh, increasing the range by almost 40 percent.

The motor system impresses with an unparalleled harmonious riding experience. With an almost imperceptible sound, the motor pushes gently. Its character is reminiscent of a childhood feeling when Dad would put his hand on your back to help you up the hill. That’s what the gentle support of the HRP50 feels like.

The motor’s response is excellent, yet it doesn’t pull abruptly at takeoff but modulates power very smoothly. The engagement and disengagement of the motor are not noticeable, making the Lumen eRide ride very smoothly and almost as naturally as a muscle bike. Motor noises are – if at all – barely audible. They blend in with all the other riding noises.

The motor’s operation is intuitive. The display in the top tube is easy to read and provides the most important information. The handlebar remote is compact and unobtrusive in the cockpit.

However, the motor lacks some torque for enjoyable uphill flow on technical trails. But it climbs briskly on all other routes. Those who pedal hard will reach the summit in half the time of a muscle bike.

Many E-mountain bike full-suspension models today offer travel of 150 mm or more. This places most models in the all-mountain segment. Trail bikes like the Lumen eRide have less travel. 130 mm is the standard – and this is also true for the Scott. Due to the moderate travel, trail bikes are very lively riders – the rider’s input is not lost in the suspension.

E-bikes, however, are inherently heavy and therefore less agile – a short travel doesn’t change that. Many manufacturers prefer to use the extra travel and equip their E-MTBs with beefy forks and shocks. Scott follows its own concept and still relies on low travel. Although the bike weighs as much as a competition downhiller from the World Cup, the Lumen should be as nimble as a weasel on gentle trails. Does the concept work out?

The agile geometry and lightweight wheelset bring the Lumen to life. The 17 kg weight is quickly forgotten. Especially compared to other e-bikes, the Lumen accelerates swiftly, which is not only due to the motor but also the stiff frame. The power transfer from the pedals to the rear wheel is excellent. The suspension works definitively, providing clear feedback from the terrain – allowing the bike to be maneuvered energetically and precisely through the trails.

When you want to powerfully stand up on the pedals or tackle steep ramps, the Twin-Loc suspension system ensures that your leg power isn’t wasted in the suspension. The middle mode is called “Traction Control” and already provides noticeable resistance when pedaling. On the trails, despite the firm suspension, the rear wheel has plenty of grip. In “Lockout” mode, the suspension is stiff as a board – ideal for pedaling on asphalt without any power loss.

The Lumen loves tight corners and quick direction changes. When going downhill, you quickly forget that you’re on an e-bike. You can tell that most of the mass is very central around the bottom bracket area. The parts farthest from the center, like wheels, tires, and suspension forks, are light. This smart weight distribution makes the Lumen eRide nimble.

As soon as the motor support drops off at 25 km/h, the TQ motor can be pedaled without noticeable resistance. Sprinting with the Lumen over rolling trails, you feel no limitations from the motor. This is also a big advantage when pedaling on flat terrain. Thanks to the excellent rolling characteristics of the lightweight Schwalbe tires, you can quickly exceed the support limit even on level ground.

The concept of short travel, lightweight components, and balanced geometry works. The Lumen is ideal for sporty trail and touring bikers who can pedal hard but want to reach their destination faster with some support. But what happens when things get rough on rugged trails?

The rougher the trails, the quicker the limited suspension travel becomes a limiting factor. Although the geometry, with its long rear end and moderate head angle, provides remarkable stability, you’ll get shaken up at high speeds in rock gardens. Suspension travel can only be replaced by more suspension travel. Nonetheless, the Lumen is still fun. It shines on flowy trails. On technical terrain, the nimble Scott reaches its limits.

The tires also do not offer the necessary puncture resistance to ride full throttle over roots and rocks. If you spend a lot of time on rough mountain paths, you should upgrade to tires with a stronger casing.

Our test bike’s noise levels were also noticeable. While there was hardly any noise from the motor, the frame produced some creaking sounds. Unfortunately, we couldn’t pinpoint the source of the noises.

The ergonomics of the one-piece cockpit take some getting used to. It feels like the handlebars push your arms towards your torso, restricting an active riding style somewhat. However, on flat terrain and uphill, the riding position is quite aerodynamic.

The long-term performance of the cables is also questionable. The direct cable routing under the handlebars to the stem and through the headset into the frame results in a sharp bend in the cables. The small radii can lead to high friction between the cable housing and the cable itself. Over time, this can cause wear and loss of precision in the handlebar remote for the shock and dropper post.

Pro

• very agile e-bike
• great touring bike
• lots of fun on flowy trails
• very harmonious motor support
• very sporty e-bike

Cons

• quiet motor, but disturbing creaking on the bike
• ergonomics of the OnePiece cockpit take some getting used to
• cable bending in the head tube area
• premium price (and no Factory-Kashima fork)

We tested the ERide 900 version of the Lumen. If you want the full experience, you have to have over €10,000 in your pocket. If you’re okay with a little less luxury, you can also check out the more affordable models.

All information, including geometry tables and technical specifications for all models, can always be found on the respective detail pages: