SCOTT Addict SUB5 by Dangerholm

In recent years, the "weightweenie" trend in road bikes seemed to fade somewhat into the background — the UCI weight limit of 6.8kg has likely played a significant role in that. The focus recently has been more on aerodynamics and comfort — which is hardly surprising given the rise of wide rims and tires, shorter cranks, and narrower handlebars. Nevertheless, right now is actually the best time to build a light yet powerful road bike.

The SUB5 Project is designed to prove exactly this point, while remaining practical for everyday use with no compromises. But that is precisely where the real challenge lies. When money is no object, reaching the weight target is relatively straightforward. However, if you don't want to make any sacrifices in overall performance (such as running a 1x drivetrain), things get considerably more demanding.

Not only is the 5kg weight limit an ambitious target, but Dangerholm has also set himself a sporting challenge with the technical specifications:

• 2x12 drivetrain with a sensible gear range
• At least 28mm wide tires
• Modern rims for solid handling and performance
• High-performance braking system for safety on descents
• Aero cockpit, visually matching the frame design
• Quality bar tape
• Total weight must be achieved including pedals, bottle cage, and computer mount

Of course, the weight clearance of parts for the rider also plays a role and must be taken into account. Those who are correspondingly light have some advantages here. Dangerholm sets his own weight range at 75–80kg.

Ultimately, the preparation for building the wheels in our in-house wheel building department was also an interesting calculation. Weight had to be saved where it wouldn't negatively impact performance, so that those grams could be reinvested where they were needed most.

Bike Presentation

Frame

The SCOTT Addict RC is a perfect starting point for this project. The top-of-the-range Ultimate model alone weighs just 5.9kg out of the box (without pedals) and is a technical masterpiece. The frame offers very good stiffness, is responsive and efficient. The HMX-SL version in size L tips the scales at just 630.9g, while the fork comes in at 282.4g. Since the latest frame generation features a 27.2mm steerer tube, using the expander — the Ultrastar 4 from Extralite — was not straightforward. However, Dangerholm was able to make everything fit with a Dremel. The supplied, fairly lightweight Syncros axles were swapped for even lighter titanium alternatives from RideNow, coming in at 24.7g. Syncros also puts up a strong showing with the seatpost and stem-handlebar unit. But following Dangerholm's motto — "There's always a lighter fish in the pond!" — the Darimo seatpost and the Nexum Drag aero handlebar combo from the same brand take priority. The bar tape from Ciclovation is finished off with Extralite HyperPlugs HD. The saddle is a Gelu K3 — an incredible 39.2g piece of craftsmanship from Portugal. However, it does have a rider weight limit of 80kg. For those needing the limit raised to 100kg, the reinforced version weighs just 10g more. Carbon saddles are often met with skepticism online, but with the right shape they can actually offer very good comfort. The carbon surface reduces chafing, as the chamois can slide more easily on the saddle, and in this case the saddle wings are extremely flexible.

Brakes

Building a bike that climbs well is one thing — building one that also lets you enjoy and ride descents fast is another. And here, the brakes are the key to success. Using the SRAM RED E1 with its performance figures is therefore almost a no-brainer. But there is still plenty of weight tuning possible here too! First, the clamps: titanium clamps from TiMaster are used, saving considerable weight compared to the originals. Dangerholm also goes after the brake hose fittings, brake pad pins, and bleed screws on the brake calipers, replacing them with titanium alternatives. The Trickstuff brake pads — Power — with aluminium backing plates also shed a little more weight. The caliper mounting bolts are from Meti and are just as light as they look good. The CarbonSteel 3 brake rotors from Carbon-Ti are also perfectly suited to this project. The lightweight carbon carrier allows more material to be used exactly where it's needed, giving the entire system greater stability and predictability even on long descents, without adding too much weight. The rotors are mounted with Centerlock adapters from Bike Ahead Composites, using the special steel shim required for the carbon carrier.

Drivetrain

Here too, combining parts from a wide variety of manufacturers is the order of the day in order to reach the target weight. The crankset used is the lightest model in the world: GrigioCarbonio Road T1000 — at 170mm it weighs just 256.3g. Despite this weight, there is no rider or system weight limit! The chainrings are from Carbon-Ti: the X-CarbonRing X-AXS in 37 and 50 teeth. The Extralite Hyper BB in the ceramic bearing version weighs 38.9g and runs with exactly as little friction as you'd imagine. It was installed without a central tube. Instead, a self-adhesive Jagwire brake hose guide was fitted inside the frame to prevent the brake hose from rubbing against the crank axle. The pedals are Speedplay Nano from Wahoo. Thanks to their titanium axle and further titanium upgrades, they come in at 150.6g. This is the second component with a weight limit — a maximum of 90kg, with a recommended maximum of 82kg. Those who absolutely need the 90kg weight limit can opt for the TimeXPRO 12 SL, which adds 25g to the bike. For the chain and cassette, Dangerholm makes no experiments — SRAM RED components are used. The RED front derailleur is also stock, though the rear derailleur received some tuning. The pulleys are UltraPulleys from Extralite, equipped with double ceramic bearings. The B-knuckle is once again a small titanium masterpiece from TiMaster.

Wheels & Tires

A climbing bike naturally needs appropriate wheels to match. At 866.7g, the wheels used here serve exactly that purpose. We at R2BIKE built these specifically for Dangerholm in our in-house wheel building department, using carbon spokes and NonPlus Primaro Fusion hubs. Depending on the spoke type (J-bend or straightpull), the hub pair starts at 197g. The rims are the Light Bicycle Airia 32 Disc in the Flyweight carbon version — 32mm deep and at their widest point 31.5mm wide, nearly as wide as they are deep. The internal width is 23.5mm. Despite weighing just 275g per rim, Light Bicycle has a rider weight limit of 100kg. A lighter wheelset would certainly have been possible, but this project was also about performance. The wheelset fulfills all the requirements set. For tires, Schwalbe's next generation of Aerothan is used — a pre-used test model. The labeling is a little confusing (marked 28mm instead of 29mm), as mounted on the rim they measure just over 29mm, but they roll incredibly fast and are exceptionally light.

Miscellaneous

Building a modern bike without a bottle cage and computer mount is all well and good, but it no longer meets today's standards. A CarbonWorks bottle cage is fitted to the Addict. The pair including screws weighs just 19.4g — and that's not even the lightest option the company offers. The computer mount is from Alpitude and, after a little "Dremel work," weighs 16.5g including screws.

SCOTT Addict RC SUB5 by Dangerholm