SCOTT Patron eRide First Look

Take a hard look at the trends in technology, and if there is any common thread between them it is one of integration. New cars have more and more features smoothly hidden away, computers are sleeker and sleeker, and some smartphones even have their front camera hidden in the screen. While that level of integration isn’t always helpful, it can often be beneficial, and is almost always the result of pushing boundaries. Enter the SCOTT Patron eRide, which SCOTT claims is “the new integration benchmark.” And trust us, they really mean it. 

SHOP SCOTT PATRON ERIDE ELECTRIC MOUNTAIN BIKE

SCOTT Patron eRide Best Features

Integration, integration, integration. The result is a bike that largely looks very sleek compared to other electric mountain bikes. Much of that has to do with its hidden shock. The hidden rear shock might use similar tech to that of the SCOTT Spark, but it executes the shock integration in a different way: the shock is found in the toptube and is mounted horizontally. 

Want to mess with pressure and rebound? Remove the panel below the toptube to access the shock. Want to measure sag? SCOTT includes a small indicator on the non-drive side just above the shock linkage. However, you’ll need someone to read the sag as you can’t see it by just looking straight down. All told, the Patron offers 160mm travel front and rear.

That shock is controlled courtesy of SCOTT’s Twinloc lever, which can simultaneously control the fork and shocks lockout. The Patron needs some sort of cable management between the lockout, the dropper, and the Bosch assist controller, and so SCOTT routes most of the cabling into an integrated stem, again much like the Spark. It results in a cleaner cockpit, but one that not everyone will like.

One note here is that the frame features tube-in-tube construction means that not only does the battery get its own tube inside the main carbon frame, but that the cable routing is nice and tidy as well. 

Just above the handlebar is a Bosch Kiox 300 color display. The removable Kiox displays all necessary info, including speed, cadence, and even GPS connectivity. Other functions can be accessed through a Bosch smartphone app, including an eLock function. This makes your smartphone into a digital key of sorts, allowing riders to deactivate motor functions while away.

All Patron models use a Bosch Performance CX Gen 4 motor, offering 85Nm torque and up to 240% assistance. Standard fare and numbers you’ll find on other bikes. Not found on other bikes is the Patron’s motor location. Most electric mountain bikes see a motor found either just ahead or below the crank axle. Doing so provides less rock clearance, but it allows for a slightly lower center of gravity. The Patron mounts the motor differently, here rotating the motor by 46 degrees so it is actually cradled by the frame, inside the rear triangle. This is said to protect the motor from rock strikes, offer a bit more pedaling stiffness, and improve heat dissipation for the motor. However, the big reason we see that they’ve done this is to fit a large battery without having to settle for an awkwardly-sized downtube. An additional benefit of rotating the battery in this way is that the  battery sits lower on the frame. This is advantageous given that the battery is one of the heavier components on the bike.

Just how big is this battery? 750Wh big. This one is 20 percent larger than the standard 625Wh battery on most other Bosch-equipped bikes, and about 50 percent more than electric mountain bike batteries from just a few years ago. 

Total range, according to SCOTT, is said to be 100 km (62 miles) with 2000 m (6,560 feet) of climbing in Eco mode. Expect about half of each should you use Turbo mode.

Thought we were done with the integration? No chance. All Patron models come with a Fox fender for the fork as well as a rear fender placed at the seatstays. Interestingly the Patron’s rear fender comes with twin LED taillights powered by the battery. Additionally, SCOTT has routed a cable and plug for a front light should you go that direction.

SCOTT Patron Geometry

Regardless of whether the model uses an alloy or carbon frame, each Patron model shares the same geometry. Of course, all needed to fit the massive 750Wh battery, which SCOTT was able to do even on the size S without geometry compromise. 

160mm travel might mean the Patron could be ridden side by side with the likes of a SCOTT Ransom, or even something like all the other shuttle-replacing long-travel e mountain bikes. Not really the case here, as the geometry seems to be more like a comfortable backcountry bike than something just looking to beat a bag of bricks down the hill. 

Reach and stack measurements are on the conservative side. Chainstay lengths are 454mm across all sizes or about average for electric mountain bikes. You’ll find more aggressive numbers on true long-travel electric mountain bikes like the SCOTT Ransom eRide. This makes the Patron seem a bit easier to maneuver than the average long-travel electric mountain bike, which can feel unwieldy on tighter climbs, and inclined to understeer unless you’re riding downhill fast enough. Of course, this just a guess; more words will be dedicated to geometry once we get out on the trail with the bike!

Last note: Twinloc can adjust the suspension to a degree as well. Twinloc is a remote on the handlebars found on nearly all SCOTT mountain bikes. They allow riders to simultaneously adjust the shock and fork between three riding modes. Between wide-open and lockout settings is a Traction setting. This reduces the shock’s air chamber volume and reduces rear suspension travel to 115mm, thus adjusting the suspension efficiency on the fly, raising the bottom bracket slightly, and placing a touch more weight on the front wheel. This makes it great for technical climbs.  

Conclusion

SCOTT pulled out all the stops in making the SCOTT Patron eRide electric mountain bike. It's full of tech that might be a bit overwhelming to some, or a tech wonder to others. The hidden shock dialed downtube size despite the large battery, and overall design language makes this look a whole lot like SCOTT’s latest mountain bike, the Spark. The difference here is the Patron has a motor and battery, which makes the semblance incredible. Choose the Patron as a comfortable long-travel MTB that makes a willing all-day riding companion.

SHOP SCOTT PATRON ERIDE ELECTRIC MOUNTAIN BIKE