Aero Vs Climbing Bike - The REAL Difference Wind Tunnel Tested

In the bike industry at the moment lines are being blurred between lightweight and climbing bikes. We build two bikes up identically, one aero and one climbing frameset to find out how they differ. Thanks Scott for supplying the frames and Aerocoach for having us at the wind tunnel.
Which one would you pick?

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[Dreamweaver]

The more hard data I hear about losing 2 watts here and there to save like 30 seconds on a ride, the more I just want to pick my bikes based on how cool they look.

[HarryFunmaker]

Props for testing at speeds that are relevant for us mere mortals.

I still prefer the looks and feel of a lighter bike. I don't care if it's a few seconds slower.

[josipX]

It's crazy how much TOUR magazine is missing out for not being "online" enough and only publishing on the German market.

[genericasian]

Kind of amazing that the two of you are the same size (or at least can ride the same configuration) and can swap bikes without needing to do any adjustments. I'm sure that makes it a lot easier!

[DG-tfrp]

The best, honest, Aero/Climbing bike Vid I have ever seen. Keeping all things equal except for the Frame is the way all comparison Vids should be done. Great job.

[renatab]

I live in the Colombian Andes at almost 3000 metres. The thing everyone forgets is that the air (especially oxygen, which is heavier than nitrogen) is very thin in the mountains, so there is less air resistance, less aero penal and therefore ...less aero advantage to an aero bike/position/set-up. Even on flat roads you go faster here by sitting up straight because getting oxygen in the lungs is the big challenge, not pushing through the air which offers less resistance here. So how you should ride in HILLS is not the same as how you should ride in MOUNTAINS, two things many Europeans confuse.

[NickPearce]

Bike tests in that weather - that’s dedication! Kudos Francis and Jimmie!1

[TaylorRoss-go]

Great video and interesting insights. Here's my experience with both bikes.

I have an Addict RC 15 (Ultegra Di2 24 speed) and the same finishing spec on custom build Foil RC 2023 (using Ultimate RC frame). Both bikes with Ultegra C60 wheels.

I’ve had my Addict for a while and it’s been a great bike. This summer, I got curious and decided to build the Foil. I put the new bike through the paces and it blows my mind on every kind of ride (climbs, fondos, etc)

I am not a racer, nor a climber but I smashed through hundreds of PBs and segments in the last few months.

I find the Foil more comfortable, more agile and mostly feeling safer on the pothole-ridden South East England roads. It looks like a tank but it does everything with ease.

I was very happy to be in Team Addict but the Foil converted me to the other side.

[buggen]

I thought of buying a aero bike a while ago because I thought they were a lot quicker but this really makes me stay with my normal race bike.

[jrasero]

I think the problem is the same problem the Addict had when the last gen Scott Foil RC was around in that the Addict isn't that "light" for a climbing bike and two the Addict with the Syncros cockpit and a good set of aero wheels is aero enough that most people confused it with a last gen Scott Foil RC, thus this why Scott for their current gen Scott Foil RC made it drastically different and also tried cutting the weight. The fact of the matter is that the Addict is pretty long in the tooth gen wise since it's in this odd spot. I have a 2022 Scott Foil RC that weighs 17.13lbs with pedals, cages, and mounts and a 2023 custom Specialized Aethos Fact 10r at 14.72lbs with pedals, cages, and mounts, so right there that is a better example of a true climbing bike versus aero bike not only due to the 2.41lbs difference but because the Aethos's round tubes and more compliance.

[ibriddie]

best video i've seen in a long time, very informative yet super entertaining

[charnestours]

Whenever you go out to test a bike the weather is always terrible. I appreciate the consistency. The weather in this video was even worse than usual.

[dps]

My favorite bike channel by far. Great content and better personalities!

[daevion]

As a sucker for aesthetics, I'd take the FOIL.
But as a literal sucker on climbs, I'll take the ADDICT... or a motorbike.

[CycletheNation]

I'm genuinely surprised at how little the difference is across the whole spectrum really (weight, wattage losses), but secretly(?!) pleased. I bought a Giant TCR based on weight, as I knew they were light as standard. Living here in the Lake District, weight is a big factor for the steeper hills (especially for something like the Fred Whitton). However, it's still compliant and comfortable enough to use as an endurance bike as I demonstrated on my challenge back in June when I did 1142 miles in 8 days. I'm fully intending to use it on a (not flat) 24 hour endurance ride this year too. I'd been considering aero bikes but this has concreted my beliefs (based on zero facts) that I would be wasting a lot of money buying one, when an endurance bike is so similarly matched.

[SteveKimbo]

I'm a long time viewer of the channel but this is the first time I've listened to the podcast, while I was fettling and cleaning my kids bikes! I enjoyed it! (The podcast, not so much fettling the bikes). This country could benefit enormously from some nationwide education for drivers.

[SimonGoesSideways]

Great video lads ! I think it was perfect that your tests were done at 150w on the road and 30kmh in the wind tunnel. It is the power/speed an average road cyclist would ride at. There is plenty of data out there for these bikes at 45kmh but that speed only applies to pros. A normal person would only reach that speed going downhill or sprint to the town as an average.

So bottom line is, for a normal, recreational rider, don't worry about the numbers, just buy the bike you like and the one that fits you best.

[ktube]

I wish you had an old rim brake, externally routed addict from a while back just as a comparison. Geometry hasn’t changed much if at all.

[dropin]

Great comparison of two types of road bikes. As someone who is new to drop bars (only ever had tri bikes) this helped me determine that I want a climbing bike for my first road bike.

[brucekerr]

I own both Scott Addict 2017 model (rim brakes, 36cm carbon aero bars, 50mm deep carbon wheels) and Scott Foil RC10 2023 (all stock except tyres and power meter). On my short local loop (40km rolling terrain), Addict average speed = 30.6km/hr, Foil = 32.8km/hr. Both rides were in similar weather conditions at 225-230W average power, 235-240W normalized power.