Under 5 kg and ready to race, a modern bike like no other

At a time when aerodynamics and integration dominate the development of road bikes, the concept of extreme lightness seemed to have lost prominence. However, this project demonstrates just the opposite. The new SCOTT Addict RC SUB5 developed by Dangerholm takes that obsession to the next level with a very clear approach: to go below 5 kg without sacrificing real performance.

The SCOTT Addict RC SUB5 by Dangerholm breaks the weight myth with a bike under 5 kg without compromises

The new SCOTT Addict RC SUB5 does not aim to be a mere exhibition bike, but to demonstrate that it is still possible to go below 5 kilos with a fully modern setup, equipped with electronic double chainring transmission, disc brakes, wide tires, and components designed for real riding.

The very approach to the assembly makes it clear that there was no room for easy solutions. The bike had to mount a 2x12 electronic group with reasonable gear ratios, tires of at least 28 mm, wide rims to maintain the modern behavior expected today from a road bike, truly powerful brakes, an integrated one-piece cockpit, conventional handlebar tape, and a final weight that also included pedals, bottle cages, and a cyclocomputer mount. In other words, an extreme bike on the scale, but also credible on the asphalt.

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The chosen base to achieve this has been the SCOTT Addict RC in HMX-SL carbon, a frame that already stands out for combining very low weight with high-level performance. In size L and with all the hardware included, the frame used in this assembly weighs 630.9 grams, while the fork weighs 282.4 grams. These are spectacular figures by themselves, but what is really important is that this lightness does not compromise the stiffness of the front end or the pedaling response. Dangerholm points out one of the great virtues of the Addict RC compared to other very light platforms, because it still offers solid steering, good precision when descending, and power transfer in line with a competition bike.

From that point, the project enters a phase of almost surgical refinement. The original Syncros thru-axles were replaced with titanium RideNow ones with a combined weight of 24.7 grams. The handlebar was also completely rethought. Although the latest Syncros parts have already reduced weight significantly compared to previous generations, the final choice was a Darimo Nexum Drag combo of 100x360 mm with a -6 degree incline that weighs 212.4 grams. The seatpost is also a specific Darimo with a D shape and 350 mm in length. The handlebar assembly was finished with Ciclovation KOM tape and Extralite HyperPlug HD plugs. Even the expander, a modified Extralite UltraStar 4 to fit the 27.2 mm steerer tube of the new Addict RC, is part of that obsessive optimization logic.

One of the most striking points of the assembly is the Gelu K3 saddle made in Portugal. Its declared weight on this bike is 39.2 grams, an almost unreal figure for a component of real use. It is also one of the few elements that sets a weight limit for the most demanding cyclist, in this case 80 kg, although there is a reinforced version that raises that limit to 100 kg at the cost of adding only 10 grams. Far from just focusing on the number, Dangerholm also defends its functionality, explaining that a well-designed carbon saddle can offer more comfort than is usually thought, especially when the shape works and the sides provide some flexibility.

Braking was another area where this project did not want to give an inch. And there appears one of the most interesting decisions of the assembly. The chosen base is the SRAM RED E1 levers, one of the great technical innovations of recent years due to the improvement in power and ergonomics they offer from the lever position. From there, a very refined system has been built in which TiMaster clamps, titanium screws, lightened pad pins, and even small machined details have been introduced to cut weight without degrading feel or consistency.

At this point, the bike also incorporates a unique solution for the frame interface. Instead of resorting to a conventional configuration with adapted flat mount calipers, Dangerholm opts for 612 Parts two-piston calipers, a Swiss brand with machined manufacturing in Germany and a design that is especially clean from a visual standpoint. The discs chosen are Carbon-Ti X-Rotor Aero made in Italy, a choice that mixes performance and aesthetics. The technical interest of these discs lies in how they distribute mass. Thanks to their structure with a carbon carrier, they can concentrate more material on the braking surface, which is precisely the area most exposed to heat, while maintaining a very low weight. The pair, in 160 and 140 mm configuration, weighs 146.5 grams. To complete that part, Bike Ahead Composites adapters are mounted with the specific steel washer required by the carbon carrier, as well as METI titanium screws for the calipers.

The transmission maintains the same philosophy of combining very refined parts with others chosen for reliability. In the bottom bracket area, we find GrigioCarbonio Road T1000 cranks of 170 mm, weighing only 256.3 grams and with no declared weight limit for the cyclist, something particularly striking in such a light component. They mount Carbon-Ti X-CarbonRing X-AXS chainrings in a 50-37 tooth combination, with a hybrid construction that uses a carbon central body and aluminum teeth to balance weight and durability. The bottom bracket is an Extralite Hyper BB with ceramic bearings that weighs 38.9 grams.

The group uses SRAM RED AXS front derailleur with 171.6 grams and the optimized SRAM RED AXS rear derailleur with Extralite UltraPulleys and TiMaster screws, leaving this piece at 276.7 grams. The chain is a conventional SRAM RED weighing 231 grams and the cassette, also SRAM RED in a 10-30 range, weighs 194.9 grams. Here the criterion is very clear, as Dangerholm avoids entering into overly exotic solutions for parts subjected to direct wear and prefers to preserve reliability in daily use.

The pedals are Wahoo Speedplay Nano with a titanium axle and additional titanium preparation, bringing the weight down to 150.6 grams. They are, along with the saddle, one of the components that most condition the maximum recommended weight of the user, in this case 82 kg. The assembly itself considers alternatives if a wider margin is desired. Some Time XPRO 12 SL would allow for an increase up to 90 kg at the cost of adding 25 grams, while a set of pedals with bilateral power meter would add 95.9 grams and bring the total weight of the bike to 5,087.3 grams.

The wheels are another of the major protagonists of the project. The assembly uses a custom set assembled by R2BIKE with NonPlus Components Primaro Fusion hubs in limited white Cerakote finish and carbon spokes. The total weight of the set is 866.7 grams. The rims are Light Bicycle Airia 32 Disc with Flyweight laminate, 32 mm profile, and 31.5 mm maximum width. The internal width reaches 23.5 mm and their weight is around 275 grams per rim. Despite this, they maintain a limit of 100 kg for the cyclist, which fits with the overall idea of this bike, where the goal is not only the scale number but a coherent combination of lightness, control, and ride quality.

This balance is also evident in the choice of tires. The bike mounts new generation Schwalbe Aerothan tires, still not widely available in the market and coming in this case from an internal test bike from SCOTT. Although they are labeled between 28 and 29 mm, on these rims they reach a real size slightly over 29 mm. This places them in a particularly interesting zone for a modern road bike, with more support, better comfort, and a cleaner transition with the wide rim. They are tires for use with tubes, so they have been combined with Tubolito S-Tubo Road TPU tubes.

Even the secondary elements respond to the same logic. The chosen bottle cages are CarbonWorks with a tubular carbon structure and reinforced finish to improve resistance to wear from dirt and repeated use. The pair, including screws, weighs 19.4 grams. The cyclocomputer mount is a carbon Alpitude that, after a small adjustment, weighs 16.5 grams including screws.

The final result of this entire process is a bicycle that goes below the 5 kg barrier including pedals, bottle cages, and GPS mount. And that is precisely what gives value to this project. Not only for the number but for the way to achieve it. The SCOTT Addict RC SUB5 does not give up the double chainring, does not cut back on braking, does not revert to narrow tires, nor does it hide behind a compromise assembly. What Dangerholm proposes is an updated reading of the superlight concept, one in which low weight no longer forces a choice between performance, control, and usability.

In the end, more than just a simple record bike, this Addict RC SUB5 serves as a demonstration of how far a modern road bike can go today when each component is chosen with such a strict and ambitious technical criterion.

Specifications and weights by component

• SCOTT Addict RC HMX-SL frame size L/56 with 630.9 g
• SCOTT Addict RC HMX-SL fork with 282.4 g
• Titanium RideNow thru-axles with 24.7 g
• Syncros headset with 48.3 g
• Syncros and Darimo spacers and top cap with 22.5 g
• Darimo top cap with Extralite screw with 3 g
• Modified Extralite UltraStar 4 expander with 4.4 g
• Integrated Darimo Nexum Drag handlebar 100x360 mm with 212.4 g
• Ciclovation KOM tape with Extralite HyperPlug HD plugs with 16.8 g
• Darimo D-shape seatpost of 350 mm
• Gelu K3 saddle with 39.2 g
• SRAM RED E1 levers
• 612 Parts two-piston calipers
• Optimized complete SRAM RED AXS brakes with 632.9 g
• Carbon-Ti X-Rotor SteelCarbon 3 discs in 160 and 140 mm with 146.5 g the pair
• Bike Ahead Composites The Fixer adapters with Carbon-Ti shim with 39.3 g
• Titanium METI screws for calipers with 10.9 g
• SRAM RED AXS front derailleur, 171.6 g
• SRAM RED chain, 231 g
• SRAM RED 10-30 cassette weighing 194.9 g
• GrigioCarbonio Road T1000 170 mm crankset weighing 256.3 g
• Carbon-Ti X-CarbonRing X-AXS 50-37T chainrings weighing 139.8 g
• Extralite Hyper BB ceramic bottom bracket weighing 38.9 g
• Wahoo Speedplay Nano Optimized pedals weighing 150.6 g
• Wheels built by R2BIKE with NonPlus Primaro Fusion hubs and carbon spokes weighing 866.7 g
• Light Bicycle Airia 32 Disc Flyweight rims weighing approximately 275 g per rim
• Schwalbe Aerothan tires with an actual width slightly over 29 mm
• Tubolito S-Tubo Road TPU tubes
• CarbonWorks bottle cages at 19.4 g per pair, including screws
• Alpitude bike computer mount at 16.5 g, including screws
• Final weight under 5 kg, including pedals, bottle cages, and mount
• Final weight with pedals and bilateral power meter at 5,087.3 g