A week after Sebastian Kienle won the Ironman European Championship in Frankfurt, Scott Bikes has released its new triathlon & TT line-up – with the brand’s new Plasma 5 and 4 bikes.
On his way to victory at the IM European Championship, Sebastian Kienle broke the existing bike split record by almost 10 minutes. He rode a Scott Plasma 5 featuring a unique camouflage design, which ‘made it impossible to spot the actual frame shapes.’
Despite an incredible effort on the bike, the German saved enough energy during the bike leg to complete the closing marathon in a time of 2:49:14 to win the European Championships staying below the magic mark of 8 hours and smashing the existing course record.
“I did my final preparation for the race in Frankfurt on the new Plasma 5 and knew that it was fast but I did not expect it to be that fast – I’m stoked,” Kienle said after the race.
‘Faster with the rider’
The Plasma 5 has been designed to be ‘faster with the rider than without’. As Scott points out, a moving rider creates a substantial influence on the airflow around the bike and ultimately on the aerodynamic performance of the bike-rider system.
“The influence of the moving rider on airflow and hence frame aerodynamics is a complex phenomenon but definitely needs to be considered when pursuing the goal of developing a high-performance triathlon and TT-bike,” explains Simon Smart, Technical Director of Smart Aero Technology and co-developer of the Plasma 5.
Extensive research resulted in the development of ‘an airfoil concept with a set of variable parameters that can be customized for every airflow characteristic in each aero zone of the frameset and even on the handle bar.’
In addition, the Plasma 5 features state-of-the-art integration of components from the front all the way to the rear end. With the Plasma 5, SCOTT was able to reduce aerodynamic drag by a claimed 7% compared to its predecessor, the Plasma 3.
‘Perfect fit, flawless integration’
Scott notes that the position of the rider directly influences the force distribution during the pedal stroke and consequently determines pedalling efficiency – while the position of the rider’s upper body directly affects aerodynamic drag. Saddle and handlebar adjustability were in effect a major topic during the developmental phase.
Considering the idea that the bike would be ridden by riders of all shapes and sizes, from World Tour riders to long-distance triathletes, the Plasma 5 offers a wide range of adjustability to follow suit. For the cockpit design, Scott partnered with the experienced developers of Profile Design.
‘Two stem and three base bar options (flat, drop and rise), adjustable spacers and compatibility with almost any extension ensure a perfect fit and flawless integration for maximum performance.’
‘Practical and performance enhancing fuel storage’
Long distance triathletes spend several hours on their bike before switching to the running segment. While aerodynamics and ergonomics are key factors for a fast and efficient bike split, nutrition and hydration are essential to maintaining a high pace during both the bike and running legs.
“We assessed the current fuel systems on the market and soon realized that we would need to come up with a novel solution to fully meet the needs of long distance triathletes,” explained Frank Oberle, Triathlon Product Manager at SCOTT Sports.
Again, in collaboration with the renowned parts and triathlon accessories specialist Profile Design, SCOTT developed a sophisticated storage system consisting of an integrated Aero Drink and a Storage Box that ‘stand above the rest due to their high degree of usability, while improving the aerodynamics of the bike and the ergonomics of the rider.’
2015 Plasma Line-up
SCOTT will offer the new Plasma in two platforms for 2015, resulting in a total of 4 models with MSRP’s ranging from €2799 to €9999. In addition, there will be a frameset offering for both platforms. Both models will be available in 4 different frame sizes and are expected to be in shops by December 2014.
