With the demise of my circa-1994 Ti frame I settled on the 2007 Scattante CFR. I opted for the full Ultegra, double chainring “Race” version.
I thought I would write up a review for this bike as the usual resource for reviews, roadbikereview.com, seems to have stopped updating their site. I added this bike, and wrote a review, but after a month it has yet to appear on their site. Oh well. Some of the old reviews I read about the 2002 and 2003 Scattante CFR bikes were less than inspiring. They cited issues with the reseller, Supergo, and the bikes as well. Things as severe as high speed head wobble in descents. I’ve put in about 700 miles on it so far, mostly on my commute to work. I’ve taken it out on a few longer rides, one was a trip to Davis from Sacramento with my friend Aaron, and another was one of my favorite rides from my old stomping grounds the Santa Cruz mountains.
Wow, what a ride! I posted earlier about the crash on this ride, but the other 90% of the ride was fantastic. The Scattante CFR climbs well, it’s got great gearing for climbs as long as you are relatively fit, and its comfortable for long stints in the saddle. The frame is stiff, and light with no hint of chain rub when you are out of the saddle. As for old issues with previous versions of this frame, no head wobble what-so-ever. I was descending down Bear Creek Road with traffic (+35 MPH Mr. Officer) and I can tell you from that alone, this bike corners like it’s on rails, even with my high mileage, puncture resistant, commuter tires.
The 07 Ultegra shifter are simply dead-on precise, and the trim clicks work like they should. Trim clicks are half clicks that allow you to cross gear a bit and keep the front derailleur from rubbing on the chain. My ancient STI shifters were not nearly as refined as the new ones, guess ten years of progress and refinement help.
Transitioning from the Ti frame to the carbon was an easy transition. I was always a bit disappointed in how flexible the Ti frame was, especially when standing or sprinting. It was light, but I just wasn’t ever excited by the ride. The Scattante CFR doesn’t have any of these issues. It rides a lot like my old steel frame being comfortable and stiff, but light. There are a couple of issues with the cable housing rapping on the head tube and sounding rattly, but I can resolve that with a bit of padding around the housing at the head tube. I also want to add some anti-scuff at the head tube as well to keep the frame shiny where the cables will rub.
Here are the specs:
- Frame: Carbon Monocoque Road Frame
- Fork: Carbon Blade, Carbon Steerer
- Headset: 1 1/8″ Integrated, 36/45 degree
- Crankset: TruVativ Rouleur 2.2TM, 53/39T, Double
- Bottom Bracket: TruVativ
- Shift Levers: Shimano Ultegra STI
- Handlebar: Forte Precision 6061-T6 Aluminum w/ 31.8mm clamp
- Stem: Forte Precision Aluminum, cold forged, w/ 31.8mm clamp
- Front Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra, Double, 31.8mm clamp
- Rear Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra, Double, 10-speed
- Cassette: Shimano 105 12/25T, 10-speed
- Brakes: Tektro R740, Dual Pivot
- Wheelset: Shimano WH-R561-L, 16H front and 20H rear
- Tires: Continental Ultra Gatorskin 700×23
- Pedals: Speedplay X5 (old)
- Seatpost: Forte Precision Aluminum/Carbon, 27.2 x 350mm
- Saddle: Velo
- Chain: KMC DX10 SC
- Grips/Tape: Synthetic cork tape
The only bits I changed out from the stock bike were the tires, I prefer Continental tires, and the seat. Although I’m still trying out several seats to find the one true seat. Other than that, I’m a bit skeptical of the bars and stem, I don’t know who manufactures them, as they are re-brands from someone else. I will change those out before the spring of next year.
For the ~$1,700 that these bikes are going for I think they are an incredible bargain.
Update – I have recently noticed pulsing when using the rear brakes. With the wheel in a truing stand I noticed that the seam on the drive side is bulged slightly (a one inch section, with a ~1 mm change) with no deformation in the roundness. While not catastrophic it is annoying. So much for Shimano 105 quality control.
42 Comments
Join the discussion and tell us your opinion.
Hi Joel,
Thanks very much for your review of the Scattante CFR 2007. I am on the verge of buying one and I have had a hard time finding reviews. Your review is the most informative review of this bike that I have found. It is extremely helpful. This will be my first carbon bike. I narrowed my choices down to the Scattante, the Fuji Team, and the Trek 5000 because they are in my price range. But the full Ultegra gives the Scattante the edge. One question: Does the Scattante carbon frame provide comfortable absorption of road irregularities the way other carbon bikes claim to do. Thanks again for a much needed review.
Gerard
It really does seem to. It would be great to have “one of each” so-to-speak lined up and try them all in a row. Most of my rides are ~16 miles in length and I don’t feel beat up by the road. I would say this bike does a pretty good job of absorbing shock. Having come from a Ti frame I definitely feel that it is as absorbent as the Titanium. I went through the same debate between the Fuji and the Scattante. I have a history with Ultegra and 105 parts, both are pretty durable, but the finish on the Ultegra really is better, and it seemed to hold up even after ten plus years. Check the rim seams before you walk out the door though, I can feel the bulge with my finger pretty easily.
Hi Joel,
Well I took the plunge and bought the Scattante. What a great bike!!! After logging thousands of miles on a heavier chromoly steel bike, the Scattante almost jumps out from under me. I’ve gotten several compliments on the Scattante frame’s finish too. I changed the seat to a Terry Fly after reading good reviews. It’s not bad but I have a feeling I could do better comfort-wise. I’m also considering the Serfas Terazzo. Or I might just go back to my old reliable Selle San Marco Rolls which is super comfortable but a little heavy at almost 300 grams. I might also change the brakes because I have been spoiled by the solid stopping feeling of the Shimano brakes, even though the Tektros are very adequate. Fortunately my rims did not have a bulging seam. My old bike had a bullet proof Shimano Sante groupo which was between Dura Ace and Ultegra. But it was so old (1988) the shift levers were mounted on the down tube. So you can imagine that I am now in gear shifting heaven with the new STI setup. Thanks for the helpful hint about the trim clicks. Overall, I’m a very happy camper. The carbon ride is glorious. Thanks again for all your helpful input. Peace, and be safe out there. Gerard
Hi Joel,
I just got the 07 Scattante CFR Comp. Unfortunately, I haven’t even been out to ride it yet, because I’ve been coughing up a lung. I just had a quick question about manuals/instructions for the bike. I asked the online help from Performance about obtaining a manual and they directed me to Customer service, who has not replied to emails. I’ve heard that some of the maintenance on carbon bikes is different from steel bikes (i.e. treating scratches to the clear coat, etc.) and so I wanted a manual. Did you receive manual with your purchase? I’m wondering if they were just giving me the run around. I’d much rather have them say a manual isn’t available and then I would look elsewhere for the info.
BTW, thanks for the review on the bike. I didn’t find very many out there on the internet.
Roger
Hey Roger,
No I didn’t get a manual with mine either…now that you mention it. Good news is there’s nothing unique about the carbon in the Scatantes so any information out on the interwebs should apply. There are a few areas where carbon fiber is in need of special care. First the fibers are floating in an epoxy resin, plastic. So flames are bad, and scratches that go past the epoxy gloss on the outside and scratch the fibers underneath are really bad. I recommend adding a some protective material at the point where the cables rub in the head tube to protect the finish. Additionally it doesn’t dent like metal. Steel and Titanium are malleable, and can actually go through a fair amount distortion usually bending before failing. Aluminum is not so forgiving and goes to a failing point much quicker that steel or titanium. Carbon fiber will take more force and won’t actually bend, then fail, it typically goes through something called catastrophic failure. It will, given a tremendous amount of force, just disintegrate. Lastly carbon fiber tends to bond to metals when clamped together for extended periods of time. Most manufacturers recommend pulling seat posts and re-lubing them regularly to prevent this galvanic corrosion. Other than that there’s not that much that needs to happen.
I’m glad to see some current reviews. I just ordered my 2007 Scattante CFR Elite from Performance. I was a bit nervous because I only test rode the 06 version with the double chainring. Mine will have a triple. But I was put at ease with Performance’s great return policy. If I don’t like it for any reason, I can return it. It should arrive within the week. I’ll come back and write another post after I’ve been on it a few times.
Hey wut’s up Joel
I’m kinda in the same boat as gerard.I’m considering the comp elite,the cfr comp,and the fuji team. although I like the comp elite it’s $400 more than the cfr comp do you think I should get the cfr comp and do upgrades because I would really like to do a sram force groupo or just go for the comp elite.
Will:
I would think that you would be better off, from a financial standpoint, of buying the bike you want from the start. If you buy another model, then upgrade the parts you are buying two bikes. Save for a bit, and get what you will be ultimately happy with. For the most part the Ultegra and 105 are similar enough, that you may not notice a difference. I would start to scrutinize the other components between the bikes to see if there are other sacrifices they made on the 105 bike. The SRAM Force is a whole different ball of wax, so if you really want that, go for it.
Joel:
I just thought I’d say thankyou for your review. After checking out reviews online, I too made to plunge to replace my 30 year old columbus tube racing bike with the new Scattante CFR. Not much to add, I agree with most of your impressions. It absorbs a lot of the bumps compared to my old bike, I am not sure that it is stiffer in response to my sprinting efforts (such as they are) but it doesn’t seem to lag at all and may be somewhat faster. I didn’t replace anything except the seat. Didn’t that seat stink? The guy at the shop told me it was a good seat, I returned it for just $13 credit. He said it was worth more than $30 and blah blah blah. Anyway, just to let you know you’re making a difference,
Don
Thanks Joel for the great review on the 07 CFR Comp. I picked one up yesterday at my local Performance, and couldn’t be happier. Like alot of the readers, I found the saddle to be very uncomfortable, so I got the E3 Form Ti saddle. I also got fitted and they swapped out the 110 stem for a 100 and the ride is awesome! Some of the other bikes I looked at were the Trek 5000, Cannondale Syanpse, and some other bikes online, and I would have paid alot more than the $1800 I spent.
Joel,
Thanks for making the decision to get a cfr elite easy! I just purchased an 08′ cfr elite for $1500 from performance and can’t wait to get it should be here in a week. Last day to get an extra 10% off online bikes at performance.
thanks again,
Rob
I test road this bike last week and liked it alot. Although i could not figure out where to attach my front bike lights.
Performance had it on sale at $1599. As a team performance member i would earn points to the value of $170 plus the manager was willing to let me use a 10% off anything in the store coupon i got sent through the mail. Thus making the bike more like $1360.
Would the wheels on this bike take me at 210lbs, i have some nasty bumps on my commute bike path?
hello to all:
I purchased 07 model CFR Elite back in December 2007. Great bike for a money. I got an incredible deal from Performance because it was a winter sale. 20% off (with coupon)in addition to the sale price $1700. I came off Bianchi Veloce 00′. But I do hate the seat. I am going to change it out. I do have couple of problems. It seems my bike developed ‘cricket like noise when I am pedaling. I cleaned the chain and the rear derailleur. Still there. Also my chain jumped off the top gear whilst changing. Couple of times. I am sure adjustment is needed on the top derailleur. But, only after riding about 130 miles? Other then those issues I enjoy riding the bike and it does encourage you to go faster because it is lighter then my old chromolly.
Wheel durability… Hmmm. I don’t think these wheels will be any different than any other wheels for large riders who are hard on their equipment. They are a low spoke count and rely heavily on the rim for structural integrity. If your current wheels are dinged up and warped your new ones will be the same very soon.
Creaking cranks… I too am experiencing this problem. Creaking is caused by two materials that are tightly pressed together slipping. Usually the chain ring bolts are a little loose, or the bottom bracket needs to be tightened. This is a normal issue that is easily fixed. Take it into the shop and describe the symptoms and they can take it out for a spin and make a few adjustments.
Thanks for all your reviews and comments. I bought the 2008 CFR Elite yesterday for 1699 and got a 10% off of that price (alongwith the 10% on my performance club member card). I just rode it for like 10 mins on my way back home. Liked the ride. I will be taking out for a spin today evening and will post my comments. the only squeaking sound I seem to be getting is from the handlebar when I turn the handlebar. the handlebar seems to be very tight. how do I loosen it up?
If you are referring to the turning of the handlebars, as in steering the bike, that’s the headset, and it shouldn’t be tight. Take it back to the shop and have it adjusted right away.
I took it back. They did some adjustments but I still have the creaking sound. They asked me to just ride and break in into the bike for 2 weeks and if the sound still exists, they will see what the problem is.
Also, My saddle just kept sliiping down on my first 15 mile ride. Took it back to the shop for them to re-fit me. They applied some paste this time before putting the saddle in.
Thanks for your valuable input. The ride is awesome though. I love this bike. it is really motivating me to ride more.
I would like to add to my previous reply (#9).
I now have 9200 miles on my Scattante CFR elite. I still love it, and I still can’t believe its original cost. Creaking cranks: I had them, I might still have them, but I don’t hear them anymore. I’m not sure why, I probably just stopped paying attention to familiar sounds, or maybe I am just riding too fast for the creaks to catch up with my ears (ha ha). Anyway I thought I would just say that they don’t seem to be anything to worry about. Those wheels seem to be quite tough, I’ve hit some big bumps and many other bumps, but the wheels just keep on going. The tires are also pretty good, got about 3000 miles on the rear tire and 5000 on the front, however they are long gone. I’m now riding Fortessa SEs at 140 lbs rear and 100 lbs front. Replaced the chain at 6000 miles and the rear brake pads at 8000 miles. rear derailer cable broke at about 7000 miles.
Seems like a decent bike at an excellent price.
I bought an ’08 Scattante CFR carbon bike and I HAVE LOVED IT! Haven’t had any issues with it & the Performance Bike shop folks are awesome when it comes to servicing my bike. I’ve been doing tons of riding in Austin, TX where there are lots of hills- this bike has been tremendous on hills. My friends who have the well known bike brands can’t believe what a great value this bike is. I did change out the Forte saddle for a ISM saddle and I bought Mavic wheels but the carbon frame and Ultegra components are great. When racing I change out the stock Shimano wheels with my Blackwell Research carbon aero wheels–this transforms bike into a rocket.
I found that creaking cranks are due to the chain ring bolts coming loose. Performance bike mechanic knew what to look for. Problem is fixed. Joel you were right.
Hi Joel,
Thank you very much for your review of the Scattante.
I was debating between the Scanntante and the Fuji Team,but everyone that I talked to about Scattante said they just love that bike …so,I just purchased an Elite from Performance today and already put like 15 miles on it on the road.
I am loving it so far…Ultegra all around shifts very nicely…
thanks for the great review. i test rode a Scattante comp the other day and was amazed at the feel of the bike. i also rode a fuji ccr and to my surprise the Scattante felt wonderful! i will be buying one in the next week or so. i can hardly wait..
I bought the ’08 CFR Race, I can’t say enough about this bike, I recently took it on the 2009 Courage Classic here in Colorado, over 200 miles and over 10,000ft of climbing, this bike was incredible! I’ve decended and got the bike up to 50mph, it’s steady as if I was doing 10 mph, it’s scary how stable this thing is, it was begging for more! It climbs like a mtn goat. After every day of riding, including the century ride on the second day, I praised the bike and kept telling my friend how much I love my bike! Performance for $1500, a steal when comaring to Cannondale’s Synapse at $1800 for their mid level rig.
Hello Everyone,
My old bike was the 2006 Scattante R660 with the Ultegra and a few days ago, I just bought the 2009 Scattante CFR Team Dura-Ace 7900 Carbon Road Racing Team Bike. It’s a really nice bike. Purchase from the Performance Bicycle in Laguna Niguel. Total price with tax is $2261.99. Could never be happier. It rides nice, Very smooth, absorbs the bumps and handles well. A price like that with the Dura-Ace 7900 drive train parts, Control Tech Carbon crank and handle-bar, it’s like buy the component and get the frame for free…
Joel,
I bought a Scattante CFR Comp in March 2009 and was very happy with the performance, reliability and support from Performance. It was stock except I changed the wheels to Mavic Aksium’s when I purchased the bike as I heard the Alex wheels were prone to breakage. I live in a hilly area (Northern CA) and had the bike up to 50mph, many times in the high 40’s. It handled like a rock. I was so impressed with the Comp model I sold it a couple of weeks agoa and bought a Scattante CFR Team (Dura Ace) with Easton EA 90SL wheels. With all the discounts the bike came in at only $2K and is nearly all carbon. Incredible value. The Team has lighter wheels so the bike climbs a little bit better than the Comp but the biggest improvement in smoothness. The good folks at Performance say the smoothness comes from the Easton wheels. Vibration is virtually gone, even on the roughest of roads and my hands don’t get numb anymore. Scattante CFR’s rock!
Phil,
I am considering buying the Scattante CFR team from performance. The price I am seeing online is $2599. Would you tell me how you got it for $2000? Thanks.
Vic
Hello Phil. I bought the CFR Race model, not the CFR Team model. There’s almost a $1,000 difference between the two models. The CFR Race is going for $1,700 now.
Vic,
I got it for 30% off so it was actually closer to $1800.00. (20% plus the additional 10% for being a Performance Team member which is a credit towards future purchases)
Joel,
The Scattante CFR frames are the same on all models.
I have about 1200 miles on it now and smile every time I get on it.
Phil
someone knows what type of bottom bracket it takes? i just got a frame but has no crank or bottom bracket
I actually don’t know the size. It’ll be english. I think they all are these days. You’re best bet is to take it into you local shop and get the bb measured. They’ll have a matching bb and crank in a size that will fit.
Several questions please. First off, thanks for all the great feedback. I’m currently looking at the 2009 Scattante Team Dura-Ace 7900. I’ve shopped Fuji, Trek, Giant, Gary Fisher and Scott and I cannot figure out how those bikes sell for the prices they do! I have a Specialized Roubaix Elite that is about 4-5 yrs old….58″ Alloy with Ultegra and Mavic Ksyrium wheels.
1. Any idea what I should ask for it?
2. Although the Scattante seems like a steal compared to other bikes, what is a good price for the 2009 CFR Team Dura Ace 7900 model?
3. What’s the difference between the “Race” and the “Team” bike?
Thanks!!!
I purchased a 2009 Scattante Comp and I am simply stunned with how great the bike feels. It is a rocket that climbs better than any other bike I have ridden. In three weeks I am well over 300 miles and at an average of 20 mph. I did replace the wheel set with Mavic Kysrium equipes and added tri bars. I could not be happier. There were other bikes available, I had a budget of $2500 and I liked the Scattante best. I didn’t hurt that it was only $1300 and I got the performance 10% back for future purchases. If you are on the fence buy this bike, I promise you will love it!
This relates ultimately to a 2009 Scattante CRF Team with Dura Ace 7900. First, it’s nice to see positive, substantive info about Scattante here. My two cents: I started riding 16 months ago after tiring of running. On CraigsList I was lucky to find for $700 a mint 5 year old Trek 2300 (alum. with carbon fork/seat stays, Ultegra components) and fell in love with cycling. Got a gold medal time on that beloved Trek in the 2009 Tour de Tucson (109 miles!) and thought about upgrading bike. I work and sometimes ride with some serious Cat 2 guys who urged me to spend $5 to $7K on a Specialized or Cervelo (“don’t ‘settle’ for anything less”). Well, I have 2 kids and other gear/money sucking interests, so as a Tour reward in March I “settled” for the 2009 Scattante Team with Dura Ace 7900 shifters/derailers; Easton EA 90 wheelset; Control Tech carbon comp handlebars, carbon crankset, seat post, and stem; Tektro R750 brakes. On sale for $2499, Performance manager knocked me off the fence by doubling Perf. Team club points, so I banked $500 to buy other stuff, net price $2000. The bike fits me perfectly and rides like a dream. My snobby Cat 2 guys make fun of it, with no basis or reason to do so (“the brakes aren’t Dura Ace,” “what the hell is Control Tech?”, “you get what you pay for,” etc.). Well, after more than a thousand miles, what i got was a great bike; it fits me perfectly and rides like a dream. The brakes work just fine. The Control Tech stuff may not be a main line name brand, but I LOVE the bars and can’t discern anything deficient or poor quality about any of the components. I’ve read variously that Scattante carbon frames are made by Fuji, by the same Taiwan shop that makes Orbea and Kestrel, etc. All I know is that the bike has performed great and, in my view, is a great value. I just want to get fast enough now to beat my snobby cohorts on their (also made in Tawain)Cervelos and Specializeds! I have zero qualms about this purchase and would buy another Scattante in a hearbeat.
Geez, I forgot, I got 10% lunch time special off the bike, so it was 2499, less 10%, so $2250, and I got $450 in team credits, net price $180 = No Brainer.
Well it’s been almost a year and approx 7000 miles since I got my Scattante Team and I think its the equal of bikes two to three times the price. Super handling, vibration dampening and good stiffness/power transfer without any harshness. Snobs with weak egos won’t ride it but I can’t find anything wrong with it.
Hi Joel. It’s Gerard, responder #1 & #3 from 2007. I rediscovered your internet site by accident. Wow, you really started something that has helped a lot of people. I bet many others have also read your site even though they didn’t respond. I feel honored that I was your first responder. My 2007 CFR Race is still humming and still looks like new. I keep it in the house where it belongs. I recently took a nasty spill that cosmetically damaged the original Shimano 561 rims. This turned out to be a blessing because it jump-started me to do some upgrades. I got a new Ultegra 6600 wheel-set from Jenson USA currently on close-out sale for $275 for set (amazing price, beautiful wheels). I also got a new Ultegra 6700 53-39 crankset (beautiful styling); Ultegra 11-28 rear cogs; Ultegra 6700 ss rear derailleur (necessary upgrade for shifting to 28 tooth cog); Dura Ace bottom bracket (the Ultegra BB wasn’t in stock); Ultegra chain; Vittoria Rubino Pro slick tires. Wow!! I thought this was a great bike before. The lighter rims and tires combined with the ridiculously quick smooth shifting of my now complete Ultegra drive train makes me smile while I’m riding. FYI, the Performance shop near me has a very accurate digital scale. My size 60 CFR Race weighed in at 17.9 lbs with pedals and bottle cages. Thanks again for your input that originally encouraged me to get this great bike that I have enjoyed for almost 4 years. I hope you are doing well.
Thanks Gerard. I’m glad my review helped out. I too still have mine, although it hasn’t gotten as much use this last year as it should. ( busy work year ) But summer is here, so I need to get back on the saddle… 🙂
I own the Scattante CFR Team Road Bike 2012, Scattante R-670 2010 and have been very happy with the Quality of the whole bike, great price, and most importantly the Customer Service. Great company!
Joel,
I just purchase a “2007” so I’m told Scattante CFR Comp SL6 Carbon….its black with red and white graphics..my question is I’m having trouble finding a front derailleur to fit. I started with a shimano dura ace 31.4…to small so I bought a 34.9 and it doesnt fit either due to the seat post not being perfectly round. I guess I could force it! What front derailleur are you using? Thanks, Gene.
I purchased a 2007 CFR Race five years ago as a starter bike and until now I still have the bike. I have no reason to replace or buy the popular brand bike. My bike perform flaslessly, the only upgrade I have made is the ergo BlackOps carbon handle bar and a set of Spinnery PBO 43mm Carbon Wheels. It is the most cost effecitive bike you can buy….