I have ridden Scott mtbs from hard tails to FS, aluminum and carbon for at least 15 years and thousands of miles, and they have all been excellent bikes. I participated in a demo day at my local single track (forest trails, roots and rocks) and took a new Voltage out for a half hour spin. It had the typical Scott feel and quality, which was great, but I was trying not to be disappointed in the power delivery. The Scott representative explained that Scott wanted a normal MTB feel but with some assist, but I got off the bike deciding not to go with an emtb. It just wasn't much different than my Comp and much more expensive. I could feel the assist, it was maxed out, but I was not impressed.
I was then able to demo a Trek Rail 7 with the Bosch CX motor. I did not want to try it because it weighed 53 lbs and that was a horror story for me at the time, but the representative convinced me. Wow, what a totally different experience, and it effected me so much I ordered one the next day. The additional weight just does not seem to matter much and I was a weight weenie guy. The suspension and brakes are not as great as my Scotts, but I absolutely love the overall riding experience so much I clocked 1k miles in 6 months.
If Scott would have used the Bosch CX motor with 625 watts, I believe it would be one of the best emtbs out there.
