We reintroduce the Endorphin: the bicycle that made history and inspires the future.
Source: press release
SCOTT Sports has been a leader in the sector for several years and builds the lightest and fastest bicycles in the world according to the three values of the brand: Innovation, Technology and Design. No product has defined this approach more starkly than the Endorphin: The Bike That Started It All. Today, 27 years later, we bring a design classic into the modern perspective and ask ourselves: What's next? A collaborative project between the original designer of the Endorphin and our Lead Designer to discover how the bicycle that made history could be revived today.

To innovate, the first approach is to think outside the box. In looking for the next step in bicycle design, SCOTT didn't look at the competition, but instead found inspiration in an unlikely corner of the sporting world: tennis rackets. Their molded carbon shape, unlike any other produced in the early 90s, sparked the idea of the world's first monocoque bicycle frame, paving the way for the exploration of what carbon was capable of to do. The Endorphin gave SCOTT engineers the opportunity to experiment with carbon in a whole new way, treating it as a material of its own, with its own properties, instead of forcing it into alloy and steel forms. With different layups, directions and thicknesses, almost anything became possible, including the Endorphin, with its iconic seatpost design, plush ride feel, and light weight.
"Nothing like this had ever been done before Endorphine. But as soon as it was unveiled and won its first World Cup, the entire industry took an interest in this new technology. He undoubtedly pioneered the bicycle design we still see today“. - Pascal Ducrot SCOTT Sports Vice President


The Endorphin introduced technological innovations that changed the industry, contributing to the development of innovations in the years to follow. And not just at SCOTT, but across the entire cycling world. The project reached its pinnacle with World Cup victories, cementing its legendary status and showing the world what was possible.
At that time, the Endorphin had already made its mark on the racing world with Swiss XC specialist Barbara Blatter. Riding for SCOTT in the 1999-2000 season, she mostly raced with the Endorphin. He won the 2000 Mountain Bike World Cup, 2 Swiss Championship titles Cross-country (1999 and 2000) and a silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics.



The innovations that brought the Endorphin to life laid the foundation for the carbon expertise that defined SCOTT's great milestones and the knowledge behind the lightest bikes of all time. The Addict RC, Genius and Scale platforms can all trace their roots back to the Endorphin, as can the Spark RC, XCO's most successful race bike of all time.
"Nothing like the Endorphin had been done before. It took countless months to find a partner willing to work with our crazy idea, because no one still trusted its technology or saw its potential in cycling. But as soon as the Endorphin was unveiled and won its first World Cup, the entire industry took an interest in this new technology. He undoubtedly pioneered the bicycle design we still see today“. – Pascal Ducrot, Vice President of SCOTT Sports.




“From start to finish, the Endorphin was a crazy idea. The unique approach to the project was to explore what was truly possible to do with carbon fiber, abandoning traditional frame construction. We started from a blank canvas, considering the frame as a structural and sculptural object. This has led us to rethink every cross section, curve and surface, in a way that affects the ride and look of the bike.
At one point in the development process, we also started questioning the traditional diamond frame design and wondered, “What if the frame could offer some kind of rear cushioning?” This question led us to the iconic scabbard design that has become the visual hallmark of Endorphin. In the end we arrived at a new shape, something different and more organic than anything we had seen before”, Nicolas Savioz, designer of Endorphin (1997) and current head of design at SCOTT Sports.



For 2023, the SCOTT design team asked themselves: What would the Endorphin look like today? Taking cues from the original 1997 Endorphin silhouette, the frame has been reimagined with today's approach to 3D design. The high volumes of the tubes are accentuated by a combination of organic shapes and sharp lines that can now be produced with carbon and the experience of 3D modellers. The iconic seat stay design remains, updated to follow a modern design language, while today's components including disc brakes and an integrated cockpit from Syncros inspired by the retro Y-combination are incorporated into the design. To top it off, a sleek retro-futuristic graphic design is accented with 1997 details for a nostalgic look.
"I remember my first ride on the Endorphin as a young mountain biker. I had never seen anything like it. He changed bicycle design forever. Just like a classic sports car. Reimagining the bicycle today is a dream come true. We learned a lot about the lines and curves of the bike, as well as the surface finish, to imagine what it could be like in 2023“. – Fred Rul, designer of Endorphin (2023) and current head of industrial design at SCOTT Sports.

The reinterpreted version of the iconic Endorphin from 1995/96 was presented for the first time at Eurobike in June 2023. It attracted immense interest from trade fair visitors, spreading nostalgia and enthusiasm like wildfire. While the first edition was successful on the race circuits, the 2023 Endorphin concept is primarily an R&D project. Will we see you sooner or later in the race? Only time will tell.
Endorphin EVO Spec Highlights

Frame: SCOTT Endorphin Project EVO/AVS
Fork: RockShox SID SL Ultimate RD3 Air
Rear derailleur: SRAM XX SL Eagle AXS Transmission
Shifter: SRAM AXS Pod Ultimate Controller
Crankset: SRAM XX Eagle AXS Transmission
Bottom Bracket: SRAM DUB PF 92 MTB Wide
Chain: SRAM CN XX SL Eagle Transmission
Cassette: SRAM XX SL Eagle XS 1299 Transmission 10-52
Brakes: SRAM Level Ultimate Stealth 4-Piston Disc
Discs: SRAM HS2 CL Rotos 180/F and 160/R
Handlebar: Syncros Fraser iC SL XC Carbon AVS
Seatpost: Syncros Duncan 1.0 Carbon
Saddle: Syncros Belcarra 1.0 Regular
Headset: Syncros – Acros Angle adjust + Cable Routing HS System
Wheels: Syncros Silverston SL2-30 CL Full Carbon
Tyres: Maxxis Rekob Race / 29×2.4″
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Endorphine 1996 Spec Highlights

Frame: SCOTT Endorphin Carbon
Fork: SCOTT Unischock LF Carbon
Rear derailleur: Shimano XTR
Front derailleur: Shimano XT
Shifter: Grip Shift
Crankset: Shimano XTR
Bottom Bracket: Shmano XTR
Chain: Shimano XTR
Cassette: Shimano XTR
Brakes: Avid Ultimate Single Digit
Handlebar: SCOTT LF-X Termoplastic
H'stem: Ritchey WCS
Seatpost: Thomson Elite
Saddle: SCOTT Trimatic
Headset: Ritchey WCS
Wheels: Tuned Ultra light
Tyres: Michelin Wildgripper 26×1.95″
