Decline Magazine

Equipped with a hydroformed frame that incorporates adjustable travel and geometry, the Voltage FR line is built to be an all-purpose gravity bike with an emphasis on getting air.



The character of the Voltage FR chassis is a particular breed that will appeal to certain types of riders. Although Scott makes several models that hit different price points, riders will want to consider how their riding style matches up with each model before making a final choice. The longer travel models (165/180mm) will cover a broader range of terrain while the shorter travel models (135/150mm) make the most sense for riders that stick mostly to man-made jump trails. Equipped with a 160mm-travel fork and the option to run 165 or 180mm of rear travel, the Voltage FR 10 can accommodate a variety of gravity-fed trails. The rear shock rate has a low ratio with a progressive design, catering to bike park enthusiasts that love man-made jump trails but occasionally like to shred some of the natural terrain.

The main setup that you will need to sort out before hopping on the Voltage FR 10 is how much squish you want in the back. In order to provide a balanced feel to the suspension, the fork tune will need to be setup to match the rear suspension so it is best to start with the rear travel. The options are 165 or 180mm. The 165mm-travel option seems best for riders that are all about hitting jump lines while the added bit of travel of the 180mm setup is more for riders that want to link in a few natural trails on their way down the mountain. The suspension linkage gives both travel options a progressive feel, allowing the bike to effectively absorb hard landings, but the longer travel setup offers a bit more sensitivity.



Although it varies somewhat with how you setup the suspension, the Voltage FR comes well equipped to take on a variety of downhill terrain, but caters more to excavated trails, dirt jumps and Freeride lines. The Fox 36 Van R fork doesn’t have the compression tuning options of the RC4 rear shock and starts to show its limitations on high-speed downhill tracks, highlighting that this bike is more for freeriding than for downhilling. The FR 10 is more about playing on trails than blasting down them and it’s the most fun on routes that offer a lot of freedom to interpret and use the terrain. The more we rode the FR 10, more we realized that the nature of the bike is all about getting air—big, glorious, I-should-be-wearing-a-cape air. The bike comes off jumps with good pop and excellent control and the progressive suspension absorbs hard landings if you get a little too excited.

Introducing a new chassis design, Scott is offering several models within the Voltage FR line that cater to bike park riding. The FR 10 is the top model, equipped with a solid parts spec that features a single-chainring setup, a Fox 36 Van R fork and DHX RC4 shock. The bike has two travel options at 165 180mm to match up with the 160mm-travel fork, offering a setup that feeds on excavated trails, dirt jumps and freeride lines.