2022 is the year of the definitive change in the world of xc.
The Olympic discipline of fat wheels has been undergoing a revolution for a long time, first in terms of routes and consequently with an increasingly radical transformation of the means. With the new Spark, Scott is definitely setting the pace.
the means by which Nino Schurter won his ninth rainbow jersey pushes the modern interpretation of the old mountain bike to the limit
A particular MTB, this Spark by Scott which uses a design solution purchased a few years ago by the Swiss giant and which plans to enclose the mono directly inside the frame. This solution, which in addition to giving an absolutely clean line to the Spark, allows to optimize the entire structure, making it possible to opt for oversized bearings and guaranteeing greater torsional rigidity, which gives it greater precision of use.
This is certainly the most striking novelty, but the changes don't stop there; in fact, in the face of an already very open geometry, the excursion of the new Scott Spark is now extended to 120 mm.

The test bike
The test model is the Scott Spark rc team issue axs, with a very interesting set-up, which includes Rock Shox sid RL3 fork with 120 mm of travel, the mono is of the same brand and is the Nude 5 rl. The wheels are the Syncros Silverton, the transmission is entrusted to the gx with the AXS electronic gearbox. For the brake sector they relied on Shimano's L'xt with 180 mm disc at the front and 160 mm at the rear. The covers are from Maxxis and specifically the 2.4 Recon, while for the components they have relied on Syncros. The only remark I would like to give is the absence of the telescopic, now necessary on this type of vehicle.
This new Spark is a well-balanced bike, in which rational and balanced choices have been made in order to have a reliable and performing vehicle.



The test confirmed the expectations, with some surprises which I will tell you about
A medium that I strongly wanted to try, as I was curious to find out how a modern instrument behaved cross country. The changes taking place, the lengthened geometry and the almost all-mountain excursions have generated a very high level of expectation.
If we think that this new Spark has a 67.2 ° head angle while my first Scott Ramson had 26-inch wheels and a 68 ° angle, we understand what the leap forward that has been made in recent years could be.
I was lucky enough to use this bike for quite a long time, so as to test different solutions both in terms of the riding position and the suspension setting. In this way there was a chance to better understand the soul of this Scott

Position in the saddle
Scott's technicians did a great job on this Spark. The position is well collected, managing immediately to convey the feeling necessary to drive a vehicle of this type. The body is well distributed inside the bike, the posture of the back guarantees excellent stability of the pelvis, which in turn ensures that the muscles of the lower limbs can express maximum power. The levers are close at hand and today movement is immediately confidential.
There is a wide possibility of adjusting the height of the handlebar, an element that allows not only to adapt the bike to different heights, but above all to sew it according to the use we decide to make of it.

Uphill
Let's start with what should be this bike's favorite hunting ground. Once the xcs had to be great climbers, the long routes and with demanding climbs led the designers to create bikes capable of devouring unevenness in an impressive way. This is still partly the case, but the new routes have made other aspects more important, including the ability to sprint and a riding position that makes riding more agile and responsive. On bikes from cross country that I have tried in recent years, this was the feature that caught the eye the most, arriving in some cases to ascertain that on long and somewhat bumpy climbs in some cases trail and all mountain bikes were faster than lighter and more better performing on paper. With this Spark there is a change of sensation.

It remains a vehicle that wants to be relaunched on every occasion, but the work of the wagon gives that feeling of pedaling on velvet that I often find in trail vehicles.
The sensation is so strong that at first it felt like I was on an assisted bike. I found the shock absorption very similar to what I find on enduro vehicles, but with a higher travel speed of about 2km / h.
As mentioned, the wagon works very well, you never feel the need to move to the lock position, since the stability given by the hydraulics is excellent. During the tests I found a benefit from the block of the ammo only on asphalted or particularly smooth climbs.

The first surprise
The first surprise of this test, however, is the twin lock. On the models I had tried in the past this device had left me with some perplexities. The saddle set-up was difficult to adjust, as the ammo sank between the locked and the traction position, changing the angles of the column.
Now, on the other hand, even in the lock position, the shock absorber closes by sag values, ensuring that the saddle angle does not change in any of the three positions.
In this way the position on the saddle does not change, thus allowing the biker to fully exploit the potential of the wagon.

Downhill
This is the field in which I wanted to challenge this bike. The geometric dimensions and its travel could make you think you are in front of an all mountain bike. Let's say immediately that this is not the case, this remains a vehicle born for the xc and to be performing on very technical but short downhill sections.
The wagon is nervous and the absorption capacity that we would find on a trail bike of equal excursion is not present here.
This Spark absorbs jump landings and 'high compression' impacts great, it feels a little harsh on small bumps. This does not mean that it is a vehicle that does not go downhill, on the contrary.
The ability to lead curves and to be fast even in rough terrain is really high, as long as you have good driving skills and an optimal athletic condition.
The Spark is a vehicle that does not like hesitation and does not forgive mistakes

The second surprise
The second surprise of this test came when I tried to go from a 25% sag to a 15% sinking.
To my astonishment, the bike not only improved uphill, as we might have expected, but it lost some of the laziness we had encountered on the break pumps. Mind you, the soul remains a bit nervous, but the behavior has improved significantly in all conditions. This is another sign that underlines the racing soul of this vehicle.
Unfortunately, the lack of the telescopic did not allow to fully enjoy it in the most difficult descents, so I will be left with an unanswered question;
How far can this Spark go downhill?

Conclusions
I can safely say that the level reached by this weapon from cross country opens up new scenarios for the category.
The range of use of this xc has really expanded, as long as you have a valid technical background and an adequate physical condition.
I would like to use this Spark on one of my alpine tours, certainly with a telescopic and probably with a pair of slightly more structured tires.
I am sure that I would be amazed, not only uphill but above all in the ability to tackle the single trial tracks of the Alps.

