#sparklewatts or #SPARKlewatts? The new SCOTT Spark is sure to put a glittering smile on your face as you cruise through the forest.

Yep. I just did that. But how can I not - we’re talking about SPARKLES.

All kidding aside, this bike is impressive and we are very excited to finally have one in the shop!

The Spark has historically been one of the fastest and most-winning XC bikes out there, with multiple world cup and world championship wins as well as an Olympic gold medal by SCOTT rider Nino Schurter, and several world cup wins and top performances from teammate Kate Courtney.

For its redesign, SCOTT wanted to make sure to keep that winning performance. So how is such a successful bike made better?

According to SCOTT, “a full-suspension bike will never have success without good suspension.” You may be thinking, “well, duh,” but there is a lot to factor into making suspension perform the way we want it to while accommodating the other design aspects of the bike. SCOTT kept the single-pivot design of the previous platform - a flex pivot is used to keep the bike lightweight and offer optimal performance for the travel that this bike has.

The most noticeable change to the Spark frame/suspension is the hidden shock. This wasn’t done just for looks. SCOTT states that creating their Integrated Suspension Technology allowed them to “refine suspension characteristics without sacrificing weight.” This shock design decreases inefficient lateral movements and increases power transfer. The shock now sits lower in the frame which lowers the center of gravity, offering more stable and confidence-inspiring handling. Also a nice feature of the integration of the shock is that it’s more protected from mud and grit, so the suspension will perform at its best even if you have to deal with the elements. Marginal gains is the name of the game in bikes at this level, but I think these changes are more than marginal. Riding this bike around, these changes are a noticeable improvement. The Spark feels great; it feels fast.

As a bike mechanic, my favorite part of the Integrated Suspension Technology is that SCOTT made a point that this shock would be easy to set up, access, work on, and remove. Many times, integration of parts in a frame means headaches for the people that work on the bikes. This will not be the case with SCOTT’s Integrated Suspension Technology. The shock is easy to get to through a hatch at the bottom bracket - so for the rider that means changing air pressure, compression, and rebound is a breeze. Going that extra measure to make the bike suspension easy for a rider to set up/adjust and a mechanic to service means that Scott was very thoughtful in this design on all levels.

The Spark continues to use SCOTT’s TwinLoc suspension system - connecting the shock, fork, and frame through a handlebar remote. Three ride modes are available to the rider with this system; effectively changing the bike’s geometry, suspension, and spring curve at the same time. Those modes are locked out, traction control, and full-open. The TwinLoc system is efficient and effective.

SCOTT made this Spark their lightest weight mountain bike frame to date, but made sure to not give up on stiffness in the areas necessary. The integration of the cockpit is executed just as will as the shock - no kinks in the brake lines/shift cables, sleek to look at, and the ability to easily make the front end slacker.

The suspension travel on the Spark is now 120 front/120 rear. More travel is more fun. And thanks to the new suspension design, the super lightweight-ness of the frame, and the sleek integration of the cockpit, this bike is FAST. What’s that mean? #fastisfun :)

- Kelly