SCOTT SPARK 900 ULTIMATE
An XC bike that can shred trail too
The Scott Spark can arguably be called the fastest cross-country race bike in the world after winning gold in both the men’s and women’s 2016 Olympic cross-country events with its wicked-fast pilots, Nino Schurter and Jenny Rissveds. The Spark RC model is the closest thing to their Olympic winning bikes a rider can purchase. The Spark Ultimate, however, is a trail-oriented bike with a slacker head tube, dropper seatpost and more travel. Scott is well known for making crazy-lightweight bikes that strive to cross the finish line in first place, but with bikes in all categories becoming more capable, it only made sense for Scott to develop a cross-country race machine for the rider less keen on beating himself up with stiff suspension and twitchy handling. The Scott Ultimate is a friendlier cross-country race bike that blurs the lines between cross-country and trail. This concept of a beefed-up race machine capable of shredding trails while retaining Olympic gold-medal performance sparked our curiosity and led our test riders to believe that this just might be the ultimate do-it-all, lightweight bike.
WHO IS IT MADE FOR?
The Spark Ultimate is made for a rider who trail rides after work during the week and heads to the races on the weekends. It’s not as light as Scott’s RC model (made to do one thing: win races), but it’s a full pound or so lighter than a traditional trail bike. Riders with cross-country racing in their blood will find the Spark perfect for hammering out intervals or powering their way through a workout, while more trail-minded riders will find this bike to be a blast due to its more aggressive geometry and better trail capabilities.
WHAT IS IT MADE FROM?
Internal routing: On either side of the Spark, just behind the head tube, are inlet ports for internal cable routing. The Spark keeps all of its cables from its many controls neatly tucked away, and a heat shrink-wrap comes pre-installed to further clean up the cables.
The Spark is constructed from HMX carbon fiber, made exclusively for Scott, and features 29-inch wheels; however, the same bike can be purchased with 27.5-inch wheels. Scott uses its patented TwinLoc remote that allows riders to set the suspension in three different settings on the fly. The Spark is built with a Fox Nude shock that now uses a Trunnion mount, resulting in a longer stroke while retaining the same overall length of 165 millimeters, the same as last year’s Spark 900. At a quick glance, you will also notice the shock was flipped upside down, allowing Scott to incorporate the shock into the frame for increased stiffness and a lower center of gravity. The Spark’s linkage is constructed of carbon, and the frame features an asymmetric design. Last but not least, the Spark Ultimate features a more trail-oriented geometry than the RC model, with a 1.3-degree slacker head tube, a 5-milli- meter longer top tube and 3-millimeter shorter chainstays.
WHICH COMPONENTS STAND OUT?
Built for the trails: The Spark comes equipped with a Fox 34 fork that changes this cross-country machine into a trail shredder. Scott took the fork a step further by incorporating their patented TwinLoc technology that allows the fork and rear shock’s damping to be controlled by a remote lever.
Ready to soar: SRAM’s new Eagle drivetrain gives riders a wide 12-speed gear ratio, perfect for tackling climbs or pedaling hard on flat sections of trail. The front chainring uses a redesigned tooth profile to secure the chain in place, and the rear derailleur has a clutch to prevent chain slap.
All in a thumb’s reach: Riders aboard the Spark can quickly change the suspension settings and operate the dropper post without taking their hands off the bars.
The Scott Ultimate is fully tricked out with all the latest and greatest parts on the market today. First off, the Spark comes equipped with a SRAM Eagle XX1, 12-speed drivetrain, along with SRAM Level Ultimate brakes. The Spark also features a RockShox Reverb dropper post, which quickly changes this cross-country race rocket into a trail-shredding machine. Next, the Spark has a trail-ready Fox Float 34 Factory fork operated by a remote lockout and finishes the build with Syncros XR1.0 carbon wheels. Together, these components make up a high-performance bike ready for ripping trails or crossing finish lines in first place.
HOW DOES IT PERFORM?
Setting Sag:
We initially set up our Spark with 30-percent sag front and rear but found we were bottoming out the rear end on bigger hits. We decided to increase the rear end to 20 percent and found it allowed our riders to get more aggressive on trail rides. Our rebound was centered front and rear and was later sped up two clicks or so. We then used our TwinLoc remote to dampen the suspension as needed.
Moving Out:
The Spark Ultimate has a slightly longer top tube than its cross-country brother, allowing Scott to spec the Spark with a 60-millimeter stem. This short stem combined with 740-millimeter handlebars gives the Spark a comfortable fit that blurs the lines between cross-country and trail. Many of our test riders felt the Spark fit them well, and the cockpit allowed us to toss the bike around with ease.
Going up: Thanks to the TwinLoc feature, riders are given the ability to damp their suspension on the fly. This allows the Spark to have a stiff and efficient feel when heading up the trails.
Climbing:
At just 25.4 pounds with pedals, the Spark is a lightweight machine capable of flying up the hills. Our test riders even found the suspension was well supported with the remote in the open position; however, we usually climbed with the remote pushed one click in to help dampen the suspension. The second click of the remote offered an almost full lockout, which was great for smooth climbs but was deemed unnecessary by our more trail-oriented riders. All of our testers agreed that this bike was lightning fast up the hills.
Lightweight trail ripper: The Spark 900 Ultimate blurs the lines between cross-country and trail.
Cornering:
The Spark has a trail-friendly geometry that makes it feel more like a true trailbike than a cross-country machine. We attributed this behavior to its short chainstays, 67.2-degree head tube angle and short stem length. The Spark’s featherweight frame allowed for quick maneuvers, and we found the suspension held our riders well when they pushed hard into a berm. The Spark’s handlebars felt appropriately sized for the bike, and the Maxxis Forekaster tires hooked up great on many different surfaces.
Descending:
The Spark is known for being a cross-country race bike, but its 120 millimeters of travel and dropper post say otherwise. Our testers were pleasantly surprised with the Spark’s ability to tackle rough trails, especially considering how quickly the bike allowed us to climb back up. The Fox 34 fork provided great performance, but our rear end, even at 20-percent sag, seemed to bottom out quite often on technical trails with large rocks and roots. This bike is, however, a nimble machine that packs a solid punch for the way down.
Confidence booster: The Spark Ultimate features increased travel, a beefed-up fork and a slacker geometry than the Spark RC model. This all relates to a bike that can boost a rider’s confidence on rougher trails.
Braking:
SRAM Level Ultimates are top-of-the-line brakes intended for cross-country and light trail use. They paired well with the Spark and allowed our test riders to ride worry-free, knowing they could safely stop with just one finger on each brake. SRAM built the Level Ultimates with lightweight carbon levers and titanium hardware. The brakes have a reach adjustment to comfortably fit many riders’ hands and have two-piece rotors to help dissipate heat.
TRICKS, UPGRADES OR TIPS?
The Scott Spark Ultimate is a top-of-the-line bike that is ready to rip right out of the box. Its component spec is enough for any rider to drool over, and it weighs next to nothing. Our test riders pushed this Spark as if it were a trailbike, so they required the rear end to be a little stiffer to prevent harsh bottom-outs. A rider who likes to keep his or her wheels on the ground may find 30-percent sag in the rear shock more suitable. The remote lockout is a nice feature for climbing that many riders will find themselves using quite frequently. Just be prepared to have a strong left thumb for quick operation of the suspension and dropper post.
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BUYING ADVICE
BUYING ADVICERiders with sponsor-covered jerseys seeking out the lightest bike possible will find the 100-millimeter-travel RC model a better tool for winning races. This Spark, however, is an excellent choice for a rider who wants to trail ride with friends one weekend and still have a race-ready bike the next. Its 120 millimeters of travel eats up most trails with ease, and its dropper seatpost will be appreciated by all riders except for true weight weenies. If you’re in the market for a top-of the-line cross-country bike that can handle the abuse of trail riding, then look no further than the Scott Spark Ultimate.
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