Nino Schuter could also be out of the racing recreation, however we’ve nonetheless noticed one other all-new prototype evolution of the Scott Spark – the only professional XC we’ve featured greater than every other over our years masking World Cup cross-country race tech. The brand new bike bears a hanging resemblance to the present Spark – Scott’s first Daring-inspired XC bike design with a hidden inside rear shock that I first rode and wrote about 5 years in the past.
However there are a variety of serious modifications that we are able to spot on this unreleased prototype. The primary being that the rear shock isn’t fairly 100% hidden inside anymore.
So why is it peeking out?
Scott Spark RC prototype World Cup XC race bike
The one semi-hidden out shock was the very first thing we observed. It appears to be like like a gap that offers simpler, fast entry to the AXS battery on the Flight Attendant rear shock.
However actually, a better reveals that that is really a very new suspension design. And hiding the shock contained in the body is possibly the one actual similarity with the present mannequin.
There’s fairly much more occurring right here…
Plus, Scott isn’t actually hiding the bike in any respect. So, it’s possible we’ll have the complete technical particulars within the very close to future!
What new tech is coming quickly?
Let’s begin off with the essential suspension design.
The present Spark is a single-pivot with flex stays and a linkage that drives the inner shock. This new prototype Spark seems to successfully be a 4-bar, with an exterior brief hyperlink concentric across the backside bracket and once more counting on flex within the rear stays.
We are able to’t see what’s taking place contained in the body. However as a result of there’s a plastic cowl over the inner shock with a gap for the AXS Flight Attendant battery, we are able to see that the rear shock is oriented virtually completely horizontal. That’s an enormous shift from the present resolution that’s basically in-line with the slope of the downtube.
Presumably, this could assist decrease weight within the body for extra steady dealing with. However importantly, all of it nonetheless seems to exist fairly a bit above the middle of the underside bracket, suggesting floor clearance received’t be a problem.
There’s additionally very clearly a second entry cowl behind the seattube, suggesting entry to the hidden shock will likely be a lot simpler on this new bike.
From the driveside, the complete suspension setup of this prototype appears to be like even easier and ‘cleaner’ than the present Spark. However a look on the different aspect reveals a fancy multi-part brief hyperlink across the backside bracket, that we are able to solely think about will get stuffed up with dust, mud & particles, and will definitely add extra upkeep complexity.
Different key tech we are able to see…
A minimum of it’s good to see a threaded backside bracket there, although.
There’s additionally a brand new seatpost clamping mechanism. Extra like we’re used to seeing on highway & gravel bikes, this bike appears to be like to get an inside, wedge-style expander.
Unsurprisingly, this prototype seems to be produced from Scott’s prime HMX SL-spec light-weight hi-mod carbon, primarily based on the writing throughout these frames. All different textual content on the body seems to be prototype advertising gibberish.
It’s not 32″, however there are some new Syncros carbon wheels right here!
And lastly, we are able to affirm that it doesn’t match 32″ wheels. Solely room for 29″ wheels right here.
However for fast detour on these 29″ wheels…
For XCC brief observe, the crew had been on current one-piece molded carbon Syncros Silverton SL wheels, recognized for ultralight weight and supreme stiffness. However for the longer and extra technical XCO race, they had been driving a brand new unnamed set of Syncros wheels with conventionally laced (hidden nipples) carbon spokes and silver CNC-machined alloy hubs.
Probably, they may launch with this unreleased 29er Spark RC quickly…
Now again to your regularly-scheduled 32″ rant…
Scott-SRAM MTB Racing had been, actually, one of many greatest drivers behind the push to 32″ in racing growth. Rumors recommend Nino was a kind of strongly pushing Maxxis to make a 32″ possibility in his favourite Aspen tread for a number of years, all the time on the lookout for a technological edge in XC racing.
However the brand new wheelsize is clearly nonetheless being developed. And whereas we’ve seen working prototypes being developed & examined – and even raced – by a number of large bike manufacturers, it’s solely been this spring the place we’ve seen main fork markers with something near production-ready. Scott-SRAM’s suspension provider RockShox has been noticeably absent, up to now. And that must be a limiting issue for a big portion of professional XC racing groups in the intervening time.
We’re positive there’s a 32″ SID in growth, however we haven’t seen it but.
Perhaps quickly?
