2013 Scott Spark 650 Review, Don’t be fooled by the name – or Scott’s enthusiasm, as a corporation – for the in-betweener wheel size du jour, 650b. The Spark 650 options smart previous 26in wheels and also the now-familiar Spark setup of 120mm (4.7in) of front and rear travel, all served up in an exceedingly format that’s aimed, we’re told, at endurance racers and path riders. will it still cut it?
Ride & handling: assured high speed handling and wonderful stability
The Spark’s sport roots square measure obvious in its low front and extended ride position, however its slack angles shout ‘trail’ loud and clear.
In apply, the result’s one-of-a-kind handling that blends wonderful high-speed stability with a rather high maintenance and wander-prone low-speed front. It’s undoubtedly associate degree predilection, though one that’s simple enough to induce wont to.
The bike’s low-ish weight {and simple|and straightforward|and simple} access to the TwinlLoc lever build it easy to hustle the Spark 650 up climbs in an exceedingly method that a lot of 120mm (4.7in) travel bikes would possibly struggle to emulate, creating this a quick and economical mile-muncher in theory.
The trouble is that the Scott/DT Swiss rear shock can’t hold a candle to the plush sprightliness of the Fox fork – a proven fact that is especially obvious on quick, technical descents. Full travel is just doable by running the shock unrealistically soft, whereas even at firmer settings it tends to fidget around below pedalling hundreds.
If it had a much better shock, we expect the Spark 650 may build a case for itself as a quick, fun cross-country machine. because it stands at the instant, it’s almost there although.
Frame & equipment: Mature and established style
For a motorcycle with 120mm (4.7in) of rear wheel travel, the Spark has astonishingly clean lines. There square measure various very little details that contribute to the stealing look, from the method the rear brake calliper mounts unobtrusively between seat and chainstays to the very fact that the seatstays square measure in line with the shock. If you wish your suspension delicate, you’ll find it irresistible.
The detail extends to a ‘chip’ housing the shock mount within the finish of the rocker link, which might be flipped so as to tweak the Spark’s pure mathematics. Don’t get too excited although – the changes square measure terribly delicate. rock bottom bracket are often altered by around 7mm and frame angles by concerning zero.5 degrees. we tend to doubt most riders can notice, notably since the higher setting for technical trails – with the next bottom bracket – conjointly steepens the angles. that is quite the incorrect method spherical.
The Scott’s mix of Shimano noise, SLX and Deore kit that creates up the majority of the stop-and-go elements is all smart, useful and hard-wearing stuff. The Syncros finishing kit adds slightly of unpretentious category to the contact points too.
The Spark 650’s biggest news is its TwinLoc lever, that contributes to the spaghetti-esque mass of cables that emanates from the bar space by running remote cables to the shock and fork. The 3 positions on the lever correspond to the compression damping settings of opposition, ‘traction’ – or ‘trail’, within the case of Fox shocks – and absolutely open
Reference : bikeradar
