Back in June, Scott unveiled its overhauled Spark RC, gracing it with a fresh internal shock layout as well as a whole host of useful gubbins. It’s an excellent-looking bike that’s already seeing success on the world circuit under the likes of Bjorn Riley. But in classic Scott style, the brand has taken that race-winning platform, given it some extra squish and more adjustability to push it towards the downcountry genre, perhaps to appeal to a greater range of riders.
As the Spark DC is derived from its cross-country brethren, it borrows a lot of the cues found on the Spark RC. One of which is something of a focus on weight savings. Like its cross-country bike, Scott says that every gram on the Spark DC serves a purpose by chasing the ‘optimal’ balance of strength, stiffness, and durability. As many modern XC bikes do, the bike benefits from a flex stay, which sheds bearings and weight in favor of reduced weight and less maintenance. The brand reckons that, in its pursuit of lightweight durability, it’s created one of the lightest modern 140mm (ish) downcountry bikes on the market.
As for stiffness, of course the frame itself produces some of it, but the Spark DC boasts larger bearings, which Scott says boost stiffness while reducing service intervals. Then, because these bearings are placed low in the frame, they’re better suited to cope with the loads that’ll be put through them, while reducing friction. Of course, the bike dons UDH compatibility, can host a chainring of up to 34t in size, and produces a chainline of 55mm. All very modern stuff.
I say ‘ish’ after the 140mm of rear wheel travel because, actually, it gets 138mm of travel. What’s two millimetres between friends? Scott says that weight savings have been made here by binning components where they’re not needed and placing the pivots in the right spots. The suspension kinematic is then shaped to provide ‘solid’ mid-stroke performance but with a controlled bottom-out. The Spark DC’s anti-squat has then been tuned to provide traction and drive under pedalling loads.
The result is a suspension platform that’s active when traction is needed but responsive when smashing on the pedals. The shock then receives a custom tune, and it uses bearings at both of its eyelets to reduce friction and improve small bump sensitivity. Like the Spark RC, the Spark DC uses more common shock measurements, so users can benefit from a greater range of aftermarket options.
As for the Spark DC’s geometry, it’s a little more trail-focused, but it gets adjustability in the form of exchangeable headset cups. These offer half a degree of adjustment, so users can make the head angle steeper or slacker, depending on their preferences and riding styles. But as standard, a large bike rocks a 490mm reach, a 440mm chainstay, a 65-degree head tube angle, and a 76.2-degree seat tube angle. The bike then rolls on a pair of 29-inch wheels.
As a Scott bike, you bet it uses the brand’s TwinLoc remote suspension lockout, and as a descendant of the Spark RC, it also gets the Save The Day Kit + Tool that was unveiled on the cross-country bike. This all sits under a cover that hides the shock in the frame.
Cable routing is always a reasonably feisty topic when it comes to new bikes, and the Spark DC is no exception; however, Scott has gone around the whole cable routing task by offering options. The Spark DC can run its cables through the headset or have them exit through the head tube. This allows users to choose from an uber-sleek look or an easier-to-maintain cable setup.
Wrapping up, the bike has a mount for a bottle cage in the front triangle, complemented by an accessory mount under the top tube, and the Spark DC can accommodate long-travel dropper posts, with the small-size frame offering an insertion depth of 287mm and an X-large size coming with 378mm of insertion.
We don’t have prices for the new Spark DC just yet, but watch this space.
