It’s here…

The lockout is pretty locked out BTW (my spark 17')

 

I just did a pretty big XC ride with a friend of mine. He was on his Spark RC, I on my HT.

Yeah, I am sticking to the HT. He is a very skilled rider, also races Pro and I have ridden with him at Mammoth and Summit and can affirm that he is NOT a dirt roadie. He was struggling to make it through and over stuff on his Spark that I was doing on my HT. The bike is just too long. The small advantage he has in straight line speed on the DH just didn't make up for my bikes superior handling in tight situations. He was unclipping and walking so much stuff that I could ride though.

 

Back in 2018 I had a chance to test ride one of the Bold Bikes... I liked it, but I didn't buy one.



I would like to test the TR version of the new Spark (against the Ranger, Spur, TB ect...)
My current Spark RC kicks a$$ with a 34SC (120), and the 2018 Spark 900 was my bike of choice for the 2019 Kokopelli IMTB ride.
I'll be the first one to admit that I like Scott short travel bikes. Now that my racing day are probably over, a short travel race/trail bike is the ultimate bike to have if I could only have one MTB.

 

Talent - not bike. Your reputation speaks louder than your words.

 

I appreciate the compliment, but he really is a good rider. I will admit that a few times he unclipped out of self preservation where I am more of a send it *smack* type of person.

 

I never noticed how skinny some of those sections on the lower Gabrielino are until I climbed it. Trying to keep your balance on a loose trail that's less than a foot wide on the edge of a cliff...

I'm pretty sure I can't blame my unclipping on the length of the bike... Although... My hardtail is about 3.5 inches longer than his Spark.