Scott Spark 720 Plus
With a boost in tire width comes a boost in confidence on the trails
With a boost in tire width comes a boost in confidence on the trails
Scott Sports, one of the mainstream bike industry’s earliest adopters of the 27.5plus tire movement, has brought the traction and stability advantages of this tire size to the newly redesigned Spark. This plus model bridges the gap between the company’s Scale Plus hardtail and legendary all-mountain and enduro Genius Plus and Genius LT Plus models. Spark frames are constructed in either all aluminum, a carbon main frame with alloy rear triangle, or carbon throughout at the top of the lineup. Suspension travel on the Spark 720 Plus is 120 and 130 mm, front and rear respectively. There’s the Fox 34 Float Performance fork up front and the trunnion-mounted Fox Nude Evol shock out back. With this setup, I never felt any harsh bottom out as the suspension ramps up noticeably in the final 25 per cent of the travel. When I ran the fork slightly firmer, it provided a balanced feel front to back. The Spark employs the proprietary handlebar remote called the Twinloc system. It features three positions: descend, traction and locked. While climbing, I found the shorter 85-mm rear travel in the traction setting a must as it kept the bottom bracket height higher and pedal strikes less common. In the open/ descend mode, the plushness is noticeable as soon as you sit on the saddle. This feature combined with the supple 2.8" Maxxis Rekon tires run at sub-20 p.s.i. means you are in for a comfortable ride. Wet or dry, just get this bike rolling, stay light on the brakes and this machine will eat up roots, rocks and small drops easily. With a more aggressive tire choice, this bike could start to tackle more challenging terrain but the faster rolling tread of the Rekon makes the miles pass by without much effort.
The Syncros-branded components and cockpit from Scott tie the bike together well. The 35-mm wide tubeless-ready rims came pre-taped and aired up easily with a quick valve install and a healthy dose of sealant.
sram’s GX1 1 x 11 drivetrain runs a sensible 30-tooth front ring. The bike does ride livelier than the 30.5 lb. listed in the specs, so don’t let the weight scare you. The top-line carbon models do come in lighter at a substantial price increase, but these bikes are not likely on many hard-core racers’ radars. If your wish list includes a front derailleur, you have two options out of the four men’s models and both of the Contessa women’s models.
Geometry wise, the designers have forgone any adjustability and have used middle-of-the-road numbers that should suffice for a typical XC trail rider. An aggressive rider will most likely steer to the Genius lineup, which does offer a high/steep and low/slack setting. The Fox Transfer post took a little getting used to as the return speed is faster than I’m used to. But now on my own bike, I notice the delay in getting my saddle back where I need it.
With the Spark Plus series, Scott has created a series of bikes that make learning new mountain bike skills safer and more fun. The 720 will help a new rider to progress solidly and with confidence.