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2012 Scott Spark Full Suspension Mountain Bike, 26″ and 29er!

2012 Scott Spark 29er full carbon full suspension mountain bikeScott's Spark full suspension bike gets 29er wheels, new suspension design for 2012. Photo: O2Bikers
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2012 Scott Spark 29er full carbon full suspension mountain bike
Scott's Spark full suspension bike gets 29er wheels, new suspension design for 2012. Photo: O2Bikers

Scott Bikes just held their first press launch for the completely redesigned Spark full suspension mountain bikes, and the model gets a new suspension design and a 29er big brother for 2012!

Honestly, we knew this was coming, but were politely asked to keep it mum until things got official, which we didn’t think was happening until their U.S. press camp in July. These images come courtesy of O2Bikers, who got in early at their Italian press camp.

With a frame weight of just 1790g (26″ w/ shock and remote hardware, or 3.95lbs) and only 1890g (4.17lbs) for the 29er, this will no doubt be another gram shaving battle between Scott and Cannondale’s new Scalpel 29er. And we do love a good fight. Get scrappy after the break…

 

2012 Scott Spark 26" full suspension mountain bike
The 26" Scott Spark looks virtually identical to the new 29er model. Photo: O2Bikers.

Both bikes get updated to the latest standards, including PressFit BB, tapered headtube and, like it or not, direct mount brake tabs on the rear.

Scott extended the partnership with DT Swiss started with the dual chamber pull shock on their Genius freeride bikes. The new Scales get Nude, a new dual travel shock (if our translation is correct, anyway) that uses a small secondary chamber to offer a short 70mm travel setting and a longer 120mm (100mm on the 29er) travel setting controlled by a handlebar remote.

Up front, they get the new SID with Rockshox’s new RCT3 three-position compression damping and Motion Control DNA. The 26″ bike gets 120mm front travel, which we’re pretty excited to see on a lightweight XC-race oriented bike, and 100mm on the 29er.

We’ll get all the official info directly from Scott by the time their U.S. press camp rolls around, and since we’ll miss being at the actual camp, Tyler will get some first ride impressions in late July at DealerCamp. More as we get it.

Thanks to Julien for the tip!

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tripelt
tripelt
12 years ago

Why compare it to the Scalpel when it looks almost just like an Epic. Looks like the cozy Scott/Specialized relations will continue.

Will
Will
12 years ago

“cozy relations”

are you kidding?

Spec SUED Scott in the 2000s over FSR.

Colin
Colin
12 years ago

Gross.

mountguitars
mountguitars
12 years ago

tripelt,

i guess you haven’t seen the specs for the scalpel. at these weights, the scalpel and spark are the only one’s who can get this light. the rest are still in the 2KG range. besides, if there’s any cozy relationship with the bike companies that you mentioned, it would be specialized and merida becoz merida owns some shares/stocks of specialized.

joe g
joe g
12 years ago

santa cruz blur xc is 1840g with a standard size Fox shock on it.

wombat
wombat
12 years ago

The only similarity to the Epic is the curved seat tube (common on 29’ers at least) and its made of carbon and has two wheels. The Spark is a linkage activated single pivot with swing link on the top tube. The Epic is a horst link with link on the seat tube.

Graham Taylor
12 years ago

Though tripeit is right – it does look like a Specialized

Steve
12 years ago

Scotts are Fisher like with regard to reliability. I don’t trust them.

Eric
Eric
12 years ago

Thank the lord there is no Brain on it. It’s far from being a Specialized.

Veda
Veda
12 years ago

The original Spark is plagued with serious bobbing issue when the rear shock is at open position. With this all new model I hope they’ve fixed that problem… Then I can buy it again. Glad I sold the 2010 already…

Jon
Jon
12 years ago

The spark 50 did not have the “bobbing issues” with the dt swiss schocks, so you can’t say that ALL sparks have that problem. they are a good xc bike, fast and light. 09’s had frame issues, 10’s haven’t seemed to have that many problems. An… I wouldn’t come close to comparing scott to gary fisher, fishers are complete junk, an they are just waiting to break. I’ve beat my genius pretty hard, an it’s solid, so have all my buddies with their 010 sparks. kinda disappointed they went down to 100mm on the 29er though.

Will
Will
12 years ago

I always thought the biggest problem on the sparks was the DT shock. But the shock on the Genius LT is a lot better than the one on the Genius, so hopefully the new DT shock is an improvement.

Mark
Mark
12 years ago

The new DT shock on the 2011 rocks. I have beating the piss out of it all year, and it has taken it. With the new dual lock out, just ups it to total sweetness. I think I may have to sell it though. A Scott 29er Full suspension sounds TOO damn sweet!!

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