The 2022 update to Scott's Spark RC and Spark 900 cross-country and trail bikes integrates the rear shock with the frame, giving it a bold but sleek look.
Scott claims that by moving the shock from its vertically-mounted position just in front of the seat tube to inside the frame it can "refine suspension characteristics without sacrificing weight."
For the world champ and Olympic level riders of the Scott-SRAM MTB Team Racing, such as Kate Courtney (world champion) and Nino Schurter (Olympic and 7x world champion), marginal gains make a measurable difference – whether that’s in outright performance or shaving grams wherever possible.
5 things to know about the 2022 Scott Spark RC and Scott Spark 900
- There are five levels of frame material: three carbon models, one carbon and aluminium hybrid model and a full aluminium version
- The head angle is adjustable by 0.6 degrees by rotating the headset cup
- The integrated shock is accessed via a port on the underside of the down tube
- The XC-focused RC model runs a 120mm fork, the trail-focused 900 model has a 130mm travel fork
- There are 26 models in the Spark range
The 2022 Spark range is split into two, with the Spark RC being the race-focused model and the Spark 900 the brand's XC-come-trail-bike. Both models get slightly different geometry, too, thanks to an adjustable head angle.
That means there's a hefty lineup of 26 bikes across the two ranges, including the new women's-specific Contessa models.
Full carbon fibre models feature at the top end, while a carbon fibre front end and aluminium swingarm version sits in the mid-range, and full aluminium models are present at the more affordable end of the 2022 Spark line-up.
Prices start at an impressively affordable £2,199 / $2,449.99 / €2,399 for the 2022 Spark 970 and rise to a whopping £11,999 / $12,999.99 / €12,999 for the 2022 Spark RC SL EVO AXS.
2022 Scott Spark RC and Spark 900 frame updates and details
Headlining the updates on the latest iteration of the Spark is the sleek-looking integrated rear shock, which is cached inside the frame's seat tube, down tube and bottom bracket junction.
Crouching Spark, hidden shock
Scott claims that by integrating the shock it's been able to shave precious race-winning grams from the frame while improving stiffness, and, in turn, pedalling efficiency.
The frame's shock cradle has been designed to be incredibly laterally stiff, helping to reduce unwanted sideway movement. Scott says it's used large pivot bearings, which doubles down on stiffness and reduces flex.
The low-slung position – that's claimed to lower the bike's centre of gravity and improve handling – is another benefit.
And because the shock's concealed, Scott claims it is protected from the elements, which should improve maintenance intervals.
Shock installation and removal, as well as access to the adjusters, is via a toolless port at the base of the down tube that is fixed in place with a rotating catch.
There's an in-built sag indicator on the non-driveside seat tube pivot and a port (with a seal) on the same side that lets a rider see whether they've been using full travel, to reset their shock's o-ring if needed.
Scott says all of the shock's bolts are accessible from the outside, requiring no disassembly.
Meticulous attention to detail
Elsewhere, the frame's been built around a 55mm chainline. This, Scott claims, means it's managed to offer good tyre clearance (check!) without compromising stiffness and, for speed-hungry XC racers, makes the frame compatible with 40-tooth chainrings.
There's space inside the frame's front triangle for two water bottles (apart from on the small); one at the base of the seat tube and one on the top of the down tube. This is great news for marathon racers or all-day epic riders.
Additionally, every one of the frame's bearings is fitted with an extra seal to help better protect them from the elements.
The frame features in-built ribbed chainstay and seatstay chain slap protectors, to help mitigate noise.
The rear axle's lever doubles up as an in-built tool with T25 and T30 Torx bits and a 6mm Allen key. With these tools alone, Scott says you can tighten or adjust all of the Spark's pivot hardware.
Brake and gear cables – on bikes without SRAM's AXS wireless, electronic shifting – are routed internally through the frame, entering the frame's tubes via the all-in-one Syncros Fraser IC handlebar/stem combination (check out our Syncros Hixon SL iC integrated bar and stem review).
All models of the new Spark use the BB92 press-fit bottom bracket standard, have a 12×148mm Boost rear axle and use SRAM's UDH (universal derailleur hanger).
There's an alloy version, too
Although the headliner 2022 Spark is the all-carbon fibre model, there's also a full aluminium bike that Scott claims is the "industry's only alloy frame with a fully integrated shock."
Scott says it's managed to maintain the look of the carbon model on the alloy version by developing special techniques to form and join tubes together.
It also assures us that the alloy frame's been through thorough computer stress modelling and on-trail testing to help ensure it's as strong as the carbon bike.
Scott has also worked hard to make sure it retains the same ride qualities as the more expensive carbon fibre versions too.
Even though the alloy bikes don't get the fancy Fraser IC handlebar, they do get a special Syncros stem, which means the brake and gear cables are internally routed just like on the carbon bike.
Women's-specific 2022 Contessa Spark RC and Spark 900
There's also a range of four Contessa Spark women's-specific bikes, featuring one Spark RC with a full carbon fibre frame and three Spark 900s, where the top two models have a carbon/alloy split and the most affordable in the range gets a full alloy frame.
The women's-specific models use the same geometry and frames as the unisex bikes but have "women's specific touch points" (which can be taken to be the grips and saddle) and custom, lighter fork and shock tunes.
Prices start at £2,599 / $2,999.99 / €2,799 for the 2022 Contessa Spark 930 and rise to £7,299 / $7,999.99 / €7,999 for the 2022 Contessa Spark RC World Cup.
How much does the 2022 Scott Spark RC and Spark 900 weigh?
Scott has only supplied claimed frame-only weights (including frame, shock and hardware), and doesn't say which size frame or shock the claimed weights are for, but the new Spark models look light.
There are three full carbon fibre models:
- HMX-SL: 1,807g
- HMX: 1,990g
- HMF: 2,150g
There is one mixed carbon fibre and alloy model:
- HMF mainframe and 6011 alloy swing arm: 2,590g
And there is one full 6011 alloy frame:
- Alloy SL 6011: 2,990g
2022 Scott Spark RC and Spark 900 suspension details
The latest iteration of the Spark retains the old model's 120mm of rear-wheel travel and Scott's TwinLoc remote control suspension system.
Both the alloy and carbon Sparks use a single pivot, linkage-driven shock suspension design. The one-piece swing arm's seatstay has an integrated flex pivot that's claimed to be optimised for this amount of travel. The design also reduces unsprung mass, which can contribute to better suspension performance.
Scott says the frame's kinematic has been designed to be optimised for XC racing and fast singletrack.
TwinLoc, three levers
Scott's long-standing TwinLoc design connects the rear shock and fork to a handlebar-mounted remote via cables that lets a rider select one of three suspension settings:
- Descend, where the suspension's compression damping is open
- Traction Control sets it half open
- Lockout closes the fork and shock's compression damping circuits along with reducing its travel, effectively 'propping' the bike up in its travel.
Scott claims this means the rider can switch between modes on the fly, depending on trail conditions.
Previously, the TwinLoc system didn't have an integrated dropper post lever, but the brand's new remote now has a third lever to control the seatpost.
2022 Scott Spark RC and Spark 900 geometry
The 2022 Spark RC cross-country race bike and Spark 900 trail bike share the same frame but have slightly different geometry figures thanks to different travel forks. The Spark RC has 120mm travel while the Spark 900 has 130mm of travel – and an adjustable headset cup.
The integrated headset cup can be rotated through 180 degrees to adjust the head tube angle by 0.6 degrees.
This means, Scott claims, the bikes retain a similar and familiar feel but have distinct intentions.
Scott is also quick to state it's not looking to copy the latest trends with its geometry (such as the latest phenomenon of downcountry bikes), and is instead informing its designs with feedback from the Scott-SRAM MTB Racing team and information attained by biomechanists.
2022 Scott Spark RC geometry chart
| Size | Small | Medium | Large | Extra-large |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat tube angle (degrees) | 67.2 | 67.2 | 67.2 | 67.2 |
| Top tube horizontal (mm) | 562 | 590 | 614 | 642 |
| Stanover height (mm) | 758 | 765 | 776 | 799 |
| BB height (mm) | 330 | 330 | 330 | 330 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 1129 | 1159 | 1190 | 1231 |
| Seat tube angle (degrees) | 75.9 | 76.1 | 76.6 | 76.9 |
| Chainstay length (mm) | 437.5 | 437.5 | 437.5 | 437.5 |
| Reach (mm) | 411 | 441 | 471 | 501 |
| Stack (mm) | 602.5 | 602.5 | 616 | 625 |
2022 Scott Spark 900 geometry chart
| Size | Small | Medium | Large | Extra-large |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat tube angle (degrees) | 65.8 | 65.8 | 65.8 | 65.8 |
| Top tube horizontal (mm) | 561 | 589 | 613 | 641 |
| Stanover height (mm) | 759 | 767 | 778 | 801 |
| BB height (mm) | 331.5 | 331.5 | 331.5 | 331.5 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 1145 | 1174 | 1205 | 1236 |
| Seat tube angle (degrees) | 75.7 | 75.9 | 76.4 | 76.7 |
| Chainstay length (mm) | 737.5 | 737.5 | 737.5 | 737.5 |
| Reach (mm) | 410 | 440 | 470 | 500 |
| Stack (mm) | 607.5 | 607.5 | 617.7 | 627 |
The Spark RC has a 67.2-degree head tube angle, a 75.9-degree to 76.9-degree seat tube angle, and reach figures that span from 411mm on a size small up to 501mm for the extra-large bike.
The Spark 900's geometry is similar, with a 65.8-degree head tube angle, 75.7-degree to 76.7-degree seat tube angle, and reach numbers ranging from 410mm up to 500mm.
The reach figures on both bikes are reassuringly modern, especially for an XC-focused bike. Wheelbases start at 1,129mm and extend to 1,236mm for the largest size.
Top tube lengths range from 561mm up to 642mm – a number that's crucial on a cross-country bike where a rider spends a significant amount of time seated.
2022 Scott Spark RC Team Issue AXS initial ride impressions
I was lucky enough to spend an afternoon riding the 2022 Spark RC Team Issue AXS bike on my local trails in Scotland's Tweed Valley.
While I only had time for a short 32km spin, I rode the bike over a variety of terrain on the iconic Glentress trail centre black loop and later branched off onto some gravel fire roads and doubletrack bridleways, followed by a quick spin along a paved cycle track.
Although limited in time and distance, the variety of terrain helped paint a good initial picture of the Spark RC Team Issue AXS, which is the fifth model in the Spark RC lineup (see below for the full Scott Spark RC and Spark 900 model range).
2022 Scott Spark RC Team Issue AXS setup
Removal of the shock door on the underside of the down tube was easy and gave access to the shock's air pressure value and rebound and compression adjustment. The toolless catch was friction-free and operable with just my fingers.
Inside, all of the shock's adjustments were easy to reach. Yes, it takes five seconds to remove the door, but the adjustment process is no more onerous than on a bike with a visible rear shock.
The small rubber grommet – which can be removed to view the shock's o-ring, shaft and upper fastening bolt – is easy to detach and replace, too.
The sag indicator is also clear and easy to use, and is visible when you're standing on the bike, so a second person isn't required to get an accurate measurement.
Although the bike I tested didn't have a dropper post, I was told the third cable-actuated dropper lever can be bolted onto the Spark's TwinLoc remote as and when one is fitted.
2022 Scott Spark RC Team Issue AXS climbing performance
Quite simply, it's a rocket ship on the ups. Pedal hard and it accelerates with a corresponding and instant surge of speed.
In fact, I found its outright speed easy to get addicted to and I ended up pushing myself harder than I usually would and keeping speeds as high as possible at every opportunity on the trail.
Thankfully, it handled those high speeds well.
Its suspension impressed me too, proving to be smoother and more supple than I was expecting, ironing out the small bumps that create trail chatter well.
Despite its suppleness, there was more than enough bottom-out resistance and support deeper into the travel to push and pump the bike through the terrain without it wallowing around or bottoming-out harshly. This, coupled with its fantastic power transfer, helped increase the speeds available.
I left the TwinLoc remote in its Descend setting for the majority of the ride, enjoying the traction- and comfort-rich ride.
Flicking the lever to Traction Control stiffens things up noticeably and would be perfect for taking the sting out of larger bumps on epic climbs.
Stiffen it up further by engaging the Lockout mode and the suspension is virtually movement-free; the bike feeling as close to a rigid a full suspension can.
This setting was great for the short paved section and clearly reduces almost all power losses to unwanted suspension bob.
That said, in Descend mode, the Spark's suspension hardly bobs under power anyway so, for riders (like me) looking for comfort and traction while putting the power down, it's hardly compromised.
Clearly, though, the TwinLoc is put to good use on the Spark and could be a vital speed-increasing tool for the discerning XC racer.
With the bike set to 20 per cent sag, I felt several rock strikes while I was pedalling over chunkier terrain. Reducing sag should help limit the chances of this happening, but the bottom bracket height of the Spark RC is about the same as its competitors, where the Specialized Epic's bottom bracket sits at 324mm and the Cannondale Scalpel Hi-Mod is 331mm.
I also felt like I had to angle the saddle as nose down and as far forward in the saddle's rails as possible. Although this is a setup preference, it also hints at a seat tube angle that could be steeper.
Overall, the geometry felt good, but unsurprisingly it has a head-down, low front-end race bike feel.
There was plenty of space to move around without upsetting its chassis and I didn't experience any unwanted front wheel lift or skittishness when heading up steeper ascents. Traction was also plentiful despite the dry and dusty conditions.
2022 Scott Spark RC Team Issue AXS descending performance
This model of Spark RC, like the cheaper ones beneath it, doesn't feature a dropper post. Although this will clearly save weight, it does compromise descending performance (if the seat is left at full mast) or flow (if you stop to manually adjust it before every descent).
I chose to leave the seat set to its highest position during the test ride in a bid to reduce the amount of time stopped trail-side.
With the seat at full height, it did kick when I rode off drops, but the bike's chassis was clearly well below its limits and capabilities.
Generally, though, the Spark had a nimbleness that was fun and engaging to ride, but speed and control were restricted mostly by the seatpost.
I think the dropper-equipped Spark RC would be a savvy purchase, to help unlock additional descending prowess.
2022 Scott Spark RC and Spark 900 models and prices
The Spark RC bikes all use a full carbon fibre frame. The Spark 900 has four full carbon framed models, three carbon/alloy split versions, and six full alloy bikes.
Prices range from £2,199 / $2,499.99 / €2,399 for the Spark 970 model and go to £11,999 / $12,999.99 / €12,999 for the Spark RC SL EVO AXS and Spark 900 Ultimate EVO AXS range-toppers.
2022 Scott Spark RC SL EVO AXS
- Frame and shock: Spark RC Carbon HMX SL / Fox NUDE 5 Factory EVOL
- Fork: Fox 34 SC Float Factory
- Wheels and tyres: Syncros Silverton SL2-30 CL carbon / Maxxis Rekon Race
- Groupset: SRAM XX1 Eagle AXS
- Bar/stem: Syncros Fraser iC SL XC carbon
- Price: £11,999 / $12,999.99 / €12,999
2022 Scott Spark RC World Cup EVO AXS
- Frame and shock: Spark RC Carbon HMX / RockShox NUDE 5 RLC3
- Fork: RockShox SID Ultimate RD3
- Wheels and tyres: Syncros Silverton 1.0S-30 CL / Maxxis Rekon Race
- Groupset: SRAM XX1 Eagle AXS
- Bar/stem: Syncros Fraser iC SL XC carbon
- Price: £8,699 / $9,999.99 / €9,599
2022 Scott Spark RC World Cup AXS
- Frame and shock: Spark RC Carbon HMX / RockShox NUDE RL 3 RL3
- Fork: RockShox SID Select+ RL3
- Wheels and tyres: Syncros Silverton 1.0-30
- Groupset: SRAM X01/GX Eagle AXS
- Bar/stem: Syncros Fraser iC SL XC carbon / Maxxis Rekon Race
- Price: £7,299 / $7,999.99 / €7,999
2022 Scott Spark RC Pro
- Frame and shock: Spark RC Carbon HMF / Fox NUDE 5 EVOL
- Fork: RockShox SID Select+ RL3
- Wheels and tyres: Syncros Silverton 1.5-30 CL
- Groupset: Shimano XTR M9100
- Bar/stem: Syncros Fraser iC SL XC carbon / Maxxis Rekon Race
- Price: £5,999 / $6,499.99 / €6,499
2022 Scott Spark RC Team Issue AXS
- Frame and shock: Spark RC Carbon HMF / RockShox NUDE 5 RL3
- Fork: RockShox SID Select RL3
- Wheels and tyres: Syncros Silverton 2.0-30 / Maxxis Rekon Race
- Groupset: SRAM GX Eagle AXS
- Bar/stem: Syncros Fraser 1.5 XC alloy / Syncros XC 1.5
- Price: £4,599 / $5,499.99 / €4,999
2022 Scott RC Team
- Frame and shock: Spark RC Carbon HMF / Fox NUDE 5 EVOL
- Fork: Fox 34 SC Float Performance
- Wheels and tyres: Syncros Silverton 2.5-30 / Maxxis Rekon Race
- Groupset: Shimano XT M8100
- Bar/stem: Syncros Fraser 2.0 XC Alloy / Syncros XC 2.0
- Price: £4,099 / €4,499
2022 Scott RC Comp
- Frame and shock: Spark RC Carbon HMF / Fox Float Custom EVOL Performance
- Fork: Fox 32 Float Rhythm GRIP3
- Wheels and tyres: Syncros X-30SE on Formula hubs / Maxxis Rekon Race
- Groupset: SRAM NX Eagle
- Bar/stem: Syncros Duncan 2.0 / Syncros XC 2.0
- Price: £3,299 / $3,999.99 / €3,599
2022 Scott Spark 900 Ultimate Evo AXS
- Frame and shock: Spark Carbon HMX SL / Fox NUDE 5T Factory EVOL
- Fork: Fox 34 Float Factory
- Wheels and tyres: Syncros Silverton 1.0S-30 / Schwalbe Wicked Will
- Groupset: SRAM XX1 Eagle AXS
- Bar/stem: Syncros Fraser iC DC Carbon
- Price: £11,999 / $12,999.99 / €12,999
2022 Scott Spark 900 Tuned AXS
- Frame and shock: Spark Carbon HMX / Fox NUDE 5T Factory EVOL
- Fork: Fox 34 Float Factory
- Wheels and tyres: Syncros Silverton 1.0-30 CL / Schwalbe Wicked Will
- Groupset: SRAM X01/GX Eagle AXS
- Bar/stem: Syncros Fraser iC SL DC Carbon
- Price: £8,199 / $9,499.99 / €8,999
2022 Scott Spark 900 AXS
- Frame and shock: Spark Carbon HMF / Fox NUDE 5T EVOL
- Fork: Fox 34 Float Performance Elite
- Wheels and tyres: Syncros Silverton 1.5-30 CL / Schwalbe Wicked Will
- Groupset: SRAM GX Eagle AXS
- Bar/stem: Syncros Fraser iC SL DC Carbon
- Price: £5,499 / $5,999.99 / €5,999
2022 Scott Spark 910
- Frame and shock: Spark Carbon HMF / Fox NUDE 5T EVOL
- Fork: Fox 34 Float Performance Elite
- Wheels and tyres: Syncros Silverton 2.0-30 / Schwalbe Wicked Will
- Groupset: Shimano XT M8100
- Bar/stem: Syncros Fraser 1.5 DC Alloy / Syncros DC 1.5
- Price: £4,799 / $5,499.99 / €5,299
2022 Scott Spark 920
- Frame and shock: Spark Carbon HMF mainframe, 6011 swingarm / Fox NUDE 5T EVOL
- Fork: Fox 34 Float Performance
- Wheels and tyres: Syncros Silverton 2.5-30 / Schwalbe Wicked Will
- Groupset: SRAM GX Eagle
- Bar/stem: Syncros Fraser 1.5 DC Alloy / Syncros DC 1.5
- Price: £4,099 / $4,499.99 / €4,499
2022 Scott Spark 930
- Frame and shock: Spark Carbon HMF mainframe, 6011 swingarm / Fox NUDE 5 EVOL
- Fork: Fox 34 Float Rhythm GRIP 3
- Wheels and tyres: Syncros X-30E on Formula hubs / Schwalbe Wicked Will
- Groupset: Shimano SLX M7100/Deore M6100
- Bar/stem: Syncros Fraser 2.0 DC Alloy / Syncros DC 2.0
- Price: £3,699 / $3,999.99 / €3,999
2022 Scott Spark 940
- Frame and shock: Spark Carbon HMF mainframe, 6011 swingarm / RockShox Deluxe Select RL3
- Fork: RockShox Pike Select RL3
- Wheels and tyres: Syncros X-30SE on Formula hubs / Schwalbe Wicked Will
- Groupset: SRAM NX/SX Eagle
- Bar/stem: Syncros Fraser 2.0 DC Alloy / Syncros DC 2.0
- Price: £3,299 / $3,799.99 / €3,599
2022 Scott Spark 950
- Frame and shock: Spark Alloy SL 6011 / RockShox Deluxe Select RL3
- Fork: RockShox Pike Select RL3
- Wheels and tyres: Syncros X-30SE on Formula hubs / Schwalbe Wicked Will
- Groupset: SRAM GX/NX Eagle
- Bar/stem: Syncros Fraser 2.0 DC Alloy / Syncros DC 3.0
- Price: £3,099 / $3,399.99 / €3,399
2022 Scott Spark 960
- Frame and shock: Spark Alloy SL 6011 / X-Fusion NUDE 5 RLX
- Fork: RockShox Judy Silver TK Solo Air
- Wheels and tyres: Syncros X-30SE on Shimano hubs / Schwalbe Wicked Will
- Groupset: Shimano XT M8100/M6100
- Bar/stem: Syncros Fraser 2.0 DC Alloy / Syncros DC 3.0
- Price: £2,599 / $2,999.99 / €2,799
2022 Scott Spark 970
- Frame and shock: Spark Alloy SL 6011 / X-Fusion NUDE 5 RLX
- Fork: RockShox Judy Silver TK Solo Air
- Wheels and tyres: Syncros X-30SE on Formula hubs / Schwalbe Wicked Will
- Groupset: SRAM NX / SX Eagle
- Bar/stem: Syncros Fraser 2.0 DC Alloy / Syncros DC 3.0
- Price: £2,199 / $2,449.99 / €2,399
2022 Contessa Spark RC World Cup
- Frame and shock: Spark RC Carbon HMX / RockShox NUDE 5 RL3
- Fork: RockShox SID Select+ RL3
- Wheels and tyres: Syncros Silverton 1.0-30 / Maxxis Rekon Race
- Groupset: SRAM X01 / GX Eagle AXS
- Bar/stem: Syncros Fraser iC XC Carbon
- Price: £7,299 / $7,99.99 / €7,999
2022 Contessa Spark 910
- Frame and shock: Spark Carbon HMF mainframe, 6011 swingarm / Fox NUDE 5T EVOL
- Fork: Fox 34 Float Performance GRIP3
- Wheels and tyres: Syncros Silverton 2.5-30 / Schwalbe Wicked Will
- Groupset: SRAM GX Eagle
- Bar/stem: Syncros Fraser 1.5 DC Alloy / Syncros DC 1.5
- Price: £4,099 / $4,499.99 / €4,499
2022 Contessa Spark 920
- Frame and shock: Spark Carbon HMF mainframe, 6011 swingarm / RockShox Deluxe Select RL3
- Fork: RockShox Pike Select RL3
- Wheels and tyres: Syncros X-30SE on Formula hubs / Schwalbe Wicked Will
- Groupset: SRAM NX / SX Eagle
- Bar/stem: Syncros Fraser 2.0 DC Alloy / Syncros DC 2.0
- Price: £3,299 / $3,799.99 / €3,599
2022 Contessa Spark 930
- Frame and shock: Spark Alloy SL 6011 / X-Fusion NUDE 5 RLX
- Fork: RockShox Judy Silver TK Solo Air
- Wheels and tyres: Syncros X-30SE rims on Shimano hubs / Schwalbe Wicked Will
- Groupset: Syncros X-30SE on Shimano hubs / Schwalbe Wicked Will
- Bar/stem: Syncros Fraser 2.0 DC Alloy / Syncros DC 3.0
- Price: £2,599 / $2,999.99 / €2,799
